February 5 2020

Best 32-Inch Gaming Monitor

Displays come in many different shapes and sizes, but the awesome feeling of having a high-quality gaming screen that is massive is undeniable. Whether you’re looking to upgrade your smaller screen or are getting right into getting your first one, a 32” inch monitor is a size that pleases many.

Whether blasting enemies at home or editing a project in the studio, a screen this big comes with many benefits, so depending on what you need it for, there’s a lot of awesome options to choose from.

So what are the best 32-inch gaming monitors?

Best Choice: AOC U3277PWQU

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Pros & Cons

  • Worth more than it costs
  • Premium 4k display
  • Exceptional image quality and vibrance
  • High input lag
  • Quite bulky

Specifications:

  • Screen Size: 31.5”
  • Resolution: 3840 x 2160 (4K UHD)
  • Panel Type: VA
  • Refresh Rate: 60 Hz
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Response Time: 4ms GtG

AOC U3277PWQU Review

Being able to balance between price and value has always been a bit difficult, especially when it comes to monitors and our increasing demands for their features. Thankfully, the AOC U3277PWQU makes competition almost non-existent when having to reach a reasonable monitor middle ground, combining both admirable specs and a tempting price.

If you’re sold on the idea of getting a powerful 4K gaming monitor, this one is as good as it gets for its size and price. If you’re looking to spend even less, the U2777PQWU, its smaller 27-inch sibling, might be a good choice although we do think the extra inches on the bigger display is useful, especially when gaming with friends.

The U3277PWQU also sports a VA panel, providing you with strong, static contrast and good color and grayscale performance. Combined with dithering-free 10-bit color, you’ll be able to enjoy more lifelike and vibrant graphics, and you’ll find it a plus if you like to game in the dark. Its wide color gamut is an attractive feature and the monitor will allegedly deliver 100% of the sRGB spectrum, although its non-adjustable which makes over-saturation an issue.

The U3277PWQU’s VA panel also comes in handy for its quick response time of 4ms with gray-to-gray pixel transition, but its high input lag drags it down. This means that ghosting, flickering, and the bleeding won’t at all be an issue with everyday use and general gaming, but for fast-paced and competitive gaming, you might want to get a monitor with a higher refresh rate than 60 Hz.

Unfortunately, the extra inches on the monitor amount to a thicker body and larger bezel. While this is a good thing because it generally ensures stability and holds the weight of the panel given the monitor’s size, the larger bezels are thick and reflective and can prove to be somewhat distracting. This might annoy you whether you’re gaming or using the monitor for work, so try to place it somewhere where there won’t be a source of light behind you.

Overall, if you already have your mindset and won’t go smaller than a 32” monitor, the AOC U3277PWQU is the best all-rounder choice for its size and quality when it comes to professional use and casual gaming. Add its affordable price to the mix, and you’ve got yourself a pretty good deal.

Premium Pick: Acer Predator XB321HK

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Pros & Cons

  • G-Sync provides a smooth gaming experience
  • Build & style quality
  • Low latency
  • Pricey
  • G-Sync requires Nvidia graphics card

Specifications:

  • Screen Size: 32”
  • Resolution: 3840 x 2160 (4K UHD)
  • Panel Type: IPS
  • Refresh Rate: 60 Hz
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Response Time: 4ms GtG

Acer Predator XB321HK Review

If you need to splurge on an excellent monitor, especially if you’re a gamer, look no further. Everything about the Acer Predator XB321HK, from its 4K resolution to its IPS display, make gaming with this monitor a premium endeavor, and its unquestionably game-oriented design is a nice cherry on top.

The Predators makeup Acer’s gaming monitors’ backbone, and at a whopping 32 inches, the XB321HK is the perfect size to revel in the monitor’s impressive 4K UHD resolution.

If you commonly think opting for 4K would cost you smoothness, this Predator proves you wrong by backing up its resolution with G-Sync technology, meaning you get to the final game at 4K without screen tears or stutters. You do unfortunately need an Nvidia graphics card to power up the G-Sync, so if you just got a top-of-the-line card you’d like to put to good use, there’s a lot to love with the Predator XB321HK.

The IPS display on this monitor means good viewing angles, excellent color accuracy, and vibrancy out-of-box, so if you’re blasting enemies or watching a movie, outstanding image quality is going to make it even more enjoyable. Not to mention its native 10-bit color depth and wide color gamut, ensuring deep and vivid images.

Pair that with the Predator’s low latency and you got yourself an utter and surreal visual as well as a gaming experience. To make it all the more visually convenient, the monitor’s stand is height adjustable.

For a resolution this great, you’re unfortunately compromising on refresh rate, and with the XB321HK you’re stuck at 60 Hz. Although with the G-Sync and response time of 4ms your gaming is responsive and tear-free, you might want to consider getting a powerful 144Hz gaming monitor with a lower resolution and higher refresh rate to get the best of a G-Sync/144 Hz combination.

The XB321HK’s outstanding performance is not the only thing that makes gaming worth its while. The monitor is also packed with a lot of game-centric perks like crosshair-aiming targets, an on-screen refresh rate ticker, and gaming presets you can customize. It also implements a black enhancer, a feature with which you can brighten dark areas of the game so you’re better able to locate your enemies.

In general, everything about this monitor is gamer-friendly and provides you with the premium experience you’re willing to pay for, and we like to think it’s worth every penny.

Best Budget: LG 32MA68HY-P

Pros & Cons

  • Responsive and smooth performance
  • Vivid colors
  • Image quality in the dark is exceptional
  • Low pixel density – not recommended for heavy PC use
  • The reflective screen can be distracting

Specifications:

  • Screen Size: 31.5”
  • Resolution: 1920 x 1080
  • Panel Type: IPS
  • Refresh Rate: 60 Hz
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Response Time: 5ms GtG

LG 32MA68HY-P Review

You might not be too invested in finding an exceptionally performing monitor for light professional duties or if you’re just a casual gamer. At least not to the point that you’d pay a fortune, anyway. For that, the LG 32MA68HY-P is a monitor that does the job with a price that will sit pretty well within your budget.

For its price, this LG monitor is great for console gaming or if you want to watch a movie, but if your purposes are more professional and PC-oriented, its low pixel density lets it down. It provides you with plenty of screen space though, and LG adopts that quality efficiently by making the 32MA68HY-P compatible with Split Screen 2.0 You can have up to 4 separate windows in case you need all your open applications on display; truly perfect for multitasking.

To make the best use of that screen space, the monitor’s IPS display excels at color vividness and depth, and even allows you the option of advanced color adjustment, a feature many high-end monitors lack.

Reliably responsive with a speed time of 5ms and a low input lag, you won’t be able to notice much ghosting or blurring, which is a plus if you’re looking for a monitor to support your passion for fast-paced or competitive gaming. Overall, the image quality is outstanding and true-to-color, no matter your viewing angle.

A screen this size coupled with its IPS panel comes in handy when wanting to watch or game with a group of friends. It’s true that the resolution could have been much better, but sitting at a distance will emphasize the flicker-free screen’s vibrancy in colors and smooth performance, so don’t sit too close! Luckily, Reader Mode is implemented in the 32MA68HY-P and it relieves eye strain and headaches by lessening the monitor’s blue light levels.

The monitor, unfortunately, lacks AMD FreeSync support, but at a 60 Hz refresh rate, your console gaming experience will still be pleasantly maintained. Generally speaking, the LG32MA68HY-P’s low price, even with a couple of downsides, make it a steal!

Best 32” Curved Monitor: Samsung Curved LED Monitor – C32F391

Pros & Cons

  • Sleek design
  • AMD FreeSync
  • Easy-to-use joystick
  • Only two outputs – poor connectivity
  • Underwhelming resolution

Specifications:

  • Screen Size: 32”
  • Resolution: 1920 x 1080
  • Panel Type: VA
  • Refresh Rate: 60 Hz
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Response Time: 4ms

Samsung Curved LED Monitor – C32F391 Review

If your search for a 32-inch monitor requires a more playful edge, a quality curved gaming monitor that packs as many attractive attributes like the Samsung Curved LED C32F391 could be worth your consideration.

Any curved monitor would generally look attractive, but this one takes it up a notch. The design is clean and sleek, and the C32F391 boasts a gorgeous white matte finish, eye-catching wherever you place it. Its curvature makes for good viewing angles whether you want an immersive gaming session or are showing a bunch of people a work presentation.

The monitor employs a speedy response rate of 4ms, and although slightly let down by a 60 Hz refresh rate, makes for good casual gaming or general professional needs, such as programming.

As always, monitors sporting VA panels have an advantage of crisp contrast and good color performance and reproduction, but the C32F391’s low pixel density and resolution of 1920 x 1080 is a bit disappointing. The VA display’s low gradient ghosting also lets the monitor’s response rate down, but LG probably had that in mind when integrating the AMD FreeSync technology and Flicker-free features which prevent lags, tears, and stutters.

The monitor’s LED adjustable backlights are a plus, and to maintain and ensure optimal eye comfort, the Eye Saver mode protects your eyes by reducing the flickering frequency and blue light emissions.

Another tidbit this monitor employs is that it comes with modes and presets dedicated to your different needs and uses, like gaming, watching movies, or working. As such, you can quickly switch between modes if you’re using this as a professional monitor as well.

If you’re looking for one of the best 32-inch gaming monitors that double as an efficient option serving your day to day needs while also keeping you entertained, the C32F391 does that well and is a relatively inexpensive pick.

Best 4K 32” Monitor: BenQ EW3270U

Pros & Cons

  • HDR
  • Good greyscale performance
  • Narrow viewing angles

Specifications:

  • Screen Size: 31.5”
  • Resolution: 3840 x 2160
  • Panel Type: VA
  • Refresh Rate: 60 Hz
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Response Time: 4m

BenQ EW3270U Review

BenQ is known for making well-rounded budget monitors, but even though their EW3270U is more on the costlier side, it still falls within their good reputation of monitors with great value.

This monitor excels at its HDR emulation, and paired with a crisp 4k resolution, it produces a display with images that are detailed, vibrant, and gorgeous. The screen reproduces a wide color gamut of 95% DCI-P3, and when you combine that with a response time of 4ms and a VA panel, you get excellent, static contrast with an accurate, rich image and great color performance.

As usual, the 60 Hz might be a hurdle, so it’s a good thing the EW3270U includes AMD FreeSync technology. Tried and tested, it really does fix the problem of tearing with this monitor. Another great thing about the display is that it includes blue light options that reduce the risk of eye strain with long viewing sessions.

The monitor, unfortunately, has poor brightness, but BenQ makes up for that by employing Brightness Intelligence + Technology, which adjusts the brightness and color temperature of the screen depending on the environment.

All in all, despite the monitor’s rigid ergonomics that make it difficult to place in a comfortable position, it will have you enjoying an excellent display with vivid and deep colors, which you’ll get to enjoy tear-free thanks to the FreeSync.

How to Choose a 32 Inch Monitor

While there might be a growing demand for smaller individual monitors for bedrooms or offices, lots of people still prefer the luxury of a bigger screen, whether for gaming, watching movies, or even for professional use in office spaces or studios. A high-quality 32” inch gaming monitor is generally a good size in the range of larger monitors, but other features that might be in proportion to size are also important to consider.

If you’re on a tight budget, make sure to check out great gaming monitors under $200 before you commit to a more serious purchase – you might find a screen that’s just what you’re looking for.

Resolution

When aiming for the ideal gaming resolution, watch out for pixel density. The higher the pixels per inch (PPI), the smoother everything will look, and the lower, the grainier. For a 32” monitor, a resolution of 1920 x 1080 would produce 69ppi, 2560 x 1440 would be 92ppi, and 3840 x 2160 is 138ppi. For the most part, anything that ranges from 92 to 109 is good enough, but again, it depends on what you’re using the monitor for.

Panel type 

You’ll find monitors generally sport one of these three-panel types: TN, VA, and IPS.

Although none of the monitors listed here had TN display, they are more commonly found in cheaper monitors. They have great response times, refresh rates and input lags, but they tend to disappoint when it comes to viewing angles and color production, which are factors to consider when it comes to picking a big monitor.

monitor VA IPS and TN panel

IPS panels enjoy much better viewing angles and color reproduction than TN displays, but they’re more pricey with input lag issues, commonly.

VA panels lay in the middle as a good option between TN and IPS: good viewing angles and response time, but not as good as IPS and TN panels respectively.

Refresh Rate

This is a really important thing to look out for, even more so depending on what you’re buying your monitor for. A 60 Hz refresh rate monitor is generally cheaper depending on screen size and resolution, but a 144 Hz refresh rate leads to a smoother and more responsive experience.


FAQs

Is a 32” Monitor Too Big?

That depends wholly on how you’re going to use it. If you’re watching a movie or gaming at a distance, it’s perfectly fine, but if you like gaming super close to the screen or are using it for work, it might take a little getting used to in terms of frequent eye movement between parts of the screen. Resolution and your actual physical environment can also play a part in that decision.

If you want to find out more, check out our detailed screen size guide for gaming.

What Is Input Lag?

Input lag is how much time it takes your monitor to process a button input. For gamers, this is especially significant for an optimum gaming experience, as a high input lag would feel sluggish and unresponsive.

What’s the Difference Between G-Sync and Freesync?

G-Sync can only be used with Nvidia GPUs, while FreeSync can only work with AMD GPUs. Monitors with FreeSync are usually cheaper.

Which Panel Type Is the Best?

Usually, TN panels are most preferred over IPS for fast-paced gaming due to their faster response times. For all other non-gaming uses, IPS might be superior.


Final Verdict

It can be a little bit complicated dealing with a bigger monitor, especially since they aren’t very common and you won’t have much experience with them. Even so, we believe the picks above are pretty sweet and should fit most needs. In the end, the best 32-inch gaming monitor for you depends solely on your needs and preferences.

Regardless, always do your research, and don’t forget the things we mentioned in the FAQ, especially since they can have a pretty big impact.


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Author

Albert Bassili