Asus ProArt PA32DC OLED Review: Premium Contrast, Color and Flexibility for Creative Pros

The Asus ProArt PA32DC is a 32-inch OLED monitor with Ultra HD resolution, color modes for every standard, built-in calibration, HDR and infinite contrast.

Reviews
By Christian Eberle
published
Asus ProArt PA32DC
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.

To read about our monitor tests in-depth, please check out Display Testing Explained: How We Test PC Monitors. We cover brightness and contrast testing on page two.

Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level

Image 1 of 3
Asus ProArt PA32DC
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

The PA32DC is rated for 250 nits in SDR mode, and my sample crested at 264. While this is below the level of an average LCD panel, it is more than enough light for a monitor used in professional environments. A post-production room will likely be dark or very dimly lit. And the video villages used in on-site filming locations are typically sheltered. There is plenty of light here.

You’ll see very high brightness levels for the MiniLED panels in both SDR and HDR modes. This is their greatest strength. They are far brighter than any OLED, but ultimately, it’s the contrast that counts. They are the better choice if your environment requires an exceptionally bright panel.

As with every OLED I’ve tested, black levels are unmeasurable by my, or any available instruments. When I say the pixels are turned off, I do not exaggerate. They’re completely off. So, contrast is theoretically infinite. I cannot overstate the visual improvement this makes over an LCD panel. Even a MiniLED display can’t produce a picture this deep and saturated. Dynamic range is king and the PA32DC is the top member of that monarchy.

After Calibration to 200 nits

Image 1 of 3
Asus ProArt PA32DC
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

The PA32DC’s contrast and black levels are unchanged after calibration of the User mode. Black levels are still too low to measure. The checkerboard pattern I use to measure intra-image contrast also has unmeasurable blacks.

It should be noted that the two MiniLED panels were tested without their local dimming feature turned on. When employed, it increases static contrast to around 6,000:1. It does not affect the ANSI test.

MORE: Best Gaming Monitors

MORE: How We Test PC Monitors

MORE: How to Buy a PC Monitor: A 2022 Guide

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.

6 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Kridian
    $3,500!?
    minimum $800.
    Reply
  • dk382
    Kridian said:
    $3,500!?
    minimum $800.
    It's a professional mastering monitor, not meant for ordinary consumers... It's pretty cheap as far as those go, actually.
    Reply
  • Kridian
    I don't think accurate color should be dangled out there like it's some golden carrot.
    f-that.
    Reply
  • drajitsh
    One of the problems of oleds was the burnout of the emitters, with the blue being the most vulnerable. Has that been solved.
    Reply
  • dk382
    Kridian said:
    I don't think accurate color should be dangled out there like it's some golden carrot.
    f-that.
    Ordinary consumer displays tend to come reasonably well calibrated these days. This display takes things to the next level by having a built-in calibration system that costs quite a bit extra to include. Good, reliable, finely-calibrated tools come at a premium over standard consumer-oriented tools no matter the industry. And that's what this product is—a tool for professionals. This display and other displays like it (LG 32EP950 for instance) are being used as work-from-home HDR mastering monitors since they're cheaper and easier to use than dual-layer LCD mastering monitors (at the cost of lower peak brightness). It's also being used by colorists and graphic artists who demand perfect black levels.

    drajitsh said:
    One of the problems of oleds was the burnout of the emitters, with the blue being the most vulnerable. Has that been solved.

    No, not "solved," though it has been mitigated somewhat. They've developed various "pixel refresh" techniques that help the various colored subpixels burn at a more even rate. And this panel has a blank pixel buffer that the screen will move around in so static elements don't stay on the same pixel for too long.
    Reply
  • drajitsh

    Reply