ASUS TUF Gaming VG32VQ 32 inch WQHD Curved HDR Gaming Monitor
The Asus TUF Gaming VG32V is a 32-inch, WQHD (2560x1440), curved HDR display with an ultrafast 144Hz refresh rate designed for professional gamers and those seeking immersive gameplay. Those are some serious specs, but not even the most exciting thing the VG32V has in store. For the first time in any gaming monitor, Motion Blur Reduction and Adaptive-sync can be enabled at the same time. This new technology is called ASUS Extreme Low Motion Blur Sync (ELMB SYNC). ELMB SYNC works with FreeSync and other types of Adaptive-sync, allowing gamers to enjoy sharp, high speed frames. The 31.5-inch WQHD (2560 X 1440) panel of TUF Gaming VG32VQ delivers stunning visuals from all angles with an 1800R curvature that ensures every point is equidistant to your eyes. This contributes to greater viewing comfort — even during extended use —and lets you enjoy a wide viewing angle with less distortion and color shift when gaming and watching movies. TUF Gaming VG32VQ has a super-fast 144Hz refresh rate, ensuring that even fast-paced games played at the highest visual settings look buttery smooth and completely lag-free. Get the upper hand in first-person-shooters, racing, real-time strategy and sports titles. With ELMB SYNC, you can enable ELMB (low-motion-blur technology) and FreeSync at the same time, eliminating ghosting and tearing for sharp visuals and high frame rates while gaming. ASUS Shadow Boost technology clarifies dark areas of the game without overexposing brighter areas, improving overall viewing while also making it easier to spot enemies hidden in dark areas of the map.
ASUS TUF Gaming VG32VQ Monitor Review
Modern gaming monitors have become overly complicated beasts that set out to be everything to everyone; from hardcore gamers to precision colorists. This inevitably leads to compromises or absurdly high asking prices. This is why I like the ASUS TUF Gaming VG32VQ. This 32-inch curved monitor focuses on the essentials and not fancy feature lists or outlandish designs. The VG32VQ is laser-focused on PC gamers and console owners who want a single monitor for their gaming.
To that end, ASUS has equipped the VG32VQ with only three video inputs: a pair of HDMI 2.0 ports for consoles and a DisplayPort 1.2 for high-speed PC gaming. The monitor also has built-in speakers, but the less said about those the better. Best to stick with headphones via the built-in headphone jack. The VG32VQ also supports HDR10, a standard more commonly found in TVs than gaming monitors. This means your Xbox One/Series X|S and PlayStation 4/5 consoles will recognize the VG32VQ as an HDR capable display—something plenty of HDR monitors fail at.
And even though the large 32-incher is curved, at 1800R it's so slight that it's easy to forget that it is. Viewing angles are great with just a hint of color washout at extreme angles. The stand is a solid pillar sitting on a polygonal base and while it won't win any design awards, it certainly keeps the heavy panel securely in place with no wobble. You can adjust the monitor's height, tilt, and swivel but there's no rotation. The overall aesthetic is pretty utilitarian, made from durable plastics and nary and RGB light in sight.
The OSD menu buttons are the biggest, chunkiest sort I've ever encountered on a monitor. They are easy to find without the usual fiddling with fancier monitors. They are packed close together but thanks to alternating heights, you can easily distinguish between them. I'd still prefer they were located on the bottom bezel which would make them easier to access and especially for lefthanders.