Monoprice just announced a new Dark Matter-branded monitor aimed at gamers, and it’s available to purchase today for $399.99 in the United States. The latest Dark Matter monitor features a 32-inch 2560 x 1440 (QHD) IPS panel and a low-profile design with thin display bezels all around. Naturally, we're eager to see if it can join the ranks of the best gaming monitors.
The Dark Matter 32-incher boasts a relatively fast 165 Hz refresh rate for PC gamers, while Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 gamers can expect to see up to 120 Hz refresh rates over an HDMI 2.0 connection. In addition, Monoprice says that the monitor supports Adaptive-Sync technology to help reduce screen tearing while gaming. We’d imagine that the company has gone with some form of AMD FreeSync in this case (although it, unfortunately, didn’t specify).
| Panel Type | IPS |
| Screen Size / Aspect Ratio | 32 inches / 16:9 |
| Refresh Rate | 165 Hz |
| Reponse Time | 1ms with overdrive |
| Max Brightness | 300 nits |
| Contrast Ratio | 1,200:1 |
| Power Consumption | 60W |
Monoprice lists the response time at 1 ms, contrast ratio of 1,200:1 and a maximum brightness of 300cd/m2. These specs are competitive with other 32-inch gaming monitors in this space, and our reviews of Monoprice’s previous Dark Matter monitors (27-inch 240Hz IPS, 27-inch 165 Hz IGZO) have shown them to be value-leaders with admirable performance.
With that said, this is a no-frills gaming monitor, so you won’t find RGB lighting flourishes, an integrated headphone stand, or even USB connectivity. Instead, you’ll find the basics like dual HDMI 2.0 ports, dual DisplayPort 1.2 ports, and a 3.5mm headphone jack on the back of the display. Also located on the back of the display is a 5-way joystick for navigating the OSD.
You’ll also find a height-adjustable and tilt-capable stand when you place the unit on your desk while viewing angles are typical at 178 degrees for horizontal and vertical. There’s also a 100 x 100 VESA mounting pattern for wall mounting.
Monoprice says that the Dark Matter 32-inch monitor comes with an A+ grade panel and is backed by its 1-year PixelPerfect warranty (meaning that if you find any dead pixels in the display within one year, Monoprice will replace the monitor). You can purchase the monitor directly from Monoprice right now for $399.99.
