ASUS ROG Swift 32' 4K OLED Gaming Monitor (PG32UCDM) Review: Delicate Power

Forbes

15-05-2025

PG32UCDM
Asus kindly sent me a PG32UCDM review unit to test back in December of 2024, so I've had a good five-ish months to use it every single day—plenty of time to get seriously acquainted with the ins and outs of the hardware. I've used it for writing, for watching YouTube, for buying new running shoes (gotta go fast, Sanic!), and most importantly, for gaming, which is where this premium monitor truly shines.
Retailing for around $1,200 currently, it's an incredibly solid choice for any gamer looking to run demanding software at the highest fidelity, though the display itself has a particular delicate drawback that make the PG32UCDM something to handle with (at times) extreme care. It's like one of those birds-of-paradise in Papua New Guinea; beautiful, stunning, easily damaged and would probably die if you tried to feed it Wonder Bread.
So what is the PG32UCDM, besides a killer monitor that sports a terrible, convoluted name? Well, it's a 32-inch QD-OLED panel that features 4K, UHD (3840 x 2160) resolution, and a blazing-fast 240Hz refresh rate. It also supports DolbyVision, HDR10, VRR (variable refresh rate), Nvidia G-Sync, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, and has a respectable 0.03 ms (GTG) response time. Oh, and it lights up like a firework. Let's start there.
PG32UCDM
This is a gaming monitor, through and through, so with that comes mandatory RGB lighting, or Aura, as Asus calls it. The back of the panel has a bright, pixelated ROG (Republic of Gamers) logo that you can customize to your silly heart's content via PC software or through the physical monitor controls. There's also lighting that emanates from the included stand—it projects a Batman-esque signal onto your desk—but I VESA mount my monitors, so I never tried it.
To Asus' credit, these are the only overt pieces of RGB present, and as for the rear lighting, you can only see it if you're peeking at the back of the monitor, which basically amounts to… never? This is especially so if you've got the screen situated against a wall. You'll know it's there, though. Like the god of our simulation.
The rest of the monitor is pretty sleek and utilitarian. The panel itself is quite thin, and there's a protruding lump on the back that houses the brains of the operation and probably the custom heatsink as well, I'd imagine. Things can get warm to the touch when in heavy use but it's nothing crazy. The front of the monitor shows a glowing ROG logo that acts as a status indicator (solid for on, blinking for pixel cleaning, etc.) and the bezels are rather unobtrusive. Two buttons and a joystick are situated (hidden?) behind the logo for controlling the OSD.
PG32UCDM
Additionally, you've got plenty of solid inputs on the PG32UCDM: Two HDMI 2.1 ports, a single DisplayPort 1.4, USB-C with 90-watt power delivery, a bevy of USB hub ports, a headphone jack, plus optical audio. I really wish there were a third HDMI 2.1 port, because I like to have my PS5 Pro, my Xbox Series X and my docked Nintendo Switch OLED hooked up to my monitor, as well as my PC. As it stands, I can connect the PC via DisplayPort and then choose two HDMI consoles to keep connected, but leave one out in the bitter cold, unless I get an HDMI switch involved. My kingdom for an extra HDMI port, I swear.
Here's the bottom line: This monitor makes everything look fantastic, even my old, outdated Switch graphics. Colors are brilliantly vivid, text and visuals are stunningly sharp, blacks are squid-inky (I'm coining this term, right here and now), motion is silky smooth, and I haven't experienced any sort of blooming or panel inconsistencies. For years before this, I used Asus' now archaic PG32UQ for all my desktop gaming needs and the blooming was out of control on that display. Zero blooming to report here, and the glossy black finish makes everything pop like mad. But the gloss isn't all good, mind you.
I'd say within the first five minutes of unboxing the PG32UCDM I'd already scratched it. I was attempting to mount the screen on a monitor arm, and the glossy finish brushed against my t-shirt (yes, a piece of clothing) and when I finally stepped back to admire my mounting work, I noticed several hairline scratches lodged across the delicate glossy film. Not great. The scratches are not noticeable during gaming or anything else for that matter; you need to shine a flashlight to see the damage, and I do, because I have obsessive compulsive disorder. But still, know you're trading some general durability for excellent display quality and decent anti-glare.
PG32UCDM
With OLED displays like this, burn-in is always a legitimate concern, and the PG32UCDM comes packed with utilities to mitigate the risks. Randomly, the screen will ask if you want to run the pixel-cleaning tool, and if you choose to do so, the panel goes dark and you have to wait maybe five minutes (tops) as it refreshes. No big deal at all, and I tend to run it whenever the notification pops up. Over these past five months, I've yet to see any evidence of burn-in, so perhaps it's working. I've definitely (and accidentally) left images up on the monitor for extended periods of time, too.
Ultimately, the PG32UCDM is the cream of the crop when it comes to gaming monitors, and you'll pay for such quality. I do think 32 inches is the sweet spot for a 4K computer monitor, and it also works great for consoles. My biggest complaint is lack of extra HDMI inputs, and maybe Asus can address this in future iterations. I recently reported on two new Asus monitors hitting the market soon, although they too only have two HDMI 2.1 ports. Oh well.
This monitor is very, very good and a complete joy to game on. The actual construction is solid, even if the gloss is easily damaged. So if you've got an extra $1,200 laying around, you could do much worse. I'd just be extra careful when handling the hardware. That said, at this point, you'd probably be smart to wait for Asus next wave of 4K WOLED beauties, which are right around the corner.
Disclosure: Asus provided review product for coverage purposes.