Do you actually need to wallop your retinas with 500 nits of full-screen SDR brightness every day? That query goes to the core of the brand new Asus ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM. As a result of it is painfully near gaming monitor perfection save for one apparent limitation. Yup, full-screen brightness.
To be clear, this new Asus OLED panel would not have a specific concern with full-screen brightness in comparison with different OLED screens. It simply would not transfer the sport on by that metric. Alternatively, it undoubtedly does ship the place earlier OLED screens have not when it comes to pixel density and backbone. That is the true 4K deal, all 240Hz of it. And it is fairly bloody superb.
Cherish that thought whereas we motor by means of the assorted speeds and feeds. So, this can be a 32-inch 4K monitor that includes Samsung’s newest QD-OLED panel tech. The 4K bit means a lot larger pixel density than earlier than, which has in flip required a brand new ink-jet printing methodology for manufacturing the panel.
That new course of would not appear to have impacted the panel’s broader capabilities past the pixel density. It is rated on the identical 0.03ms response as earlier QD-OLEDs, as an example, and the 250 nits full-screen brightness is likewise carried over, ditto the height 1,000 nits for HDR brightness in very small home windows, and 99% protection of the DCI-P3 color house.
Connectivity sensible, you get DisplayPort 1.4, a pair of HDMI 2.1 ports, and USB-C with 90W of energy supply, to not point out a KVM swap. Mainly all of your connectivity bases are coated. It’s value noting that the complete 240Hz at 4K is simply potential through DSC or Show Stream Compression which theoretically provides to latency, however by such a small quantity it actually would not matter (0.5 microseconds, should you’re questioning).
Swift OLED PG32UCDM specs
Display screen measurement: 32-inch
Decision: 3,840 x 2,160
Brightness: 250 nits full display, 1,000 nits max HDR
Colour protection: 99% DCI-P3
Response time: 0.03ms
Refresh fee: 240Hz
HDR: DisplayHDR 400 True Black
Options: Samsung QD-OLED third Gen panel, adaptive sync, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 2x HDMI 2.1, 1x USB-C with 90W PD, KVM swap
Value: $1,299 | £1,349
As for different options, there’s HDR400 certification, a customized heatsink, a uniform brightness mode and varied burn-in mitigation measures together with pixel refresh and pixel shift. By the way, as is all the time the case with the latter, that entails an over provisioning of pixels which barely will increase the obvious measurement of the display bezels.
Hardly a deal breaker, then, however if you’re anticipating that edge-to-edge OLED factor you get with TVs, you may be upset right here. Nor are you getting a very grown up design.
Aesthetically, Asus’ ROG line of gaming peripherals appears to have barely turn into caught about 10 years in the past. It is a properly constructed display. However the sharp strains, the RGB lighting, and the logos are all a bit adolescent and dated.
That is little doubt high-quality for sure extra reasonably priced segments of the gaming market. However we’re speaking about $1,299 value of high-end monitor right here. Some barely much less tacky surrounds in all probability would not harm.
With all that coated off, what’s this factor like to truly use? Largely wonderful is the reply. It is a revelation to lastly have an OLED desktop monitor, versus a laptop computer or cellphone panel, with first rate pixel density. It just about solves all these niggly font rendering points that decrease decision OLED panels have had attributable to their weirdo subpixel structure.
It is a revelation to lastly have an OLED desktop monitor, versus a laptop computer or cellphone panel, with first rate pixel density.
That non-standard subpixel association stays. However the density offsets it to the extent that the sharpness of textual content may be very almost similar to an RGB LCD with the identical decision and density.
That basically issues, as a result of it means that is the primary OLED panel that you should utilize as an all-rounder with out compromising on font high quality. Sure, you’ll be able to simply see some fringing should you look actually exhausting. However you do should look awfully intently.
In different regards, this monitor seems to be a lot the identical as earlier QD-OLED panels. And that is a superb factor. The colors are wonderful, the HDR efficiency is completely beautiful. The response wallops just about any LCD monitor.
After which there’s the full-screen brightness. Which is the place issues get a tiny bit extra sophisticated. At 250 nits it is affordable, the identical in truth as just about all the newest OLED panels, together with Asus’s personal 34 incher, the Asus ROG Swift OLED PG34WCDM. For many customers indoors, that is sufficient. However arguably solely simply. For those who’re utilizing this monitor in an atmosphere with actually vivid ambient lighting, you may typically really feel such as you need a bit extra pop.
But when there’s a extra urgent drawback with brightness, it is extra to do with HDR gaming. Anytime the scene is usually darkish as much as a roughly 50:50 mixture of darkish and lightweight components, this monitor completely sizzles. It renders neon lighting on a darkish background in Cyberpunk 2077, as an example, as nicely or higher than any monitor we have seen.
That is partly helped by a really nicely judged shiny coating, which emphasises the OLED panel’s inherent distinction with out including an excessive amount of reflectivity. It is a real visible thrill.
No LCD panel can come near the 0.03ms pixel response.
The place the Asus ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM is much less convincing—and once more this can be a drawback it shares with each earlier OLED monitor so far—is in actually vivid out of doors gaming scenes. In that state of affairs, the restricted full-screen brightness is fairly apparent. Even a reasonably fundamental 400 nit IPS monitor has this and each different OLED panel beat with regards to rendering that sort of picture.
Picture 1 of 6
However then do you actually wish to slap your retinas with upwards of 400 nits of full-screen sizzle each time you are taking part in a recreation with a vivid out of doors scene? Is that really comfy and sustainable?
That is a difficult name. What is feasible to say is that it could be preferable if this monitor not less than gave you the choice of doing that. The truth that it would not is what ensures that this is not fairly the proper all-round gaming monitor.
For the file, this OLED panel additionally handles SDR content material brilliantly in HDR mode. So, you’ll be able to merely run it in HDR mode on a regular basis with the SDR brightness turned up within the Home windows Show Settings software. There isn’t any want to leap forwards and backwards between SDR and HDR mode in Home windows on a regular basis relying on the content material you are watching or taking part in.
As for response and latency, nicely, few might be upset. Sure, there are screens with larger refresh charges. However no LCD panel can come near the 0.03ms pixel response. Furthermore, if you wish to play at 500Hz, you are not going to be available in the market for a 4K panel of any form.
This factor is well slick sufficient and quick sufficient for 99% of avid gamers. The one actual drawback in that regard is that you will want a megbucks Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU to essentially take advantage of that 4K at 240Hz combo.
By the way, should you have been questioning if this new class of QD-OLED panel suffers from the identical inside reflectivity points as different QD-OLED panels, it does. So, sure, it could possibly look a bit gray when there’s heaps and many ambient gentle. However more often than not, it is barely a problem and should you’re in a darkish room. For me, it is a whole non-issue.
Purchase if…
✅ You need a excessive pixel density OLED expertise: That is the primary 4K OLED we have skilled and it undoubtedly would not disappoint.
Do not buy if…
❌ You demand actually excessive full-screen brightness: Like each different OLED monitor, full-screen brightness stays a slight weak point.
Total, then, this can be a horribly desirably gaming monitor. As soon as you have tried it, it kind of spoils you for LCD panels. The right per-pixel lighting and wonderful HDR efficiency, the unimaginable response, the primarily infinite viewing angles—by comparability, all LCD screens are just a bit bit clunky.
Certainly, it is little issues like having really black bars above and under motion pictures and a way of completely even picture high quality throughout your entire panel that make this monitor really feel so trendy and LCD screens really feel only a bit dated by comparability.
The Asus ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM is subsequently not good however, as an total proposition, it in all probability comes nearer than any earlier monitor. Solely the hefty worth and the information that even higher OLED panel tech is nearly sure to look within the coming years stop this from being a complete no brainer and an absolute should purchase. However, should you’re available in the market for an excellent 4K gaming monitor proper now, it is the one.
