The LG 32UD59-B is a fairly large 4k monitor with decent picture quality and the ability to produce deep and fairly uniform dark scenes. Motion handling is good but the responsiveness of the monitor is limited by the standard 60Hz refresh rate. In a bright room, reflections may be distracting and the image degrades when viewed at an angle.
Our Verdict
The LG 32UD59-B is an above-average monitor for a range of usages. The high native contrast ratio and high resolution of the 32 inch screen result in a very versatile monitor. Unfortunately, the picture quality is only decent and degrades when viewed at an angle. The ergonomic adjustments are also limited, which makes it less useful for sharing images with friends or coworkers.
- Deep and uniform dark scenes
- 4k resolution is great for multiple windows
- Solid colors are uniform
- Image degrades when viewed from the side
The LG 32UD59-B is good for office use. The large screen and high resolution helps with multitasking, reading, or working on spreadsheets. Unfortunately, ergonomic adjustments are very limited, and the image loses accuracy when viewed at an angle so sharing images with coworkers can be more difficult. The picture quality is also only decent, and reflections are more distracting than with some other monitors.
The LG 32UD59-B is a very good monitor for gamers. The response time is fast, resulting in only a short trail following moving objects which is great. Unfortunately, it isn't possible to flicker the backlight to clear up the monitor further, and the responsiveness is limited by the standard 60Hz refresh rate. The input lag is low, which is great, but the picture quality is only decent.
The LG UD59-B is decent for watching YouTube, movies, or TV shows. Overall, the picture quality is decent but when viewed in a dark room blacks appear deep and fairly uniform, which is good. The colors are also fairly accurate out of the box, which is good.
The LG 32UD59-B is above average for creating or editing media. The high resolution makes it easier to work on high-quality images or video. The image quality is decent, but the LG 32UD59-B does support a decent amount of the Adobe RGB color space and is quite accurate out of the box. When working in a dark room, dark scenes appear deep which is good.
The LG 32UD59-B doesn't support HDR. This is common for most monitors, as HDR is a relatively new feature.
Changelog
- Updated Jan 17, 2019: We tested the monitor's compatibility with NVIDIA's new FreeSync driver. See our full investigation into NVIDIA's FreeSync Drivers here.
- Updated Mar 23, 2018: Review published.
- Updated Mar 21, 2018: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated Feb 06, 2018: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the 32 inch model (32UD59-B). However, variants of the monitor exist in 27 inch (27UD58-B). It's also closely related to the 2018 model 32UD60-B, and HDR model 32UD99-W.
If someone comes across a different type of panel or if their 32UD59-B doesn't correspond to our review, let us know and we will update the review. Note that some tests such as the gray uniformity may vary between individual units.
| Model | Size | Refresh rate | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27UD58-B | 27" | 60Hz | 2016 | Black variant |
| 32UD59-B | 32" | 60Hz | 2017 | Black variant |
| 32UD60-B | 32" | 60Hz | 2018 | Black variant |
| 32UD99-W | 32" | 60Hz | 2017 | White variant. Supports HDR10 |
Popular Monitor Comparisons
The LG 32UD59-B is an above-average monitor for a range of usages, and the 4k resolution is a bonus for productivity but for the price, there may be better choices depending on your specific usage.
See our recommendations for the best 4k monitors, the best 4k gaming monitors and the best 32-inch monitors.
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 27UD68P-B is somewhat better than the LG 32UD59-B, unless your main use is in a dark room. The 27UD68P-B has an IPS panel, which has wider viewing angles, whereas the 32UD59-B has a VA panel which has better contrast and better black uniformity, good for dark room viewing.
The Samsung CHG70 is better than the LG 32UD59-B. The Samsung has better ergonomics and is easier to position to your preference. The Samsung has a local dimming feature, a better color gamut, and support for HDR. At the same time, it has much better motion handling and is packed with gaming features so you'll enjoy gaming more on the Samsung. On the other hand, the LG is marginally better for office as it has more screen area and can display more detail due to the higher resolution.
The LG 34UC79G-B is slightly better than the LG 32UD59-B unless dark room performance is a priority. The 34UC79G-B has an IPS panel, which has a higher native refresh rate and much wider viewing angles, as well as lower input lag. The 32UD59-B has a VA-type panel, which has better dark room performance but worse viewing angles. It also has a higher native resolution.
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.
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