Gray vs White Smoke

What is the difference between Gray and White Smoke?

A side-by-side study of Gray (#808080) and White Smoke (#F5F5F5) presents distinct choices for graphic layouts. Both shades match closely in terms of color richness and saturation profile. White Smoke behaves as a lighter and more luminous tone. A subtle hue shift of 0° creates a blended and harmonious transition.

Design recommendations for Gray vs White Smoke

Integrating Gray and White Smoke requires balancing dark and light elements. Utilize the depth of Gray to provide strong contrast and visual structure, and pair it with White Smoke on card backgrounds or subtle link accents to keep the user interface fresh and readable.

Readability & Contrast Testing

Visual test showing black and white text overlay readability on both colors.

Gray Typography

Preview of dark and light text elements rendered over a solid Gray background canvas.

White Text: 3.95:1 Black Text: 5.32:1

White Smoke Typography

Preview of dark and light text elements rendered over a solid White Smoke background canvas.

White Text: 1.09:1 Black Text: 19.26:1

Technical Specifications Comparison

Format / Value Gray White Smoke Delta / Difference
HEX Code #808080 #F5F5F5 -
RGB Channels rgb(128, 128, 128) rgb(245, 245, 245) R:+117 | G:+117 | B:+117
HSL Values hsl(0°, 0%, 50%) hsl(0°, 0%, 96%) H:0° | S:0% | L:+46%
CMYK (Print) cmyk(0%, 0%, 0%, 50%) cmyk(0%, 0%, 0%, 4%) -

Individual Color References

Gray Reference Sheet HEX, RGB, HSL and print codes
White Smoke Reference Sheet HEX, RGB, HSL and print codes
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