Dell S3222HG 32-inch Curved 165 Hz Gaming Monitor Review: Big Fun on a Small Budget

Dell’s S3222HG is a 32-inch curved VA FHD 165 Hz gaming monitor with extended color, Adaptive-Sync and a low price.

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Dell S3222HG
(Image: © Dell, Shutterstock)

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There aren’t many 32-inch FHD monitors out there, but I found two in my testing database, AOC’s C32G2ZE and Pixio’s PXC325. They are close in price to the S3222HG. I also included two 32-inch QHD screens, Corsair’s 32QHD165 and Pixio’s PXC327. To bring the panel count to six, I added Monoprice’s 42771, a 27-inch FHD/IPS panel that runs at 165 Hz.

Pixel Response and Input Lag

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Dell S3222HG
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

The S3222HG has average response for a 165 Hz monitor. It’s also equal to most of the 144 Hz screens I’ve measured. The Corsair and Monoprice displays are a hair quicker, while the 240 Hz AOC is two hairs quicker. The difference is noticeable when objects or scenery move quickly from side to side. A one- or two-millisecond difference in response translates to more or less motion blur. 7ms delivers a smooth experience, but more Hertz is always better.

The S3222HG proved very responsive to control inputs in the total lag test. More skilled players than I will benefit from a 240 Hz or faster screen, but for casual players like me, 144 or 165 Hz gets the job done. This Dell will deliver a very good gaming experience for the price.

Viewing Angles

VA panels don’t usually impress me with their off-axis image quality, but the S3222HG is better than most. There is a roughly 30% light fall-off to the sides, but the color shift isn’t severe. A slight red/green tint can be seen in the middle brightness steps. The same is true of the vertical view and you can see a reduction in detail. This is caused by a change in gamma, which is typical of all LCD panels viewed from above.

Screen Uniformity

To learn how we measure screen uniformity, click here.

(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

When looking at full black screen patterns in a dark room, I saw no issues with the S3222HG’s screen uniformity. There were no visible hotspots, edge bleed or glow areas on the screen. The meter detected a little extra brightness in the center zone, but I could not see this. Color uniformity was also excellent, with no aberrations observed. This is a very high-quality screen, especially considering its low price.

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
  • Endymio
    Describing a 32" 1080p monitor as "relatively low" pixel density is quite an understatement. The most popular monitor segment of 27" @ 1440p is nearly twice the pixel density, and a smartphone may have more 6 times the density.
    Reply