LG 32UL500 Review: Budget 32″ 4K HDR FreeSync Monitor

The LG 32UL500 is an affordable 4K monitor yet it features a big 32″ screen with a VA panel that boasts a high contrast ratio as well as a wide color gamut!

It’s perfect for those who want a big monitor with crisp image quality for multimedia enjoyment, content creation, and even gaming!

Image Quality

Thanks to its VA (Vertical Alignment) panel with a high 3,000:1 static contrast ratio, the LG 32UL500 delivers deep and vivid blacks for an immersive viewing experience, especially in dark rooms.

In fact, IPS and TN panel displays, which usually have a contrast ratio of ~1,000:1, have grayish blacks in comparison!

Further, the monitor has a wide 95% DCI-P3 color gamut (equivalent to ~125% sRGB), which makes for vibrant and lifelike colors. This can also make the colors appear somewhat over-saturated for regular sRGB content, but you can limit the color output to ~100% sRGB via the Rec709 picture mode if you want more accurate colors.

Of course, IPS panel monitors still offer better color accuracy as their colors are more consistent across the screen, but for basic content creation, the LG 32UL500 display will do just fine.

Actually, its higher contrast ratio in combination with its wide color gamut and lack of IPS glow makes watching movies and videos more enjoyable in comparison to the IPS models.

Other panel-related specifications include 10-bit color depth support for 1.07 billion colors, a decent 300-nit peak brightness (more than enough under normal lighting conditions), and 178° wide viewing angles.

Now, there are some minor shifts in contrast when you look at the screen at skewed angles, but it only becomes noticeable at extreme angles.

4K resolution provides crisp details and text, as well as plenty of screen space even on 32″ sized monitors.

Depending on your preference, you can use no scaling at all for maximum screen real estate or apply 125% – 150% scaling for bigger and sharper details, but less screen space.

Note that 4K UHD is very demanding on GPUs, so if you plan on doing some PC gaming, make sure your graphics card will be able to handle it. You may also want to consider getting a 1440p 144Hz gaming monitor instead.

Finally, the LG 32UL500 supports HDR (High Dynamic Range). Although it has only entry-level HDR support without any certification by VESA, it does offer a decent HDR image quality thanks to its wide color gamut and high contrast ratio.

Naturally, the HDR picture is not nearly as good as that of true HDR displays, or as that of DisplayHDR 600 monitors which have a notably higher 600-nit peak brightness and local dimming, but it’s very good nonetheless, especially after considering the price of the monitor.

Performance

With ~9ms of input lag, there’s no noticeable delay between your actions and the result on the screen.

As it’s common with VA panels, response time is a bit slower when it comes to transitioning of dark pixels into lighter shades, so there’s minor black smearing visible in dark scenes of fast-paced games.

For casual gaming, the response time speed won’t be an issue at all. Of course, if you mainly play FPS games competitively, you should be getting a higher refresh rate display anyway.

There are four response time overdrive modes (Off, Normal, Fast, and Faster). We recommend using the Normal mode and avoiding the Faster mode, which is too aggressive and adds a lot of inverse ghosting.

The LG 32UL500 monitor supports AMD FreeSync with a 40-60Hz VRR (variable refresh rate) range over both HDMI and DisplayPort when using the ‘Extended’ FreeSync engine.

This technology eliminates screen tearing and stuttering by synchronizing the monitor’s refresh rate with your GPU’s frame rate as long as your FPS is within the VRR range.

It also works with compatible NVIDIA cards over DisplayPort via the ‘G-SYNC Compatible’ mode if you have a GTX 10-series or newer graphics card while all AMD’s recent, and even many older GPUs, support FreeSync.

When using FreeSync with an NVIDIA card, your mileage may vary regarding performance. Some units work without any issues, but others only work when using the ‘Basic’ FreeSync range of 48-60Hz VRR range.

Features

To access the monitor’s OSD (On-Screen Display) menu, you can press the joystick placed beneath the screen’s bottom bezel or download and install the On-Screen Control desktop application.

Useful features include Screen Split for multitasking, various picture presets (FPS, RTS, Reader, Dark Room, Color Weakness, etc.), and advanced picture adjustment tools such as 6-axis hue/saturation and gamma settings.

You can even adjust the color temperature manually, adjust the image sharpness, and choose between EBU, SMPTE-C, and Rec709 color spaces.

Black Stabilizer is available as well, which can alter the gamma curvature to make objects in shadows more visible, which is great for FPS games.

Lastly, note that the monitor has a flicker-free backlight and an integrated low-blue light filter.

Design & Connectivity

While the monitor’s stand is tilt-only (-5°/15°), the screen is detachable and VESA mount compatible via the 100x100mm pattern. The screen also has a matte anti-glare coating which eliminates reflections.

Connectivity options include DisplayPort 1.2 (with HDR support), two HDMI 2.0 ports, a headphone jack, and dual 5W integrated speakers. HDCP 2.2 is supported as well allowing you to stream 4K UHD content.

Price & Similar Monitors

The LG 32UL500 price ranges from $250 to $300, which is an excellent value for the money.

Here’s a list of LG’s monitors based on the same (or similar) panel.

Other models with similar names, but different specifications include:

• LG 32UK950 and 32UL950 – Nano IPS panel with Thunderbolt 3
• LG 32UN650 and 32UN880 – IPS panel
• LG 32UL750 – VA panel and DisplayHDR 600.

All in all, if you’re looking for a 32″ 4K VA monitor, go with whichever LG model is the cheapest (unless you want a height-adjustable stand or USB-C). Additionally, you can choose whether you prefer higher brightness or wider color gamut.

Different DisplayPort versions don’t matter since the DP 1.2 inputs on LG’s UK and UL series feature implemented HDR support and have enough bandwidth for 4K 60Hz without any compression required.

Note that you can nowadays find a 32″ 4K 60Hz IPS monitor for ~$250 as well, the Sceptre U325W-UPT, while a 28″ IPS model can be found for $200, such as the MSI G281UV.

For more information and the best monitor deals, visit our comprehensive and always up-to-date best gaming monitor buyer’s guide. 

Conclusion

Thanks to its affordable price, big screen, 4K resolution, high contrast ratio, and wide color gamut, the LG 32UL500 is the perfect monitor for gaming, watching movies/videos, office and everyday use, and even non-color-critical content creation.

Specifications

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)