Wide Gamut with 8 bit Graphics Card

[bmb]

Is there any advantage in having a wide gamut display if the graphics card (Nvidia GeForce 320M) on the computer (MacBook Pro 13 inch 2010 model) is only 8-bit?

How do I find out if the graphics card is really 8-bit or something else?

I use Mac OS X 10.8.3. As far as I know this operating system is not 10-bit. Does this mean that even with a wide gamut monitor I won't be able to properly see the Adobe RGB gamut in Photoshop?

I hope these questions make sense on some level. I have a standard gamut display (Dell U2412M) and am trying to decide if I should get a similar second monitor to use as a dual display system or if I should get a wide gamut monitor.

I appreciate your replies. Thank you.

[digitaldog]

Is there any advantage in having a wide gamut display if the graphics card (Nvidia GeForce 320M) on the computer (MacBook Pro 13 inch 2010 model) is only 8-bit?

Sure, your display output is now wider gamut. On the Mac, there's no full high bit path anyway, it's not supported in the OS. The better wide gamut displays (SpectraView etc) work with more bit's in the panel which helps. But it might be nice someday if Apple would allow a full high bit path, then a high bit card would be useful to a degree.

[bmb]

So what you are saying is that a wide gamut display will be an improvement although it won't be as big an improvement as if I had a full high bit system, right?

(I started two related topics but they are really just one and the same - if you have the time and patience I would be very thankful if you could read my latest reply on my previous topic "Hardware Calibrating Lut". I am just trying to make a wise decision on purchasing a display and it seems the more I read on the color gamut and management issues the more frustrated I feel for not fully understanding the pros and cons or even the possibilities).

[Sheldon N]

Gamut is how saturated the colors can be at their most saturated.

Bit depth affects how many tonal steps there are between unsaturated and saturated colors, ie. how fine of a gradient you can make.

The two issues aren't really related to each other. The difference between 8 bit and 10bit display is very, very subtle and questionable whether it is even visible in most circumstances, since it's the difference between 16 million colors and a billion colors (both more than your eye can see). Most professionals are using 8 bit workflow with wide gamut monitors with no problems at all.