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It’s not easy to find a large gaming monitor worthy of the name for under £300, but that’s exactly what you’re getting with the Iiyama G-MASTER G3266HS-B1. It’s not without some compromises, most damning of which is its lowly Full HD resolution, which will leave you with very visible pixelation in daily use.
You also miss out on adjustability, blur reduction panel technology, extras like a USB hub, and any fancy effects like RGB lighting. Not to mention, the speakers and OSD of this Iiyama leave a lot to be desired.
However, to balance this the G3266HS-B1 is well-constructed, has a stylish and solid stand, and offers some unexpected nice touches like its versatile headphone hook and USB charging port. Most importantly, with contrast second to none and no sign of backlight bleed, its curved 32in panel really pulls you into the action.
As if a contrast ratio of over 5000:1 wasn’t enough to get most gamers hot and bothered under the collar, the G3266HS-B1’s panel also runs at a 144Hz native refresh. And to top it all off, it offers good enough overall image quality as long as you’re not looking to do colour-critical work.
To put this into context, the Philips 328E8QJAB5 is similarly a 32in curved monitor with an almost identical feature set for a broadly comparable price of £230. However, it offers far poorer contrast and a lacklustre 75Hz refresh. So we would say it’s worth spending a little extra to get a lot more.
If, on the other hand, you are intending to use your monitor more for work than play, the 32in AOC Q3279VWF might be a better bet. Its refresh rate tops out at 75Hz just like the Philips, but its resolution of 2560 x 1440 means you get more desktop real estate and less visible pixelation – and best of all, it can be found for under £200! And yet, did we mention the G3266HS-B1’s stunning contrast?
The Iiyama G-MASTER G3266HS-B1 is available for £274.98 HERE.
Pros:
- Incredible 5200:1 contrast ratio.
- 144Hz native panel.
- FreeSync support.
- Solid build quality with attractive stand.
- Decent general out-of-box image quality.
- Flexible VESA mounting
Cons:
- Full HD resolution unpleasant on a 32in panel.
- Adjustability limited to just tilt.
- Colour coverage and accuracy not the best.
- No USB hub.
KitGuru says: Iiyama’s largest gaming monitor brings a lot to the table with a truly class-leading contrast ratio and 144Hz refresh, which makes for an immersive entertainment experience. If you’re willing to compromise on colour accuracy and can live with 1920 x 1080 pixels stretched across a 31.5in panel, the G-MASTER G3266HS-B1 is a great candidate.
