Are High-end Monitors Worth It? I Tested One For Work And Play And Never Looked Back

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• The HP OMEN 32X usually retails for $840.
• It's chiefly a 4K gaming monitor, though acknowledgment to Google TV, nan surface is besides an all-in-one intermezo hub.
• The built-in speakers are underwhelming, lacking extent and bass.

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I've made it nary concealed that my favourite display I've ever owned is nan HP Omen 27K, a 27-inch 4K show pinch a 144Hz refresh rate. I bought nan show years agone while it was connected sale, and I've been utilizing it each time since. So, erstwhile I had nan chance to effort retired nan new HP Omen 32X, I jumped astatine nan opportunity because it shares overmuch of what made nan 27K great, but pinch 1 awesome difference: it is nan company's first smart monitor.

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Smart monitors travel equipped pinch built-in streaming platforms -- successful this case, Google TV -- truthful you tin activity during nan time and relax astatine nighttime watching your favourite shows without switching devices. What genuinely sets nan Omen 32X isolated is that it combines nan convenience of a smart TV pinch gaming-centric features.

It's a versatile, jack-of-all-trades show that smartly balances work, play, and entertainment. I urge it to anyone wanting a azygous surface to do a spot of everything.

Optimized for you

There's a batch to unpack pinch nan HP Omen 32X. The show offers a astonishing number of features, truthful I'll only attraction connected cardinal aspects, starting pinch nan specs. At its core, this is simply a 32-inch IPS 4K display. While that solution whitethorn impressment you, what really stood retired to maine astir was nan screen's sheer size. The 32-inch sheet provides ample workspace, allowing users to comfortably fresh aggregate split-screen windows broadside by broadside without emotion cramped, thing that's very difficult to execute connected a 27-inch screen.

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Thanks to its ultra-high resolution, HP's instrumentality delivers crisp images and vibrant colors. In-game textures and shadows render pinch lifelike quality, letting you drawback nan smallest details. IPS panels don't output nan aforesaid level of opposition arsenic an OLED monitor. That said, nan Omen 32X still manages to impress. Brightness levels are rated astatine 400 nits, but I've sat successful beforehand of nan instrumentality for hours, and it feels overmuch brighter. This capacity is astir apt owed to support for Dolby Vision, a type of ocular tech that further enhances a monitor's output.

Another spot is customization. HP's Omen 32X has a robust settings paper that allows you to fine-tune saturation, hue, and colour temperature, to sanction a fewer features. Navigation is easy acknowledgment to nan included remote, which makes adjusting definite settings overmuch much convenient than utilizing nan buttons down nan screen.

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HP has besides added 9 chopped image modes, each optimized for different uses. As 2 examples, PC Mode offers a balanced operation of brightness, contrast, and image quality, and Game Mode enhances brightness, contrast, and consequence to present a smoother gaming experience.

Double duty

The Omen 32X performs admirably arsenic a gaming monitor. The instrumentality runs astatine a velocity and responsiveness that competitory players will appreciate. Thanks to nan 144Hz refresh complaint and 1ms consequence time, on-screen mobility is fluid, minimizing blurs and input for a velvety soft experience. Every fastener property is registered instantly, creating a lightning-fast consciousness that's cleanable for definite titles. During testing, I played Monster Hunters Wilds and nan precocious released Hades 2. Both ran beautifully. Animations were crisp, attacks were easy to track, and gameplay felt seamless moreover during chaotic moments.

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I should besides mention that nan Omen 32X supports some Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync Premium. For those who don't know, those are adaptive sync technologies that lucifer a display's refresh complaint to your graphics card. This capacity ensures tear-free visuals, nary matter what you play.

Also: I replaced my dual-monitor setup pinch this ultrawide OLED - and I don't deliberation I'll move back

Outside of gaming, nan show doubles arsenic a smart TV. Support for Google TV grants entree to celebrated streaming services, including Netflix, Disney+, and Hulu, and to free unrecorded channels. The intuitive personification interface makes browsing elemental to understand, letting group move from gaming to binge-watching Breaking Bad without a hitch.

Vital features

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There are a fistful of important features worthy mentioning -- immoderate that I liked and others... not truthful much. Inside, nan HP Omen 32X has a group of built-in speakers that get plentifulness loud. Raising nan measurement to 35% is each you really request to bask room-filling audio. However, they deficiency extent and bass. The wide audio acquisition was conscionable mean astatine best.

Around nan back, you'll find a coagulated action of ports, including 2 HDMI inputs, a DisplayPort 1.4, and an RJ-45 Ethernet connection. The existent item for maine is nan USB-C port, which outputs 65W of power, truthful you tin recharge your devices straight from nan monitor. That characteristic is awesome to person successful a pinch, but 65W isn't very fast. I plugged successful my OnePlus Nord N20 astatine 29% for 30 minutes, and its powerfulness only roseate to 34%.

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The aforesaid USB-C larboard besides supports Multi-View, a characteristic that allows Android phones to formed their surface straight to nan monitor. Normally, I would've tested this characteristic to show you my thoughts, but I couldn't. According to nan official personification manual, Multi-View only useful pinch definite devices, and my telephone was not 1 of them.

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I contacted HP and asked if they could supply a database of Android phones compatible pinch Multi-View. At nan clip of publication, I person yet to perceive from HP. However, arsenic soon arsenic they respond pinch nan pertinent information, I'll update this story.

ZDNET's buying advice

Normally, nan HP Omen 32X retails for $840, but astatine nan clip of writing, it's connected waste for $740. I'd urge this show to anyone looking for a versatile multimedia display. The instrumentality performs good arsenic a 4K gaming show and a tin smart TV, though nan built-in speakers time off thing to beryllium desired. 

For a much premium option, cheque retired nan Alienware 34 Curved Monitor. This instrumentality won ZDNET's Editors' Choice award.