Picking up a larger-than-average display means 1080p resolutions will not lower it, and reasonably priced 4K alternate options are extra viable than ever. The Lenovo L32p-30 32″ 4K monitor sticks to 60Hz whereas prioritizing colour accuracy with an in depth number of USB ports, firmly concentrating on the artistic crowd, and a bundled 1080p webcam will probably attraction to those that do business from home.
It’s a decent-sized panel for the worth, with a design aesthetic firmly in step with Lenovo’s model. Naturally, any monitor with a comparatively low response fee and tear-free AMD FreeSync help tends to market itself towards players, too. Whether or not this price range panel is a real possibility for budget-conscious gaming is up for debate alongside the standard assortment of checks throughout my Lenovo L32p-30 evaluation.
Disclaimer: This evaluation was made attainable by a evaluation unit offered by Lenovo. The firm didn’t see the contents of the evaluation earlier than publishing.
Lenovo L32p-30: Price and availability
Lenovo sells the L32p-30 by its official retailer and third-party retailers, together with Newegg within the United States and Amazon within the United Kingdom, for $500 MSRP. However, throughout this evaluation, the worth was discounted to $331.99, nicely under the estimated worth. Packaged with a USB-C to USB-C cable, AC adapter per area, and the Lenovo LC50 webcam, it is out there for buy now.
| Category | Lenovo L32p-30 |
|---|---|
| Display kind | IPS |
| Resolution | UHD 3840 x 2160 |
| Refresh fee | 60Hz |
| Brightness | 350 cd/㎡ |
| Color gamut | 90% DCI P3 |
| Tilt angle | -5° / 22° (entrance/again) |
| Contrast ratio | 1000:1 (dynamic) |
| Response | 4 / 6 ms |
| Features | 4x USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports |
| Dimensions | 56.2 x 424.4 x 714.2 mm (head solely) |
| Weight | 17.2 lbs |
Lenovo L32p-30: First impressions and setup
Unboxing the L32p-30 is a comparatively commonplace expertise, with no aptitude in its packaging or presentation. Given that Lenovo markets this 4K display in direction of ‘players and creatives,’ it is clear the latter is the catered viewers because it feels extra like unboxing house workplace tools than any gaming accent. However, regardless of the plain field, it is crammed with cautious padding that separates the strong metallic stand from the valuable 31.5″ panel.
Construction is comparatively easy, requiring no instruments because of a pair of thumbscrews and intelligent thread patterns holding all the pieces safe. Even a easy, detachable plastic cable tidy blocker helps with group. You can seize a screwdriver if you’d like some additional assurance that nothing will slip, however a agency twist by hand is greater than sufficient. There’s a normal 100 x 100 VESA sample on the again, however you may want to supply the 10mm M4 bolts should you’re mounting a bracket.
In a manner, I really feel spoiled by Dell since they already perfected the monitor unboxing course of. With gaming displays just like the Alienware AW2723DF, clamping a stand right into a panel whereas it stays absolutely protected within the field and lifting out a whole unit is the way in which to go and may encourage Lenovo to observe swimsuit. However, the quantity of cautious padding and tool-free building would not give me something unfavorable to say about Lenovo’s packaging. If you are contemplating house supply by way of a web based order, you should not fear about transit injury.
You’re restricted to solely ahead and backward tilting, with no peak adjustment or side-to-side motion.
Still, some gripes have been instantly evident and left me somewhat disenchanted. You’re restricted to solely ahead and backward tilting, with no peak adjustment or side-to-side motion. It turns into somewhat clearer that the $500 MSRP relates extra to the improve to a 4K panel and an included webcam alongside the USB hub since the remainder of the unit is a no-frills affair with restricted positioning. Seeing the L32p-30 promote for round £300 within the UK begins to align with my first impressions.
Even the final steps of setup have been affected by software-related struggles, as I bumped into roadblocks when following Lenovo’s suggestions for driver downloads. Visiting the official help web page greets you with a suggestion to routinely detect any Lenovo-branded {hardware} and direct you to essentially the most acceptable firmware. Unfortunately, the scan failed after a number of makes an attempt, and I resorted to handbook searches of the L32p-30 mannequin quantity as a substitute.
There have been extra struggles with software program to come back, as I’ll quickly clarify in a breakdown of the Lenovo companion app. Overall, this 32″ panel appears clear the place it issues most: the display. Ideally, I’d advocate mounting the monitor to a desk-mounted arm or a wall bracket since you may probably get extra maneuverability than the included stand in case your setup can maintain the remaining 14.9 lbs.
Lenovo L32p-30: Features
Before I dig into how this 4K monitor fares in its worth vary, let’s handle the important thing promoting factors. Lenovo proudly advertises the L32p-30 with a big selection of ports, together with USB-C rated for as much as 75W energy supply. It’s turning into a standard function of any monitor that sits above the ultra-budget vary, however this USB hub is not as sensible because it could possibly be.
With your head on the desk, you look foolish looking for the hidden USB ports previous the slim 22° backward tilt.
Rather than seating the USB ports nearer to the underside of the body for straightforward entry, they’re positioned subsequent to the HDMI and DisplayPort inputs. It’s satisfactory for connecting USB receivers on wi-fi mice and keyboards, however you may have a awful expertise with usually connecting exterior storage gadgets. Since there’s solely a 22° backward tilt, you look foolish along with your head on the desk attempting to determine the place the free ports are.
Fortunately, the OSD menu buttons are as clear as day, with fast entry to brightness adjustment and switching between enter sources. It’s an excellent factor, too, as a result of the Lenovo Artery companion app (aka Lenovo Display Control Center) could be one of the arbitrary I’ve used so far. Admittedly, the GUI for the app is clear, and the colour gamut shortcuts are useful, however the reward ends there.
Pressing the essential or superior settings button opens a drop-down menu that’s not possible to work together with, ignoring my mouse even after a reboot. It’s not an enormous loss, provided that the app repeats all the pieces out there on the built-in OSD submenus. However, one function is genuinely helpful, if not a tad redundant, when utilizing Windows 11.
Lenovo’s desktop partition provides an alternate resolution to maintaining your home windows cleanly stacked, with numerous pre-made layouts. It gives nothing greater than Microsoft PowerToys did for Windows 10 and up, but it surely’s a useful demonstration for anybody sticking adamantly with a previous-gen OS. I’ll admit that it isn’t solely a convincing motive to put in the software program, but it surely’s helpful for somebody who usually snaps home windows into place, as I do.
The companion app’s give attention to gamut and window positions leans additional right into a stronger attraction for artistic varieties and residential workplace employees. An correct, high-resolution show that may shortly swap up the colour temperature and brightness has extra to supply than it will to players, and even the briefest of speaker checks proved it will not attraction to music lovers. Zero bass response means you would be higher off listening from a smartphone, so keep on with Microsoft Teams calls.
Lenovo L32p-30: Webcam
Besides the USB hub, the secondary attraction of the L32p-30 is Lenovo’s inclusion of a 1080p webcam with a built-in bodily privateness shutter. It’s an honest little digicam with twin microphones inside, giving oddly related vibes to utilizing one of many finest all-in-one PCs when you’re all arrange. Its 7.9mm lens covers a large angle, however you may must be conscious of pure mild leaking into your scene because the dynamic vary struggles.
Given the poor effort from the double 3W audio system, it is simple to imagine that the inner microphone array is equally trash, however that is not the case. Connect an honest pair of exterior audio system or headphones, and you will hear that the recording high quality is fairly incredible. I’ve used my fair proportion of mid-range gaming headsets with far worse microphones than this Lenovo LC50 webcam, and it is thrown in with a 4K monitor. Bargain.
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Considering Lenovo has experimented with its Magic Bay for the ThinkBook 16p (Gen 4,) it is somewhat disappointing that the LC50 is little greater than a boxed additional with the L32p-30 monitor. Given the low worth, it is comprehensible, however the firm has made way more thrilling strikes into modular equipment than slapping a robust magnet onto a webcam.
I used to be hit with after-school detention for placing magnets on displays in my youth, and it nonetheless feels fallacious.
On that word, fixing a magnet onto the again of a monitor feels borderline felony. I used to be hit with after-school detention for experimenting with this sort of factor in my youth, and it nonetheless raised questions on whether or not it was a completely rational design alternative. Lenovo checks its merchandise earlier than launch, so I’m positive it is high-quality. Still, I’ve zero need to make use of the LC50 with different screens that have been by no means authorized to be uncovered to magnets.
Lenovo L32p-30: Testing benchmarks
Quick entry to paint gamuts on the L32p-30, each on the bodily OSD buttons and the Lenovo Artery app, additional hints on the attraction to artistic professionals. Testing efficiency with a SpyderX Pro colorimeter exhibits sRGB coming by with good accuracy and even DCI-P3 beating Lenovo’s estimates on the impartial setting.
Lenovo boasts a max 350 nits brightness for the L32p-30, however repeated checks after a number of hours of use would not peak far above 300 cd/m² in commonplace modes. It’s not a giant deal for an setting like my house workplace, the place something round 300 nits is ideal. Still, if uncovered to intense pure mild, you may crave one thing brighter as a substitute of tweaking the ‘overdrive’ submenu.
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| Setting | Brightness | Black | Contrast | White Point |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0% | 40.4 | 0.05 | 860:1 | 6800 |
| 25% | 105.3 | 0.09 | 1150:1 | 6900 |
| 50% | 168.3 | 0.16 | 1050:1 | 7000 |
| 75% | 228.1 | 0.20 | 1110:1 | 7000 |
| 100% | 300.3 | 0.27 | 1100:1 | 7100 |
Activating overdrive mode pushes the response time down on the commerce of accelerating ghosting. At the primary stage, the impact is sort of indistinguishable and is activated by default, presumably for that motive. Ramping it as much as the utmost at stage 4 produces robust trails and discoloration on fast-moving objects and usually is not price it. More proof that the L32p-30 is finest marketed as a artistic monitor, but it surely’s not a horrible alternative for 60 FPS players on a strict price range.
HDR performs as anticipated, wanting lovely in video and normal desktop use. Again, many players will probably disable HDR, but it surely’s one other function concentrating on the likes of video editors. Keeping the L32p-30 round 80% brightness with overdrive stage 1 was completely snug for daytime use and switching to the ‘heat’ profile helped within the late evenings to forestall eye pressure. It’s nothing groundbreaking, however Lenovo retains firmly in its lane by providing a well-priced 4K panel with a bonus USB hub and webcam.
Lenovo L32p-30: The competitors
Picking up an reasonably priced 4K 32-inch monitor is not as troublesome because it was, particularly should you’re comfortable to stay with 60Hz since loads of variants goal artistic professionals. Some will nonetheless profess to swimsuit players, because of comparatively low response occasions, however many will crave not less than a 144Hz refresh fee to maintain up with fashionable titles.
Still, regardless of LG discontinuing its 32UN550-W panel, it is broadly out there on third-party retailers for the same worth. Supporting HDR and AMD FreeSync with a 4ms response time places it extraordinarily near the Lenovo L32p-30, however you achieve a height-adjustable stand. If you desire a nearer match, the LG 32UN500-W is a non-adjustable variant promoting for lower than $300 on the time of writing.
Lenovo L32p-30: Should you purchase?
You should purchase this if …
- You’re a artistic skilled searching for reasonably priced 4K.
- Your working setting is much less affected by direct daylight.
- You do business from home and usually attend video conferences.
You mustn’t purchase this if …
- You’re a gamer searching for easy 4K gaming.
- You need fast entry to USB ports for storage gadgets.
- You want high-grade audio system for audio/video enhancing.
Lenovo goals firmly on the price range crowd with this 32″ 4K providing, sticking with 60Hz and a no-frills body in favor of colour accuracy and different engaging options for creators. The L32p-30 can operate as a serviceable gaming monitor should you’ve discovered it at an attractive low cost, however its strongest factors stay within the artistic class. Still, bundling a wide-angle 1080p webcam with spectacular twin microphones seals its destiny as a great candidate for these working from house.
At round $300, it is fairly priced for its efficiency, however there are higher gaming displays. I like to recommend pulling the set off on a purchase order should you see this display on sale for something much less, particularly because the bundled Lenovo LC50 webcam has an $80 MSRP alone. Attach it to a desk-mounted arm or a wall bracket should you can, however the inflexible stand is not the ugliest different round, and the detachable cable tidy remains to be nice.
Lenovo L32p-30 32″ 4K UHD monitor
31.5-inch 4K IPS show with broad colour protection and built-in AMD FreeSync know-how, plus a USB Type-C port offering energy supply as much as 75 W. Lenovo even throws in a 1080p webcam to make working from house extra accessible.
