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The GM32-FQ, like its GM27-FQS stablemate, impressed me with its color accuracy. And even more so because it needs absolutely nothing to achieve some superlative test results.
Grayscale and Gamma Tracking
Our grayscale and gamma tests use Calman calibration software from Portrait Displays. We describe our grayscale and gamma tests in detail here.
Grayscale tracking charts don’t get much better than this even when a monitor has been calibrated. The GM32-FQ manages this feat right out of the box. There are no visible errors, and all values are under 1dE except 40 and 100% which just crack the 2dE line. Gamma is pretty much spot-on as well, with only a slight rise at 20 and 30%, which means those values are a bit under the mark. This is something only a meter can detect, not the naked eye.
In the Rec.709 (BT709) gamut mode, grayscale tracking has a few barely visible errors. The color temp presets are grayed out, so you can’t make any changes here. 80 and 90% brightness show the most obvious issue with a slight blue deficiency. Gamma is also light at 90%. These are minor errors but visible, nonetheless.
Comparisons
I attempted to calibrate the GM32-FQ and could not improve upon its default grayscale error of 0.67dE. Therefore, I’m showing the same number for the before and after comparisons. It is the clear winner in the out-of-box contest and finishes a close third when the other screens are adjusted. This is great performance, which is made even more impressive by near-perfect gamma tracking. A 0.11 range of values and 0.45% deviation is about as low as it gets.
Color Gamut Accuracy
Our color gamut and volume testing use Portrait Displays’ Calman software. For details on our color gamut testing and volume calculations, click here.
The GM32-FQ is again a winner out of the gate. Very few monitors have color this accurate after calibration, much less by default. Aside from a slight over-saturation in red, all points are on-target. I’ve also included the Rec.709 and Rec.2020 charts to show those color presets. 709 is also over-saturated in red but not enough to affect the image negatively. Rec.2020 is not a useful preset because none of the colors reach their targets. The whole gamut is under-saturated. This isn’t a bad thing as virtually no monitor can pass this test. But don’t assume that a mode marked “BT2020” will deliver that gamut.
Comparisons
There isn’t much more to say other than that the GM32-FQ is one of the most color-accurate monitors I’ve ever tested. That it achieves this with no adjustment is amazing. Though its advantage over the GM27-FQS is slight, I’d still go for the larger screen for this reason, along with its higher contrast and brightness.
Clearly, the two Cooler Master monitors are on the same level for gamut volume. 91.96% is higher than average though a few screens I’ve tested cover more than 100% of DCI-P3. The G32-FQ has a larger sRGB volume than its 27-inch cousin which could be a factor for users needing greater accuracy for photo editing.
