We buy and test more than 30 monitors each year, with units that we buy completely on our own, without any 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 and custom tools to measure various aspects with objective data-based results. We also consider multiple factors before making any recommendations, including the monitor's cost, its performance against the competition, and whether or not it's easy to find.
Our Verdict
The LG 32GK850G is a decent monitor for mixed usage. It has a large screen size, good resolution, and a very low input lag that makes it very responsive to your actions. Unfortunately, it doesn't support HDR and the poor viewing angles don't allow you to easily share your work with others around you. Gamers will appreciate the G-SYNC support and extremely fast response time.
- Great gaming features.
- Good dark room performance.
- Bad viewing angles.
- No HDR support.
The 32GK850G is okay for office use. With a 32 inch screen and 1440p resolution, you can easily open multiple windows. You can also place it however you like it, although the swivel and tilt adjustments are a bit limiting. The viewing angles are inadequate, so you'll lose image accuracy if you need to share your screen with coworkers. However, it can get bright enough to combat glare in most offices.
The LG 32GK850G is a great monitor for gaming. It has an excellent low input lag, and the screen is large with enough resolution to display most details of your favorite game. Furthermore, it supports G-SYNC VRR technology which helps reduce tearing. Its response time is very fast, resulting in clear motion, and the decent ergonomics will allow you to place it comfortably without the need for a VESA mount.
Decent for multimedia. You'll be able to sit back and enjoy your favorite videos on the 32 inch, 1440p screen, but the 32GK850G-B isn't ideal for watching videos with others due to its poor viewing angles. Fortunately, it has a good contrast ratio, so blacks appear as they should when viewed in the dark, and it has an outstanding SDR color gamut, displaying a wide range of colors.
The 32GK850G is a decent monitor for media creation. The 32 inch screen and 1440p resolution will allow you to display many details of your content on the screen. It has a low input lag that makes it very responsive to your actions and it can get bright enough to combat glare in most rooms. Unfortunately, it may not be suitable for photo or publishing professionals since the coverage of the Adobe RGB color space may be a bit limiting.
This monitor doesn't support HDR.
Changelog
- Updated Feb 17, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.1.
- Updated Oct 11, 2018: Review published.
- Updated Oct 09, 2018: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated Oct 09, 2018: Early access published.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the 32 inch model (32GK850G-B). However, some variants of the monitor exist, which are listed below.
If someone comes across a different type of panel, or if their 32GK850G-B doesn't correspond to our review, let us know and we'll update the review. Note that some tests such as the gray uniformity may vary between individual units.
| Model | Size | Refresh rate | Variable Refresh Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 32GK650F-B | 32" | 144Hz | FreeSync |
| 32GK850F-B | 32" | 144Hz | FreeSync 2 |
| 32GK850G-B | 32" | 144Hz | G-SYNC |
The unit we tested was manufactured in July 2018 and you can see the label here.
Popular Monitor Comparisons
The LG 32GK850G is a decent monitor that performs very well for gaming and won't disappoint you for other uses. See our recommendations for the best 4k gaming monitors, the best 1440p gaming monitors, and the best monitors for PS4.
The LG 32GK850G-B and the LG 32GK650F-B deliver very similar performance overall, but the 32GK650F supports FreeSync, whereas the 32GK850G-B supports G-SYNC. The 32GK850G-B has a much faster response time, but no black frame insertion feature. The 32GK850G-B has an RGB bias lighting feature on the back.
These are two different types of monitors, each with advantages and disadvantages. The Acer Predator XB271HU Bmiprz has wider viewing angles and is a better choice if you'll be looking at the monitor from the side, like when you're collaborating with people. The Acer also has a better ergonomic stand that allows you to place it in a comfortable position with ease. The LG 32GK850G-B is larger, so you can work more comfortably, and it has a better dark room performance with blacks that are more deep and uniform than on the Acer.
The LG 32UD59-B is marginally better than the LG 32GK850G-B. The 32UD59-B has a better vertical viewing angle that helps keep the image more uniform when viewed from the top like in office environments. The 32UD59-B also supports a 4k resolution which allows it to display more content on the same size screen. On the other hand, the 32GK850G-B has better ergonomics that help you place it in a comfortable position with ease. The 32GK850G-B is better for gaming as it has a lower input lag, a faster refresh rate, and a faster pixel response time that only leaves a small blur trail.
The LG 32UD99-W is much better than the LG 32GK850G-B. The LG 32UD99 has better viewing angles due to its IPS panel and supports HDR and 4k resolution. On the other hand, the LG 32GK850G-B has a higher native contrast ratio that makes blacks look deep in a dark room. The 32G850G-B is also a better monitor for gaming since it has a faster pixel response time that only leaves a small blur trail, a faster refresh rate, and a lower input lag.
Test Results
The 32GK850G has a simple design similar to other LG monitors. It's all black with an illuminated circle on the back and some red on the stand.
The stand looks elegant and supports the monitor well, but there's still a bit of wobble to it.
Update 08/09/2019: There was a mistake in our swivel range scoring. The ergonomics score has increased slightly.
Decent ergonomics. The monitor can be easily positioned to your liking. The only downside is that some adjustments have a limiting range. It's worth noting that swivel range is less than the manual claims.
There's a circle on the back that lights up even when the monitor is off. Like other LG monitors, there's a hook on the stand for cable management.
The borders of this monitor are thin and made out of plastic. There is a gap, however, between the edge of the screen and where the active pixels start. If you plan to use this monitor in a multi-monitor setup, you might find this a little annoying.
The monitor itself is somewhat thick and it gets thicker with the stand attached.
The build quality of this monitor is decent. There are no gaps where different components meet, and the entire construction, although plastic, feels robust. You shouldn't have any issues with the build of this monitor.
The 32GK850G's contrast ratio is good, which is expected from a VA panel. Blacks look deep in a dark room, much like the LG 32UD59-B.
This monitor doesn't have a local dimming feature. The above video is for reference only.
Great SDR peak brightness. The 32GK850 can get bright enough to combat glare in most rooms. Its brightness remains consistent across different content, although small highlights are a bit less bright.
This monitor doesn't support HDR.
As is the case with most VA panel monitors, the 32GK850G has inadequate horizontal viewing angles. The image will start to degrade when viewed from the side.
Poor vertical viewing angles. The edges of the screen will appear darker if you sit close to the screen.
Excellent gray uniformity. There's no visible dirty screen effect and solid colors across the screen, such as on a web page, will look uniform. The edges are a bit darker, but there are no issues when displaying dark colors.
Decent black uniformity. There's visible clouding throughout and there's some backlight bleed close to the edges.
Mediocre out-of-box color accuracy. Most colors are inaccurate and the overall color temperature is colder than the 6500K target, so colors will have a blue tint to them. The gamma curve follows the target well, although some scenes may appear brighter than they should.
Post-calibration, the 32GK850G has excellent color accuracy. Most colors are accurate and the color temperature is extremely close to the target of 6500K. The gamma is slightly below the target, so some scenes may appear brighter than they should.
You can download our ICC profile calibration here. This is provided for reference only and shouldn't be used, as the calibration values vary per individual unit even for the same model due to manufacturing tolerances.
Excellent SDR color gamut. The 32GK850G displays nearly all of the sRGB color space used in most content. Unfortunately, photo editors might be disappointed with the limited coverage of the Adobe RGB color space used in photo editing.
Outstanding SDR color volume. This monitor can display a wide range of shades and colors thanks to its excellent color gamut and good contrast ratio.
This monitor doesn't support HDR.
This monitor doesn't support HDR.
As with most VA panels, there are no issues with temporary image retention or permanent burn-in.
Fantastic gradient performance, but there's some banding with dark gray, dark blue, and dark green.
There's no visible sign of color bleed on the 32GK850G.
Good reflection handling. The matte finish handles reflections well in an average-lit room. Unfortunately, the glare might be distracting in very bright rooms.
The text clarity is decent. It can be improved using ClearType (top photo), which makes the diagonal or curved lines on the letters R, N, G, and S clearer.
| Overdrive Setting | Response Time Chart | Response Time Tables | Motion Blur Photo |
| Off | Chart | Table | Photo |
| Normal | Chart | Table | Photo |
| Fast | Chart | Table | Photo |
| Faster | Chart | Table | Photo |
The 32GK850 has an outstanding response time. By putting the Overdrive setting to 'Fast', motion is clear with very quick response time, although there's a bit of overshoot in some transitions. If that bothers you, the 'Normal' setting has minimal overshoot, but there's slightly more motion blur.
| Overdrive Setting | Response Time Chart | Response Time Tables | Motion Blur Photo |
| Off | Chart | Table | Photo |
| Normal | Chart | Table | Photo |
| Fast | Chart | Table | Photo |
| Faster | Chart | Table | Photo |
Excellent response time at 60Hz, which is great for people who want to play console games on this monitor. Like at its max refresh rate, the best Overdrive setting is 'Fast', although there's still a bit of overshoot in bright transitions.
The 32GK850G is flicker-free at all backlight settings, which helps reduce eye strain.
This monitor doesn't have a black frame insertion feature to help reduce motion blur.
Excellent refresh rate. Not only its native refresh rate is 144Hz, but you can easily overclock it to 165Hz. It also supports NVIDIA's G-SYNC VRR technology, reducing tearing in games, which is great news for competitive gamers. These higher refresh rates only work when the monitor is connected on DisplayPort, as HDMI only supports 60Hz and no G-SYNC.
The LG 32GK850G has an excellent low input lag and that remains low even when G-SYNC is enabled.
The LG 32GK850G has a 1440p resolution which is good considering its 32 inch screen size. If you're looking for a 4k monitor, then check out the LG 32UD99.
The 3.5mm analog audio out is a headphone port with adjustable volume that can be controlled using the monitor's joystick.
The monitor has the following additional features:
- Illuminated Circle: The monitor has an illuminated circle at its back that creates an ambient light. This dimmable light is independent of the monitor's operation and will work even when the monitor is turned off. There's a dedicated wheel to control the dimming, and if you click it, it'll cycle through the available modes.
- Quick Charge: The two USB 3.0 ports can be used to rapidly charge your phone. For this feature to work you must turn it on through the menu.
- Crosshair: The monitor provides a mark on the center of the screen for First-Person Shooter (FPS) games.
