The LG 32GQ950-B is a 32-inch, 4k gaming monitor. As a part of LG's UltraGear lineup, it's newer than the LG 27GP950-B, but it isn't a replacement, and it's a higher-end model than the LG 32GR93U-B. It competes with other 4k gaming monitors, like the Dell G3223Q and Gigabyte M32U. It has some gaming-focused perks, including a native 144Hz refresh rate that you can overclock to 160Hz, HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, and FreeSync VRR with G-SYNC compatibility. It also features a few added ports, like two USB-A ports and an audio port that supports DTS Headphone:X.
Our Verdict
The LG 32GQ950 is decent for PC gaming. Although its max 160Hz refresh rate isn't high enough for competitive gaming, it's still fine for casual gaming, and it supports VRR to reduce screen tearing. It has low input for a responsive feel and a consistently fast response time at any refresh rate, but there's still some blur with fast-moving objects. One of the downsides is that it has limited picture quality in dark rooms due to its low contrast, and blacks look gray, but it gets bright enough to fight glare in well-lit rooms.
- Consistently fast response time.
- Low input lag.
- 160Hz max refresh rate and VRR support.
- Low contrast ratio.
- Some blur with fast-moving objects.
The LG 32GQ950 is impressive for console gaming. With HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, it can take full advantage of both the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. It has low input lag for a responsive feel, and it has a fast response time for sharp motion with most fast-moving objects. Its 4k resolution helps deliver a detailed image, but it has limited picture quality due to its low contrast and terrible local dimming, and blacks look gray in dark rooms.
- Consistently fast response time.
- HDMI 2.1 bandwidth for console gaming.
- Low input lag.
- Low contrast ratio.
- Some blur with fast-moving objects.
The LG 32GQ950 is great for office use. The large, high-resolution screen is great for multitasking, as you can comfortably work with multiple windows open at once, and it delivers exceptionally clear text. It has decent ergonomics that make it easy to adjust for yourself, but without any swivel adjustment, it's harder to turn the screen to show someone else. While it gets bright enough to fight glare in most environments, it has disappointing reflection handling, so visibility is an issue in very bright rooms.
- Bright enough to fight glare.
- Fantastic text clarity.
- Decent ergonomics.
- Disappointing reflection handling.
- No swivel adjustment.
The LG 32GQ950 is good for media creators. The 32-inch, 4k screen makes it great for multitasking, and the wide viewing angle ensures the sides of the screen remain consistent no matter where you view it from. It has decent ergonomics as you can adjust the screen to an ideal viewing position, but it doesn't swivel, so you have to turn the entire screen to show it to someone else. In terms of picture quality, it's accurate before calibration, but you need to calibrate it for most accurate colors. It also has limited picture quality, especially in dark rooms, because it has a low contrast ratio and terrible local dimming feature.
- Bright enough to fight glare.
- Fantastic text clarity.
- Decent ergonomics.
- Accurate sRGB mode.
- Low contrast ratio.
- Disappointing reflection handling.
- Needs calibration for best accuracy.
The LG UltraGear 32GQ950-B has great brightness. It gets bright enough to fight glare in well-lit rooms. It also gets very bright in HDR, but small highlights don't pop against the rest of the image.
- Bright enough to fight glare.
- Gets very bright overall in HDR.
- Small highlights don't pop in HDR.
The LG 32GQ950-B has a great response time. Motion looks sharp as it's consistently fast at any refresh rate, but there's still some blur.
- Consistently fast response time.
- Some blur with fast-moving objects.
The LG UltraGear 32GQ950-B has mediocre HDR picture quality. Its native contrast ratio makes blacks look gray, and its edge-lit local dimming feature fails to improve it any further.
- Low contrast ratio.
- Terrible local dimming feature.
The LG UltraGear 32GQ950-B has okay SDR picture quality. While it displays a wide range of colors, the picture quality is mainly limited by its low contrast ratio, causing blacks to look gray.
- Displays wide range of colors.
- Low contrast ratio.
The LG 32GQ950 has excellent color accuracy. It has a dedicated sRGB mode with good accuracy, but the white balance is off, so you need to calibrate it for the best accuracy.
- Accurate sRGB mode.
- Needs calibration for best accuracy.
Performance Usages
Changelog
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Updated Aug 11, 2025:
We changed the Screen Finish from 'Semi-Gloss' to 'Matte' to better reflect how its coating interacts with light.
- 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 Sep 12, 2024: Updated text throughout the review according to Test Bench 2.0, mainly in the Verdict and Motion sections.
- Updated Sep 11, 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.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the 32-inch LG 32GQ950-B, which is the only size available. It's part of the LG UltraGear gaming lineup, and although there are some similar 4k monitors, for which you can see the differences below, the results are only valid for this monitor.
| Model | Size | Max Refresh Rate | Local Dimming | Release Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27GP950-B | 27" | 160Hz | Yes | 2021 |
| 32GQ950-B | 32" | 160Hz | Yes | 2022 |
| 32GR93U-B | 32" | 144Hz | No | 2023 |
The unit we bought and tested was manufactured in May 2022, as you can see from our unit's label.
Popular Monitor Comparisons
The LG 32GQ950-B is a 4k, 32-inch gaming monitor that competes with other monitors with similar specs, like the Gigabyte M32U and the Dell G3223Q. While it has features you'd expect to find in a gaming monitor, including a fast response time, HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, and VRR support, there isn't much that truly makes it stand out against the competition. Even compared to the lower-end LG 32GR93U-B, it isn't worth the cost upgrade as its local dimming feature performs terribly.
Check out our recommendations for the best 4k gaming monitors, the best monitors for Xbox Series X, and the best monitors for PS5/PS5 Pro.
The Samsung Odyssey Neo G8 S32BG85 is a bit better than the LG 32GQ950-B. The Samsung has a higher refresh rate, delivering a smoother gaming experience and a sharper image, but there's a bit more black smear behind fast-moving objects. The Samsung looks way better in a dark room, as it has a significantly better local dimming feature, better contrast, and better black uniformity.
The LG 32GQ950-B is a bit better than the Gigabyte M32U. The LG has a higher max refresh rate through an optional overclock, and it delivers better motion handling at all refresh rates, with less blur behind fast-moving objects. The LG also has full bandwidth HDMI 2.1 ports, whereas the Gigabyte relies on compression to achieve the highest formats. This isn't an issue for most sources, though.
The Dell G3223Q and the LG 32GQ950-B are competing 4k, 32-inch gaming monitors. They have many of the same features, but the LG has an overclock feature to increase the refresh rate to 160Hz. The main advantage of the LG is that it has better motion handling, while the Dell is better if you want to use it in a bright room because it has better reflection handling and higher SDR brightness.
The LG 32GQ950-B is a higher-end monitor than the LG 32GR93U-B, but both monitors perform similarly. The main difference is that the 32GQ950-B has an overclock feature to boost its refresh rate up to 160Hz, but it doesn't work on all devices. The 32GQ950-B also has a local dimming feature, which the 32GR93U-B doesn't have, and while it helps improve the HDR brightness, it performs terribly overall.
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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