The LG UltraGear 32GN50T-B is a good budget gaming monitor. It delivers a smooth and responsive gaming experience thanks to its low input lag, quick response time, and high refresh rate. It has FreeSync support and G-SYNC compatibility to minimize screen tearing. Its VA panel can produce deep blacks, making it ideal for dark rooms, and it performs well in bright rooms too due to its great peak brightness. Sadly, while it has a large 32 inch screen that provides more immersion and space for multitasking, its 1080p resolution results in a fairly low pixel density, so it doesn't produce the sharpest images or text. Also, it only allows for tilt adjustment, and it has narrow viewing angles that make images look inaccurate from the sides.
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 32GN50T is a decent monitor overall. It has a large screen to deliver an immersive gaming experience, and it has great motion handling, making it a good choice for gaming. However, it has a low pixel density that makes it less suitable for work, as text looks a bit blurry, and the image might not be sharp enough for content creators. It has a great contrast ratio to produce deep blacks, but it can't display a wide color gamut and doesn't get bright enough to deliver a good HDR experience.
- Great contrast ratio.
- Large screen.
- Good visibility in bright rooms.
- Low pixel density.
- Narrow viewing angles.
- Terrible ergonomics.
The LG 32GN50T is okay for office use. It handles reflections decently well and gets bright enough to combat glare in most lighting conditions. It has a large screen that allows you to open multiple windows side-by-side, but text clarity is mediocre due to its low pixel density. Its terrible ergonomics make it hard to adjust the screen to your optimal viewing position, and its narrow viewing angles aren't ideal if you need to share your work with colleagues.
- Great contrast ratio.
- Large screen.
- Good visibility in bright rooms.
- Low pixel density.
- Narrow viewing angles.
- Terrible ergonomics.
The LG 32GN50T is a good gaming monitor. It has exceptionally low input lag, quick response time, and a 165Hz refresh rate, resulting in smooth and responsive gameplay. It's compatible with both FreeSync and G-SYNC to reduce screen tearing. It has a large screen to deliver great immersion, but it doesn't produce the sharpest image due to its low pixel density. Viewing angles are sub-par and ergonomics are terrible, so it isn't the best choice if you want to play co-op games.
- Great contrast ratio.
- 165Hz refresh rate.
- Quick response time.
- VRR support.
- Low pixel density.
- Terrible ergonomics.
The LG 32GN50T is decent for media consumption. It has a large 32 inch screen that feels immersive, but images aren't as sharp due to its low pixel density. It has a high contrast ratio that makes it ideal for dark room viewing, and it gets bright enough to provide good visibility in well-lit environments. Unfortunately, it has terrible ergonomics and narrow viewing angles, so it isn't the best option for sharing content.
- Great contrast ratio.
- Large screen.
- Good visibility in bright rooms.
- Low pixel density.
- Narrow viewing angles.
- Terrible ergonomics.
The LG 32GN50T is decent for content creation. It has an excellent SDR color gamut and good accuracy out of the box. Its 32 inch screen allows you to work comfortably, but it has a 1080p resolution that results in a low pixel density, so images aren't as sharp. It has narrow viewing angles and terrible ergonomics, which isn't ideal if you need to show your work to coworkers or clients.
- Great contrast ratio.
- Large screen.
- Good visibility in bright rooms.
- Low pixel density.
- Narrow viewing angles.
- Terrible ergonomics.
The LG 32GN50T is decent for gaming in HDR. It delivers a good gaming experience thanks to its low input lag, fast response time, and high refresh rate. However, HDR content doesn't look much different from SDR because it can't display a wide color gamut, lacks local dimming, and doesn't get bright enough to make highlights pop.
- Great contrast ratio.
- 165Hz refresh rate.
- Quick response time.
- VRR support.
- Low pixel density.
- Terrible ergonomics.
- Can't display wide color gamut.
- Doesn't get bright enough for HDR.
Changelog
- Updated Sep 02, 2022: Added that the LG 32GN63T-B is a higher-end model with a 1440p resolution.
- Updated Feb 23, 2021: We incorrectly listed the thickness with stand as 10.4" instead of 5.6". It has been fixed.
- Updated Jan 20, 2021: For consistency, we've changed the height adjustment from N/A to '0.0'. The score has been adjusted accordingly.
- Updated Dec 07, 2020: Review published.
Check Price
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the 32" LG UltraGear 32GN50T, and it's the only size available. The unit that we tested is refurbished, but we don't expect it to affect the results. It's also sold as the LG 32GN500-B in some regions, and there's a variant, known as the LG 32GN550-B, that has a much better stand. It's part of LG's Ultragear gaming monitor lineup, which offers many monitors in various sizes and configurations. You can see some of them in the table below.
| Model | Size | Panel Type | Resolution | Refresh Rate | VRR | Ergonomics |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32GN50T-B | 32" | VA | 1920 x 1080 | 165Hz | FreeSync, NVIDIA Certified | Tilt only |
| 32GN500-B | 32" | VA | 1920 x 1080 | 165Hz | FreeSync, NVIDIA Certified | Tilt only |
| 32GN550-B | 32" | VA | 1920 x 1080 | 165Hz | FreeSync, NVIDIA Certified | Tilt, height, and pivot |
| 27GN750-B | 27" | IPS | 1920 x 1080 | 240Hz | FreeSync, NVIDIA Certified | Tilt, height, and pivot |
| 27GN850-B | 27" | IPS | 2560 x 1440 | 144Hz | FreeSync, NVIDIA Certified | Tilt, height, and pivot |
| 27GN950-B | 27" | IPS | 3840 x 2160 | 144Hz | FreeSync, NVIDIA Certified | Tilt, height, and pivot |
| 34GN850-B | 34" | IPS | 3440 x 1440 | 160Hz | FreeSync, NVIDIA Certified | Tilt, height |
If someone comes across a different type of panel or their LG 32GN50T 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.
Our unit was manufactured in July 2020; you can see the label here.
Popular Monitor Comparisons
The LG 32GN50T is a good budget gaming monitor. It provides plenty of screen space for an immersive gaming experience, and it has great motion handling, but its low pixel density makes it less ideal for other uses. For more options, check out our recommendations for the best 32-inch monitors, the best 1080p monitors, and the best budget gaming monitors.
The LG 32GN50T-B and the Acer G257HU Smidpx are very different monitors. The LG is a gaming monitor with a 1080p resolution and a 165Hz refresh rate, while the Acer is a basic 1440p monitor with a 60Hz refresh rate. The LG has a VA panel with a much higher contrast ratio, VRR and HDR support, and much lower input lag. However, the Acer has a higher pixel density to deliver sharper images and text, and its IPS panel has much wider viewing angles.
The LG 32GN50T-B is much better than the Samsung T55 for most uses. The LG has a lower input lag, faster response time, and a higher refresh rate. It also has a better contrast ratio, HDR support, and higher peak brightness. The Samsung has a better color gamut, and it's available in a 27 inch and 32 inch size.
The MSI Optix MAG273R is better than the LG 32GN50T-B for most uses. The MSI has an IPS panel with much wider viewing angles, better gradient handling, and it can display a wide color gamut for HDR content, which the LG can't. It has a smaller screen, but that means it has a higher pixel density to produce sharper images. On the other hand, the LG has a VA panel with a much higher contrast ratio, making it a better choice for dark rooms, and it gets a bit brighter overall.
Overall, the LG 27GL650F-B is much better than the LG 32GN50T-B. The 27GL650F-B has better ergonomics, wider viewing angles, and faster response time. It also delivers sharper images and text due to its higher pixel density. However, the 32GN50T-B has a VA panel that can produce deep blacks, making it a better choice for dark rooms.
Overall, the ViewSonic XG2402 is marginally better than the LG 32GN50T-B. The ViewSonic has significantly better ergonomics, faster response time, and better reflection handling. However, the LG has a bigger screen, a slightly higher refresh rate, and it supports HDR.
The LG 32GN50T-B and the LG 32UD59-B are very different monitors. The 32GN50T-B is a budget gaming monitor with a 1080p resolution and a 165Hz refresh rate, while the 32UD59-B is a 4k monitor with a 60Hz refresh rate. The 32GN50T-B has a better response time and lower input lag. It also gets brighter to combat glare and supports HDR. The 32UD59-B has a better SDR color gamut and gradient handling.
The LG 32GN50T-B and the MSI Optix G27C6 are both okay gaming monitors with a 1080p resolution, 165Hz refresh rate, and VA panel. The LG is a bit bigger at 32 inches and has a faster response time, so motion looks smoother. It also supports HDR, but it doesn't make HDR look good due to its narrow color gamut and low brightness. On the other hand, the MSI has a 27 inch screen, resulting in higher pixel density and better text clarity.
Test Results
The LG 32GN50T has a simple design with a red and black color scheme, similar to other monitors in the UltraGear lineup. It has thin borders on three sides with a chunkier bottom bezel. The wide V-shaped stand doesn't take up too much space, but it's noticeably cheaper than the stand on higher-end models like the LG 27GN950-B.
The stand is relatively wide, but the feet are thin and don't take up much desk space. It's entirely plastic and wobbles a lot. Also, you can't remove the stand completely. Part of the column and the feet come off, but a small piece remains permanently attached to the display.
Update 01/20/2021: For consistency, we've changed the height adjustment from N/A to '0.0'. The score has been adjusted accordingly.
The LG 32GN50T has terrible ergonomics; it only allows for tilt adjustment. There's a variant known as the LG 32GN550-B that has much better ergonomics, with height and tilt adjustments, and it can rotate to portrait orientation.
The airflow vents are arranged in a circle on the back and the rest is plain. Unfortunately, there's no cable management or quick-release feature. You can VESA-mount it, but there's always a small piece of the stand that remains attached to the display.
The borders are thin and aren't distracting, great for multi-monitor setups.
Update 02/23/2021: We incorrectly listed the thickness with stand as 10.4" (26.5 cm) instead of 5.6" (14.2 cm). It has been fixed.
Both the stand and the display are thin, but as mentioned, a piece of the stand remains permanently attached to the screen even if you VESA-mount it.
The LG 32GN50T's build quality is okay, similar to the LG 24GL600F. It's entirely made out of plastic, with the back feeling somewhat flimsy. The stand doesn't seem strong enough to hold such a big display and wobbles a lot. That said, the overall construction is alright, and there aren't any obvious gaps.
The LG 32GN50T has a great contrast ratio and can produce deep blacks, making it a good choice for dark rooms. It's higher than the advertised 3000:1; however, contrast can vary between individual units.
The LG 32GN50T doesn't have a local dimming feature. The video above is provided for reference only.
The LG 32GN50T has great SDR peak brightness, brighter than the advertised 300 cd/m². It's remarkably consistent across different content and bright enough to fight glare in most lighting conditions.
We measured the SDR peak brightness after calibration in the 'Gamer 1' Picture Mode with Brightness set to max.
The HDR peak brightness is okay. Just like in SDR, it's very consistent, but it's only slightly brighter and not enough to deliver a satisfying HDR experience.
We measured the HDR peak brightness with the HDR Mode set to 'On' and Brightness set to max. The screen's brightness is automatically locked to max in HDR mode.
Like most VA panels, the LG 32GN50T has sub-par horizontal viewing angles. You lose image accuracy almost as soon as you move off-center, which isn't ideal if you want to share content or play co-op games. If you want a VA panel monitor with better viewing angles, check out the Dell S2721HGF.
Sub-par vertical viewing angles. This makes the image look inaccurate if you have the monitor mounted above eye level.
Our LG 32GN50T-B has great gray uniformity; however, this can vary between units. It's a little darker at the edges, particularly at the sides, but the dirty screen effect is pretty minimal. Uniformity is much better in dark scenes.
Black uniformity is mediocre; however, this can vary between units. There's backlight bleed along the top and bottom edges, and the sides are a lighter shade of blue/gray.
The LG 32GN50T-B has good accuracy out of the box. Most color and white balance inaccuracies are hard to spot with the naked eye. The cold color temperature gives the image a blueish tint, and gamma doesn't follow the curve all that well, causing most scenes to appear brighter than they should. Note that accuracy can vary between individual units.
Accuracy is exceptional after calibration. Most color inaccuracies shouldn't be visible without the aid of a colorimeter, except for blue, which is typical for LCDs. White balance is a lot better, and the color temperature is much closer to our 6500k target. Gamma is also better, but some dark and bright scenes are still too bright.
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 due to manufacturing tolerances, even for the same model.
The LG UltraGear 32GN50T has an excellent SDR color gamut. It covers the common-used sRGB color space almost entirely, a little higher than the advertised 95% coverage. It has good coverage of the Adobe RGB color space used mostly for photo editing.
We measured the SDR color gamut after calibration in the 'Gamer 1' Picture Mode, with Gamma set to 'Mode 2', Color Temperature set to 'Custom', and Brightness set to max.
The SDR color volume is outstanding. However, it has some trouble displaying dark, saturated colors despite its high contrast ratio. It also has difficulty with bright blues, but that's typical for LCDs.
We measured the SDR color volume after calibration in the 'Gamer 1' Picture Mode, with Gamma set to 'Mode 2', Color Temperature set to 'Custom', and Brightness set to max.
The LG 32GN50T can't display a wide color gamut. It has good coverage of the DCI P3 color space used for most HDR content, but its Rec. 2020 coverage is sub-par.
Our measurement of the DCI P3 coverage is likely lower than other reviews due to how we measure it. We measure it by sending a Rec. 2020 signal, but unlike most reviewers, we limit the colors to the DCI P3 primaries. This results in a lower but arguably more accurate measurement.
The HDR color volume is mediocre, mainly due to its limited color gamut. It has trouble displaying both very dark and very bright colors.
There are no signs of image retention on this monitor; however, this can vary between units.
The LG 32GN50T has excellent gradient handling. There's only some minor banding in the reds, greens, and blues.
There's a tiny amount of vertical color bleed, but this isn't visible in regular content.
The LG 32GN50T has decent reflection handling. It should be fine for most rooms, but it's best to avoid placing it opposite bright light sources.
The LG 32GN50T has mediocre text clarity. It's mainly due to its low pixel density, which is also the reason that the S is cut off in our photo, as we can't zoom in enough to show the pixels and fit in the S. Enabling Windows ClearType (top photo) makes diagonal lines look better, such as on the R and N. If you want something similar with a smaller screen for higher pixel density and better text clarity, then check out the MSI Optix G27C6.
| 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 LG UltraGear 32GN50T has great response time at its max refresh rate. Images look relatively clear in fast-moving scenes, but there's some black smearing. The recommended overdrive setting is 'Fast' because it provides the best performance while keeping overshoot at an acceptable level.
| 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 response time at 60Hz is good. The image is blurrier than at max refresh rate, but there's less smearing. The best overdrive setting is 'Normal' because the 'Fast' and 'Faster' options have too much overshot. This means that you may have to change the overdrive setting if your game's frame rate drops to 60fps.
The backlight is flicker-free at all backlight levels, which helps minimize image duplication and reduce eye strain.
The LG 32GN50T has a Black Frame Insertion feature to improve motion clarity. However, it only works within a fairly narrow range and can't be used simultaneously with VRR. Also, it makes the black smearing worse.
The LG UltraGear 32GN50T has a high refresh rate to deliver a smooth gaming experience. It supports FreeSync Premium to reduce screen tearing. It's certified as G-SYNC compatible as well, but it only works over a DisplayPort connection. The maximum refresh rate with a 10-bit signal over HDMI is 144Hz.
The LG 32GN50T has an exceptionally low input lag. It's a bit higher at 60Hz, but it shouldn't be noticeable to most people. We don't have a measurement for 10-bit HDR because we lack the tools to measure input lag with HDR over a DisplayPort connection, and the maximum refresh rate we can achieve at 10-bit over HDMI is 144Hz. That said, we don't expect HDR to have a significant effect on input lag.
The LG UltraGear 32GN50T has a decent resolution and size. The 32 inch screen feels immersive and provides plenty of space for multitasking. However, the 1080p resolution results in a low pixel density, so images and text aren't as sharp, and you might be able to see individual pixels if you sit close enough. If you want something with a higher resolution, the LG 32GN650-B/32GN63T-B is a slightly higher-end model with a 1440p resolution.
The LG 32GN50T has a few additional features, including:
- Crosshair: Adds a virtual crosshair on the screen.
- Black Stabilizer: Makes objects more visible in dark scenes.
- Reader Mode: Helps reduce eye strain.
- DFC: Adjusts the screen's brightness automatically according to the content.
