The 5 Best 32-Inch Monitors - Fall 2023 Reviews

The best 32-inch monitor we've tested is the Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 S32BG85. It's an excellent high-end monitor with many gaming features, which is great if you also want the best 32-inch gaming monitor. Its 4k resolution lets you see a ton of details, and the 240Hz refresh rate makes it ideal for gaming at high refresh rates. Also, its excellent response time makes motion look smooth, which is ideal for games with fast-moving objects. If you don't think you'll take advantage of the 240Hz refresh rate, the Samsung Odyssey Neo G7 S32BG75 is a cheaper alternative with a 165Hz refresh rate and has many of the same features.

Even if you want it for things other than gaming, the Neo G8 delivers a great HDR experience that makes it much better than most monitors. It has a good native contrast ratio, and its Mini LED local dimming feature helps further improve the contrast. It means blacks look deep in dark rooms, but some black crush causes some small highlights to look muted. Luckily, its HDR peak brightness is still decent, as some bigger highlights stand out against the rest of the screen.

If you don't care much about getting something with the best picture quality but still want excellent gaming performance, consider the LG 32GQ950-B. It's a step down from the Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 S32BG85 in terms of picture quality because it doesn't deliver the same deep blacks, meaning it isn't as good to use in dark rooms. It also has a lower 160Hz refresh rate, but this makes little difference if your graphics card can't take advantage of the 240Hz refresh rate of the Samsung anyway.

You'll still be happy with its gaming performance as motion looks incredibly smooth thanks to its fast response time, especially at high refresh rates. It also has FreeSync variable refresh rate (VRR) support to reduce screen tearing, and its G-SYNC compatibility means it works with NVIDIA graphics cards. Even if you want to use it for console gaming, its HDMI 2.1 bandwidth lets you take full advantage of the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, as you can play 4k games up to 120Hz without any issues, and its VRR support works well with both consoles.

If you find the LG 32GQ950-B expensive but still want something with high-end gaming features, the Gigabyte M32U is a good alternative. It has many of the same features as the LG 32GQ950-B but has a slightly lower 144Hz refresh rate and slower overall response time. However, it still has VRR support to reduce screen tearing and has HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, which is great if you want to use it for console gaming or if you have an HDMI 2.1 graphics card.

It has different features than the LG, making it versatile for gaming and other uses, like if you want something for work and play. For example, its KVM switch makes it easy to use the same keyboard and mouse for two different computers connected to the monitor. It also has a USB-C port that supports DisplayPort Alt Mode, but with only 15W of power delivery, it isn't enough to charge your laptop while using it. Like the LG, it has a low contrast that makes blacks look gray in the dark, so the Gigabyte M32UC is a good alternative if you want something to use in dark rooms, but it has worse motion handling than the M32U.

You can save even more money by getting something with a 1440p resolution, which is good if you don't want a 4k monitor, and the LG 32GP850-B is a good choice as a lower mid-range monitor. As it has lower pixel density than the Gigabyte M32U, images look less sharp, but it's still good enough for gaming as you'll see enough details. It's an excellent gaming monitor with remarkable motion handling and a backlight strobing feature to reduce persistence blur. You can also overclock its 165Hz refresh rate to 180Hz, but if you still want a higher refresh rate, consider the Samsung Odyssey G7 C32G75T, which has a 240Hz refresh rate but costs more.

Unlike the Gigabyte, it doesn't have HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, so it can't take full advantage of gaming consoles or high-end graphics cards, but that's the case with most 1440p monitors anyways. Besides its gaming performance, it's good for everyday use as it has great reflection handling and high SDR peak brightness, enough to fight glare in a well-lit room. It also has wide viewing angles that keep the image consistent from the sides, which is great if you want to share the screen with a friend next to you.

If you're looking for a 32-inch monitor on a budget, there are a few good options, but you'll have to sacrifice performance. A monitor like the LG 32GN650-B is decent overall and has a few good features to improve the user experience. You can also find it as the 32GN63T-B at different retailers, and both variants perform the same. Sadly, it's a step down from the LG 32GP850-B as it doesn't get as bright and has worse motion handling, but it still has a 165Hz refresh rate, and it's great if you want to use it for gaming. It also has gaming features you'd expect to find in most gaming monitors, like FreeSync VRR and G-SYNC compatibility.

It has a 1440p resolution like the 32GP850-B, meaning it does a decent job of delivering details in your games. One difference between the 32GP850-B and the 32GN650-B is that the 32GN650-B has a different panel type, resulting in a higher native contrast for deeper blacks. However, it also has worse viewing angles, so the edges of the screen look washed out if you sit close or share your screen with a friend.