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BenQ DesignVue PD3226G 144 Hz gaming monitor review: A 4K pro monitor with gaming chops

32-inch IPS 4K 144 Hz gaming monitor with Adaptive-Sync, HDR10, and wide gamut color

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BenQ DesignVue PD3226G
(Image: © Tom's Hardware)

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Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level

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BenQ DesignVue PD3226G
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

The PD3226G makes good use of its edge backlight to hit 458 nits peak in SDR mode. You’ll need to engage one of the user modes to get this high. The fixed modes top out at around 260 nits due to uniformity compensation. Unfortunately, the backlight control option (field dimming), is only available for HDR content, so 990:1 is the best you can do for SDR.

After Calibration to 200 nits

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BenQ DesignVue PD3226G
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

Calibration only costs a few points in the contrast test, and since gamma is almost perfect, the perception of depth is high. Though I’d love to see 1,200 or 1,300:1, the PD3226G makes the most of its capabilities with spot-on gamma tracking.

The ANSI test puts the PD3226G firmly in the middle of the back where it’s close to the other, except BenQ’s own EX321UX, which has a Mini LED backlight.

Test Takeaway: The PD3226G has just average contrast but high brightness and excellent gamma. This means the picture is better than what 1,000:1 suggests. There is upward potential here, but with lots of color and solid video processing, this is a very good monitor for both moving and static imagery.

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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.