Cooler Master GM32-FQ Gaming Monitor Review: Accurate Color, Low Input Lag

The Cooler Master GM32-FQ is a 32-inch IPS/QHD gaming monitor with 165 Hz, Adaptive-Sync, HDR and extended color.

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Cooler Master GM32-FQ QHD 165 Hz
(Image: © Cooler Master)

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I’ve rounded up five recently reviewed QHD/165 Hz monitors to compare the GM32-FQ’s performance. Included here are Cooler Master’s GM27-FQS, BenQ’s EX2710R and EX3210R, Corsair’s 32QHD165 and the Monoprice Dark Matter 43548.

Pixel Response and Input Lag

Click here to read up on our pixel response and input lag testing procedures.

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Cooler Master GM32-FQ QHD
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

All screens save the Monoprice can draw a full white field in 6 ms. The Monoprice shows the tiniest bit of extra motion blur in test patterns and fast-moving games. This is fast enough to keep motion resolution at its highest when frame rates stay over 150fps. QHD resolution makes that possible with a mid- to upper-tier video card.

The GM32-FQ is a standout in the overall lag test. I’ve tested a few 165 Hz monitors that can break the 30ms barrier, but the 32-inch Cooler Master is one of the quickest. While my skills can’t detect a real-world difference between 30 and 28ms, it might be a factor for competitive gamers. Whichever way you slice it, this is a very fast and responsive gaming display.

Viewing Angles

(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

The GM32-FQ’s ADS panel looks very good in the viewing angle photos. The side view has a barely noticeable blue shift, but the light output is almost the same as the head-on image. The difference is 5% at best. The top shot shows a green shift, but there is a minimal reduction in light output. And detail is not as washed out as most IPS screens look from this angle. This is exceptional performance for sure.

Screen Uniformity

To learn how we measure screen uniformity, click here.

(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

My GM32-FQ sample showed a bit of extra glow in the upper left and lower right corners. I observed similar corner artifacts when measuring the GM27-FQS. It is possible that the panel’s thin form factor contributes to this issue. In actual content, the anomaly is only visible in the darkest content when room lights are turned off, which is a minor issue.

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.

1 Comment Comment from the forums
  • wakuwaku
    In practice, the GM32-FQ has a higher output than the GM27-FQS and is therefore certified VESA DisplayHDR 400, a figure I verified in testing.

    I would like to point out this line is inaccurate. Specifically that there are no Cooler Master monitors that are certified DisplayHDR 400 at the time of me writing this post.

    Cooler Master markets this monitor as DisplayHDR 400 "compatible". It is on the website, the spec sheet on the website and on the box packaging. They didn't market it as DisplayHDR 400 certified, which is what your review is implicating.

    You can check the webpage here:

    https://www.coolermaster.com/catalog/setup/monitors/gm32-fq/
    and the spec sheet here:

    https://www.coolermaster.com/catalog/setup/monitors/gm32-fq/#specifications
    You can also check the DisplayHDR list of certified HDR400 monitors here:

    https://displayhdr.org/certified-products/#tab-400
    There are no Cooler Master monitors or specifically the GM32-FQ when you search the above list.

    To think that a reputable and popular site like tom's can have reviewer that can't be bothered to read up official information and specs and check them before posting a review. I have similarly pointed out Techpowerup making the same mistake, albeit on a different Cooler Master monitor, and now here I am again doing the same thing. Maybe all you reviewers should contact Cooler Master and tell them that their marketing is so misleading that reviewers keep getting it wrong.

    https://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/cooler-master-gm34-cwq-argb.296809/post-4797404
    Reply