NEC PA322UHD 32-Inch Ultra HD Monitor Review

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Grayscale Tracking And Gamma Response

Our grayscale and gamma tests are described in detail here.

At this price point, it’s reasonable to expect precise out-of-box performance (at least in the sRGB and Adobe color modes). We’re showing you both graphs to demonstrate that the PA322UHD does indeed match its factory-generated tests. The box includes a data sheet for each monitor that shows similar results to what we recorded. There is a slight red push from 30 percent and up, but with all errors under two DeltaE, you won’t see it.

The sRGB mode shows slightly better performance. Either way, though, you don’t have to calibrate.

Then again, if you have the means, why not? Running your own calibration yields the the results below.

The RGB adjusters are extremely precise. They offer very fine resolution, allowing us to generate one of our best grayscale tracking graphs ever. It doesn’t really get much better.

Results from the Adobe RGB mode are pretty much identical.

And here's our comparison group again:

NEC’s own EA244UHD still sets the standard for out-of-box grayscale performance, though the PA322UHD is only a tiny bit behind. The sRGB mode is the most accurate, followed closely by the Adobe RGB preset. Like we said earlier, calibration is definitely an option, not a requirement.

The gains we realize from adjusting the PA322UHD are worth it in our opinion. Any professional monitor should score under one DeltaE for grayscale tracking, especially when you’re spending $3000.

Really though, none of the screens represented here have flaws worth worrying about. They’re all very accurate and perfectly suited for color-critical applications.

Gamma Response

There are gamma presets to be found in the Advanced menu. They all provide solid tracking, as shown above. From 70- to 90-percent brightness, you can see a slight dip, but it only represents an error of 1.81 cd/m2, which is negligible.

Here is our comparison group again:

None of the screens have any serious tracking errors, and yet the PA322UHD comes out on top. As with the grayscale result, it matches NEC's factory data sheet perfectly.

We calculate gamma deviation by expressing the difference from 2.2 as a percentage.

The slight dip from 70 to 90 percent drops the NEC to fourth place. Only Sharp's PN-K321 demonstrates any visible gamma flaws. The rest of the monitors are visually perfect.

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.