Gigabyte M32U-AE 32-inch 144Hz 4K Arm Edition Video Gaming Monitor Evaluation

This is what I kept saying the very first week I was utilizing Gigabyte's M32U-AE 4K 144hz Arm Edition display, which brings the very best in Gigabyte's gaming tech prior to we enter into their high end Horus video gaming brand name with its simple, yet still elegant, style. The M32U-AE is a high-end gaming monitor in its own right, in spite of not bring that Horus badge, with the monitor capable of 144hz refresh rate at 4K, 1-millisecond response, along with sporting Re-sync Premium Pro for variable refresh rates. Is it worth the cost?

It's been a while given that I've utilized a monitor with an arm versus its own desk stand, and I need to say it's growing on me.

Specifications:

At first, I believed I was going to make use of the KVM function a lot more. As someone who works on a Mac Mini however video games on PC, having a single display drive both was rather exciting. I do, nevertheless, have 2 standing desks in my office, so having a dedicated workspace and devoted game area aids with some mental fatigue throughout the day, so while the KVM switch worked simply great, I'm probably not the target audience for it long term.

Full Disclosure: The product talked about here was provided by PR for the functions of this evaluation.

Because it's an IPS panel, blacks do suffer, though not as much as they do on my older Acer Predator screen where they can look just downright silly. Likewise, while the different photo modes are really great out of package, they might require some tweaking as, especially at greater refresh rates, there was some noticeable ghosting on the screen, which was all however absent on the BenQ Möbius 32 4K IPS monitor I reviewed previously this year (however, in fairness, that monitor is more money).

If you're somebody trying to find that player visual, you're not really going to get that here. Gone are the RGB accents and fancy logo designs of other gaming monitors, rather the chassis that holds the screen is more nondescript. That does not imply it's plain or bad, though. Vice versa. The back of the monitor includes the Gigabyte logo and the monitor model number badge, along with both a rocker to change the built-in OSD, in addition to a button to take benefit of the KVM switch feature.

And truthfully, it was so much faster than a typical stand display I felt. The box opens up easily, offering you complimentary access to the back of the screen to attach the arm even prior to you get the primary event out of the box.

The world of A Plague Tale popped on the screen, details looking sharp thanks to the sweet spot of both resolution and display size. Seeing the stitching on Alicia's hauberk without actually needing to focus for information stood out to me as a triumph for both the art direction of the video game itself, along with the clearness of the screen the M32U-AE utilizes.

I do want monitors would make it much easier to access the underside I/O, though, and the M32U is no various because regard. You're welcomed with a bevy of options, from double HDMI 2.1 ports, a Display 1.4 a port, a Type-C port for the KVM function (as well as power shipment up to 18W), and 3 USB 3.0 ports. There is also a connection for, so you can hook your screen up to your PC's USB to make the most of the power shipment on the display, releasing up USB son your rig for other products.

  • Screen size: 31.5 viewable
  • Glare: Non-glare
  • LED Backlight: Edge type
  • Panel: SS IPS
  • Display type: UHD
  • Adaptive Sync Innovation: Re-sync Premium Pro
  • Resolution: 3840 x 2160 (4K).
  • Seeing Angle: 178° (H)/ 178°(V). Element Ratio: 16:9.
  • Brightness: 350 CD/mm2.
  • Contrast Ration: 1000:1.
  • Reaction Time: 1ms MPRT.
  • Color Gamut: 90% DCI-P3/ 123% RGB.
  • Show Colors: 1.07 Billion.
  • Pixel Pitch: 0.181 mm.
  • Refresh Rate: 144hz; 120hz for consoles.
  • VESA Licensed Display HDR: Display HDR 400.
  • I/O: 2 x HDMI 2.1; 1 x DisplayPort 1.4; 1 x USB Type-C (Alternate mode; Upstream Port; Power Delivery up to 18W); 3 x USB 3.0 Gen 1; 1 x 3.5 mm Earphone Jack.
  • Price: $799.99 (Currently $549.99 on Newer Black Friday Offers).

First Thoughts.

At the end of the day, the Gigabyte M32U-AE is an extraordinary piece of package. It's that sweet area for 4K display screens in terms of its size, and using an IPS panel versus a TN or VA panel makes the colors look more precise, even if blacks suffer overall.

This is likewise a gaming display, so it has functions such as Black Equalizer, Objective Assist, a Super Resolution mode, in addition to the formerly mentioned AMD Re-sync Premium Pro. As somebody who utilized both an AMD and Nvidia card on this display throughout my evaluation, both cards utilized the adaptive sync settings with ease, though with Nvidia you'll need to use the screen settings in Control Panel.

The Gigabyte M32U-AE 144hz 4K Monitor remains in that sweet area I believe for display sizes. 32 is not too large that you're needing to strain your neck to see the corners of your screen like you may on a 43 monitor or above, however it's not so small that the 4K screen feels crunched and unimpressive. I've utilized 32 monitors for many years now, with my old everyday motorist being an Acer Predator 4K 32 IPS panel, however it's beginning to show its age.

The Gigabyte M32U-AE 4K 32 Display is an exceptional offering by Gigabyte. While it lacks the functions players might be searching for with RGB accents and more, it offsets it with stellar video gaming efficiency, which at the end of the day is all that truly matters here. It's sharp, responsive and genuinely a delight to utilize every day, and regardless of its high cost, it does not feel overpriced for the market. If you're in the market for a brand-new 4K monitor, the M32U-AE is worth an appearance.

Gigabyte M32U-AE Display Verdict.

When compared to Gigabyte's own Horus branded monitors, you're getting a great deal by contrast, albeit for a slightly underperforming monitor compared to even the next step-up Horus FI32U or the 1000-nit FV43U by Horus.

So how is it in practice? For about two weeks I used the M32U-AE as my everyday driver, using it for both work applications in addition to video gaming (and even a GPU evaluation). Throughout that time, I'm uncertain there was a minute where I felt let down or disappointed by the performance of the display itself.

The Gigabyte M32U-AE also sports an overdrive setting, letting you, in essence, overclock your display, however it does include some downsides. The well-balanced mode offers you the very best of both the Quality and Speed settings, though it actually is up to your own personal choice. Personally, I utilized the Smart OD mode during the majority of my testing, and it performed admirably.

Couple in the additional desk property you declare back by using the screen arm provided (or your own VESA installing option) and the M32U-AE is a solid option if you're trying to find a high refresh rate 4K display screen without investing a grand. 4K video gaming at high refresh rates is here thanks to Nvidia's 40-series GPUs (and, in theory, AMD's upcoming RDN3 offerings), so having a driver that can press both visuals and performance is clutch. Since it provides HDMI 2.1 as well, it's a fantastic screen if you're looking for high-refresh video gaming on the Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5, which can also take benefit of the M32U-AE's VRR assistance.

Despite the reality that this is a video gaming display, it eschews most of what would consider a gamer aesthetic, instead choosing a simpler-looking design. As a result, the video gaming features are purely under the hood, not flashing RGB on the wall behind the screen. It does not have in some of the functions that set its competitors apart, such as simulated HDR modes like what we see on the BenQ Möbius monitors.

Gigabyte

Text in games, especially older titles that depend on text over voice acting, didn't suffer as well, making it easy to ready instead of needing to squint (or God forbid put on my glasses) whether I was in-game or editing something for the site.

That stated, while this is ranked as a Display HDR 400 monitor, it pales in comparison to brighter HDR screens. My Acer Predator CG7 43 display screen reveals this thoroughly as it's ranked at HDR 1000, and gets just as intense as it advertises, making HDR content pop. While you can in theory drive HDR material on the M32U-AE, it's not the finest experience in my viewpoint.

With the M32U-AE packaging forward-facing I/O such as HDMI 2.1 to drive high refresh rates on PC and console, it helps to establish the display for the future. Though PS5 users should keep in mind that given that Sony's console does not support Show Stream Compression, visual quality may suffer a smudge on the console when using HDMI 2.1.

Having the ability to adjust the distance was a big piece of the puzzle for me here. For work and seeing videos on YouTube, having the display sit a little additional back was essential, while for gaming I wanted it to use up my entire field of vision, while not feeling as though my nose was directly on the screen. Being able to change that quickly every single time without needing to support my chair, adjust how I was sitting and more was a real benefit to both my back and my gaming experience.

Tossing titles like A Plague Tale: Requiem made the display shine, particularly after choosing the right photo mode. The M32U's RGB mode is good, however it locks down numerous of the other settings in the OSD that it's almost better to just tweak things to your personal preference rather than utilize it, and while I valued the brightness of the FPS mode, I discovered myself preferring the RTS/RPG for its color gamut and brightness in the video games I was playing.

KVM.

The Gigabyte M32U-AE is various than your typical screen in that there is no stand to just plop it on your desk. I've utilized installing arms previously, however I could never ever keep them exactly where I wanted the monitor due to the fact that either the screen was just too heavy for the arm, or the arm was inexpensive.

The M32U-AE is a high-end video gaming display in its own right, regardless of not carrying that Horus badge, with the monitor capable of 144hz refresh rate at 4K, 1 millisecond reaction, as well as sporting Re-sync Premium Pro for variable refresh rates. The Gigabyte M32U-AE 144hz 4K Monitor is in that sweet area I think for monitor sizes. I've utilized mounting arms previously, but I might never keep them precisely where I wanted the screen since either the screen was simply too heavy for the arm, or the arm was inexpensive. The back of the screen includes the Gigabyte logo design and the screen model number badge, as well as both a rocker to change the integrated OSD, and a button to take benefit of the KVM switch function.

Given the market price of $799.99, this isn't a low-cost monitor. Offered how costly 4K panels can be, specifically if you're wanting to drive high refresh rates, $800 isn't an outrageous asking cost. When compared to Gigabyte's own Horus branded monitors, you're getting a lot by comparison, albeit for a somewhat underperforming screen compared to even the next action up Horus FI32U or the 1000-nit FV43U by Horus.

Titles like The Lord of the Rings Online and EVE Online really shine here as well, giving me extremely responsive gameplay for these older titles thanks to my RTX 4090 powering the display. EVE Online is among those games that would truly take advantage of HDR, so the additional brightness from the M32U-AE helped a great deal of those finer information come through compared to my other monitors, such as Gigabyte's G34WQC screen I own too.

Video gaming On The Gigabyte M32U-AE 32 144hz Show.

That said, if you're somebody who does not have a lot of space and only works at a single desk, having the ability to utilize KVM saves both money and what space you might have. Rather of going and getting two desks or 2 entirely various setups, having the ability to drive your Mac or Laptop and use the same display and keyboard/mouse setup to just choose back up work after a fast gaming session can be big. It's a terrific feature and I more than happy that it exists, even if, at the end of the day, I personally may not get as much usage out of it as I when thought.

You'll require a powerful computer system to drive the bandwidth this display can deal with, though, but if you're currently investing $800 on a display, possibilities are you're driving a powerful rig currently. Though even lower-end cards can start to make up some ground thanks to Nvidia's Deep Knowing Super Tasting and AMD's Fidelity Super Resolution technologies.

Being able to title the monitor where it requires being, adjust the height quickly, and even if I so desired, pivot the display 90 degrees for a vertical format was great, and not usually something you see for a screen this size. This is thanks to the monitor arm not being restricted like a basic monitor stand would be.

I was stunned at just how much more space I had on my desktop as soon as I had it on my desk though. I understand that arms certainly imply that you do not have a huge stand resting on the desktop, however it was probably more of a shock to me just how much my desk was being taken up by a display stand. Moving the Gigabyte M32U to where I desired it was relatively simple as well, moving smoothly back and forth and side to side to get the ideal viewing angle for my setup.

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