Andy Edser, Hardware Writer
This month I tested: Flightsticks, headsets and kebabs. There are still reviews for the first two, but as for the latter, I can safely say that Cologne has one of the best. Gamescom was pretty cool too, just to remind you.
There are things in life you’d rather forget. XXX: Return of Xander Cage, for example. But if I had the choice, I’d prefer to erase any memory of using a 32-inch screen as my primary display for the past year. It’s not that the experience was bad, like watching a poorly written Vin Diesel sequel. Quite the opposite.
But now I’m craving an OLED gaming monitor, and since my poor eyeballs have been spoiled with a 32-inch screen for quite some time now, I know I can’t go back to a 27- or 24-inch screen. Nor am I ready to commit to an ultrawide monitor permanently, despite its benefits, for reasons I’ll get to later.
I really came dangerously close and sometimes even thought I was converted. They are brilliant after all and I have gone back and forth on my decision so many times that I have lost track. But the 32-inch screen format keeps pulling me back – and as far as OLED goes, that means my next monitor purchase will probably be expensive.
For those of you who have not yet experienced the splendour of a 32-inch screen, allow me to briefly enthuse: A screen of this size, I have finally come to the conclusion, is the perfect amount of the panel. And I can already hear your complaints: Whatever your particular preference, you’ll argue it’s the best, and that’s fine.
But I’ve had the pleasure of sitting in front of many fantastic displays recently, from 49-inch ultrawides to 27-inch high refresh rate wonders, and I’ve duly admired them. Still, every time I return to my desk and sit in front of my sensible 32-inch MSI G321Q, I feel like I’m coming home.
This isn’t the best display. It’s an IPS panel, which while still the best LCD technology out there, low-light contrast isn’t great. It has a 170Hz refresh rate – which is fast enough for me, but downright glacial compared to some. Color reproduction is pretty good, meaning well-lit scenes look suitably lush, but HDR-wise it’s only “HDR Ready,” which effectively means it can’t offer me the benefits of HDR at all. It also has a matte finish that just refuses to clean up to a perfect surface.
But it’s the format I’m in love with, and it’s hard to let go of. The 16:9 format will draw scoffs from ultrawide fans, but I don’t care. I love a good ultrawide, that’s true, but there’s something about a 32-inch 16:9 that keeps bringing me back. It just feels more comfortable to me, like an old pair of shoes, with just the right amount of wear and tear.
That 32-inch panel size means I can easily have two, three, or four windows on the screen at once without straining to read them. Yes, on an ultrawide they’d be more spread out, but a 32-incher still offers plenty of room for multiple screen elements without dominating your field of view. I can also look out at my (real) window beyond and see the endless delivery drivers bringing packages to my front door. I can stare at the garbage man and ignore my recycling collection once again. It just feels a bit more civilized than a superwide display.
And what about gaming? When I’m playing a thrilling first-person shooter, the large panel allows me to lean forward and immerse myself in the action. For more laid-back controller stuff, I can sit back in my chair, put my feet up, and relax. I even mounted it on a VESA arm mount so I can swing it over to my partner’s chair and we can both play a bit of local co-op gaming comfortably.
Have you ever tried playing with two players on a curved ultrawide? Because of the curve, the experience isn’t that great. They’re brilliant screens, but I can’t bring myself to replace my traditional experience yet. I’ve thought about it and thought about it for a long time, but as good as modern widescreens are and as much fun as I’ve had with them, I just can’t shake the 16:9 problem. And as for smaller displays? No. Bigger really is better, I’m afraid.
Now that I’ve come to terms with the 32-inch 16:9 format, I know that my next screen purchase will be expensive – at least for the foreseeable future
But I want an OLED screen. And once you’ve seen one, you can’t ignore how much better an OLED screen is than pretty much anything else on the market. Of course, there are plenty of 32-inch options, but given my preferences, I’ll have to spend a little more if I want my next screen on the large side.
Smaller OLEDs aren’t necessarily cheap, you understand that. But good 32-inch OLED monitors are often a bit more expensive – and that means I hold off every time I’m about to pull the shutter button. Our current best gaming monitor, the 32-inch MSI MPG 321URX QD-OLED, earned its place at the top of our recommendations because it has a fantastic panel that’s cheaper than the competition. Cheaper, not cheap.
At the time of writing, it still costs $950 and tends to sell out very quickly due to that cheaper, but still teeth-grindingly high price tag. Top-of-the-line hardware can be expensive and large OLEDs are certainly no exception.
I’ve actually considered going back to 27″ to save a little money. Or I could put my nitpicking aside and go for the great 34″ Alienware 34 AW3423DWF ultrawide monitor that often goes for around $700. But it’s no use. Now that I’ve settled for the 32″ 16:9 format, I know my next monitor purchase will be expensive – at least for the foreseeable future.
Forget the fact that 32-inch OLEDs are all 4K screens. To get the most out of that resolution, I’d have to upgrade my GPU as well, and now I’m looking at a total closer to $2,000. And that’s the kind of money you could spend on a nice vacation – or, God forbid, A Savings account. The thought is disgusting.
But there is hope in this regard too. Certain OLED monitors, like the huge (but really pretty) 49-inch Gigabyte Aorus CO49DQ, have dropped in price pretty quickly since release, and I can only hope that this is a sign that OLED displays of all sizes are about to get cheaper. If you can bring me the right deal on a good 32-inch model, I might be brave enough to bite the bullet.
But in the meantime, I’ll sit here and look for bargains on my admittedly inferior screen. I’ll definitely be on the lookout for good OLED deals during the Black Friday sales, but living in the UK, I’m sure our friends in the States will get the lion’s share of the great discounts. Maybe the 32-inch OLED screen of my dreams, bathed in glorious HDR light, will suddenly appear at a price that won’t prompt my bank manager to call me to ask if I’m OK.
Maybe not. But you can dream, right?
