Best 32-inch Gaming Monitors of 2024

Written by Matthew S. Smith, Mark Knapp, and Jonathan Hilburg

Updated May 21, 2024

The best 32-inch gaming monitors provide an immersive experience and can pull double duty as a substitute for a TV in small spaces, such as a dorm room, studio apartment, or gaming den.

When compared to the best 24-inch monitors, prices are a bit higher, refresh rates tend to be lower, and picture quality and pixel density in a broad range of content become more important. Monitors in this range often deliver a better sense of depth and realism thanks to a superior contrast ratio.

The Samsung Odyssey G7 (available at Amazon) is the best 32-inch gaming monitor you can buy. It has an incredible 240Hz refresh rate that provides smooth, clear, responsive gameplay. This is paired with stellar image quality that’s among the best you’ll find from any monitor in any category. Though somewhat expensive, the Odyssey G7 is a good value and an easy choice for any gamer craving a big screen.

Other 32-inch Gaming Monitors We Tested

MSI MPG 321URX

The MSI MPG 321URX is a brilliant package, squeezing an absolutely exceptional 4K, 240Hz, QD-OLED panel and useful port variety into a respectable design for just $950. That might seem like a high price, but it’s not absurd for a 4K/240Hz panel, especially an OLED. Most alternatives (like the Alienware AW3225QF above) cost hundreds more, and the MSI MPG 321URX doesn’t leave much to be desired next to those models unless you’re after Dolby Vision or the 480Hz mode of the LG UltraGear 32GS95UE-B.

The AW3225QF may beat it on features, but the MSI MPG 321URX won’t leave you wanting much. It has the typical two HDMI 2.1 and single DisplayPort 1.4 ports, a basic but effective USB hub, and an integrated power supply that keeps it from taking up any more desk space than it has to.

The star of the show is, of course, the 32-inch display. Despite being a lower-priced QD-OLED option at $950, the MSI MPG 321URX uses the same amazing Samsung panel as competitors, and it delivers up to 915-nit highlights when HDR is enabled alongside pitch-black pixels for stunning contrast. It dazzles when displaying HDR content thanks to its wide color gamut, which covers 98% of the DCI-P3 color space.

It’s also exceedingly fast, and combined with the inherent speedy pixel response time of OLED displays, has great motion clarity. These aspects blend together for a monitor that stuns equally across most media types. Thanks to an improved sub-pixel layout and high pixel density, the monitor doesn’t struggle to present clear text like earlier OLED displays. If our top pick falls outside your budget, get the MSI MPG 321URX instead. That is, if you can find it in stock; it’s been in and out of availability since release.

Read our full review of the MSI MPG 321URX.

Pros

• Stunning visual quality

• Good connectivity options

• Exceptional value

Cons

• Hardware design is so-so

• OLED care can be annoying

• Finicky audio jack

$949.99 from Walmart

Asus ROG Swift PG32UQX

Asus’ ROG Swift PG32UQX is not your average gaming monitor. Your games will look better than ever before.

The PG32UQX achieves this with a mini-LED backlight system that has 1,152 individual dimming zones. These zones can turn off entirely in dark scenes but ramp up to eye-searing brightness when required. The result is a high contrast ratio, extremely high brightness, and great luminance uniformity that banishes the hazy spots found at the corners of many large gaming monitors. This is a 4K monitor, so it’s sharper than most.

HDR content is where the PG32UQX literally shines. This monitor can deliver a maximum brightness that rivals today’s best HDR televisions. You’ll feel the urge to turn away from an in-game sunrise or a flashlight shining in your character’s face.

This is a good gaming monitor for motion clarity. It has a 144Hz refresh rate and Nvidia G-Sync support for smooth gameplay. However, the mini-LED backlight can cause halos to appear around bright objects in dark scenes. This is often more distracting in motion than with static scenes.

The PG32UQX is heavy, thick, and built to exacting standards. It has a large stand that adjusts for tilt, swivel, and pivot. Its size and weight means it can truly dominate small desks. The monitor has a small display on its chin that can display a game’s framerate or the current temperature of your GPU, among other things.

The catch is its price. Asus’ PG32UQX has an extremely high MSRP of $2,999, but has since dropped to about $1,880. This makes it impractical for many. Hopefully, the monitor’s technology filters down to more affordable displays in the coming years.

Pros

• Class-leading HDR

• Outstanding contrast

• 144Hz refresh rate

Cons

• Some ghosting behind bright objects

• Heavy, large

$1,949.99 from Amazon

$2,085.51 from Walmart

Asus ROG Swift PG329Q

The Asus’ ROG Swift PG329Q attempts to offer a good HDR experience at a reasonable price. It has a 1440p resolution, IPS panel, a maximum refresh rate of 175Hz, and supports Nvidia G-Sync for smooth gameplay on Nvidia video cards.

The monitor’s promise of HDR is delivered through its high maximum brightness. It’s not the brightest we’ve tested, falling behind rivals like the Asus PG32UQX and Odyssey G7, but the PG329Q’s MSRP is lower than those alternatives. It’s bright enough to deliver a real visual punch in HDR games.

Color performance is fantastic. The PG329Q has a very wide color gamut, excellent color accuracy, and a well-calibrated color temperature. Most monitors we tested handled bright, vibrant games well, but the PG329Q stood ahead of the pack.

Unfortunately, the monitor has a major flaw: the lowest contrast ratio of any monitor we tested. The lackluster contrast can be blamed on the monitor’s failure to lower luminance when required. Dark scenes look gray, hazy, and lack depth. That’s a problem if you play dark games or watch movies.

On the plus side, this monitor is well built. It has Asus’ typical corkscrew design, which can look out of place if your desk isn’t packed with gaming gear. The ergonomic stand adjusts for height, tilt, and swivel.

Pros

• Good HDR performance

• Great color accuracy

• 175Hz refresh rate

Cons

• Lackluster contrast ratio

• Disappointing in dark scenes

Buy now at Amazon

$399.00 from Walmart

BenQ PD3220U

The BenQ PD3220U is a professional monitor that is also a great pick for gamers who crave outstanding image quality over motion clarity. It has a 4K resolution and a 60Hz refresh rate. It does not support AMD FreeSync or Nvidia G-Sync, but has an IPS panel.

This sharp 4K image quality is a cut above most gaming monitors of any size. The color accuracy is good and spans a very wide color gamut. The monitor also has a spot-on color temperature. Its contrast ratio is not the best, though this is mitigated by good luminance uniformity that reduces noticeable bright spots along the edges of the display.

Brightness was not as high as other monitors we tested. It’s bright enough to use in most situations, but it handles HDR content poorly. As mentioned, this is a 60Hz monitor and does not support adaptive sync, so there are better choices on this list for fast-paced esports titles.

The PD3220U’s strong scores in image quality and high resolution provide an enjoyable experience that stands out in games with detailed and colorful art. It’s best for single-player games that have lavish, beautiful worlds, such as open-world role-playing games. It’s also excellent for strategy and simulation games.

Build quality is excellent. This monitor is built for professionals, not gamers, so it looks sleek and modern. The included ergonomic stand feels sturdy and adjusts for height, pivot, and tilt. The monitor has a wide range of connectivity, including USB-A and USB-C, and comes with a puck control that lets you change inputs or adjust settings without leaning forward.

Pros

• Wide color gamut

• Accurate color

• Lots of connectivity

Cons

• Mediocre contrast

• Lackluster HDR performance

• No gaming features

Buy now at Amazon

$999.99 from Walmart

What Resolution Do I Need—1080p, 4K, or Something Else?

A 32 inch monitor can be purchased with 1080p, 1440p, or 4K resolution.

1080p resolution looks grainy on a 32-inch monitor at the distance most people will use it, so we recommend you avoid it. Despite the tempting deals, it’s not a good value and few manufacturers produce these panels anymore.

1440p resolution can still appear grainy, especially when used on a desk as a monitor, but it’s a huge upgrade over 1080p. Games that have an effective anti-aliasing solution will look sharp. You won’t need a top-of-the-line graphics card to game at this resolution, but if you plan on taking advantage of high refresh rates, it may be worth an upgrade.

4K gaming monitors look superb and are the ideal resolution for a 32-inch display. Unfortunately, you’ll need a top-tier video card to get the most from the monitor. With consoles, only monitors with HDMI 2.1 connections or higher can take full advantage of high-refresh-rate 4K gaming.

The Three LCD Panel Types: IPS, VA, and TN

An LCD monitor produces an image with an LCD panel positioned in front of an LED backlight. The panel changes to create the image and the backlight makes it visible. Nearly all monitors use an LED backlight. However, the type of LCD panel can vary.

• IPS: This stands for “In-Plane Switching.” It’s the most common type of panel for monitors overall. IPS panels are bright, have great viewing angles, can provide accurate color, and can reach extremely high refresh rates.

However, they are plagued by relatively low contrast at around 1000:1 on average. This can make an IPS panel monitor look flat and lack detail in dark scenes. Still, if you’re looking for the best 32-inch gaming monitor, higher-end models make up for this deficit by using mini-LED backlighting to improve brightness and contrast.

• VA: This means "vertical alignment." VA panels are found in a variety of displays but are especially common among 32-inch gaming monitors. A VA panel can deliver a solid contrast ratio (around 3000:1) and good detail in dark scenes. That’s important for games, movies, and streaming content. They also can provide accurate color and a wide color gamut. VA panels have a narrow viewing angle and can’t match IPS in motion clarity, meaning fast-moving objects will smear or blur.

• TN: This means "twisted nematic," and is inferior to IPS and VA panels by nearly every metric. TN panels are hard to find in 32-inch gaming monitors and are essentially obsolete for this category. We strongly recommend you avoid this technology when buying a monitor of this size.

OLED Monitors

OLED displays (organic light-emitting diode) differ from LCD displays in that each pixel emits its own light rather than filtering a backlight through a secondary layer. This means near-perfect black levels and contrast as each pixel can turn all the way off when not in use, excellent viewing angles, and superior pixel response times as they quickly change from one color to the next (AKA, no smearing or blurring behind fast-moving objects).

In the past, OLED gaming monitors have been held back by a higher price than their LCD counterparts and a lower overall brightness, but recent improvements have largely negated these drawbacks. In fact, QD-OLED displays, which have a layer of quantum dots applied over the panel’s surface, provide class-leading color vibrancy and accuracy. Some of the best 32-inch gaming monitors you can buy right now are OLED and can reach refresh rates of up to 240Hz.

How We Test 32-inch Monitors

The Tests

We prioritize image quality and gaming features when testing a monitor. A great monitor will offer a realistic sense of depth with a strong contrast ratio and good detail in dark scenes. We also like to see a broad color gamut and good color accuracy, both of which help a monitor display content as its creator intended. Image uniformity and maximum brightness are also considered, though monitors tend to do worse in these areas than televisions.

While image quality is always a top priority, we consider it especially important for a 32-inch monitor. A display this large will dominate a desk and could be used as a television replacement in small rooms–it must look great when playing games and streaming movies. That means the ability to display HDR content is important, so look for a monitor with DisplayHDR 400 certification or higher.

We investigate the quality of each monitor with a Datacolor SpyderX Elite display calibration tool. It includes numerous image quality tests that gauge how a display’s color accuracy, gamut, gamma, brightness, and color temperature compare to industry standards. Conducting these tests means we can accurately judge the relative strength of each monitor.

Objective tests are essential to eliminate bias and prevent mistakes. However, we balance them with at least several days of real-world testing. This can reveal problems or strengths that don’t come across in objective tests or can’t be objectively measured. We also examine and handle each monitor to judge its build quality, durability, and design.

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