Ryan McBride is a writer based in Los Angeles. He has contributed work to magazines and sites including Gayot, Spy, Paper, Ladygunn, 3AM and the Crab Creek Review. He writes consumer reviews, essays, science and tech journalism as well as literary and art criticism.
With good brightness, native 4K resolution, and great colors, the 32UN500-W is one of the most wallet-friendly 32-inch monitors available, and a great choice for a budget-conscious all-arounder, despite some evident cost-cutting.
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Table of Contents
Product Snapshot
Overview
The LG 32UN500-W is the brand’s entry-level 32-inch 4K computer monitor, released in 2021. While it lacks some premium features, it has 4K UHD resolution and HDR support, like most of the best computer monitors today. Unlike most competitors, it uses a VA panel, giving it deep blacks and high contrast. It supports FreeSync and has a pair of 5W speakers. Unlike the best FreeSync monitors,
It uses HDMI 2.0 instead of HDMI 2.1, but it does offer a Display Port. Its 60 Hz refresh rate may not make it an ideal flicker-free monitor but is adequate for multimedia. The 32UN500-W is one of the most budget-friendly 32-inch 4K monitors on the market.
Best For
Work
Consensus
our Verdict
The LG 32UN500-W is an affordable 32-inch 4K monitor with native 4K resolution, HDR support, and adaptive sync. Its 375 cd/m^2 brightness isn’t at the top of the charts but is great for its price range. Same for the 2351:1 native contrast ratio. HDR support helps make a visually immersive experience. Its rich colors, covering 126% of the sRGB space, make the 4K video look vibrant.
Ergonomics aren’t top-notch, as the rear-facing cords can be inconvenient, and the included stand lacks height adjustment. Build quality falls short of premium, and the viewing angles are average. Despite cost-cutting, this monitor is a good option for home office use, multimedia, and design work on a budget.
ReasonS to Buy
Good image quality
Its 375-nit brightness and 2351:1 contrast ratio are in the top half of monitors tested, meaning the screen won’t look washed out even in well-lit home offices
The 32UN500-W offers 126.5% sRGB coverage and just 2.12dE average gamma error, better than 4/5 of monitors tested, helping colors look accurate and vibrant
Adaptive Sync Support
Despite lacking HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, it handles motion well with FreeSync support
Reason to Avoid
Slower response time than OLED and Mini LED competitors
The VA panel design has an inherent trade-off, giving it slower response times but better native contrast
Fewer ergonomic adjustments than most monitors in its class
The built-in stand lacks height-adjustment
No ability to rotate to portrait mode
LG 32UN500 W Specs
Available Inputs
3.5mm, DisplayPort, HDMI
Bluelight Filter
Yes
Built-In Speakers
Yes
Built-In Webcam
No
Curved Screen
No
Display Type
LED
Flicker Free
Yes
HDMI Inputs
2
HDR Format
HDR10
High Dynamic Range (HDR)
Yes
Max Resolution
3840 x 2160 (4k)
Panel Type
VA
Refresh Rate
60 Hz
Response Time
4 ms
Rotating Screen
No
Screen size
31.5"
Sync Technology
AMD FreeSync
All Specs
Test Results
These are the most important criteria to test for Computer Monitors based on our comprehensive Testing Methodology.
Brightness (nits)
375.4
Contrast Ratio (as ratio x:1)
2,353
Color Gamut/Accuracy % (DCI P3 xy)
85.3
Color Gamut/Accuracy % (DCI P3 uv)
0
Color Gamut % (sRGB Coverage xy)
126.5
Color Gamut % (Adobe RGB Coverage xy)
0
Color Gamut % (Rec. 2020 Coverage xy)
0
Color Gamut % (Rec. 709 Coverage xy)
0
Input Lag (ms)
0
Response Time (ms)
0
Horizontal Viewing Angle (Washout Left)
0
Horizontal Viewing Angle (Washout Right)
0
Vertical Viewing Angle (Washout Above)
0
Vertical Viewing Angle (Washout Below)
0
Reflections % (Total Reflections)
0
All Tests
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The LG 32UN500-W is the brand’s entry-level 32-inch 4K computer monitor, released in 2021. While it lacks some premium features, it has 4K UHD resolution…
The LG 32UN500-W is the brand’s entry-level 32-inch 4K computer monitor, released in 2021. While it lacks some premium features, it has 4K UHD resolution and HDR support, like most of the best computer monitors today. Unlike most competitors, it uses a VA panel, giving it deep blacks and high contrast. It supports FreeSync and has a pair of 5W speakers. Unlike the best FreeSync monitors,
It uses HDMI 2.0 instead of HDMI 2.1, but it does offer a Display Port. Its 60 Hz refresh rate may not make it an ideal flicker-free monitor but is adequate for multimedia. The 32UN500-W is one of the most budget-friendly 32-inch 4K monitors on the market.
Compared to the 27-inch Dell U2723QE, the LG model has a slightly higher peak brightness of 375 cd/m^2 vs. 315-340 cd/m^2. The LG also has…
Compared to the 27-inch Dell U2723QE, the LG model has a slightly higher peak brightness of 375 cd/m^2 vs. 315-340 cd/m^2. The LG also has a wider color gamut, displaying 126.5% of the sRGB color space compared to Dell’s 100%. The LG 32UN500-W has a slight contrast advantage with 2351:1, while the Dell manages 2978:1. For more information, check out our Dell U2723QE review. Or browse our comparison of monitors from LG vs. Samsung.
Compared to HP’s Z32k G3 monitor, the LG 32UN500-W offers greater contrast, with 2351:1 vs. 1890:1 but lower peak brightness, 375 cd/m^2, while the HP…
Compared to HP’s Z32k G3 monitor, the LG 32UN500-W offers greater contrast, with 2351:1 vs. 1890:1 but lower peak brightness, 375 cd/m^2, while the HP reaches 432 cd/m^2. The HP Z32 also adds some features lacking in the HP, such as Thunderbolt 4 ports with DisplayPort and USB alt with up to 100W of power. The LG has just one DisplayPort and two HDMI 2.0 ports. Unlike the 32UN500W, the Z32k comes with a height-adjustable stand. For more detailed ratings, see our HP Z32k G3 monitor review.
Compared to the more expensive LG 49WL95C-W, the 32UN500-W has a smaller display, at 32 inches vs. 49 inches, and fewer connectivity options. However, both…
Compared to the more expensive LG 49WL95C-W, the 32UN500-W has a smaller display, at 32 inches vs. 49 inches, and fewer connectivity options. However, both monitors show 4K native resolution, offer FreeSync compatibility, and have over 85% DCI-3P color space coverage. See our LG 49WL95C-W review for more details.
