Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

After my old 28" Hanns G monitor bit the dust after 8 years of hard use, I started my research on new displays. Did I want an ultra wide? Perhaps a 4K monitor or maybe even a curved model. What about considering an ultrawide curved!? Also, what type of panel technology - VA, IPS, TN? A quick crash course on display technologies was certainly in order. I was open to any format display at this point so I began my research by reading reviews on various websites such NewEgg, Amazon and 144hzmonitors.com to name a few. I also explored what the various types of pane technologies pros and cons were. I use a monitor for a variety of activities including gaming, browsing, movie / video viewing, photo editing and restoration as well as word processing and publishing. I knew that I did not want to downsize my display and preferred to have a higher refresh rate than my old monitor. Also, response time and resolution were other factors to weigh in with the decision making process. Finally, I just wanted it to look stylish on my desk. UltraWides 21:9 Displays - I could see where an ultra wide would have advantages for photo editing and publishing activities but I really did not like what I read about movie watching and gaming compatibilities. Who wants to pay a premium for all of that screen space only to have your gaming sessions and movies accompanied with black banding on either side to compensate for the aspect ratio? I quickly eliminated ultrawide monitors due to compatibility issues along with the premium prices charged for these models. I must admit, the ultrawides are beautiful and would have looked good on my desk but they are just not for me at this time. Curved Displays - I like them alot and can see where they may create an immersive experience while playing games or watching movies. I was very interested until I discovered how they are not all that great for other computing uses such as word processing and photo editing. Also, most of the curved displays above 30" still utilize 1920x1080 pixels which fine for a 27 or 28" monitor but less than satisfactory for a 32" display. Next... 4K Displays - You will need the latest video card(s) to take full advantage of a 4K display and most games at this time are not optimized for 4K gaming. Many gamers would rather have a better refresh rate and sacrifice some image quality to stay competitive in game. Unless you have multiple high end graphics cards in your rig, you may find yourself at less than 4K resolution depending upon the game. Also there is very little streaming content available at this time to take advantage of the 4K resolution. Scaling can also be an issue and many apps can be problematic with 4K's 3840×2160 resolution. Pricing is also a factor with the lowest "name brand" 32" 4K displays starting around 800.00. 144Hz "Gaming" Displays - While there are many 27 / 28" gaming monitors, the choices slim dramatically to a handful of off brand models at 32 inches. Also, I honestly could not detect much of a difference between a 75Hz and a 144Hz display. Alternatively, Nvidia's G-Sync technology enhanced displays at 32" are non-existent making the next closest size for this technology 34" Ultra-wide displays operating at 100 Hz and retailing well over 1000.00. QHD / 2K Displays - After considering all choices, I felt that current 32" displays such as HP's new Omen QHD (Quad High Definition) offer a great compromise for those looking for a price / performance product offering. The HP Omen display offers a 2560 x 1440 @ 75Hz native resolution which translates to 77% more pixels over a "Full HD" display. Increased pixels, increased refresh rate and low response time translate to a great all around monitors. HP has priced the Omen considerably under other 32" QHD brand name offerings from ASUS, Ben-Q and Acer. HP also made the choice to include AMD's Freesync "Low Framerate compensation" technology at no additional cost. (A similar and competing technology (G-Sync) from Nvidia would have added another 200.00 to the retail pricing.) The Omen monitor has a good refresh rate at 5ms along with a matte screen and a stylish appearance. My Omen arrived safely and was appropriately packaged to prevent damage to the contents. Although I usually keep my boxes, the internal padding is pretty minimalist and recyclable which is nice to see. The components include the monitor, stand, VESA Mounting plate, AC power cord and external power brick, DisplayPort and HDMI cables along with the obligatory CD that nobody ever uses. Assembly was easy although inserting the stand into the slot on the monitor is a little quirky leaving one to wonder if it is assembled correctly. While the AC power cord and external power brick lead length is sufficient, I found the HDMI and Display Port cables to be woefully short for my needs. After positioning on my desk and connecting the appropriate cables, the display powered right up on system boot. A few adjustments to the monitor and Nvidia settings realized a 75 Hz refresh rate. The display settings are easy to use and have a variety of presets that are sure to please. I'm really impressed with this display right out of the box and after having it for about a week, I have it dialed in without too much fuss and really didn't think that moving from a 28" to a 32" display would be much but it is actually a pretty significant increase in desktop real estate. The 32" Omen 16:9 dimensions are: H 15.69" W 27.89" with and overall area of 437.55 (2560x1440) which is comparable to a 21:9 34" display. I can easily work on documents side by side and utilize the space to my advantage for photo editing and document production. The 100% RGB renders great colors for photos while movies look absolutely stunning and games especially so with the 75 Hz refresh rate and 5ms response time. The overall appearance is pretty seek with a small screen bezel, unobtrusive LED power light, minimal branding and a unique stand. The display has 2 HDMI ports, one display port 1.2, built in USB 2.0 hub with one upstream and two downstream ports. The panels are LED backlit AMVA+, no light bleed, dead or stuck pixels. While the stand does not have any height or swivel adjustments, it does tilt satisfactorily. The included CD has "My Display" software along with information and Image Color Matching installation files. The back of the monitor is clean and attractive with the kickass Omen logo nicely displayed in the center. A few things that I would have like to see on this display: Adjustable height and swivel stand. Longer HDMI / Display Port cables. Glossy Screen Model. USB 3.0 Ports vs 2.0. Display controls on bottom edge of screen. User controlled OMEN Logo at bottom of screen / on back that glow red. Exterior wrap on box. (mine came dented and scuffed) I have to say that I am really loving HP's Omen display and feel that it is a great choice and a terrific value. The desktop real estate is impressive but not overbearing, especially so with the relatively thin bezel. I was able to purchase my Omen for around 350.00 but even at full retail, it is competitively priced and worth every penny. I'd highly recommend this monitor to anyone that is looking for a display that excels in many areas with an emphasis on gaming. Well done HP!