Choosing a gaming monitor is very much like choosing a new TV, you almost need a degree in bullsh*t to be able to wade through all the different “marketing” terms that different brands use, that actually mean the same thing.

I find that one of the hardest things to get a clear & concise answer about, is the true refresh rate of a display panel. Unless the refresh rate states it as a “Native” rate, you can bet your bottom dollar that the actual refresh rate is half of whatever is stated on the spec sheet, and then bumped up using software AI.

On top of that, there are different versions of the physical HDMI and Display Port connectors that can make or break your gaming experience. To the uninformed, navigating the tech specs for just those two things, can be daunting. I don’t really have an easy answer for those that are not aware, except to say research, research & research. And if you need to ask someone, try to ask someone you trust that is knowledgeable in this area, don’t put your trust in the sales person.

In saying that, the general rule is that stands true is “you get what you pay for”.

The Dell 32 4K UHD 16:9 Gaming Monitor (G3223Q) isn’t cheap but isn’t what I would call expensive either. At AU$1369, my opinion is that it is well worth the price. I got really angry at myself a little bit ago because I want to get a G3223Q for my own, and at the time I looked on the Dell site, it was on sale for around the AU$900 mark. I was set to click the “buy” button the following day, but clearly I waited one day too long and the sale was over.

Dell, I am waiting for another sale, so please let me know 😊

I know I haven’t spoken about specs yet, but specs only tell half the story when it comes to deciding to buy or not to buy, so I gave you my opinion first.

You can check out the specs below, but having now used this display daily for a couple months for work and play, it is certainly as good as one could hope for. A true 4K 144hz panel with DP & HDMI ports that fully support the full native resolution and refresh rate is not just great for PC gaming, but also allows you to make full use of the current XBOX Series X & PS5 in supported games. Using it for work, I set the Windows 11 resolution to 3840 x 2160 144hz with scaling set to 100%, HDR OFF & the hardware preset mode set to “creator”.

By using the above settings, this gave me the best picture for IT related work and kept fonts and command line type work crisp, clear and bright. For gaming, I simply set the Windows option “Auto HDR” to ON which in turn, overrode the “creator” preset mode and gave me the best gaming picture it could offer. Just be sure to download and install the Dell monitor driver and ICC profiles to be sure you are getting the most out of your new monitor.

Now, you can’t always have your cake and eat it too, so if I am to pick on something, it would be that the brightness could be a little brighter, 400nits typical / 600nits peak, and the contrast ratio could be a little better than 1000:1. It is after all, and LED/LCD monitor and not OLED and contrast has always been a difficult thing to balance, but while OLED is great for contrast, it also adds to that price tag.

Combine it all together with a fast 1ms response time in extreme mode, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro & an anti-glare screen, and it all adds up to a worthy gaming display at a realistic price that isn’t necessarily out of reach for most gamers and creators.

It is hard to judge and / or recommend any display, be it a gaming monitor, creator monitor or television. Everyone has different preferences and different opinions about what looks good and what doesn’t. I feel that this monitor may not be bright enough for many as it does seem somewhat dull when compared to the laptop display on the ASUS Z13 (500 nits) I am currently using.

One can’t forget though that at this price point, you get 32 inches of 4K/144hz greatness with only a somewhat minor sacrifice in brightness and contrast. I am still buying one next time I catch it on sale though!!

Written by: Kurt Frohloff

A Founder of MKAU, a gamer, a family man. I have a love of all things gaming and a wish of mine is to have more time to actually play the games we review here!