Dell 32 4K UHD Gaming Monitor G3223Q review

The Dell 32 4K UHD Gaming Monitor G3223Q is an easy recommendation. If you want a 32-inch 4K gaming monitor that’s suitable for both PC and consoles, this is one of the most straightforward devices you can get. This device features a beautiful display, a sensible design and an easy way to navigate through the menus. It’s also simple to set up, and plays well with both HDR and non-HDR systems. If the G3223Q has a significant shortcoming, it’s hard to think of it.

It's worth noting, at least, that at $1,100, the device isn’t cheap, and you could conceivably find something almost as good for hundreds less. The monitor also doesn’t have any bells and whistles, such as speakers or a remote control, which some of its competitors in the same size range offer. Still, if this monitor meets your size, resolution, frame rate and price requirements, you can buy it with confidence. It’s one of the best gaming monitors period. Make sure you check our Dell coupons page for discounts you can use on your order. Read on for our full Dell 32 4K HD Gaming Monitor G3223Q review.

Dell 32 4K UHD Gaming Monitor G3223Q review: Design

The Dell 32 4K UHD Gaming Monitor G3223Q is pretty simple, as these peripherals go. It has a 32-inch flat screen, with minimal bezels on the sides and a slightly larger bezel on the bottom.

There’s an adjustable stand with a large, sturdy base that’s almost a heptagon, but not quite. The back of the monitor has a tasteful blue LED strip. While you can’t orient the monitor vertically, you can tilt it 26 degrees back and forth, and swivel it 60 degrees from side to side.

In terms of ports, the G3223Q has plenty to please PC and console gamers alike, and only one notable exception. You’ll find a power port, two HDMI 2.1 ports, a DisplayPort and a USB-B port on the back of the device. These can be a little hard to reach, but this is where the G3223Q does something clever. Rather than stash the USB-A and 3.5 mm audio ports in the same place, it puts them on the bottom of the screen bezel, right within arm’s reach of a user’s left hand. It makes routing gear through the monitor much easier.

There are only two notable downsides here. One is that the monitor doesn’t have any speakers — but it does have audio controls, and Windows will attempt to route sound through it. This could be useful if you have a 3.5 mm headset, but it seems much easier to just connect a headset to a front-facing port on your PC. The other disadvantage is that the G3223Q doesn’t have any USB-C ports. This means there’s no way to route video via USB, and you’ll have to connect newer USB-C gear with older adapters. It’s a minor issue, but a disappointing one in such an expensive product.

Dell 32 4K UHD Gaming Monitor G3223Q review: Screen

At 32 inches, the Dell 4K UHD Gaming Monitor G3223Q splits the difference between a traditional gaming monitor and a small TV. If you haven’t used a 32-inch monitor before, it’s worth noting that it can be a big adjustment from a smaller model. On a small desk, you might not even be able to fit the whole screen in your field of view. On a larger desk, you can push it back, but keep in mind that the device has a large stand. At the same time, the G3223Q is not really big enough to live in an entertainment center, particularly since it doesn’t come with a remote control.

If you know that your setup can accommodate a 32-inch screen, though, the Dell G3223Q delivers, both in terms of benchmarks and qualitative performance. Here’s how it stacks up to comparable models:

In terms of raw numbers, the G3223Q performs well, although it doesn’t excel in every single category. It’s brighter than both the Acer Predator XB323QK and the BenQ Mobiuz EX3210U. In terms of color spectrum, the Dell outperforms the Acer in standard mode but falls short in HDR; the BenQ beats it in both standard and HDR modes. All three monitors have extremely similar stats for Delta-E color accuracy, where closer to zero is better.

Qualitatively, I can say that the G3223Q’s superior brightness makes a huge difference. Whereas the Acer and BenQ screens could look washed out and dull, particularly in well-lit rooms, the G3223Q always looked bright, vivid and lifelike. The color saturation was a little on the exaggerated side, but this worked well for video games, and you could always use a different preset for productivity work or watching movies.

The one stat I can’t quite account for is the G3223Q’s relatively low color spectrum in HDR mode. While the HDR spectrum did look a little duller than some of the more saturated presets, I thought it looked better than both the Acer and the BenQ screens I’d seen with the same games and apps. This could be a matter of the benchmarks not matching our subjective experience — or it could simply be that I’d rather see vivid colors than more naturalistic ones.

Dell 32 4K UHD Gaming Monitor G3223Q review: Performance

I tested the Dell 32 4K UHD Gaming Monitor with a variety of different games on both the PC and PS5. During this process, I experimented with the different presets (standard, FPS, game HDR and so forth) to see what would make the games come alive. Creator mode is, unsurprisingly, better suited to productivity tasks. Otherwise, the G3223Q makes games look gorgeous in just about any preset.

I settled on HDR modes for most games, including Age of Empires IV, Doom Eternal, Cyberpunk 2077 and Final Fantasy XIV for PC, and Nioh Remastered and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarok for PS5. Every title looked excellent, whether I was exploring the neon-soaked Night City or gunning down bloodthirsty demons with a shotgun.

I was especially impressed with the way the monitor handled Age of Empires and Assassin’s Creed, however. That’s because both games rely on sweeping medieval landscapes full of blues, greens and browns. The G3223Q seems especially good at rendering earth tones, and helped these games feel that much more immersive.

Dell 32 4K UHD Gaming Monitor G3223Q review: Interface

Like most peripherals in this category, the menus of the Dell 32 4K HD Gaming Monitor G3223Q can be a little cumbersome to navigate. You can use a control nub just behind the right side of the screen, as well as a few buttons, to find your way around. Here, you’ll choose different presets, control brightness, switch among inputs and so forth. There aren’t too many unusual options here, although the monitor does have picture-in-picture functionality, which can be useful for multitaskers.

While navigating the menu isn’t much fun, it’s at least pretty straightforward, thanks to a variety of clearly labeled subsections and a snappy response rate. Most importantly, you’ll be able to switch preset modes with only a few clicks, and that’s probably most of what you’ll want to do with the menus.

Dell 32 4K UHD Gaming Monitor G3223Q review: Verdict

The Dell 32 4K UHD Gaming Monitor G3223Q demonstrates that a gaming monitor doesn’t need a whole lot of bells and whistles, or even a particularly striking physical design, to excel. All it has to do is make games look great, and the G3223Q succeeds at that. Granted, $1,100 is a steep asking price, considering that you could get models such as the Gigabyte M32U ($800), the Gigabyte Aorus FI32U ($1,000) or the ViewSonic Elite XG320U ($1,000) for a good deal less. But Dell has a premium build quality that’s hard to argue with, to say nothing of its excellent performance.

In this size range, it’s worth at least looking into the Acer Predator XB323QK and the Mobiuz EX3210U, but qualitatively, I thought the G3223Q looked the best of the three. Just be sure your desk is big enough.