What is good in Philips 328E9QJAB 32″ curved frameless monitor?

There’s no question that gaming on a large screen is more fun than gaming on a small one. Ultra-wides and jumbo monitors provide a sense of immersion that can rival even the best VR goggles. But most big-screen monitors carry premium prices, putting them out of reach for many. How good is Philips 328E9QJAB 32″ curved frameless monitor (review) for gaming?

The Philips 328E9QJAB 32″ curved frameless monitor is an easy to own monitor with a large, curved VA screen that’s ideal for entertainment purposes. It’s obvious that a 1080p screen will look less crisp in this format, but it gives you more flexibility such as allowing you to enjoy games and movies from a distance. The Philips 328E9QJAB presents tremendous value, but was its raw performance numbers sacrificed in return? What is good in Philips 328E9QJAB 32″ curved frameless monitor?

Compare Philips 328E9QJAB 32″ curved frameless monitor models

Philips 328E9QJAB 32″ curved frameless monitor review

Design and Features

The Philips 328E9QJAB went with an understated design which ensures that it will fit into any kind of setup, whether if its for the home or office. The monitor has a glossy chassis which adds a bit of class, but it makes the device susceptible to scratches and stains. The large display is almost bezel-free on three sides, but there are inner borders that become slightly noticeable when the device is in use.

The Philips 328E9QJAB doesn’t weigh a lot at fifteen pounds, so we imagine it would be easy to set up or lug around. The whole device does take up quite a considerable amount of space, so make sure nothing will obstruct it from the top like shelves. Its also worrying that the monitor might topple over with a nudge or a strong gust of wind, but it manages to stand firm on even surfaces.

Build quality is decent for the Philips 328E9QJAB even if most of its parts feel plasticky and less durable than some monitors we’ve tested. The seams match perfectly and there are no cosmetic defects anywhere on the body. The plastics used feel thinner than what we are used to, but they don’t flex and are not brittle or weak.

OSD Features

The joystick controller is very effective at its job. A left-click opens the SmartImage menu (picture modes), up is input selection, right is the full OSD and down produces a volume slider. A long press turns the monitor off.

There are six preset image modes in addition to the default Off setting. Off is the best one to choose, as it is quite accurate out of the box and still allows access to all image adjustments. In addition to five gamma presets, you get color temp modes by Kelvin value, an sRGB preset and user-adjustable RGB sliders. We chose the latter to dial in our sample to a high standard.

Control features

There’s also a three-level overdrive control feature called SmartResponse. The medium setting here, Faster, it the best choice for low blur and no ghosting. FreeSync is automatically on when an AMD graphics card is detected, so no user intervention is required there. And you won’t have to engage an overclock for 75Hz either; the option appears in Windows’ refresh rate choices.

Ports and connectivity

The Philips 328E9QJAB is equipped with a DisplayPort 1.2 and HDMI 2.0 for video inputs, but it also includes a D-Sub port for legacy devices. The monitor doesn’t have USB hubs or ports for your peripherals, but we think that’s fair if you consider the price. You will also find two 3.5mm jacks for audio input and output for your headset or speakers and a separate device.

Immersive audio speakers

The Philips 328E9QJAB even manages to include a pair of 3-watt speakers in its reasonably thin chassis. The built-ins don’t sound fantastic for games and movies, but it’s usable for background noise or for simple videos such as tutorials and the like on Youtube. However. we recommend a full speaker set or headsets if you plan on using this monitor for games and movies since they can provide a more compelling level of quality.

Another characteristic of the Philips 328E9QJAB we love is its use of a centrally-located joystick instead of OSD buttons. It’s easy to use since you don’t have to reach for the rear, and experiencing the struggles of finding the right button in the dark will be a thing of the past.

Tilt-only stand

The Philips 328E9QJAB is supported by a tilt-only stand that has a slight wobble, but it does a good job of keeping the monitor upright. The metallic finish adds a nice aesthetic touch, while the hollowed-out base allows you to secure small gadgets such as phones or USB drives. The monitor is also VESA-compatible, allowing users to mount it if in case more adjustment ranges are necessary.

Philips 328E9QJAB 32″ curved frameless monitor performance review

The Philips 328E9QJAB utilizes a 32-inch curved VA panel with a 1920 x 1080 resolution, 75Hz refresh rate, and 5ms response time. The backlight is limited to 250 cd/m2, while contrast is rated up to 3000:1 as expected for VA-type screens. This model has a 1800r curvature which is better experienced on bigger screens, but it will appear gentler since the monitor isn’t as wide as 34-inch variants.

One of the biggest complaints the Philips 328E9QJAB will receive is it has a considerably lower pixel density of only 70 PPI. That means images including text will look jagged or pixelated up to a degree when viewed from up close. You need to sit a bit farther from this model compared to smaller options, but that will, in turn, negate the effects of the curvature.

The Philips 328E9QJAB provides as much as 99.5% coverage of the sRGB gamut which will create vibrant images and help some shapes pop even more. Some VA monitors can clearly exceed this limit, but 99% for daily use isn’t something to sneer at. Color accuracy is a different story since the default profile showed an average deviation of Delta E 3.4 which exceeds the 3.0 threshold where color errors start to become noticeable.

The color temperature is also slightly warmer than the 6500K standard, while gamma is almost perfect at 2.18. Some minor adjustments to the RGB sliders should fix these issues, but you will need a colorimeter to make the Philips 328E9QJAB accurate enough for editing purposes.

The backlight on the Philips 328E9QJAB can exceed its rating with its maximum of 280 cd/m2. Adjusting it to around 40% provides the best setting for daily use and a maximum contrast of around 4050:1. This means the display is capable of fantastic blacks, and it won’t look grayish when used at nighttime.

Panel uniformity could be better for the Philips 328E9QJAB which had noticeable deviations on the upper and lower corners. The display suffers from clouding issues which will become visible in all-black images. Some of the adjacent quadrants are also affected with a bit of washing out, but we hope other units could do better in this regard.

The Philips 328E9QJAB isn’t the most responsive monitor we’ve tested, especially since it uses a VA panel that can only go up to 75Hz. The screen is prone to blurring in some drastically contrasting transitions, while something as simple as panning the screen can show a bit of trailing. Setting the overdrive option in the OSD to its Fastest setting helps, but it doesn’t completely clear the screen of trailing.

The Philips 328E9QJAB is a FreeSync monitor, but it’s not certified by Nvidia to be compatible with G-Sync. You can activate the latter manually, but there is no guarantee that some known issues such as blacking out or flickering will not happen. Input lag sits at 12ms at 60Hz, so even if it’s not the fastest, delays will still be less noticeable.

Philips 328E9QJAB specs

GENERAL

• Display Type : LED-backlit LCD monitor / TFT active matrix
• Aspect Ratio 16:9
• Native Resolution: Full HD (1080p) 1920 x 1080 at 75 Hz
• Contrast Ratio : 3000:1 / 20000000:1 (dynamic)
• Color Support : 16.7 million colors
• Dimensions (WxDxH)28.1 in x 9.3 in x 20.7 in – with stand
• Horizontal Viewing Angle 178
• OSD Languages : Multilingual
• Vertical Viewing Angle 178
• Viewable Size : 31.5″
• Pixel Pitch : 0.364 mm
• Panel Type : VA
• Brightness : 250 cd/m²
• Screen Coating : Anti-glare, Haze 25%
• Horizontal Refresh Rate : 53 – 84 kHz
• Backlight Technology : WLED
• Vertical Refresh Rate: 48 – 75 Hz
• Manufacturer : Philips

POWER DEVICE

• Nominal Voltage : AC 120/230 V
• Frequency Required : 50/60 Hz
• Power Consumption Operational : 38.26 Watt
• Power Consumption Stand by 0.5 Watt
• Power Consumption (Off Mode) 0.3 Watt

CHASSIS

• Built-in Devices : stereo speakers

AUDIO

• Type Speakers – stereo
• Output Power / Channel 3 Watt

MISCELLANEOUS

• Features : Security lock slot (cable lock sold separately)
• OSD Languages : Multilingual
• Color : black glossy, gloss silver
• MTBF 50000 hour(s)
• Security Slot Type : Kensington security slot
• Flat Panel Mount Interface : 100 x 100 mm

DISPLAY

• Image Brightness : 250 cd/m2
• Image Contrast Ratio : 3000:1
• Type : LED-backlit LCD monitor

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

• OS Required: Microsoft Windows 7 / 8 / 8.1 / 10

MECHANICAL

• Display Position Adjustments : Tilt
• Tilt Angle- 5/+20

AUDIO OUTPUT

• Output Power / Channel : 3 Watt

ENVIRONMENTAL PARAMETERS

• Min Operating Temperature : 32 °F
• Max Operating Temperature : 104 °F
• Humidity Range Operating : 20 – 80%

DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT

• Width 28.1 in
• Depth 9.3 in
• Height 20.7 in
• Weight 14.95 lbs

HEADER

• BrandPhilips
• Product LinePhilips E-line
• Model328E9QJAB
• Packaged Quantity1

DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT (SHIPPING)

• Width (Shipping)32.6 in
• Depth (Shipping)9.2 in
• Height (Shipping)24.6 in
• Weight (Shipping)23.04 lbs

CABLE DETAILS

• TypeHDMI cable, VGA cable, audio cable

DIMENSIONS & WEIGHT DETAILS

• Width : 28.1 in
• Depth : 2 in, 9.3 in
• Height : 16.7 in, 20.7 in
• Weight : 14.1 lbs, 14.9 lbs

SERVICE & SUPPORT

• Type 1 year warranty

SERVICE & SUPPORT DETAILS

• Typelimited warranty
• Full Contract Period1 year

TV TUNER

• TV Tuner PresenceNo

INTERFACES

• Type : DisplayPort, HDMI, VGA, audio line-in, headphones

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