If cost is a major concern and you seek a monitor with higher resolution for sharp images in productivity tasks, the Gigabyte M28U would be a good fit, though it won't perform as well with fast-moving gaming visuals. On the other hand, if you prioritize gaming, especially competitive gaming, and can invest more, the LG 32GQ850 offers a higher refresh rate for smoother gameplay but sacrifices screen resolution which might affect detail clarity in non-gaming use. Neither is optimal for HDR gaming or media consumption, so if those are critical criteria, you may want to consider other options. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Gigabyte M28U (IPS)
Very good for productivity
Good text clarity
Good image clarity
Advantages of the LG 32GQ850 (IPS)
Very good refresh rate
Key differences
Productivity
8.8/10
5.0/10
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
160 PPI
PIXELS PER INCH
93 PPI
Yes
ADJUSTABLE STAND
Yes
Matte
COATING
Matte
The Gigabyte M28U (IPS) is very good for productivity, while the LG 32GQ850 (IPS) is poor.
Media Consumption
6.7/10
5.3/10
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
1228:1
NATIVE CONTRAST
1000:1
312 nits
SDR PEAK BRIGHTNESS
150 nits
495 nits
HDR PEAK BRIGHTNESS
600 nits
Matte
COATING
Matte
The Gigabyte M28U (IPS) is only fair for media consumption, while the LG 32GQ850 (IPS) is poor.
Cost
$470
$718
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Gigabyte M28U (IPS) has a price of $470 and the LG 32GQ850 (IPS) costs $718.
Print Photo Editing
No
Yes
The Gigabyte M28U (IPS) is not suitable for print photo editing while the LG 32GQ850 (IPS) is suitable for print photo editing.
Key similarities
Casual Gaming
6.1/10
5.8/10
3840 x 2160
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
260Hz
1228:1
NATIVE CONTRAST
1000:1
312 nits
SDR PEAK BRIGHTNESS
150 nits
495 nits
HDR PEAK BRIGHTNESS
600 nits
65.0 %
DCI-P3 COLOR GAMUT
98.0 %
Matte
COATING
Matte
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Gigabyte M28U (IPS) to be only fair for casual gaming, while the LG 32GQ850 (IPS) is poor.
Competitive Gaming
5.7/10
5.2/10
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
260Hz
7.7 ms
TOTAL RESPONSE TIME
8.0 ms
20 - 144 Hz
VARIABLE REFRESH RATE
48 - 260 Hz
Yes
STROBING / BFI
No
312 nits
SDR PEAK BRIGHTNESS
150 nits
The Gigabyte M28U (IPS) and LG 32GQ850 (IPS) are both poor for competitive gaming.
HDR Gaming and Media Consumption
No
No
Both the Gigabyte M28U (IPS) and LG 32GQ850 (IPS) are not suitable for HDR gaming and media consumption.
Digital Photo Editing
Yes
Yes
Both the Gigabyte M28U (IPS) and LG 32GQ850 (IPS) are suitable for digital photo editing.
HDR Video Editing and Color Grading
No
No
Both the Gigabyte M28U (IPS) and LG 32GQ850 (IPS) are not suitable for HDR video editing and color grading.
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We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Gigabyte M28U (IPS) and the LG 32GQ850 (IPS) compare to other monitors
"Fundamentally the M28U is an impressive 4K monitor; between the resolution, refresh rate, and IPS panel, it's a great all-rounder for the step up to 4K. Even beyond PC gaming, the inclusion of a HDMI 2.1 port offers 120Hz gaming for consoles, so it's quite the multi-faceted package for its price. Gigabyte has made no major sacrifice to tick all the checkboxes with the M28U."
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec monitors team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest monitor information and makes it digestible for you.
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About the monitor team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Monitors Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.