What is the minimum color depth required for true color display?

True color display requires a minimum color depth of 24 bits. This specification allows for the representation of colors through three color channels: red, green, and blue (RGB). Each of these channels is allocated 8 bits, enabling the combination of over 16 million distinct colors (specifically, 256 shades per channel, which equates to 256 x 256 x 256 = 16,777,216 colors in total).

A 24-bit color depth ensures that images can represent a large and varied range of colors accurately and is typically what you find in modern computer displays and graphic applications. This depth is essential for achieving smooth gradients and fine details in images and graphics, making it a standard in the display technology industry.

Other options do not meet the requirements for true color. For example, 8-bit and 16-bit color depths drastically limit the color variety available, with 8-bit allowing only 256 colors and 16-bit allowing 65,536 colors. While 32-bit color is often mentioned, it usually refers to a 24-bit RGB color depth plus an additional 8 bits for alpha transparency, and thus, at its core, 24 bits still qualifies as the minimum for true color.