Dell S3225QC 32-inch 4K QD-OLED Monitor Review: Compelling gaming value

The Dell S3225QC is a 32-inch 4K QD-OLED monitor with 120 Hz, HDR10, Dolby Vision, Adaptive-Sync, wide gamut color, and spatial audio.

Reviews
By published
Dell S3225QC
Editor's Choice
(Image: © Tom's Hardware)

Why you can trust Tom's Hardware Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

Most gaming monitor reviews focus on speed, but if you don’t need a competition-grade tool, there are other factors that make a display compelling. Audio is a big one that isn’t often discussed here, because so few products take their speakers beyond the afterthought level.

Immersive sound is arguably half or more of the equation when it comes to the gaming experience. Unless you need dizzyingly high frame rates (I know many users do), enjoying a full range spatial audio experience can take gaming to another level. The Dell S3225QC is one of those, and to that, it adds a luxury build and a compellingly low price.

Dell S3225QC

(Image credit: Dell)

Though the refresh rate tops out at 120 Hz, I found it fast enough for gaming at my average skill level. Twitchy shooters aren’t its best use, but I still had plenty of satisfying frag sessions during my review. Casual games are a treat for the senses, thanks to the superb audio, accurate Quantum Dot color, and OLED contrast. With Adaptive-Sync and reasonably low input lag, it will satisfy most gamers outside the professional realm.

(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

It excels at any work task you might encounter as well. Flexible color options, such as Creator with its four gamuts or Custom Color with precise calibration, enable you to tackle any post-production or color grading application. And though it hangs with professional screens in most ways, it costs far less, just $800 at this writing.

OLED monitors are almost universally excellent, but the Dell S3225QC takes entertainment to another level with its audio quality. Taken with the trademark OLED contrast, Quantum Dot color, and premium build and styling, it’s a fantastic deal for those who want to uplevel their entertainment and workday experience. If an OLED is on your short list and $800 is within your budget, definitely check it out.

MORE: Best Gaming Monitors

MORE: How We Test PC Monitors

MORE: How to Buy a PC 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.

4 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Pemalite
    I think a 4k panel needs to be a little bigger than 32" for me to bite... Currently using a LG 1440P, 32" 144hz VA panel for the last 7~ years and been super happy with it.

    Hoping my next display will be 36-42", 120hz+, 2160P VA or OLED once they reach a price I am happy with...
    Reply
  • truerock
    I hate speakers inside of monitors.

    Of all the places to put speakers... why would you put them inside your monitor?
    Reply
  • Mr Majestyk
    Pemalite said:
    I think a 4k panel needs to be a little bigger than 32" for me to bite... Currently using a LG 1440P, 32" 144hz VA panel for the last 7~ years and been super happy with it.

    Hoping my next display will be 36-42", 120hz+, 2160P VA or OLED once they reach a price I am happy with...
    I disagree, perfect size for 4K, but for 5K, which is my next monitor, it needs to be about 38-39" for the same pixel density of ~ 140dpi. 32" for 1440p is madness IMO. 27" 1440p has a pathetic 108dpi already, 32" has a breathtakingly bad 91dpi
    Reply
  • traktör
    truerock said:
    I hate speakers inside of monitors.

    Of all the places to put speakers... why would you put them inside your monitor?
    Space I imagine. Usually the problem is that they sound tinny and nigh unusable. This monitor does look to be a step up from that.

    It seems like a very interesting monitor for photo editing as well as gaming, I don't need faster than 120Hz (I'm currently at 60Hz on a 4k 32" with less color chops and non oled). Linux and HDMI doesn't go very hand in hand, at least not with an AMD card, it may well be the same with Nvidia and Intel but dp 1.4 via usb-c alt mode is at least theoretically good for 120hz at 4k (with no loss of iq if I understand things correctly)
    Reply