75

LG 32GK850G-B Review

Kenn Muguna Avatar
Updated Jan 25, 2024 6:26 PM

True Score

81
80
6

Experts

88
523

Consumers

Product Awards

GR Certified

Customer Favorite

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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Table of Contents

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.

ReasonS 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 xy)75.3
Color Gamut/Accuracy % (DCI P3 uv)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

    81
    79
    NR
    NR

    Ranking

    #

    75

    /

    196

    #

    120

    /

    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

    88

    *.25

    We place a 25% weighted value on Customer Scores

    True Score

    81

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

    Expert Scores

    • Rtings
      101.4

      Category Trust Rating

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

      By:

      Paolo Reva
    • TFT Central
      71.25

      Category Trust Rating

      By:

      Unknown
    • IGN
      56.15

      Category Trust Rating

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

      By:

      Rob Shafer
    • Monitor Nerds
      57.35

      Category Trust Rating

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

      By:

      Dimitris Katsaounis
    • PC GamesN
      16.6

      Category Trust Rating

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

      By:

      Dave James
    • Display Ninja
      17.45

      Category Trust Rating

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

      By:

      Unknown

    Customer Scores