The Dell S3225QS is a budget-friendly 32-inch, 4k work monitor. Part of the Dell Plus series, it sits alongside the 27-inch Dell S2725QS, and it's lower-end than the Dell S2725QC, which has extra perks, and the Dell S3225QC, which has more features and a different panel. It replaces the Dell S3221QS, and despite also using a VA panel, it's very different than the older model. It features a flat screen instead of a curved one, and comes with a higher 120Hz refresh rate, along with HDMI 2.1 ports. It also has some features, like an ergonomic stand and built-in speakers, but it lacks a USB hub.
Our Verdict
The Dell S3225QS is okay for PC gaming. Its 120Hz refresh rate is fine for playing games with entry-level PCs, but it leaves those with high-end PCs wanting more. It has low input lag for a responsive feel, but motion looks blurry at any refresh rate, and there's smearing with fast-moving objects. Despite having a high contrast ratio, it still has limited picture quality because it lacks a local dimming feature, fails to make highlights pop, and can't display a wide range of vivid colors.
Low input lag.
Supports all common VRR formats.
High native contrast ratio.
4k resolution with sharp images and text.
Distracting blur and smearing with fast objects.
Limited to 120Hz refresh rate.
Fails to make highlights pop in HDR.
Can't display a wide range of colors in HDR.
The Dell S3225QS is good for console gaming. It supports most signals with a PS5, PS5 Pro, or Xbox Series X|S, except for 1440p @ 120Hz with an Xbox. It has low input lag for a responsive feel, which is great for playing reaction-based games. However, fast-moving objects look blurry as there's distracting smearing at any refresh rate. It's also a poor choice for HDR gaming because it lacks a local dimming feature to improve its contrast ratio, and highlights don't pop in HDR.
Low input lag.
High native contrast ratio.
4k resolution with sharp images and text.
Supports most signals with consoles.
Distracting blur and smearing with fast objects.
Fails to make highlights pop in HDR.
Can't display a wide range of colors in HDR.
The Dell S3225QS is great for office use. The 32-inch screen is big enough to view a few windows at once, and text looks sharp thanks to its 4k resolution. It also gets bright enough to fight some glare in a well-lit office space, but reflections are distracting in a sunny environment. Unfortunately, it's a bad choice for sharing your screen with others because it has narrow viewing angles, and it doesn't swivel at all. It's limited in extra features, too, as it doesn't even have a USB hub.
4k resolution with sharp images and text.
Bright enough to fight some glare.
Big enough screen for multitasking.
Reflections are distracting.
Limited ergonomics.
Narrow viewing angles.
The Dell S3225QS is good for editing, but it has some limitations. The 32-inch, 4k screen makes text and images look sharp, and there's enough space to multitask. It comes with an accurate sRGB mode, but there are still white balance issues that you need to fix with a full calibration. Despite having a high contrast ratio, it lacks a local dimming feature to further deepen blacks. Also, it can't display a wide range of colors for editing content in HDR. Besides that, its narrow viewing angles and limited ergonomics mean that it's hard to share the screen with someone next to you, like a coworker or client.
High native contrast ratio.
4k resolution with sharp images and text.
Bright enough to fight some glare.
Accurate sRGB mode.
Can't display a wide range of colors in HDR.
Limited ergonomics.
Narrow viewing angles.
White balance and color temperature issues before calibration.
The Dell S3225QS has decent brightness. It gets bright enough to fight some glare, but not in a sunny environment. It also fails to make highlights pop in HDR.
Bright enough to fight some glare.
Fails to make highlights pop in HDR.
The Dell S3225QS has a disappointing response time. Motion looks blurry with smearing at any refresh rate.
Distracting blur and smearing with fast objects.
The Dell S3225QS has poor HDR picture quality. Although it has a high native contrast ratio, it doesn't have a local dimming feature to improve picture quality further. It also doesn't display a wide range of vivid colors in HDR.
High native contrast ratio.
Can't display a wide range of colors in HDR.
Lacks a local dimming feature.
The Dell S3225QS is good for SDR. It has a great native contrast ratio to display fairly deep blacks next to bright highlights. It also displays a wide range of colors in SDR.
High native contrast ratio.
The Dell S3225QS has excellent color accuracy. It comes with an accurate sRGB mode that locks colors well to the sRGB color space. However, there are white balance and color temperature issues, so you need to calibrate it for the best accuracy.
Accurate sRGB mode.
White balance and color temperature issues before calibration.
Performance Usages
Changelog
- Updated Mar 17, 2026: We've converted this review to Test Bench 2.1.2. We added a new Panel Technology box, including the Spectral Power Distribution (SPD) graph.
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Updated Nov 10, 2025:
We clarified that you can remove the plastic clip on the stand.
- Updated Nov 10, 2025: We've converted this review to Test Bench 2.1.1. We removed the Vertical Viewing Angle test.
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Updated Nov 03, 2025:
We clarified the differences between this monitor and the Dell S3225QC.
Check Price
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We bought and tested the 32-inch Dell S3225QS. There are similar 4k, 120Hz models in the Dell Plus lineup, which you can see below, but the results are only valid for the S3225QS.
| Model | Size | Panel Type | USB Ports |
|---|---|---|---|
| S2725QS | 27" | IPS | None |
| S3225QS | 32" | VA | None |
| S3225QC | 32" | QD-OLED | 3x USB-C |
Our unit's label indicates it was manufactured in March 2025. We tested it with firmware M3C101.
Popular Monitor Comparisons
The Dell S3225QS is a budget-friendly 4k, 32-inch monitor. It has the basics for work, like sharp text clarity, a big screen, and good brightness to fight some glare in a well-lit room. However, reflections are still distracting in a sunny environment, which is something to consider if your desk is opposite a sunny window. Its 120Hz refresh rate and HDMI 2.1 bandwidth make it somewhat versatile if you want to connect your console for casual gaming, but it has limited gaming performance due to its slow response time anyway.
Unfortunately, it takes a step back from the older Dell S3221QS in terms of productivity features, as it doesn't have a USB hub, which is disappointing for a work-oriented monitor. It's still something to consider if you're on a tight budget and want a 32-inch, 4k screen, but if your budget allows for it, you're better off spending more on the higher-end Dell U3225QE.
Also see our recommendations for the best monitors for Mac Studio, the best monitors for the Switch 2, and the best monitors under $500.
The Dell S3225QC is higher-end and better overall than the Dell S3225QS. The main advantage of the S3225QC is its superior picture quality, thanks to its QD-OLED panel, which delivers deep blacks, bright highlights, and vivid colors. The S3225QC also offers better motion handling and features that the S3225QS lacks, such as a USB hub. That said, the main benefit of the S3225QS is that it doesn't risk burn-in with constant exposure to the same static elements over time, like with the S3225QC.
The Dell U3225QE is a higher-end 4k, 32-inch monitor than the Dell S3225QS. As such, the U3225QE comes with more perks, including a USB hub, which the S3225QS doesn't have, and a KVM switch. The U3225QE also comes with a more ergonomic stand, and it has wider viewing angles that make it easier to share the screen with someone next to you. That said, the U3225QE comes with a price increase, and the S3225QS is still a solid option if you're looking for an entry-level 4k monitor for work.
The Dell S2725QS and the Dell S3225QS are both entry-level 4k productivity monitors. The main difference between them is their size, as the S3225QS offers more screen space to multitask. They also have different panel types, as the S2725QS has an IPS panel with wider viewing angles, while the S3225QS has a VA panel with better contrast. There are some other minor differences between them, like the fact that you can rotate the S2725QS into portrait mode, but they're similar in features and performance otherwise.
The Dell S2725QC is a slightly higher-end 4k monitor than the Dell S3225QS. The main difference is that the S2725QC has a USB hub to connect your devices, which the S3225QS doesn't have. However, the bigger screen on the S3225QS offers more screen space for multitasking. There are some other minor differences as the S2725QC has wider viewing angles, while the S3225QS has a better contrast ratio for deeper blacks.
We buy and test more than 30 monitors each year, all of which we purchase ourselves, without cherry-picked units or samples. We put a lot into each unbiased, straight-to-the-point review, and there's a whole process from purchasing to publishing, involving multiple teams and people. We do more than just use the monitor for a week; we use specialized, custom tools to measure various aspects and deliver objective, data-driven results. We also consider multiple factors before making any recommendations, including the monitor's cost, its performance compared to the competition, and whether it's easy to find.
Test Results
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