32″ Dell S3222HG Review – Serious Value

Unboxing the Dell S3222HG

Kicking off the Dell S3222HG review with the unboxing, the curved gaming monitor comes in a rather large, white box that shares the same environmentally-friendly design as their more recent products. Inside the box, we found the following items:

• Stand
• Base plate
• Power cable
• Quick Start guide
• Safety and Regulatory Information booklet
• The Dell SG3222HG gaming monitor itself

Specifications

Panel Size	31.5″
Panel Type	VA, 1800R curvature
True Resolution	1920 x 1080 (FHD)
Display Viewing Area(HxV)	698.4mm x 392.85mm
Display Surface	Anti-glare 3H hardness
Pixel Pitch	0.36375 mm
Brightness	350cd/m2 (max)
Contrast Ratio	3000:1
Viewing Angle (CR≧10)	178°(H)/178°(V)
Response Time	4 ms (GTG); 1 ms (MPRT)
Display Colors	16.7 million
Color gamut	99.9% sRGB
HDR (High Dynamic Range) Support	No
Maximum Refresh Rate	165Hz
Low Blue Light	Yes
HDCP support	Yes
Viewing modes	Standard, ComfortView, Movie, Game, Color Temp., Color Space, Custom Color
Adaptive refresh rate	Yes, AMD FreeSync Premium
Signal Input	1 x DisplayPort (DisplayPort 1.2 mode, HDCP) 2 x HDMI 2.0 (HDCP 2.2) 1 x Audio line-out
Earphone jack	Yes
Power Consumption	40W (Max) 25W (Typical) 0.3W (Standby) 0.27W (Off)
Chassis Color	Black
Stand adjustments	Tilt: 5°~21° Height: 0~100 mm
VESA Wall Mounting	100 x 100 mm
Weight	6.85kg, 9.4kg with stand

Performance

The brightness of the display when measured at 100% brightness in Standard mode was 298cd/m², and it seems that the monitor was running at 80% brightness by default, which measures in at 273.4cd/m². There is no HDR here in case you’re wondering, and we will be conducting the test in Standard Mode.

We ran the screen uniformity test in a 3×3 grid format since it’s the standard 16:9 aspect ratio. 4 out of 9 areas here passed the recommended tolerance whereas the remaining passed the nominal tolerance with the exception of one in the bottom-right corner. The center area isn’t counted as that is the area used for reference. This shouldn’t alarm you as the difference isn’t big enough to be noticeable, and it will still look pretty good for gaming.

Colour Accuracy

Apart from the colours and what not that the display is capable of that we talked about in the previous section, there are a good number of positive things we can say about the Dell S3222HG gaming monitor. The first is the build quality, which is surprisingly great given its price point. It’s built sturdy with a stand that exudes confidence as soon as you have it installed. Not to mention, the process of doing so is easy and quick. Since the power supply is internal, there is less cable mess to worry about.

Furthermore, the ability to adjust height and tilt gives more versatility in how you would like to use the monitor. Given that everyone is of different size and use a different setup, this will allow that added bit of tailoring for the best possible viewing experience while using it.

Then, we have 165Hz refresh rate, which is a blessing for those who play competitive, fast-paced games. Sure, there are monitors that can go 240Hz or higher but since this monitor appeals to a more value-focused crowd, it hits the right spot. Add together adaptive sync, AMD FreeSync Premium to be exact, and it becomes even more enticing. In case you’re wondering, you can use an NVIDIA card with it just fine, and it will work from 48 to 165Hz.

Lastly, the Dell S3222HG offers serious value for what you’re paying. Sure, there are cheaper 32-inch Full HD monitors out there but to find one that is as feature-packed as this one while still maintaining good colour accuracy and build quality is certainly tough. Not to mention, having a reputable brand like Dell certainly eases the mind, especially for aftersales support.

Of course, there will always be drawbacks for any product, but there isn’t many. The first one for the Dell S3222HG is lack of ports. You only get two HDMI ports, a DisplayPort, and an audio-out. I can forgive the lack of upstream / downstream ports to cut costs but one would expect at least a USB-C port here for multipurpose use, such as charging and easily connecting to Thunderbolt-supported laptops. The use of HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.2 makes sense since this is a Full HD monitor with up to 165Hz refresh rate.

The second, and last one, is the lack of swivel. It’s great that this gaming monitor is tilt and height-adjustable but adding the ability to swivel would have further bolstered its value, giving more room to tailor to your usage without having to move the entire monitor. This is especially important since its an 1800R curved display, so it can make a big difference.

The 32-inch Dell S3222HG gaming monitor offers some serious value and is certainly an attractive choice for those looking for the best bang for buck display around. Unless you specifically need higher refresh rate, higher resolution, or something that screams gamer in terms of aesthetics, this can definitely serve you well.

At the end of our Dell S3222HG review, I award this gaming monitor with our coveted Gold Pokdeward.

Big thanks to Dell Malaysia for sending us this gaming monitor for the purpose of this review.