The BenQ EX3200R has presumably the weirdest mixture of monitor specs I’ve seen in fairly a while. It’s an enormous 31.5in display screen with a big-ass stand and 1800mm curvature radius, so it sits proper up in your grill and encompasses a big a part of your general imaginative and prescient, but it’s solely bought a 1920×1080 decision.
1920×1080, unfold throughout a 31.5in display screen! That’s like having your telephone’s font measurement set to 512. A decision like that’s downright preposterous on a monitor this large, and at first look I assumed it couldn’t presumably be best gaming monitor materials within the slightest. And but, it’s in all probability one of many solely methods you’re going to get a display screen at this measurement with a 144Hz refresh fee and AMD FreeSync help – all for simply £315 / $430 in addition. Can it presumably be price it? Let’s have a look.
Credit the place it’s due, the EX3200R appears and feels much more premium than its mid-range-ish worth would possibly in any other case suggest. Its shiny steel toes, versatile stand, smallish bezels and clear, elegant curves are a world away from the gamery design college of different 144Hz displays on the market, such because the Acer Predator XB241H and MSI Optix MPG27CQ, and it’s undoubtedly not one thing you’d be embarrassed to have in your desk.
Well, you would possibly really feel a bit sheepish when you clap eyes on what 1920×1080 appears like unfold throughout a 32in show, however hey, should you’re the form of one who prefers seeing every thing blown up by 500%, this, my pal, may be very a lot the monitor for you.
Personally, I get a bit antsy at any time when I see a 27in monitor with a 1920×1080 decision, as I discover that even at that measurement a display screen’s pixel density simply isn’t sharp sufficient for snug, on a regular basis use. Stretch the identical variety of pixels throughout 31.5in, and naturally it’s going to look even worse. Indeed, textual content appears visibly fuzzy spherical the perimeters, pictures look blurry and compressed, and I always felt like I wanted to get my eyes checked.
Don’t get me incorrect, I’ve nothing towards 1920×1080 when it’s on the precise measurement display screen. 24in shows are completely good for it. But actually, should you’re after something larger than 27in, I’d implore you to get one which’s at the least 2560×1440 – and should you’re serious about one thing within the 32in area, then ideally you have to be taking a look at 4K.
Of course, extra pixels normally means forking out lots more cash for them, which is an enormous cause why the EX3200R appears so enticing on paper – it’s an enormous display screen for not a lot money. And I do need to admit that, whereas I in all probability wouldn’t wish to use this as an on a regular basis PC display screen, there’s something to be mentioned for enjoying video games in such bizarre ginormo-vision – particularly once they’re whizzing previous your eyeballs at 144fps.
Whatever sport I loaded up, I felt instantly immersed in that world and what I used to be taking part in, and the pixel density difficulty wasn’t fairly as noticeable because it was once I was simply doing basic desktop duties. There had been some video games, although, similar to Doom, the place 144fps was simply an excessive amount of for me at that form of proximity – each when it comes to how shut I used to be to it due to its deep stand and the way large every thing appeared – and it truly made me really feel a bit nauseous. Maybe I’m simply too outdated and decrepit for 144fps now – at the least in fast-paced video games – however until you might have a very large desk to stay this factor on, the EX3200R can typically be a contact overwhelming.
The high quality of the display screen itself isn’t that spectacular, both. Like many different curved screens I’ve seen lately, BenQ have put a VA panel within the EX3200R, however its color accuracy leaves one thing to be desired. No matter which of its 9 color profiles I picked – together with its two tweakable Custom modes – I couldn’t get its sRGB color gamut protection to go any increased than 89.6%.
It appears first rate sufficient within the flesh, nevertheless it’s removed from one of the best sRGB protection I’ve seen from any such display screen panel expertise (see our monitor buying guide for more information on all of the completely different panel sorts), and doesn’t do a lot to assist persuade me that, sure, this actually is likely to be definitely worth the discount it’s making an attempt so desperately exhausting to be.
In its defence, the EX3200R’s black ranges and distinction are each glorious. The former got here in at a beautiful low 0.06cd/m2 (the nearer to 0.00cd/m2, the higher), whereas the latter was all the way in which up within the 4270:1 area. That’s implausible, because it ensures good inky blacks once you’re taking a look at one thing darkish onscreen, however there’s nonetheless numerous juicy shadow element that will help you pick what’s lurking within the gloom.
The monitor’s most brightness degree was additionally fairly first rate – it usually hovered across the 275cd/m2 mark on most of its color profiles, however switching to Custom noticed it push as much as 310cd/m2. You received’t want anyplace close to this more often than not, however should you occur to have your monitor close to a sunlit window, at the least you’ve bought sufficient leeway to crank it up if needed.
The EX3200R’s multitude of various image settings additionally supply a couple of tips to assist make the monitor extra usable every day, too. Annoyingly, quite a lot of them are locked off should you’re not utilizing one of many Custom color profiles, however I discovered that setting the monitor’s gamma setting to five (the very best) helped to make textual content look lots clearer. It didn’t have an effect on the monitor’s color accuracy both – if something, it gave every thing a bit bit extra distinction and definition. There’s a low blue mild mode as nicely to assist cut back eye pressure.
The EX3200R comes with an honest number of ports, together with DisplayPort, mini DisplayPort, HDMI and a headphone jack.
As comparatively low-cost because the BenQ EX3200R is at £315 / $430, although, I’m nonetheless unsure I’d truly wish to have it as my fundamental gaming monitor. I might need made an exception if it had completely excellent image high quality, however even that’s pretty mediocre regardless of its glorious black ranges and general distinction. I’d simply take a look at it on a regular basis second guessing whether or not my eyes had been failing me or not, pondering, ‘I really wish I’d spent a bit bit extra on a better decision monitor.’
Personally, I’d suggest going for the 27in 2560×1440 MSI Optix MPG27CQ as an alternative of the EX3200R, as that also has a curved display screen and a 144Hz refresh fee. If your price range doesn’t fairly stretch to £502 / $464, then there’s all the time the an identical 1920×1080 mannequin, the MPG27C, as an alternative, which matches for £433 / $355.
If that’s nonetheless too costly, although, you then’re going to need to make some compromises, as the subsequent greatest guess on your cash is the a lot, less expensive BenQ’s EW277HDR, which is flat and has a daily 60Hz refresh fee, however has a lot better color accuracy than the EX3200R and throws in HDR help as nicely. That prices simply £166 / $230, and could be a a lot better use of your cash than its larger, curvier cousin.
