We are so excited to bring you the LG 32UL500-W review today. This is one of the best 32 Inch monitors in terms of gaming and graphics quality. No questioning its slim and sleek design.
Gaming and high-quality multimedia monitors come in various sizes and designs, and they are a critical part of any PC build. They allow your laptop screen to be free for twitch chats, etc., and also to enjoy a wonderful multimedia experience.
However, you need to look at some basic features like 4K, sharper image, and 1080p when you are ready to buy a new monitor. Due to these reasons, we are here to help you find the best option out there.
LG 32UL500-W
Best Budget Monitor for Gaming
| Screen Size | 31.5-inch |
| Resolution | 3840×2160 (Ultra HD) |
| Panel Type | VA |
| Aspect Ratio | 16:9 (Widescreen) |
| Refresh Rate | 60Hz |
| Response Time | 4ms (GtG) |
| Adaptive Sync | FreeSync (40Hz-60Hz) |
| Speakers | 2x5W |
| Ports | DisplayPort 1.2, 2x HDMI 2.0 |
| Other Ports | Headphone Jack |
| Brightness | 300 cd/m2 |
| Contrast Ratio | 3000:1 (static) |
| Colors | 1.07 billion (true 10-bit) 95% DCI-P3 |
| HDR | HDR10 |
| VESA | Yes (100x100mm) |
| Tilt Range | -5 to 15° |
| Width | 16.1″ (40.9 cm) |
| Depth | 9.0″ (22.9 cm) |
| Pixels Per Inch (ppi) | 137 ppi |
| Maximum Brightness | 300 cd/m² |
| Bit Depth / Color Support | 10-Bit (1.07 Billion Colors) |
| HDR Compatibility | HDR10 |
| Color Gamut | 95% DCI-P3 95% CIE1976 |
| Response Time | 4 ms (GtG) |
| Viewing Angle (H x V) | 178 x 178° |
| Dot Pitch | 0.181 x 0.181 mm |
| Lock Slot | Yes, Kensington |
| Weight | 13.7 lb / 6.21 kg (with Stand) 11.7 lb / 5.31 kg (without Stand) |
Pros
- Great image quality at an angle
- Low input lag
- A good option for gaming
- A good option for gaming
- Desktop App for easy settings
- Large 4K Screen
- Great vivid contrast and colors
Cons
- Calibration need for editing
- Lower pixel response time
The LG 32UL500-W is a budget-friendly and well-designed 4K monitor and comes with a big 32” screen. This LG 32ul500-w 32 inch UHD review would make the purchase easier for you. The monitor’s VA panel is also adding further to its quality and makes it a great monitor for gaming and watching movies.
Design and Features
The monitor is detachable and VESA-compatible via a 100x100mm pattern, while the monitor tilt degrees are only (-5°/15°). A matt anti-glare coating has been applied to the screen, which helps prevent reflection.
This monitor offers only one DisplayPort 1.2 (with HDR support), two HDMI 2.0 ports, and a headphone jack. However, I just love its dual 5W integrated speaker, which gives an awesome sound quality. You can enjoy watching movies with enough base and enjoy music as well.
This monitor also supports HDCP 2.2, which implies that 4K UHD content can be streamed without any problem.
Setting the color temperature manually is a great feature in this monitor. You can also set the image sharpness and can change the settings from SMPTE-C, EBU, and Rec709 color spaces.
The black stabilizer feature is also great for altering the gamma curvature, which would make the objects in shadows more vivid. This feature is great for FPS games.
The LG 32UL500-W comes within a lower price range of monitors offered by LG, but there is no way to question its quality and performance. The brushed aluminum, along with the elegant white chassis, separates it from some ordinary PC display.
Although this device is not a bezel-free version, I am sure you won’t notice that when looking at the monitor’s elegant and big display.
If you are going to buy this monitor, keep in mind its size. It might not be perfect to fit into close corners. However, the depth of the display is less than a foot, and other peripheral can easily be adjusted beside it. The display’s weight is only 13.67 pounds, which is normal for such a big display or monitor.
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If we talk about the build quality, there are no noticeable defects, and the device looks perfect. The panels are perfectly matching, and you won’t notice any loose edges or abnormal seams.
Some users might notice an unusual wobble from the stand, but it won’t be a big problem for the majority of the users.
To help users without confusing them, the LG 32UL500-W comes with OSD access and does not require any pesky buttons. LG offers an OnScreen control app, which helps users access the main settings from the desktop using your keyboard and mouse. You also get a joystick at the bottom of the screen, which can easily be used to control the settings.
This monitor comes with a stand having the modern ArcLine design concept, which is attractive for many users and provides a user-friendly setup.
There is a limitation to its adjustment as it only comes with the tilt adjustment option. This might not be suitable for you if you want to use it with multiple screens and to attain an offset angle. However, there is good news, as well. You can replace it with a VESA mount to attain additional articulation and save some space on your desk.
Performance and Display of LG 32UL500-W
The LG 32UL500-W offers a 32-inch VA panel with an impressive 60Hz refresh rate and 3840 x 2160 resolution. The response time is 4ms, which is great for such budget monitors.
The VA technology is further adding charm to this display. The display comes with a backlight rated at 300 cd/m2, and the contrast sits at a natural high of 3000:1.
Although they are marketing that this device is HDR compatible, the backlight lacks the dimming function and higher output features. These two features would greatly improve the performance, and the company should ponder upon improving and adding them.
When it comes to 4K, the 32 Inch display is pretty compatible for spreading the pixels more evenly and have a great visual experience. This monitor does not drop pixels as we might expect from a 27 or 24-inch monitor and offers sharp video quality. You might need to use some scaling, but it all depends on user preferences.
It is important to note that 4K UHD is heavy on many GPUs and if you are planning for some gaming venture on your PC, make sure you get the right GPU that could handle such graphics.
This display offers a great vibrancy and can exceed 100% sRGB and about 90% of the DCI-P3 gamut (equivalent to ~125% sRGB). These features are great when we compare the product with some other monitors in the same price range.
You can attain a better accuracy with deltaE at an average of 1.22 to calibrate the LG 32UL500-W display, which is not common among low-budget displays. You can also use the colorimeter to balance the extra warmth of the display. However, you might only need a colorimeter if you plan to use this display in some excessive editing work.
Some minor shifts in the contrast can be observed on the screen at some skewed angles. But these are only visible if you are looking at the screen from extreme angles.
The LG 32UL500-W is offering vivid blacks and saturation levels along with a 2455:1 contrast ratio at 50% brightness. You will get satisfying gaming and movies watching experience, especially in dark rooms. Users might see some image crushing where darker objects get missing, but it is what you can expect from many VA panels out there.
The display comes with a great and uniform backlight spread and impressive panel uniformity because there are no leaks in it. The corners might seem a little dim than the whole screen, but they are not readily visible and does not affect the overall viewing experience. You might need a colorimeter to clearly detect these dim spots.
If you are looking for a gaming monitor, this display might not be the ideal one. This display is offering only 60Hz, and the transitions are mostly not ideal on most VA panels. This display might exhibit some distortion at some fast speed transitions during gaming.
However, you can set the overdrive settings to some middle levels to get a smooth gaming experience.
This monitor also works with Nvidia’s G-Sync Compatible Mode using the DisplayPort as it’s a FreeSync monitor. This is quite helpful for people if they want to switch to some other GPU. The input lag is about 9ms, which is quite normal, and you don’t need to worry about that.
If you are using the GTX 10-series or newer graphics card, this monitor also supports NVIDIA cards over DisplayPort through the “G-SYNC Compatible” mode. On the other hand, FreeSync is supported by almost all GPUs of AMD.
Conclusion
If you are looking for an inexpensive and great 4K display experience, there is no better option other than LG 32UL500-W. You will not enjoy a decent gaming experience but also enjoy watching movies. The widescreen size is offering enough space for you to manage different apps and games.
The display also offers sharp colors and a vivid dark contrast ratio so that you can better enjoy your favorite media.
I must say that there are some lacks and cons in this display, such as fewer ports and a less flexible stand. However, in this price range, these few missing features are justified. You can enjoy several other pros of this great display. This is a pretty cool option in the budget range of monitors.
