Monoprice Zero-G 42891 QHD 165 Hz Gaming Monitor Review: And Prices Continue to Fall

The Monoprice Zero-G 42891 is a 32-inch QHD/VA curved gaming monitor with 165 Hz, Adaptive-Sync, HDR and extended color.

Reviews
By
last updated
Monoprice Zero-G 42891
(Image: © Monoprice)

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.

Until recently, if you wanted to find value in a fast QHD monitor, you couldn’t go bigger than 27 inches. Now, it seems you can get a 32-inch QHD display with 165 Hz and Adaptive-Sync for less than $325. This is huge because it not only sets a new benchmark for price/performance, but it will also work with a greater range of PCs. In other words, you won’t need to spend four figures on your video board to get high frame rates.

Monoprice has always been a value standout and its displays are no exception. The Dark Matter and Zero-G lines test well and deliver solid gaming performance and image quality for very attractive prices. The 32-inch Zero-G 42891 with its QHD resolution, 165 Hz, Adaptive-Sync and HDR represents a new benchmark for sure.

(Image credit: Monoprice)

With an accurate and wide color gamut, the Monoprice Zero-G 42891 can be enjoyed without calibration. After a few tweaks, it looks even better. By sticking with VA, high contrast is assured, and this monitor is above average on that score, over 3,300:1 for SDR content. You won’t find extra contrast in HDR mode, which is a bummer, but I enjoyed a bit more color saturation in Doom Eternal. The only downside is that you can’t use overdrive, making the moving image a tad soft. My suggestion is to use HDR on a game-by-game basis.

The Zero-G 42891’s video processing is solid and reliable once you find the right combination of settings. If you forgo HDR, you’ll get good motion resolution with the overdrive set to Fast and Adaptive-Sync turned on. And that performance is equal on both FreeSync and G-Sync machines. Even though Monoprice includes a backlight strobe feature for blur-reduction, I found its phasing artifacts distracting. And it takes out Adaptive-Sync, overdrive and HDR.

For less than $325, the Monoprice Zero-G 42891 is a stunning value. A 32-inch curved VA monitor with QHD, 165 Hz, HDR and extended color? That’s impressive. If you’re looking for an inexpensive way to add a large screen to your system, you should check it out. If you're willing to spend a few extra dollars, the Dell S3222DGM is a superior entry in this segment that is also worthy of your attention.

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
  • Gorlash
    This is very frustrating... I have a 30" 2560x1600 monitor (HP ZR30w), which I really love... it has been my treasured gaming machine for over a decade now... the only drawback, is that it doesn't have any of the modern bling - >60hz, adaptive sync, other fancy stuff...

    I would love to look at a new monitor with newer tech... but I'm still holding out for 16:10 aspect ratio... maybe I will just die here with the other old farts...
    Reply