VIOTEK GNV32DBE 165Hz WQHD Curved Gaming Monitor Review

How Much Does it Cost?

Much to my surprise, the VIOTEK GNV32DBE 165Hz WQHD Curved Gaming monitor only costs $269, which is chump change for a monitor with this level of features. Also, VIOTEK also sells directly on their own website, but I couldn’t see this model listed on there, only the older 144Hz model, which was out of stock. Still, it never hurts to check, as their website prices are often cheaper. That’s a tough price to beat though, especially when you consider the 3-years warranty, and the no dead pixel promise. Plus, even looking on Amazon, when things have gone wrong for some users, as happens with literally any brand and product, their return and replacement policy seems to be holding up really damn well with users reporting replacement monitors within a week! VIOTEK, you’re doing things right!

Overview

There’s no shortage of truly awesome gaming monitors in today’s market, all you have to do is take a huge stack of cash and throw it at a big-name brand… job done. However, if you don’t have a budget of £1000-£2000, which is understandable, it can be tricky to get a good monitor for a cheaper price. There is always compromise, there has to be, and even the VIOTEK can’t escape that. For example, this monitor has some great features, but it does have a “slower” 5ms response time. That may not seem much, but when premium monitors are sub 1ms, sometimes 0.5ms, truly competitive gamers are going to notice. For filthy casuals like myself or single-player gamers… you’ll find 5ms to be absolutely fine. The stand, while there’s nothing wrong with it, is fairly standard too, and I think those wanting better ergonomics should arm mount this monitor as it only has tilt adjustment. Also, it doesn’t have any speakers either, not a big deal for me, but it may be for some.

Colours

The colours on this monitor are pretty decent, nothing exceptional, but they’re accurate and fully cover the sRGB chart, which is going to make all your content look pretty decent. Of course, games and movies often use extended colour pallets now, but at this price range, this monitor delivers better than I expected. Plus, it was good to go right out of the box, with no major settings needing adjustment, which is awesome.

Gaming and Beyond

For gaming, the higher resolution is nice, giving added detail to your games. However, the added refresh rate is what really makes it shine. Everything looks silky smooth, and even if the framerate did drop, the Adaptive Sync steps in to ensure you don’t get screen tearing. The pixel density and panel size make it great for productivity and media consumption too, so it’s really ticking all the right boxes here.

Should I Buy One?

VIOTEK has kept things pretty modest on this monitor, a mid-range resolution of 2560 x 1440 is great for work and for gaming, and the 165 Hz refresh rate is more than enough to make a significant difference to your gaming experience. Beyond that, the exterior design is pretty basic but well presented. I’d have liked more adjustment options for the stand, but it’s hardly a deal breaker. However, I do appreciate the competent OSD and controls. Overall, if you’re looking to get a good-performing monitor at an exceptional price, this one is hard to beat!