Gigabyte M32Uc Review

160Hz:

144Hz with VRR:

The Gigabyte M32UC defaults to a max refresh rate of 144Hz with the variable refresh rate feature (VRR) enabled, but it also has an optional overclock to 160Hz. Enabling the overclock disables VRR. At both a fixed 160Hz refresh rate and 144Hz with VRR, the average response time is excellent, and there's very little difference between both modes. Like most gaming monitors, you can customize the level of overdrive. The 'Picture Quality' setting delivers the best results, with the least overshoot and the fastest rise/fall times. Like most VA monitors, in this mode, there's significant overshoot out of black areas, causing black smear in dark areas. It's especially distracting when scrolling the web with a dark background or using a dark user interface. It's not as noticeable when gaming or watching videos. If the black smearing bothers you, there's less of it in the 'Balance' setting, but there's an inverse ghosting (white) trail behind fast-moving objects instead. Like most monitors, the fastest setting, 'Speed', has terrible overshoot in most transitions. However, if you want a 160Hz monitor with better motion handling, consider the Gigabyte M27U.

Like most recent Gigabyte monitors, there's a 'Smart OD' feature that is supposed to automatically adjust the overdrive depending on the frame rate coming from the source. Like most recent Gigabyte monitors, it doesn't work and locks you to the 'Balance' setting. The 'Picture Quality' mode delivers the most consistent performance, so it's the best choice if you're looking for a set-and-forget mode that works well across all frame rates.