Cooler Master GM32-FQ Monitor (1440p/165Hz) Review

1. Introduction2. Design3. On-screen Display (OSD)4. Panel Analysis5. Response Times6. Latency7. Closing Thoughts8. View All Pages

Today we have assessed the Cooler Master GM32-FQ, and while it is not Cooler Master's first ever gaming monitor, it is the first time we have reviewed one here at KitGuru.

While there is plenty to say about the panel used here, I have to give Cooler Master a lot of credit for the work they put into designing the GM32-FQ as well as they did. It's incredibly well-built, with both a metal stand and a metal frame that wraps around the edges of the display, and the overall profile is very slender too. Add in the minimalistic styling and eye-catching base of the stand, and I'd say the GM32-FQ is one of the most stylish screens I have ever used.

The one area of the design that needs improvement is the OSD navigation buttons – Cooler Master really needs to implement a joystick here, as that is so much easier to use. The OSD itself could also do with an overhaul, as right now it feels quite clunky.

Thankfully the GM32-FQ is a colour accurate display as well. We saw strong brightness levels, peaking at over 400 nits, with a contrast ratio of 1180:1. It offers 100% sRGB and 90% AdobeRGB gamut coverage, while colour accuracy is excellent out of the box, with an average DeltaE of 1.19.

There is a catch however, and it is pretty significant. Put simply, the GM32-FQ is very slow, with average grey-to-grey response times north of 10ms, even using the fastest overdrive mode. This means it's not really possible to have a fluid gaming experience, as there is a lot of visible ghosting that creates a smeary overall picture.

This is a quite a fundamental problem for a gaming monitor, and if you are looking for a new screen to use solely for gaming, it's enough that I'd have to advise you to look elsewhere. If you want a screen for more general duties, maybe some photo editing and a bit of casual gaming, then the GM32-FQ is worth considering, largely thanks to its sleek design and strong colour accuracy.

Still, Cooler Master clearly has work to do before we can consider the company as a serious contender in the gaming monitor market. The groundwork has been laid, but the panel used here is just too slow by modern standards.

You can buy the Cooler Master GM32-FQ for £429.99 from eBuyer HERE.

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Pros

• Lovely design.
• Very well built with metal stand and frame.
• Decent IO, including USB Type-C.
• Colour accurate.
• Peak brightness over 400 nits.
• Decent contrast for an IPS panel.

Cons

• Very slow response times.
• OSD controls are fiddly.
• OSD itself needs work.

KitGuru says: Cooler Master's GM32-FQ looks fantastic and offers a rich, colour-accurate display. The panel is just far too slow to be used for anything more than casual gaming, however.

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