Reviewed in the United States on June 15, 2023
First of all, if you don't have a desire to spend a lot of time reading reviews I can tell you this right off the bat: if you have a MacBook (or not) and your main priorities are getting a 32" monitor with Ultra HD (4K) resolution and USB-C connectivity (highly desirable for MacBook owners) without breaking the bank (sub $500) then this is the ONLY choice (to my knowledge, and I did hours of research). I will explain and offer a couple other options if your priority is the most accurate color reproduction and budget isn't as much of an issue.
This is the 3rd LG monitor I've owned, in addition to the 27UD88 and the 27UN850, both 27" UHD monitors with USB-C connections, and both have performed admirably for the past few years while connected to a 2019 MacBook Pro and a 2021 14" MacBook Pro, and continue to perform well. Also consider that until Apple made the Studio display ($1.5k?) your options if purchasing from Apple were only the $5k Pro XDR or a 27" 5k -LG- monitor for $1.3k. Even Apple was selling the LG, which indicates something about the quality of LG monitors.
My primary use for the monitor was business related, spreadsheets, documents and charts. And I (correctly) thought that moving up to a 32” (it’s actually 31.5”) monitor and increasing my workspace would increase productivity. I can’t imagine going much larger, unless I were going to be working from a distance (the 32” can pretty much fill the field of vision) but I do highly recommend getting a VERSA mount arm, I ended up getting the NB North Bayou Monitor Arm, they have a few models, look for the one with “Gas Spring for 22''-40’’, Load Capacity from 4.4 to 30lbs,” you want a gas spring, and a good range of motion, as well as a higher load capacity than your actual monitor (reviewers often report that arms fail when close to the maximum capacity).
In addition to the size, the 4k resolution was essential. I’m sure there are still advantages to a bigger monitor with a lower resolution, but I have sharp vision and as the screen gets bigger I want more material of the same size, not to just zoom in on what’s already there. And as an aside, I’m lucky to have 30/20 vision, but even for me having my screen set at 4k resolution on the 27” display left me often needing to bring the monitor closer, lean in, or even zoom in to read text. I eventually turned my display down to a lower resolution so that everything would be easier to see. When I got this 32” screen I was able to change my settings back to 4K, and everything is readable. The size and resolution really are a good match.
The last feature that I was looking for is the USB-C connection. I’ve used the display port in past 4k setups, and it functions in a perfectly acceptable manner, but all it does is connect the video from the computer to the display. You won’t have access to the USB-A ports built into the monitor. As my last two MacBooks only had USB-C (actually thunderbolt) ports, and I still have some USB-A peripherals, it was a choice between getting a USB-C to USB-A hub, or getting a monitor that connected via USB-C thereby providing the display connection, access to the built in USB hub, as well as providing power to my MacBook. With the 2019 MacBook Pro it only charged via the USB-C ports, so this allowed me to leave the power adapter in a drawer and clear some desk clutter. The newer 2021 MBP charges via the new MagSafe, but I recently discovered that it will also accept charging through the USB-C connection with the monitor when the MagSafe is disconnected. I guess that’s pretty useful, and means I could pack up the power adapter for travel. There are other little perks, such as deeper integration between my MacBook and the monitor. When I was using a DisplayPort on my old monitor I had to have my MacBook open, so that I had an “extended desktop,” where I simply set my external display as the main display. This was fine, but I never actually used the little 13 screen, so all it did was consume energy and collect dust on the screen and keyboard, not great all-in-all. With the USB-C connection I can close my MacBook and the external display becomes my only desktop. Essentially it means I can turn my MacBook into a desktop computer when home, very convenient.
One last note about this LG. I ALMOST returned it, and nearly requested a warranty repair because the display wouldn’t shut off when my MacBook went into standby mode. This was -very- annoying, and apparently it’s a common enough issue that you can find it in searches, and some people think it -cannot- be fixed. I spent over 1.5 hours on the phone with LG tech support on three separate occasions and was frustrated enough to give up on the monitor. But luckily I had my GFs (nearly identical) MacBook in the house with the “nearly identical” 27” LG monitor that I used to use, which gave me an opportunity to test everything. I won’t bore you with those details (I was exhaustive in the combinations) but I did discover that there was neither a fault in my monitor that needed repair, nor is there a flaw in the design of this LG. If you have this issue and you’re on MacOS 13.4 go to “System Settings > Displays > Advanced > Prevent automatic sleeping on power adapter when the display is off,” and disable that setting. It seems fairly obvious from the title, but it was enabled and didn’t affect my previous LG monitor, and even after an hour and a half on the phone with 3 different technical service reps from LG, none of them guided me toward that setting. I really hope that helps someone….
Beyond this I really can’t offer any recommendations if you aren't looking for 4k resolution or do not need or want USB-C connectivity, those were must haves in my search. On the other hand, if budget isn't a HUGE concern for you, ASUS makes the ProArt Display PA329CV ($600) which provides "...industry-standard 100% sRGB / 100% Rec. 709 color space coverage" and "∆E < 2" color accuracy. I don't even know what all that really means, but if you're a professional artist you probably do, and know whether you need that. And if you are a professional artist, then the additional $200 (150% the cost of this LG) is more than likely well worth the cost. Additionally, the USB-C port provides max 90W quick charging and you'll pick up two extra USB-A slots (4 total) in the monitor, which could be useful. In the same vein, Viewsonic makes the VP3256-4K - 32" ColorPro ($550), which is only $150 more and offers the same color reproductions standards as the ASUS for a slightly lower cost, but you only get the 2 USB-A slots, and the USB-C port provides max 60W quick charging. Either the Asus or the Viewsonic provide viable alternatives to the LG, and if color is of prime importance you are probably best served looking there.
Beyond those two you will NOT find a Samsung monitor that provides both UHD and 32", you'll have to settle with QHD or 28" if you're a Samsung devotee. And if money is no object ($900+), then you will find options from DELL as well as higher end options from all the previous mentioned manufacturers, and probably other manufacturers that I didn’t explore.
Whatever you’re searching for, I hope you find it.
