The Dell U3225QE is a premium 32-inch 4k productivity monitor. It competes with a number of other 32-inch office monitors, such as the ASUS ProArt PA329CRV and the BenQ PD3225U, and it's higher-end than the Dell S3225QS. The U3225QE is a substantial upgrade to the older Dell U3223QE, adding new features like a 120Hz refresh rate, improved connectivity options, VRR support, Thunderbolt 4 support, and more. In many ways, it's a smaller version of the Dell U4025QW, as both monitors are part of Dell's UltraSharp line and share many of the same features and capabilities, apart from the U4025QW's larger 40-inch screen.
Our Verdict
The Dell U3225QE is mediocre for PC gaming. It displays a wide range of vivid colors, and the screen gets bright enough to overcome glare in HDR, though highlights don't pop. However, it has terrible local dimming and deep blacks appear somewhat gray. Additionally, it has bad motion handling despite its 120Hz refresh rate, so it's not well suited to fast-paced games. However, it could work well for slower-paced games such as turn-based strategy and text-heavy RPGs, where there isn't as much fast motion.
Displays a wide range of vivid colors in HDR.
Supports all VRR formats.
Fast-moving objects look blurry.
Terrible local dimming feature.
Highlights don't pop in HDR.
The Dell U3225QE is good for certain types of console gaming. It displays any signal from the PS5 and PS5 Pro and Xbox Series X|S, including 120Hz signals. It also displays rich and vivid colors, and easily overcomes glare in HDR, though highlights don't pop. However, deep blacks appear somewhat gray in a dark room. Additionally, it has bad motion handling, so it's not well suited to playing fast-paced games.
Displays a wide range of vivid colors in HDR.
Supports VRR with PS5, PS5 Pro, and Xbox Series X|S
Fast-moving objects look blurry.
Terrible local dimming feature.
Highlights don't pop in HDR.
The Dell U3225QE is impressive for office work. It has fantastic text clarity and ergonomics, so it's comfortable to work with for long intervals. It also gets bright enough to overcome most glare, so it works well in most environments, but reflections from bright sources are distracting. Additionally, it has a lot of connectivity options, so you can use it as a USB hub, connect multiple extra monitors, or charge a laptop with up to 140W of power from the display. It also has a KVM switch, so you can switch between two different computers while using the same devices.
Overcomes most glare.
Wide viewing angles.
Fantastic ergonomics.
Fantastic text and image clarity.
KVM switch and 140W power delivery over USB-C.
Distracting reflections in really bright rooms.
The Dell U3225QE is great for editing. It displays a wide range of vivid colors, so it's great for editing wide gamut content. It's also very accurate, even before calibration. However, deep blacks appear somewhat gray in a dark room, and while it gets bright enough to overcome glare in HDR, highlights don't pop. It's also not well suited to editing fast-moving content, as it has bad motion handling.
Overcomes most glare.
Wide viewing angles.
Fantastic ergonomics.
Fantastic text and image clarity.
KVM switch and 140W power delivery over USB-C.
Displays a wide range of vivid colors in HDR.
Terrible local dimming feature.
The Dell U3225QE has great brightness and overcomes glare in most bright rooms. However, highlights don't pop in HDR.
Overcomes most glare.
Highlights don't pop in HDR.
The Dell U3225QE has a bad response time. Fast-moving objects are very blurry, so it's not well suited to playing fast-moving games or editing videos with lots of motion.
Fast-moving objects look blurry.
The Dell U3225QE has acceptable HDR picture quality. Though it displays a wide range of vivid colors, it has terrible local dimming, with large backlight zones lighting up even for small highlights.
Displays a wide range of vivid colors in HDR.
Terrible local dimming feature.
The SDR picture quality is good. It displays a wide range of colors, but deep blacks appear somewhat gray in a dark room, and you can see some backlight bleed.
Displays a wide range of colors.
Okay black uniformity.
The Dell U3225QE has excellent color accuracy. It's quite accurate before calibration, and extremely accurate after calibration.
Very accurate, even before calibration.
Good gray uniformity.
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 Feb 11, 2026:
We added that the Dell U5226KW is another model with a bigger 52-inch screen.
- 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 added that the Dell S3225QC has a better contrast ratio.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the 32-inch Dell U3225QE, which is one of several similar 32-inch models Dell offers in their UltraSharp series. It's also available in a smaller 27-inch size, but that version performs differently. You can see the major differences between these monitors below. These results are only valid for this model.
| Model | Size | Resolution | Panel Type | Refresh Rate | Power Delivery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U3225QE | 32" | 4k | Enhanced IPS Black | 120Hz | 140W |
| U3224KB | 32" | 6k | IPS Black | 60Hz | 140W |
| UP3218K | 32" | 8k | IPS | 60Hz | None |
| U3223QE | 32" | 4k | IPS Black | 60Hz | 90W |
| U2725QE | 27" | 4k | Enhanced IPS Black | 120Hz | 140W |
Our unit's label indicates it was manufactured in December 2024. It was tested with firmware M2T101.
Popular Monitor Comparisons
The Dell U3225QE is a premium 32-inch 4k productivity monitor. It delivers features not seen in most office monitors, such as multiple outputs to connect additional displays, 140W of power delivery over Thunderbolt 4, and a 120Hz refresh rate. It's a fantastic option not just for office work but also for editing, as it's quite accurate even before calibration, and it displays a wide range of colors vividly. It's an ideal choice if you're looking for a 32-inch productivity monitor and have a big budget. However, if you like all these features and want something even bigger, consider the Dell U4025QW, which has a very similar feature set but a larger 40-inch display. Additionally, if you want a great 4k display for productivity work but don't need this monitor's extra features and want to save some money, cheaper 32-inch displays, like the Dell U3223QE, provide the same text clarity and similar image quality at a much lower price if you can still find it available.
See our recommendations for the best 4k monitors, the best work monitors, and the best 32-inch monitors.
The Dell U3223QE and the Dell U3225QE are both 32-inch productivity monitors. The U3225QE is the better choice if you can afford it, as it has a higher refresh rate for a more responsive feel, better connectivity, and better image quality. However, both display equally sharp text, and the U3223QE is a better choice if you have a more limited budget and it's available.
The Dell U3225QE and the Dell U2725QE are extremely similar 4k office monitors. Both have nearly identical features and very similar performance. As a result, the U2725QE is a better option if you prefer a smaller display, whereas the U3225QE is a better option if you prefer a larger one.
The Dell U3225QE and the Dell S3225QC are 32-inch, 4k, 120Hz monitors from different lineups. The U3225QE is part of the high-end UltraSharp lineup, and it's equipped with additional features, including a larger USB hub, Thunderbolt 4 support, and a KVM switch. This makes it the better choice if you need an all-in-one monitor for connecting different devices. Despite being a lower-end model, the S3225QC boasts better picture quality thanks to its QD-OLED panel, which displays deep blacks, bright colors, and vivid highlights. The S3225QC is also better suited for gaming, as it offers superior motion handling.
The Dell U3225QE and the BenQ PD3225U are both 32-inch 4k productivity and editing monitors. The Dell is the better option for most people, as it has a higher, more responsive refresh rate, gets much brighter, displays colors more vividly and accurately, and has better connectivity. However, the BenQ has some unique features. If you want to use its HotKey Puck for quick settings adjustments or its dedicated software for editors, you may prefer it.
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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