What ΔE actually tells you about a Pantone match
Every match shows a number. Here's how to read it — and which threshold matters for which kind of work.
L
Lina Marsh
May 4, 2026 · 5 min read
(Mock post body.) ΔE is a single number that summarizes how perceptually different two colors are. ΔE 1 is nearly invisible. ΔE 5 is acceptable for most print. ΔE 10 looks like a different color. We use the CIEDE2000 formulation, which Sharma published in 2005...
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