Asus ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDP review: Within sight of perfection

32-inch 4K OLED gaming monitor with 240 Hz, 480 Hz at FHD resolution, Adaptive-Sync, ELMB, HDR400 and wide gamut color.

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Asus ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDP
Editor's Choice
(Image: © Tom's Hardware)

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Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level

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Asus ROG Swift PG32UCDP
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

Any OLED monitor with a constant brightness option like the PG32UCDP must be considered two ways in terms of peak brightness. You’ll want the full peak output for gaming and video, so I tested with constant brightness turned off. The peak white level was 416 nits, which is more than enough for an indoor space. If you turn constant brightness on, there is no visible dimming and the peak drops to 257 nits. Black levels and contrast cannot be measured in either case.

After Calibration to 200 nits

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Asus ROG Swift PG32UCDP
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

My calibration of the PG32UCDP was minimal, just a single change to one RGB slider. Contrast is not affected, either in the static or ANSI test. It still cannot be measured. If you switch between constant brightness off and on, you may need to adjust the brightness slider to equalize output. That is up to user preference.

Test Takeaway: The PG32UCDP is brighter than typical Quantum Dot OLEDs and with constant brightness off, is nearly the brightest in its class. It has more than enough output for any indoor environment and the infinite blacks and contrast OLEDs are known for.

MORE: Best Gaming Monitors

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Christian Eberle
Christian Eberle
Contributing Editor

Christian Eberle is a Contributing Editor for Tom's Hardware US. He's a veteran reviewer of A/V equipment, specializing in monitors. Christian began his obsession with tech when he built his first PC in 1991, a 286 running DOS 3.0 at a blazing 12MHz. In 2006, he undertook training from the Imaging Science Foundation in video calibration and testing and thus started a passion for precise imaging that persists to this day. He is also a professional musician with a degree from the New England Conservatory as a classical bassoonist which he used to good effect as a performer with the West Point Army Band from 1987 to 2013. He enjoys watching movies and listening to high-end audio in his custom-built home theater and can be seen riding trails near his home on a race-ready ICE VTX recumbent trike. Christian enjoys the endless summer in Florida where he lives with his wife and Chihuahua and plays with orchestras around the state.

15 Comments Comment from the forums
  • husker
    This looks very nice and I'm in the market. Thanks for the in-depth review. I would include the $1200 price as a con, however. You might say that the price is quite fair for an OLED monitor with these features and I'm in no position to argue. But $1200 is still an entry barrier for many people, regardless. You might also say you review monitors, not prices, and I would agree again. But still... $1200 is a big chunk of change and it needs to factor in somewhere.
    Reply
  • Roland Of Gilead
    Yes, I agree. It's a nice monitor. I too will be looking for something like this down the line, but first wanna upgrade my GPU.
    Reply
  • DavidLejdar
    husker said:
    This looks very nice and I'm in the market. Thanks for the in-depth review. I would include the $1200 price as a con, however. You might say that the price is quite fair for an OLED monitor with these features and I'm in no position to argue. But $1200 is still an entry barrier for many people, regardless. You might also say you review monitors, not prices, and I would agree again. But still... $1200 is a big chunk of change and it needs to factor in somewhere.
    Then again, when you put it into a category of 4K 240Hz OLED (or similar OLED), what other monitors are there to compare prices with? E.g. the Asus ROG Swift PG42UQ, which is (still) listed as "Best OLED 4K Gaming Monitor" in Tom's best 4K monitor list, doesn't seem to come cheaper. Nor does the as "Best 4K Gaming Monitor" listed Gigabyte Aorus FO32U2P. And so on.

    But there sure are cheaper monitors. Personally, I am likely to upgrade to 4K, at least 32'', at some point. And I could justify the price tag - when counted across e.g. 6 years, it comes down to less than $20 per month. Not sure about how well the technology advanced to prevent image retention (and then burn-in) on OLEDs though. Which is why I may stay with LCD (such as IPS and VA), which come cheaper in particular at the 144Hz range.
    Reply
  • oofdragon
    Nah. 32 inch doesn't make sense for 4K, 40+ does. Give me a 42" 4K 240Hz with 480Hz FHD and then we r talking. While it doesn't happen any 240Hz 27" is pretty much the same as this but at half the price
    Reply
  • helper800
    oofdragon said:
    Nah. 32 inch doesn't make sense for 4K, 40+ does.
    I disagree. 32" is perfect for me. No curve either.
    Reply
  • vijosef
    No data on ghosting
    Reply
  • helper800
    vijosef said:
    No data on ghosting
    Its OLED, so there is virtually none to be had.
    Reply
  • vijosef
    helper800 said:
    Its OLED, so there is virtually none to be had.
    Theoretically. But if we were to trust theories, we would not be reading reviews.
    Reply
  • helper800
    vijosef said:
    Theoretically. But if we were to trust theories, we would not be reading reviews.
    Here is a review of the exact same panel in LG's implementation. Enjoy!
    Reply
  • UnforcedERROR
    oofdragon said:
    Nah. 32 inch doesn't make sense for 4K, 40+ does. Give me a 42" 4K 240Hz with 480Hz FHD and then we r talking. While it doesn't happen any 240Hz 27" is pretty much the same as this but at half the price
    Then buy a TV???

    This monitor isn't marketed for you. It's for people who want the best of everything: reasonable size, PPI, and performance.

    42" is larger than most people have desk space for, and you'd need to sit back from it anyway. Your current dream monitor is an extremely niche product.
    Reply