Dell P3225QE 32" Review

A stunning 32-inch 4K screen trapped in a mediocre monitor body. Fantastic for work, forgettable for play. Only worth it on a serious sale.

This Dell P3225QE is a bit of a puzzle. It's got a fantastic 32-inch 4K IPS panel that looks absolutely stunning, but it's wrapped in a monitor that feels like it can't decide what it wants to be. The one thing to know? This is a brilliant screen for work and creative tasks, but it's a mediocre choice for anything else. The 100Hz refresh rate is a nice step up from 60Hz, but it's not enough to call this a gaming monitor. And the single-cable USB-C setup is great, but the rest of the connectivity is surprisingly basic for a monitor at this size and price.

The display quality is the star here. That 97th percentile ranking for display isn't a fluke. The 4K resolution on a 32-inch screen is sharp, and the IPS panel delivers great viewing angles and color. It's a standout. But then you look at the performance score, which sits in the mediocre range at the 36th percentile. The 8ms response time is fine for office work, but it's not going to keep up in fast-paced games. It's a classic case of a monitor with a great picture but average guts.

With prices swinging wildly from $500 to over $1,100, the value proposition is all over the map. At the low end of that range, around $500, it's a solid deal for the screen quality alone. At $1,100, it's a hard pass. You're paying a premium for the Dell name and that great panel, but you're missing out on the performance and features you'd get from a dedicated gaming or professional monitor at that price.

Compared to something like the MSI MPG 322URX QD-OLED, it's night and day. The MSI is a true gaming beast with 240Hz and perfect blacks, but it costs more and has burn-in concerns. The Dell UltraSharp 27" 4K is a closer match for office use, but it's smaller. The real question is whether you need that big, beautiful 32-inch 4K screen more than you need high refresh rates. If the answer is yes, and you find it for a good price, this Dell has a place. If you want to game seriously, look at the ASUS ROG Swift or MSI options.

If you're a competitive gamer, this isn't it. The refresh rate and response time are middle of the pack at best. Go get a dedicated high-refresh-rate monitor like the ASUS ROG Swift instead. Also, if you need a ton of ports for peripherals, look elsewhere. The connectivity here is basic.

We recommend the Dell P3225QE with a big, important caveat: only if you find it for a good price (aim for the $500-$700 range) and your priority is screen quality for work, not gaming performance. It's a fantastic monitor for professionals, creatives, and anyone who lives in spreadsheets or editing software. But if you're a gamer, or if you want the latest features and ports, there are better, more focused options out there for your money.