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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Having reviewed many OLED displays in the past couple of years, I can say that there aren’t any bad ones. They’re all expensive, but you won’t be disappointed with anything that is currently available. The Asus ROG Swift PG32UCDP is simply a cut above the rest.

(Image credit: Asus)

The 480 Hz mode is simply next level. It matches panel draw time with 500 and 540 Hz monitors and has significantly less input lag. The 11ms time I recorded is the fastest in my database of nearly 400 displays. If you want the ultimate monitor for competition, the PG32UCDP is it.

The image is equally impressive with its high brightness and infinite contrast. Going with WOLED gives Asus a lot more light output with only a small reduction in color volume. The PG32UCDP is extremely colorful and will satisfy anyone looking for high saturation.

(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

It’s also packed with features. Everything I’ve ever seen in an Asus gaming monitor is in there: ELMB, 480 Hz, AI aiming points, sniper mode, night vision, timers, stopwatch, frame counter, and every picture control you could want. Calibration is completely unnecessary, though, as it comes dialed in right out of the box. And there’s physical convenience with KVM, plenty of USB ports, an accessory mount atop the stand, DisplayWidget Center for OSD control and a nice lighting feature.

There is nothing negative I can say about the Asus ROG Swift PG32UCDP. It’s truly one of the best gaming monitors available. If you have the budget and a sufficiently powerful gaming rig, definitely check it out.

MORE: Best Gaming Monitors

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MORE: How to Choose the Best HDR Monitor

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