54

LG 32GK850G-B Review

True Score

80
80
6

Experts

84
0

Consumers

Product Awards

GR Certified

Expert Rankings

The LG 32GK850G-B left testers pleased with its high contrast ratio and color accuracy, so they called it great for office use and casual gaming, however, they were not impressed with its lack of HDR support. They also lamented its narrow viewing angles and felt that it’s poor ergonomics would make a strong argument for considering the Gigabyte Aorus FI32U.

$1,250.42

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Product Snapshot

Overview

The LG 32GK850G-B is a mid-tier display that was released in 2018. It has a decent 1440p screen resolution, and even though it is not one of the best computer monitors on the market, it is still an excellent pick for gamers on a budget. Its got a 165Hz refresh rate for tear-free gaming and wide viewing angles for group viewing. It also features a super low input lag of 4.7ms, which is also on par with some of the highest rated gaming monitors in the market. The display’s decent response time of 9.2ms also prevents severe ghosting, and while it does not have HDMI 2.1 ports like the LG 27GP950-B, it has great color accuracy after calibration, as evidenced by a Delta E score of 0.73. Its 2622:1 contrast ratio is also relatively high, making it ideal for dark room viewing.

Consensus

our Verdict

Critics have praised the LG 32GK850G-B as a decent alternative for users who need an office monitor that can also be used for casual gaming. Product reviewers from Display Ninja were quite impressed that during their tests, blacks remained visible even in a dark setting and attributed this to its stellar contrast ratio of 2622:1. They also lauded its high color accuracy after calibration as something that it has in common with the LG 32GN50T-B, and confirmed that its 165Hz refresh rate was ideal for delivering a tear-free gaming experience as they found out during their experiments. Reviewers from PC Monitors were happy about its gradient handling and felt that it handled reflections quite decently.

However, critics were slightly disappointed with its lack of HDR support and argued that this might point some buyers to the LG 27GN880-B. They also felt that it’s poor ergonomics and narrow viewing angles might make it hard for some buyers to consider.

Reason to Buy

  • Exceptional contrast ratio
  • High color accuracy
  • Low input lag
  • Good gradient handling
  • High refresh rate

Reason to Avoid

  • Narrow viewing angles
  • Lack of HDR support
  • Poor ergonomics

LG 32GK850G-B Specs

Display TypeVA
HDMI Inputs1
HDR FormatYes
Max Resolution2560 x 1440
Panel TypePanel TypeVA
Refresh Rate165 Hz
Response TimeResponse Time5 ms
Screen size32"
Sync TechnologySync TechnologyG-Sync

All Specs

Test Results

Brightness (nits)336.5
Contrast Ratio (as ratio, x:1)2,949
Color Gamut/Accuracy % (DCI P3 uv)75.3
Color Gamut/Accuracy % (DCI P3 xy)0
Color Gamut % (Adobe RGB Coverage xy)76.6
Color Gamut % (sRGB Coverage xy)99.25
Color Gamut % (Rec. 2020 Coverage xy)54
Color Gamut % (Rec. 709 Coverage xy)0
Input Lag (ms)14.3
Response Time (ms)5.1
Reflections % (Total Reflections)5.6
Horizontal Viewing Angle (Washout Left)26
Horizontal Viewing Angle (Washout Right)26
Vertical Viewing Angle (Washout Above)28
Vertical Viewing Angle (Washout Below)24

All Tests

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Product Comparison

LG 32GK850G-B Review

LG 27GL850 Review

LG 27GL850 Review

True Score

80
71
NR
NR

Ranking

#

54

/

196

#

139

/

196

#

/

196

#

/

Market Context

The LG 32GK850G-B is a mid-tier display that was released in 2018. It has a decent 1440p screen resolution, and even though it is not…

The LG 32GK850G-B is a mid-tier display that was released in 2018. It has a decent 1440p screen resolution, and even though it is not one of the best computer monitors on the market, it is still an excellent pick for gamers on a budget. Its got a 165Hz refresh rate for tear-free gaming and wide viewing angles for group viewing. It also features a super low input lag of 4.7ms, which is also on par with some of the highest rated gaming monitors in the market. The display’s decent response time of 9.2ms also prevents severe ghosting, and while it does not have HDMI 2.1 ports like the LG 27GP950-B, it has great color accuracy after calibration, as evidenced by a Delta E score of 0.73. Its 2622:1 contrast ratio is also relatively high, making it ideal for dark room viewing.

At 350 nits, the LG 32GK850G-B is slightly brighter than the Samsung G5’s 250 nits, but the Samsung monitor’s 1ms response time is much faster…

At 350 nits, the LG 32GK850G-B is slightly brighter than the Samsung G5’s 250 nits, but the Samsung monitor’s 1ms response time is much faster than the LG’s 5ms. Both monitors have one HDMI 1.4 input, though the G5 edges out the LG display thanks to its support for HDR content.

The LG 32GK850G-B has a higher 2655:1 contrast ratio compared to the LG 27GL850-B’s 735:1, but the 27GL850-B is easily the better pick between the…

The LG 32GK850G-B has a higher 2655:1 contrast ratio compared to the LG 27GL850-B’s 735:1, but the 27GL850-B is easily the better pick between the two thanks to its wider viewing angles and a higher refresh rate of 165Hz compared to the 27GL850-B’s 144Hz. Both monitors have a wide color gamut for SDR content thanks to a 95% coverage of the sRGB color scale, however, the 27GL850-B supports HDR content while the 32GK850G-B does not.

Aside from the lack of support for HDR technology, the LG 32GK850G-B does not have that much to offer compared to the LG 32GK650F-B, but…

Aside from the lack of support for HDR technology, the LG 32GK850G-B does not have that much to offer compared to the LG 32GK650F-B, but it does have a faster 9.2ms response time compared to the latter’s 13.6ms.

Display Type

VA

VA

HDMI Inputs

1

1

HDR Format

Yes

Yes

Max Resolution

2560 x 1440

2560 x 1440

Panel Type

VA

VA

Refresh Rate

165 Hz

144 Hz

Response Time

5 ms

1 ms

Screen size

32"

27"

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  • $1,250.42

    Availability

    In Stock

    Free Shipping

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Score Card

E

Expert Score

80

*.75

We place a 75% weighted value on Expert Test Scores

C

Customer Score

84

*.25

We place a 25% weighted value on Customer Scores

True Score

80

Any product with a True Score above 70 is a Mixed Reviews

Expert Score Breakdown

  • Rtings
    103.4

    Category Trust Score

    75
    The LG 32GK850G is a decent monitor for mixed usage. It has a large screen… read more

    By:

    Paolo Reva
  • TFT Central
    75.03

    Category Trust Score

    By:

    Unknown
  • IGN
    20.35

    Category Trust Score

    87
    The 32GK850G offered a very good option for gamers we felt in the VA technology… read more

    By:

    Rob Shafer
  • Monitor Nerds
    60.13

    Category Trust Score

    94
    A very good flat-screen gaming monitor, with a crisp panel, stylish chassis, and high-quality in-game… read more

    By:

    Dimitris Katsaounis
  • Display Ninja
    10.93

    Category Trust Score

    78
    The LG 32GK850G offers a stunning image quality with an exceptionally good performance for VA… read more

    By:

    Unknown
  • PC GamesN
    0

    Category Trust Score

    80
    Great contrast, good color, and a blistering refresh rate make this monitor a winner. read more

    By:

    Dave James

Customer Score Breakdown

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