HP Spectre 32-inch Display Studio 4K Monitor Review

PROS

Image quality: The HP Spectre 32 Studio’s 4K resolution is the best one can find in the mass market today. The images are clear, vivid and detailed, a perfect combination for multimedia applications.
Numerous connectivity options: It is a feature worth noting since some 4K monitors such as the budget LG 27UD68P-B does not have even a single USB port. This 32-inch monitor has three USB 3.0 ports, two HDMI inputs, and a Display Port. The older HDMI 1.4 version makes the monitor compatible with older PCs and consoles.
Energy Star certified: Even gamers care for the environment. The HP Spectre 32 monitor boasts of certification for its energy consumption efficiency. The maximum power consumption rating during intensive gaming is 60 watts. Therefore, your incandescent light bulb consumes more energy than your monitor does. Is it even legal to use those bulbs in homes anyway?

CONS

Price: The only feature that justifies the price of the HP Spectre is the screen size and the sleek design. Unfortunately, gamers do not mind smaller and less flashy monitors if they can deliver a quality gaming experience. A bigger and more powerful monitor, the 43-inch Phillips BDM40650UC is available at a lower price.
Not adaptive sync: Adaptive sync features have become common among gaming monitors that some manufacturers no longer mention it in their specifications. It matches the refresh rates of the GPU to that of the monitor to eliminate image tearing.
Slow response time: The 7ms response time offered by the Spectre 32 Studio Display is far below what most of its budget-priced competitors provide.

VERDICT

The HP 32 Studio Display 4K monitor undoubtedly provides what people look for in 4K monitors, ultra-high image quality. However, the digits on its price tag get one to rethink if it is a worthy investment. It has no special game enhancement feature and slow response time. It is more of a multimedia monitor than a gaming rig accessory.

Editor rating

3.5/5 on February 7, 2018

$949.99
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User's rating

28 reviews

4K gaming monitors are the best for a high-quality gaming rig. One of the monitors in this category is the HP Spectre 32 Studio Display.

First, it is a 32-inch display, meaning it provides more than average viewing. It also comes with the best panel technology and numerous connectivity options. It might not be affordable to normal gamers, but hardcore gamers who seek immersive gaming experience can bet on this choice.

Read this review to find out if you should buy this 32-inch monitor or opt for the 27 inch refurbished HP Envy available on discount stores at half the price. However, there will be little mention or none at all of the small-sized sibling going forward. Its review is up and coming, and there is no need to spoil the fun now. So here we go;

Contents

Design and ergonomics
Connectivity and peripherals
Display
Gaming performance

Design and ergonomics

The HP 4K studio display comes in a blizzard white colored casing. It has a thin bezel on the upper edges, but the bezel gets thicker on the sides making the monitor not so appropriate for multiple viewing.

It has a stylish stand with limited ergonomic adjustments. It only allows 23 percent back tilt and a meager 5 percent in the forward direction. Fortunately, the 4K monitor is VESA compatible. That is, you can remove the stand and mount the monitor on the wall for better flexibility.

The HP Spectre comes with a VESA adapter that is simple to mount. A screwdriver has proven to be a handy tool for this DIY task.

Connectivity and peripherals

HP Spectre 32-inch 4k Studio Display LED-lit Monitor HP Spectre 32 Studio Display gaming monitor does not disappoint with its connectivity options. It comes with three USB 3.0 ports amongst which one is for upstream data transfer. Another output connection port is the headphone jack.

Multiple input options are the other notable feature of the HP Spectre. They include Display Port, an HDMI 1.4 and HDMI 2.0 ports and a multi-source Picture-In-Picture technology.

HP proves its understanding of the requirements for an immersive gaming experience by adding two 6-watt speakers. The dual ADTs Audio speakers give the impression of a bigger and more powerful stereo system.

HP Spectre adds an edge to its high-end features with a remote control capability. It offers convenient audio controls, which include a one-touch mute button, and volume controls. The feature comes in handy when using the screen to watch a movie or music.

Display

HP Spectre 32-inch 4k Studio Display LED-lit Monitor As expected, the HP Specter Studio Display 4K has a resolution that is four times higher than that of the 1080p full HD monitors. It also comes with an advanced hyper-viewing angle in-plane switching, AHVA-IPS, panel. It offers up to 178 degrees for both vertical and horizontal viewing.

The 8-bit IPS panel offers a static contrast ratio of 1000:1 and a 10,000,000:1 dynamic contrast. It also supports over 16.7 million colors through its FRC technology.

The gaming monitor comes with additional display features that include the Low Haze screen enhancement that makes the screen glossy while eliminating glare.

Gaming performance

A quick look at the specs of this monitor quickly reveals that gamers might not expect much from the premium-priced monitor besides the color image quality. Talking of which, the HP Specter’s widescreen, high resolution, awesome contrast ratio, and IPS panel contribute to an amazing media quality.

However, gamers will make do with the 7ms response time. It is the average mark for gaming monitors in this category. However, it will not perform as good as the cheaper 4K monitors with faster response times.

Again, it does not have any adaptive sync technology such as the AMD FreeSync or NVidia’s G-Sync. While this indication of impartiality is a good thing for the manufacturer, it does not satisfy gamers who need “customized” GPU support features.