Welcome to my review of the LG 32UN650-W. When looking for a new 4K resolution monitor to pair with a high-quality laptop, PC or Mac, the array of features and options including HDR support, refresh rates and speakers, can quickly become overwhelming.
The LG UltraFine 32UN650W simplifies this process, offering plenty of great features for under $500.
These features include excellent color accuracy, built-in speakers, HDR support, sleek design, and user-friendly joystick controls for easy menu navigation.
AMD FreeSync also makes this monitor suitable for light PC gaming, although its low 60Hz refresh rate may limit its appeal to more serious gamers.
LG 32UN650-W Review
Yesterday I replaced my Gigabyte Aorus FI32U with the 32UN650 monitor due to its horrible uniformity, opting for a 60Hz panel for now.
Since I found few reviews for this monitor, I decided to share some thoughts.
The panel offers good value for money, with impressive color uniformity, apart from a small area at the bottom middle which has a slight green/dark spot. However, the vignetting on the sides doesn't bother me but might bother some people.
LG 32UN650-W Design Review
I've reviewed many monitors, such as Dell 4K monitors and Lenovo displays, which often come with large and bulky stands. However, LG is taking a different approach with the UltraFine 32UN650W, one of the thinnest and sleekest monitors available, including its stand.
The stand features an open semi-circle design, which gives the monitor a slim appearance and allows more items to be placed under the desk. The support arm on the back even includes a built-in cable clip for efficient cable routing.
The back of the monitor is completely white, with a splash of black on the lower part of the front bezel, where the joystick is located. I like the choice of white color, as Dell has been using it in its UltraSharp line for a while, allowing the monitor to fit in nicely with my setup.
Connectivity and features
Another nice feature on the back of the monitor is the location of the access ports. Instead of being hidden under the monitor, where they're harder to reach, the ports are located in the middle of the monitor's back, making it easier to plug and unplug cables.
The monitor has two HDMI 2.0 ports (with HDCP 2.2 support), a DisplayPort 1.4 port, and an audio jack for connecting soundbars and external speakers.
The lack of USB-C and USB ports is disappointing because it prevents the monitor from being used as an accessory hub for keyboards or mice. However, I converted the DisplayPort to a USB-C video signal using an adapter to connect directly to my Surface.
The monitor is equipped with two five-watt speakers conveniently placed at the bottom, facing the user, which created an impressive audio experience when listening to my favorite songs on Spotify.
Speakers built into a monitor are always a plus, as they reduce the need for dedicated speakers and minimize cable clutter on a desk. LG includes MaxxAudio, which helps personalize sound and enhance bass for a better experience.
Despite these advantages, the design of the LG UltraFine 32UN650W has some limitations. First of all, the monitor arm and legs are plastic instead of the metal found on more expensive monitors.
Although this material choice is normal for a price under $500, it lacks durability.
There are also ergonomic issues: the monitor can adjust up and down 110mm, but it doesn't swivel completely vertically and only tilts slightly between -5 and 20 degrees.
This restriction may disappoint those who prefer to use their monitor vertically, especially for social media. The included stand is the only option for using this monitor vertically.
Screen brightness
The screen barely meets the HDR criteria, with a relatively good peak brightness. It displays 350 nits on paper, a little less than the 400 nits required for HDR 400.
However, you probably won't use maximum brightness unless the screen is facing a window or in an extremely bright environment.
Ultimately, most consumers find even 250 nits to be satisfactory, which is common for cheaper displays like the Lenovo l27e-30.
I also recommend using lower brightness levels, as increasing the brightness on IPS displays can intensify the IPS glow.
In testing, the brightness level gave opponents a slight advantage in dark locations.
In this case, you can increase the brightness to maximum, which should be enough to clearly spot your opponent. Although glare handling is average or even considered inferior by some, glare was not a significant issue with our device.
Calibration
LG's website claims the 32UN650 is color calibrated, which made me skeptical at first. However, the panel does include a “factory color calibration report,” although it is not typical.
Instead, the calibration report consists of a set of criteria for gamma, color temperature variation and color difference, with a binary result of “PASS” or “FAIL”. There is no color calibration based on a specific color gamut like sRGB or DCI-P3.
When I measured the monitor with my SpyderX, the calibration to the DCI-P3 specification was not correct. However, when I applied the sRGB clamp, the calibration measurements appeared more reasonable, with an average delta E of 1.6 and a maximum delta E of 2.66.
Post-calibration results for the sRGB color gamut (with the sRGB clamp applied) were excellent, with an average delta E of just 0.25 and a maximum delta E of 1.62.
As for the color range, it matches the advertised specifications. My SpyderX measurements using DisplayCAL showed that the 32UN650 covers 99.8% of sRGB, 85.5% of Adobe RGB, and 94.7% of DCI-P3 (within a margin of error from the claimed 95%). The gamut volumes for sRGB, Adobe RGB, and DCI-P3 are 143.3%, 98.7%, and 101.5%, respectively.
OSD
When you press the control button on the bottom of the 32UN500-W, you activate the OSD. This opens a smaller menu with four options: Off, Input, Picture Mode and Settings.
To activate the “Power Off” option, push the button in the opposite direction to you, which is at the top of the menu. It takes some getting used to, but eventually it becomes second nature without first pressing the button, adjusting left and right to change the monitor volume, while the up and down display the current port and picture mode.
The LG 32UN500-W allows you to connect multiple systems and manage them through the Input Options menu. The Picture Mode menu offers several presets: Custom, Vivid, HDR Effect, Player, Cinema, FPS, RTS, and Color Fading. By default, the 32UN500-W is set to “Vivid,” which results in oversaturated reds right out of the box.
All picture modes except Custom lock options like the contrast and sharpness sliders or response time adjustment. When connected via HDMI, the monitor offers four gamma modes, multiple color temperature options, and direct RGB sliders. We tested the screen using its default settings.
I tested the screen via DisplayPort with an Nvidia graphics card and unofficial G-Sync support. When I enabled the FreeSync option, the Color Adjust menu became inaccessible.
The same is true when you enable the HDMI Ultra Deep Color option on an HDMI port. Additionally, sending an HDR signal to the monitor grayed out the Player, Color Weakness, and HDR Effect picture presets.
Conclusion
In my opinion, the 32UN650 is a completely decent entry-level IPS display, and I would probably choose it over other VA displays in its price range. There are other IPS displays priced at or around the 32UN650, but they seem limited to sRGB and don't cover a wider gamut.
In conclusion, until the 32″ 4K monitor market matures further, I am quite happy with the 32UN650, and it is probably one to keep.