ASUS PG32UQX Review - Immersive with Stunning HDR

A review of the ASUS PG32UQX (ROG Swift Series). A 32" 144Hz '4K' UHD monitor with Mini LED backlight (1152 zones) and VESA DisplayHDR 1400 support. G-SYNC is also supported (G-SYNC Ultimate module), alongside Adaptive-Sync. Refer to the written piece for further analysis and information on supporting our work.

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Introduction= 0:00
Features & Aesthetics= 4:18
Contrast= 15:49
Variable Backlight (Desktop)= 20:17
Variable Backlight (In-game)= 29:05
Colour Reproduction= 34:17
HDR (High Dynamic Range)= 44:44
Responsiveness (General)= 1:05:15
Missing Video Section [~14s, see note in comments]: 1:15:41
Responsiveness (G-SYNC)= 1:15:55
Conclusion= 1:23:43

[PCMonitors]

A small section of the video was missed out at 1:15:41 with slight visual corruption shortly afterwards. This just explained that the monitor has a G-SYNC module ('full fat G-SYNC') that can also be accessed via Adaptive-Sync for AMD GPUs ('FreeSync'). The video file was fine, so this is an issue with the upload or YouTube's processing.

[slickill]

Always the best technical yet still usability focused monitor reviews. Only tft central comes close technically and also hardware unboxed ...yet light on the usability... but imho this gentlemans reviews are king overall.

[PCMonitors]

Introduction= 0:00
Features & Aesthetics= 4:18
Contrast= 15:49
Variable Backlight (Desktop)= 20:17
Variable Backlight (In-game)= 29:05
Colour Reproduction= 34:17
HDR (High Dynamic Range)= 44:44
Responsiveness (General)= 1:05:15
Missing Video Section [~14s, see note in comments]: 1:15:41
Responsiveness (G-SYNC)= 1:15:55
Conclusion= 1:23:43

[Ryxxi_makes]

and very in depth and detailed stuff on Backlighting, no one else on YT has shows these tests for this monitor, which i think are super important.

[PCMonitors]

Forgot to mention that this monitor includes a DC power input, with (rather chunky) external 'power brick'.

[ployth]

thanks for such an in depth review we need more people doing reviews like this especially on panels with a high price tag so if we can see is it worth our hard earned money

[moorebwb]

Absolutely brilliant in-depth review we never see. Just picked up one for a good price, getting it tomorrow 👌

[patjcoan]

just picked this bad boy up, thanks for all the info, helped so much!

[Adamchevy]

I really enjoyed this in depth look at this monitor. I ended up purchasing this monitor to pair with a 4090. I couldn't find a better monitor in the 32" size yet at 4k. Its amazing how long this monitor has held the top spot for 4k 32" gaming with spectacular HDR. I would have thought OLED tech would have surpassed this by now, but sadly not at this size.

[gigidi]

Today the video is less corrupt than yesterday, I can actually hover my cursor over the progress bar and see snapshots of the review.
Maybe tomorrow we'll get some of the sound back.
Nice work Youtube...

[edragyz]

Hey I don't know if you still have your unit around but if you do I got a question. There's an official Vesa HDR app in the Windows store that Vesa uses to test monitors, inside this app there is a readout that sort of says what your display is capable of. My PG32UQX is supposedly 1565 nits peak and a gamut of 83% BT.2100, but what does your say? I ask because you mentioned measuring 1700 nits peak at some point in the video and HWU measured 1800 nits at times..

26:25
I honestly don't mind the halos, but the inverted halo makes it easy to find my mouse if i ever lose it.

[nilsnilsson]

This is one of the most underrated channels on YT. But you should really consider making shorter videos or perhaps a shorter version of the videos :) Thanks.

[xm]

I do wish they went for a VA cell instead of an IPS. The IPS cell they used doesn't really have impressive response times but does have better viewing angles. However, there's a reason a lot of FALD TVs are VA, due to better isolation they mask blooming a lot better thanks to their higher native contrast. If this cell was much faster I would say it's worth it over a VA one but unfortunately, the response times aren't very impressive, and blooming is much more noticeable at an angle on locally dimmed IPS models. This would also lower production costs and potentially lower its 2xOLED TV price.

[JCustom]

I am interested in getting this but seems its a year too late. I watched your reviews before purchasing the Acer x35 3440x1440 200hz HDR and the Acer X27 4k 144hz HDR. I have been waiting for a 32 4k for ages that offered those panels level of HDR. I feel like I should just hold off but ughhh

[LexLutha]

I purchased this day one and ended up returning it due to the haloing. I have the PG27UQ and the haloing on that doesn’t bother me so much. I have been waiting for a proper hdr upgrade and just cannot get this panel out of my mind. I didn’t really play with the settings too much. I am all about immersion and hdr. I wonder if I would have better luck now. The launch panel also had dead and stuck pixels 😢 its $2299 now new. Should I go for it? I have a 4090 as well.

[Ryxxi_makes]

Nice !! does your sample have the local dimming problem in HDR, where you move like a gun crosshair from bright background to completely dark and the backlighting around the crosshair wont adjust to the dark scene, instead it keeps the high brightness from the bright scene. There was a video of RE village showing the issue. Can link it if u want.

edit: watching the video and i think its similar to the inverted haloing you are showing. I wish level 3 was better.

[barryjones]

Love your reviews! Very thorough on the technical and usability side as well. Just wondering is there anything better than this for HDR quality? 1152 zones, over 1700 nits for highlights and 1200 nits for full screen white, with great viewing angles (IPS), Colour range. Has anything come out since that is considered better that is non-OLED? The real problem with these kind of displays (FALD) is normally the blacks aren't that good or crushed (Neo G8 and also nowhere near as bright)....with an IPS this seems to have really good blacks and hardly any blooming. It sounds like maybe it's the closest to the perfect HDR experience. But still expensive, so are there any other options that are cheaper with around the same quality or better? Like the KTC, Innocn, Acer 32" 576 zones or so one? Would use for some casual gaming not competitive, mainly want for the best HDR experience for movies/series. If you could advise that would be great! Thank you.

[ygny]

Very nice review, do you set 12bpc or 10bpc in Nvidia control panel? How do you disable FRC? Just limit the refresh rate to 120?

[nirvanization]

This monitor is the one I wanted to buy at all costs, but since it never came out I ended up buying the Predator x35, which I do not regret at all.
At last it came out. Also now I prefer a ultrawide. I'm not going back to a standard nevermore.

[akaChrissL]

Will you be reviewing the AOC AG274QXM model? It has 1440p 27 inch Mini LED panel.