With the sudden demand of OLED monitors in the market, ASUS has updated its ProArt line-up of monitors meant for creative professionals. Here we take a look and share our thoughts about the new 31.5-inch 4K ASUS ProArt PA32DC OLED Monitor.
Design
Unlike ASUS’s long line-up of ROG gaming monitors, the ProArt series of displays are aimed at professionals and features a premium, industrial-looking design chassis. The main OLED panel is 31.5-inche in size and the viewing angle is excellent. The panel also comes with a non-glare coating and the screen resolution is 3840 x 2160.
While users will be able to use a standard stand and base configuration, the monitor also comes with a mini stand that mimics televisions. This allows users to choose between the normal stand and the side stands for better versatility. With the main base stand, the physical dimensions of the monitor are 735.4 x (496.9~626.9) x 245.0 mm. And with just the mini stand, the dimensions are 735.4 x 489.1 x 162.6 mm. The main physical buttons and controls of the monitor are located on the bottom left bezel of the screen.
ASU mentions that the PA32DC is the first OLED monitor in the world to feature auto-calibration capability so your workloads and images are shown at the best settings. There is also a built-in motorized flip colorimeter on the front that opens up and faces the screen when you turn on the display. To be honest, the colorimeter can easily be mistaken for a normal built-in webcam.
We also should mention that ASUS also includes a monitor hood with the package that helps to reduce reflections on the already non-glare display panel. There are an ample amount of connectivity options on the rear side of the display. In one section, there are a total of four USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports and one USB-C port with DP Alt Mode support. On the display connectivity side of things, there are three HDMI 2.0 ports, one DisplayPort 1.4 port, and a headphone jack.
This lets users connect to four different devices such as their main PC, laptops, and even game consoles if they want to enjoy some gaming sessions with an OLED screen. Also, notice that the rear side features a design with parallel lines on the left and right sides. ASUS also included a metal handle on the top rear side so users can carry the display around.
Features
ASUS ProArt PA32DC is a professional 4K HDR OLED monitor with a 10-bit panel capable of producing 1073.7 million colors. The contrast ratio of the screen is 1,000,000:1, and with HDR enabled at maximum settings, the contrast ratio is 100,000,000:1. Speaking of HDR, the monitor has support for HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision standards.
While the monitor is just a VESA DisplayHDR 400-certified monitor, the colors, blacks and HDR performance of the screen are fantastic to our eyes. In addition to the built-in colorimeter, the monitor also works with other popular calibrators such as including X-Rite, Datacolor, and Klein. The device also works well with Calman and Light Illusion ColourSpace CMS pro-level hardware calibration software.
The monitor also has a response time of 0.1ms(GTG) and the maximum refresh rate is just 60Hz. We also connected the PS5 and Xbox Series X to check out the performance and the monitor is just fine for those who are okay with 4K 60Hz gameplay with limited HDR support. However, VRR is out of the question here.
The screen also has a maximum brightness of 250cd/㎡, and with HDR enabled, the maximum brightness can go up to 500 cd/㎡. Professionals will also be pleased to know that the display has support for 99% DCI-P3 and 99% Adobe RGB color spaces. The 4K screen also features a pixel pitch of 0.182mm. I tried viewing most of my photography collections shot with my Sony A6600 and Sony A7C cameras and the results are outstanding. We were able to view details and colors not noticed on other usual monitors.
Verdict
For those looking to upgrade their professional setup or plans to buy a new system for their creative jobs, the ASUS ProArt PA32DC is an excellent choice to consider. The monitor features a 31.5-inch 4K OLED panel with support for HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Vision HDR standards. The display can be setup with a base or with two side stands for better versatility and is the world’s first OLED screen to feature auto-calibration and a motorized flip-based colorimeter.
The monitor also comes with multiple USB-A ports, one USB-C port, three HDMI 2.0 ports and one Display Port 1.4 port for display connectivity and data transfers. The screen also has support for X-Rite, Datacolor, and Klein calibrators along with Calman and Light Illusion ColourSpace CMS, along with coverage for 99% DCI-P3 and 99% Adobe RGB color spaces. The display showcases amazing colors, sharpness and details for images and videos.
