The Gigabyte M32UC is a 32-inch, 4k gaming monitor with a native 144Hz refresh rate and a 160Hz overclock. As a part of Gigabyte's M Series monitors, it sits alongside the Gigabyte M32U but has a VA panel with a curved screen instead. It's designed with console gamers in mind, featuring HDMI 2.1 bandwidth to take advantage of the Xbox Series X|S and PS5, and it has VRR support to reduce screen tearing. It also has productivity features like a KVM switch that makes it easy to switch between different sources, and it has a USB-C port, but it's limited to 15W of power delivery.
Our Verdict
The Gigabyte M32UC is decent for PC gaming. It has a 144Hz native refresh rate with VRR support, and you can also overclock it to 160Hz, but that disables VRR. It has low input lag for a responsive feel, and while its response time is consistent across its VRR range, there's still blur and smearing with fast-moving objects. It also has noticeable VRR flicker with changing frame rates, which is distracting. It delivers decent picture quality with a good native contrast ratio, but highlights don't pop in HDR, and it lacks a local dimming feature.
- 4k resolution for detailed images.
- 144Hz refresh rate with VRR support.
- Good native contrast.
- Low input lag.
- Motion blur and smearing.
- Highlights don't pop in HDR.
- 160Hz overclock disables VRR.
- Noticeable VRR flicker.
The Gigabyte M32UC is great for console gaming. It can take full advantage of both the Xbox Series X|S and PS5 thanks to its HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, and its 4k resolution delivers detailed and sharp images. It also feels responsive thanks to its low input lag, but motion is blurry with fast-moving objects. It has a good native contrast ratio to display deep blacks against dark backgrounds, but it doesn't have a local dimming feature to further improve it. Highlights don't pop in HDR either, as colors look muted.
- 4k resolution for detailed images.
- Takes full advantage of PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.
- Good native contrast.
- Low input lag.
- Motion blur and smearing.
- Highlights don't pop in HDR.
- No local dimming feature.
The Gigabyte M32UC is a great monitor for office work. The large, high-resolution screen makes it easier to multitask, as you can have multiple windows open, and it delivers fantastic text clarity. It also has a few great productivity features, including a built-in KVM switch, making it easy to use the same keyboard and mouse with different computers. It looks great in a bright room, thanks to its excellent SDR brightness and good reflection handling. Sadly, it has limited ergonomics and a narrow viewing angle, so it isn't ideal for sharing your screen.
- Fantastic text clarity.
- Excellent SDR brightness.
- KVM switch and USB-C port.
- Narrow viewing angles.
- No swivel adjustment.
The Gigabyte M32UC is a good monitor for media creators. The large, high-resolution screen makes it easy to see more of your workflow at once, and the fantastic text clarity makes it easier to see fine details. It also has good accuracy before calibration, but the sRGB mode locks you out of most picture settings, so you'll need to calibrate it if you want to be able to adjust picture settings to your liking. While it has a good native contrast ratio, it lacks a local dimming feature, which isn't ideal if you need the deepest blacks for editing content in dark rooms.
- Fantastic text clarity.
- Accurate sRGB mode.
- Good native contrast.
- Excellent SDR brightness.
- KVM switch and USB-C port.
- sRGB locks settings and needs calibration.
- No local dimming feature.
- Limited HDR color volume.
- Narrow viewing angles.
The Gigabyte M32UC has good brightness. It gets bright enough to fight glare in a well-lit room, but highlights don't pop in HDR.
- Excellent SDR brightness.
- Highlights don't pop in HDR.
The Gigabyte M32UC has a decent response time. While its response time is fairly consistent across its VRR range, there's still blur and smearing with fast-moving objects, and there's more inverse ghosting at lower refresh rates.
- Motion blur and smearing.
The Gigabyte M32UC has disappointing HDR picture quality. Although it has a good native contrast ratio, it lacks a local dimming feature to further improve it, and colors aren't very vivid either.
- Good native contrast.
- No local dimming feature.
- Limited HDR color volume.
The Gigabyte M32UC has good SDR picture quality. It displays a wide range of colors and has a good native contrast ratio for deep blacks against bright highlights.
- Good native contrast.
- Displays wide range of colors in SDR.
The Gigabyte M32UC has great color accuracy. It has an accurate sRGB mode, but you need to calibrate it for the most accurate colors.
- Accurate sRGB mode.
- sRGB locks settings and needs calibration.
Performance Usages
Changelog
- Updated Feb 21, 2025: We've converted this review to Test Bench 2.0.1. This includes a new test result for DisplayPort 2.1 Transmission Bandwidth.
- Updated Aug 09, 2024: Updated text throughout the review according to Test Bench 2.0, mainly in the Verdict and Motion sections.
- Updated Aug 07, 2024: We've converted this review to Test Bench 2.0. This includes new tests for VRR Motion Performance, Refresh Rate Compliance, Cumulative Absolute Deviation (CAD), and VRR Flicker. You can read the full changelog here.
- Updated Jun 02, 2023: Added that the MSI Optix G321CU has higher HDMI bandwidth in Video and Audio Ports.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the 32-inch Gigabyte M32UC, which is the only size available. It sits alongside the Gigabyte M32U, but it's a different monitor, so the results are only valid for the M32UC. That said, you can see the differences between the monitors below.
| Model | Size | Native Resolution | Max Refresh Rate | Panel Type | Curved |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M32UC | 32" | 4k | 160Hz | VA | Yes |
| M32U | 32" | 4k | 144Hz | IPS | No |
Our unit was manufactured in March 2022; you can see the label here.
Popular Monitor Comparisons
The Gigabyte M32UC is a 32-inch, 4k monitor that's meant for a variety of gamers, whether you need something for console or PC gaming. It has HDMI 2.1 bandwidth to take full advantage of the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, and it has low input lag for a responsive feel, but motion is blurry with noticeable smearing. That said, it competes with other 4k gaming monitors with HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, and those other monitors tend to have better motion handling, like the Gigabyte M32U.
For more options, check out our recommendations for the best monitors for PS5/PS5 Pro, the best monitors for Xbox Series X, and the best monitors for Xbox Series S.
The Gigabyte M32U and the Gigabyte M32UC offer very similar overall performance, but the best one depends mainly on your viewing conditions. The M32U is better for most people as it has better ergonomics, viewing angles, and motion handling with very little black smear. The M32UC specifically targets users in a dark or dim room, as it has a much better contrast ratio, resulting in deeper, more uniform blacks in a dark room.
The Gigabyte AORUS FI32U is better than the Gigabyte M32UC for most users. The FI32U has wider viewing angles and better ergonomics, so it's easier to place it in an ideal viewing position or share your screen with someone else. The AORUS also has a faster response time, so there's less blur behind fast-moving objects and less black smear. On the other hand, if you're in a dark or dim room, the M32UC is the better choice, as it has a much higher contrast ratio, resulting in deeper, more uniform blacks.
The Samsung Odyssey G7 C32G75T and the Gigabyte M32UC are different types of 32-inch gaming monitors. The Gigabyte has a higher 4k resolution, delivering more detailed images, and it has HDMI 2.1 bandwidth to take full advantage of gaming consoles. However, the Samsung has a higher 240Hz refresh rate, which is ideal for high-end PC gaming. Motion handling is similar between each, but the Samsung is just a bit better for that. They each deliver similar picture quality, and while the Samsung has a local dimming feature, the Gigabyte still gets brighter, making it better to use in well-lit rooms. However, the Samsung displays a wider range of colors, including in HDR.
The Dell G3223Q is better than the Gigabyte M32UC for most users. The Dell has a faster response time, resulting in much clearer motion, especially in dark scenes. The Dell also has much better viewing angles, so the image looks the same even if you're not sitting directly in front. If you're in a dark room, though, the Gigabyte is a better choice, as it has a much higher contrast ratio, resulting in darker, more uniform 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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