So in the last few weeks I've noticed minor but noticeable color banding, err to be more specific, banding in gradients.
 
First noticed it on Steams background and in Dota 2's chat window and various backgrounds, but after asking around, most people said they get that too...
 
Still not completely reassured, I started noticing it on various webpages... ESPN's background, EVGA's Website in the dropdown Menu the Black-Gray part, Windows Login/Task Manager background and various other places.
 
And I don't know if exactly related, or completely different, a few movies I've watched and in some scenes with intense lighting I'll get a blue horizontal glowy type bar shine across the light sources, and occasionally a transparent pale red type artifacty-ish thing, and again I don't know if maybe that's part of the video encode or rip or w/e.
 
Anyhoo here's what I've done so far to try to figure out what the issue is... All produced roughly the same banding.
 
4 Monitors... 2 being of different Make/Models
2, err 3, GPU's counting the onboard Intel4000 I have... Currently using a 670FTW 2gb, also was issued a RMA for it which the refurbished one sent also produced "slightly" less banding but the performance was WAY below the current card I had, so I sent the RMA'd refurbished one back.
Clean installed 5 different Nvidia driver versions...
Messed with every single display setting my computer/monitor/everything has...
Messed with every "color management" profile...
3 Different input cables... HDMI/DVI/VGA including 2 different HDMI and DVI cables each.
Comparing to screenshots/webpages with a Mac downstairs...
 
I'm totally dumbfounded right now... I can't clear this issue up, I have no clue what else could cause "gradient banding".
 
I can get the lagom black-white gradients to be "somewhat" smooth, but the really dark side I have my gamma off on the monitor to mask the banding there.
 
Again this issue is not totally severe but it is INSANELY annoying since I think I've developed OCD from it...
 
If anyone could give me some suggestions on what is left for me to mess with, or try to figure out... Cause right now, I have no clue.
 
My system specs if it helps...
 
i5-3750k (Stock settings)
EVGA GTX 670FTW 2gb (Stock settings)
Crucial 256gb SSD(Games/Steam Installed on)
Crucial [link=mailto:8GB@1600mhz]8GB@1600mhz [/link]
AzRock Z77 Extreme4
Coolermaster Hyper 212 Evo Fan/Sink
Thermaltake 750w SmartSeries 80+B
HP Pavilion 23xi IPS BackLit LED
1920x1080 60hz
Windows 7 Home Premium
 

maniacvvv
Turn on the monitor (not computer) and use the OSD to RESTORE the factory default settings (gamma OFF will cause issues)
 
Now boot the computer
Download another copy of your current Nvidia driver (do NOT use Nvidia Update or the GeForce Experience)
Launch the installer in CUSTOM mode
Choose ONLY Graphics driver and PhysX--->UNCHECK EVERYTHING ELSE!!
--MAKE SURE--> that you put a CHECK in the box for "perform a clean install"
After the install is complete REBOOT the computer once
 
You will now have your IPS monitor at DEFAULTS -AND- your Nvidia driver settings as well
This should fix your issue 

Appreciate the reply, but I've already done exactly what you've said :(
 
I've always only used just the Graphics Driver and PhysX(I consider most of the other stuff to be bloatware) as well as Custom/Clean installs, and along with doing a complete sweep if I choose to upgrade. Granted I had been using 314.22 for a long time without any issues until I noticed this banding problem.
 
Only reason I have my monitor's gamma off is because it best masks the banding. I have done a factory reset on it a plethora of times, and like I said I get this banding issue on other monitors as well.

Double check that you're using a 32-bit resolution, not a 16-bit.

Also don't know if this is related or just in my head.
 
I DON'T see banding in most pictures...
 
It's mostly in background gradient changes.
 
More profound in pale-ish color transitions...
 

ty_ger07
Many website gradients do have banding problems because the website designer purposely compressed the images as much as possible to the point that some image quality was lost.

If you have your browser zoom set to anything other than 100% (hit ctrl + 0), it makes the problem much worse.

Ya I noticed this when comparing pictures on my rig to a Mac we have downstairs, but... I've found quite a few sites and gradient pictures that are only showing banding on my rig and not the Mac downstairs.
 
It's just frustrating because I built this PC a little over a year ago and never noticed any banding issues until the monitor I was using died a month or so ago, and in the process of checking out the new ones I was sent for dead pixels and other various monitor problems and found this banding issue. At first I thought it was a monitor issue until I went through 4 of them and finally checked that off as a probable cause. Even tried an older monitor I have that I know works flawlessly and I noticed banding on that one too.
 
I then tried all the different input cables I had all 3 input slots and then various different cables of each input slot... That wasn't the issue.
 
I then tried 4 different Nvidia driver versions(2 were older versions I had previously used without issues), clean install each, doing a complete sweep on each reinstall... That wasn't the issue.
 
Tried different color management profiles... Tried every setting combination on my monitor, right now the only one that makes the banding the least noticeable is "Text" at 6500k with Gamma set to "off", everything else the banding is significantly worse. Obviously made sure my settings were set on the correct Resolution/Refresh/32bit color/etc.
 
Installed my monitor's "driver" which actually made the banding even worse, so I had to uninstall that and use Generic PnP.
 
Fiddled with every Nvidia control panel setting that could be applicable...
 
Tried my onboard Intel 4000 or w/e and again still noticed banding issues on the same places...
 
Tried both PCI-E(or w/e they're called) slots after first trying to just reseat my GPU.
 
Checked my PSU voltages as I had an issue with that about a year ago which was resolved with a new one. Voltages were fine.
 
Tested my GPU's memory with OCCT finished 10x3 passes with no problems.
 
Finally talked to someone at EVGA they said it was a "possible" GPU issue after we tried various software settings which I had previously done as well, they sent me out a refurbished one through the RMA... The banding was ever so slightly less noticeable, but the refurbished one they sent me the performance was at like 85% of what I was getting with my original new purchase so sent that back. Again though, banding was still noticeable with both GPUs.
 
Spent another few weeks reading everything and anything I could find on the internet which could help me try to pinpoint what could be the culprit, and nothing I found was anything that I hadn't previously tried.
 
I don't know what else could cause minor but noticeable color/gradient banding? The only things left are my RAM, Mobo and/or some software/windows/whatever settings that I'm not aware of.
 
Anyhoo, I appreciate everyone's help, just wish I could figure out this problem.
 
 

PabloFajita
At first I thought it was a monitor issue until I went through 4 of them and finally checked that off as a probable cause.
 
Tried my onboard Intel 4000 or w/e and again still noticed banding issues on the same places...
 
The banding was ever so slightly less noticeable, but the refurbished one they sent me the performance was at like 85% of what I was getting with my original new purchase so sent that back.

Ok this is basically proving it's a software issue, you need to quit wasting the various manufacturer's time with RMAs and re-install Windows or install a fresh copy on a different drive.