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markdI’m very impressed with the abundance of helpful information on this site! I’m searching for a good 32″ model that won’t break the bank in a triple monitor simracing setup, and this thread is exactly what I was looking for.
The M32Q still seems to be the best choice in terms of performance. I haven’t been able to find any good tests on the HP X32 which is unfortunate, as I can currently find it for 30% less than the M32Q on amazon.com. This video is the only one I found with measurements, but the tested 286 cd/m2 is much lower than the advertised 400 cd/m2 (and also doesn’t match the performance of the LM315WQ1 panel): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1JhLPfZr9U&t=382s
PCM2Hi markd,
The HP X32 isn’t a model I’ve really received any feedback on, though there are a few things to note. The monitor has a specified maximum luminance of 400 cd/m – but that’s reserved for HDR. It isn’t unusual for monitors to have a lower peak luminance than stated under SDR. There’s no hardware limitation with the panel that enforces that, although it does help reduce power consumption and they’ll usually still be more than bright enough for most users at ‘100%’ brightness under SDR anyway. So perhaps they consider it more ‘sensible’ somehow in case users decide to ramp up the brightness to 100% (in my experience, people are usually more sensible and tend to lower brightness to suit – but not always). HP interchangeably use both the LG Display LM315WQ1 and BOE MV315QHM-N50 with the X32, which broadly have the same performance characteristics but could differ slightly in some respects such as contrast and even colour consistency. Just in general, BOE IPS-ADS panels tend to have somewhat weaker colour consistency than other IPS-type panels and the screen surface can sometimes be particularly grainy. It’s a pet hate of mine when manufacturers use different panels like this without the user knowing which one they’ll be buying.
With the Gigabyte M32Q you know what you’ll be getting. And as explored in this thread, that’s a solid all-round performance. The other key differentiator with the HP is the colour gamut. The M32Q is a wide gamut model – not super wide, but ~92% DCI-P3 is specified. In contrast the HP X32 is a standard gamut monitor (82% DCI-P3 measured on the review you posted confirms this). So if you prefer things to look more vibrant, the Gigabyte would also deliver in that department. The Innolux AAS panel also does well for a balanced performance in terms of colour consistency, contrast and responsiveness. I can see why a lower price (HP in this case) becomes particularly attractive in a multi-monitor setup, however.
MhtrmAs the starter of this topic, I feel I need to share my feedback, thanks to email notification. I bought M32Q approximately 1 year ago and very satisfied with my purchase so far. Besides display benefits, KVM is a very niche feature which I got used to much so far, I think it will be deal-breaker (maybe will be a norm) is most monitors, as people using both work/home PCs. I am not a color nor a monitor expert but very satisfied with the image quality as I got so far. Whenever I come back from office using a regular IPS Dell monitor, it is like I come to the heaven. I did not feel any monitor can make such a big difference (I have not been used a high-caliber monitor before). Second difference is when you go to a electronics shop visiting a monitor/TV section, you feel the colors are not screaming in my monitor, not as vivid as mine, but after I realize it is a kind of a gimmick, with pure HDR content and contrast colors presenting with demo videos. Out of the box colors are not as vibrant as Samsung monitor/TVs however after that difference I feel that I am experiencing the true colors not an oversaturated ones. As a result M32Q is a joy equipment to use for me so far and highly recommend it as a standart user, especially considering its sub-average price.
PCM2Thanks for sharing your longer-term feedback Mhtrm, that’s really helpful. I’m glad to see you’re still enjoying your M32Q and still appreciate its benefits and the value it offers. People often get quite used to and comfortable with their own monitor and it’s only when they have to use a ‘lesser screen’ somewhere else that they realise how fortunate they are. 😉
wanderer256Hello,
Is there any practical information on LG 32GQ850 (32GQ85X)? Does it still suffer from low contrast problem as previous Nano IPS models?
PCM2I’ve seen confirmation from a few sources that the contrast sits slightly below 1000:1 (typically ~900 – 950:1 after calibration). So it’s not as bad as some Nano IPS models but also falls short of the M32Q which sits ~1200:1.
wanderer256PCM2The A-TW polarizer on the 32QQ850 will help improve perceived contrast towards the edges of the screen and particularly those pesky bottom corners (from a ‘normal’ ergonomically sound viewing position) by reducing the intensity of ‘IPS glow’. But for the central bulk of the screen you’re left with contrast that’s ~20% lower than on the Gigabyte models – really the contrast experience is far from a strength of any of these monitors. I wouldn’t specifically buy the LG for the A-TW, though it can be considered a nice bonus in some lighting conditions. If you’re really keen on the higher refresh rate of 260Hz and you’re happy with the price then it could be a good option, it’s pretty well-rounded it seems.
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