GIGABYTE is synonymous with gamers and computer users with its cutting-edge products and fantastic customer service. The company has developed two variations of its M32U gaming monitor, and we were offered a chance to review the M32U Arm Edition. The most significant difference between the standard M32U display and the Arm Edition is that the latter does not give you the atypical stand.
Instead, Gigabyte utilizes a heavy-duty arm that can push back for easy viewing for work and watching videos while also allowing for it to be brought forward to feel more immersed into the action of any of your games or movies. As a bonus, you can connect a console with a keyboard and mouse for KVM functionality, which is rarely seen embedded into a monitor, setting it apart from most competitors.
Gigabyte M32U ARM Edition Gaming Monitor — Specifications
The Gigabyte M32U Arm Edition gaming display produces a 4K UHD SuperSpeed IPS panel, 144 Hz frame rates, 1ms MPRT total response time, 10-bit color depth, and 90% DCI-P3 color gamut. The arm is ergonomic and very fluid with its movement, allowing you to place the monitor at the perfect distance for your needs. The Gigabyte M32U AE gaming display offers HDMI 2.1 connections, KVM support, and higher console support with solid 120 Hz refresh rates for both PS5 and Xbox Series X at FHD (1920 x 1080), QHD (2560 x 1440) and UHD (3840 x 2160) resolutions.
The monitor arm can adjust forward 230mm, adjust the height to 208mm, swivel 20 degrees right and left, tilt between -5 to 25 degrees, and pivot 90 degrees clockwise. After quite some time of use, I finally chose to rotate the monitor 90 degrees, primarily to open up desk space. If users can have one to two displays in Portrait modes and one in Landscape mode, they will benefit from tons of area to be productive and have fun with their best games simultaneously. I would have several work windows open to research on one, write on the other, make notes if needed on the same screen, and then shift my view to the different screen to design graphics and other tasks. When I was not working, I could open one window with various work tabs, and then the other screen(s) could have streams, YouTube videos, or any of the current game titles I enjoy.
Surprisingly, for a gaming monitor, you would not think so looking at the aesthetics. It looks like any standard display on the outside, and it isn’t until you go through the onscreen menus that you find a wealth of features to play with that could play up your game or productivity. I did adjust the colors and brightness by choosing the FPS (first-person shooter) mode and kept it on that setting at all times. If you like explicitly specific settings for games and media, users can make several choices to enhance the experience.
The KVM feature allows for extra HDMI, DisplayPort, and USB Type-C products to be connected and controlled through the display with a single keyboard and mouse. The system has a dedicated KVM switch on the back of the display, allowing for changing devices quickly and simply. Two HDMI 2.1 ports, one DisplayPort, one USB Type-C, one mini-USB port, three USB 3.0 ports, and one 3.5mm audio port grant users plenty of connectivity options, including those for keyboard and mouse use with the KVM switch.
The KVM button works flawlessly, jumping from one connection to the other without me having to use a separate device to hook up a keyboard and mouse. Having the ability to have a KVM “box” integrated into the monitor is incredibly smart and should be used more frequently in the future on more displays. It cuts down on desk space, leaving room for, more or less, devices to utilize daily.
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The Gigabyte M32U AE gaming display enhances the user’s view with its Black Equalizer so gamers can see the competition faster with a better-enhanced viewing range. Additionally, the new gaming display offers PIP/PBP, an onscreen dedicated crosshair, a timer to use within compatible games, a counter to count the number of eliminated opponents, an Aim Stabilizer Sync, and HDR mode for users.
The onscreen dashboard presents users with necessary CPU, GPU, and FPS information, keeping it out of view for any game by the user choosing the corner to place the small box of info. I have opened up my library of PC games, and the most helpful feature was the crosshair, but it slowly lost its flair after going through Fortnite, Call of Duty: MW, and more. I deactivated the crosshair and found that I shot the same in both games, with and without it. However, some may find it helpful. Also, I found the PIP/PBP useless in what I would need it for, except the one day that I watched a movie on DVD with an external player attached. The PIP option was an okay experience but not one I would use consistently.
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Another option that I felt was unnecessary was the timer, counter, and refresh rate. Many games offer the ability to monitor the frame rate to ensure they are receiving the best picture while gaming. The timer and counter were an oddity. The timer allows you to choose whether the timer counts up or down. I’m unsure why it is used as it begins as soon as you press “OK.” I was so busy playing games that I forgot to look at the box the whole time. Had I not gone back and had some control assistance to take images, I would never have known what was happening on the screen. The FPS never changed and stayed at a steady 144 Hz. The counter was irrelevant as most games also track that info (if it was to count my kills or other information).
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The monitor auto-updates so that it continues to be ready for anything you throw at it. The Gigabyte M32U AE offers six color axis control to receive the best color. The flicker-free feature offers less eye strain, fatigue, and clear sound and is certified by TUV Rheinland and Eyesafe to bring the best color balance and blue light reduction. While quite loud, the sound from the speakers was terrible and provided a worse experience. There were tons of treble and zero bass levels, so if you have some speakers lying around, please use those for a more pleasing experience.
Conclusion
Is the Gigabyte M32U Arm Edition a worthy gaming display? Yes. The colors were superb (I never felt like there was any washout), and the KVM button to quickly switch between consoles was great. The arm allowed me to bring forward the display to feel more in the game, but I would forget to push it back while working. I still think the functional approach is excellent. Software, while I am sure it would help some, I would not recommend and the speakers I would improve or remove it in future models, allowing users to use their own audio devices to garner a cleaner sound. The Gigabyte M32U Arm Edition is a great monitor and would be one that I would recommend for most users, even with the added flaws.
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