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Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level
The CQ32G2S isn’t terribly bright. AOC claims 250 nits, but I couldn’t quite get there, only recording 218.2873 nits peak. This is just enough for a brightly lit indoor space. What it lacks in peak output it more than delivers in deep blacks. 0.0531 is very low and visually is a true black. Even with the room lights off, a full black field pattern can fool you into thinking the panel is turned off. Resulting contrast is higher than average among all VA panels at 4,111.9:1.
After Calibration to 200 nits
Calibration raises the bar for sure. Now, contrast is over 4,600:1 which is one of the highest scores I’ve recorded for an LCD panel. It truly doesn’t get much better than that. Certainly not for $280. Note that the NZXT isn’t far behind with its Canvas 32Q, but that display will cost you $420.
The CQ32G2S maintains its first-place performance in the ANSI test with nearly 3,100:1. That is also one of the best results I’ve seen from an LCD panel, regardless of price. AOC is clearly not cutting corners with quality control. This is excellent performance.
Test Takeaway: The CQ32G2S contrast and black levels are among the very best I’ve seen from any LCD panel at any price. This translates to a three-dimensional image with saturated color and true blacks. Though pixel density is on the low side, the image appears sharper thanks to high contrast.
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