Review of the Asus ProArt Series PA32UCX monitor / 4K Mini LED

What is the Asus PA32UCX-K monitor worth after calibration with the i1Display Pro, SpyderX Elite and proprietary Asus Pro Calibration software?

To begin with, I calibrated this monitor - like all the monitors I test - with the i1Display Pro + i1Profiler software (version 1.8.2) the same one that is sold with and the SpyderX Elite (v5.3) in order to be able to position it against its competitors knowing that from the views of its technical sheet, we can expect the best. Then I calibrated it with the Asus calibration software.

Important note! I connected this display in Display Port with a very good quality cable on my Mac Pro and in USC-C on my Dell XPS 13'' laptop. This is essential on a UHD monitor because, at 60 Hz, there is a lot of information to pass every second.

Second important remark! The i1Display Pro X-Rite colorimeter is sold with this display.

As display settings, I chose:

• Color mode: Adobe RGB (This requires a gamma of 2.2 and a white point of 6500K),
• Brightness: 90 Cd/m2 or 120 Cd/m2 (screen value between 8 /100 and 14 / 100 depending on whether digital signage was enabled or not),
• Contrast: 80% (not 100%)
• Color temperature: 6500K (default in Adobe RGB),
• Black: 50 (Enough!)
• Dynamic display: two measurements in on and off mode.

And as target values in the i1Profiler 1.8.2 software in advanced mode...

• Display technology: Choose white diodes,
• D65 or possibly a little less if you want a slightly warmer screen. (Note that at D55, the display) is really warm but not yellow like on the low end displays,
• Luminance: 90 Cd/m2 or more (120 cd/m2) depending on your main use (printing or web) and especially the brightness of your room,
• Contrast: Native,
• Gamma: 2.2,
• ADC function disabled,
• ICC standard: V2 (to avoid incompatibility problems with some image viewing software (images too dark) and obviously V4 if you know what you are doing.
  
  

Make sure to reset the factory settings AND select the generic profile before calibrating! Once the color reset is complete, choose the generic screen profile from the MacOS or Windows 10 system preferences.

And the result is?

As the brand states in its communication, the results are really excellent or close to excellence and we are dealing with a high-end display, with, as you will see, two different personalities depending on the settings chosen.

Methodological note! To calibrate this display, I used a Mac and a PC, a Display Port or USB-C connector and the dynamic display mode on or off. The settings depend on it a lot so it is essential to take into account according to your use: photographer or video maker.

Objective data: what does the final report say after calibration?

1 - Contrast and Color Temperature: Before switching to Delta E, it is interesting to note the color temperature values achieved and the contrast obtained according to these different setting options.

Important note! The contrast read depends very much on whether the "Dynamic display" option in the monitor menu is enabled.

My opinion!  The "Dynamic display" option does have a very important influence on the contrast you will observe.

a - Dynamic display enabled (Default) - Achieving a color temperature (TC) of 6514K for 6500K requested is obviously excellent and worthy of the Asus ProArt series or the best Eizo displays. Contrast - N/A simply means... infinite because black is measured at 0 Cd/m2. So this is my record measure! No doubt about it: the blacks will be absolutely black as well as the strips of films and other series. It's really a slap on the Internet or to watch movies, especially since the anti-reflective coating is really beautiful. If you get the crazy idea of activating one of the HDR modes to watch a movie, I assure you it's a slap in the face! Beautiful. This screen is therefore capable of being incredible for video editing. Congratulations!

b - Dynamic display disabled - Here you will find "standard" values - Contrast measured at 720:1 - that will be more suitable for photographers who print their photos. I remind you that the contrast of a photo on paper is not very high so it is advisable not to display a too strong contrast on its display if you do softproofing.

In short, a single screen and two facets for video or photo oriented use!

2 - Delta e: Now, let's move on to the famous Delta E after calibration according to the 2000 standard which I use for the calibration of all the monitors on this site:

Importat note! The Delta e was very little influenced by whether or not the "Dynamic Display" option in the display menu was enabled.

My opinion!  The average Delta E standard 2000 is 0.36 which is obviously excellent! But where this display shows its professional qualities is on the Delta e Max. on all patches: only 0.80. No doubt, this is a top-of-the-range display!

Note! This display belongs to the Asus ProArt series so it is calibrated and certified Delta e < 1 at the factory, which my calibration confirms with the excellent i1Display Pro sensor sold with the display.

Now the luminance uniformity tests:

Despite the option in the OSD menu of the "Uniformity Compensation" display on this display, I made the same measurements, very good ones, in fact, in uniformity. Only Eizo does even better on its ColorEdge series.

My advice about uniformity! The "Uniformity Compensation" option in the OSD menu of the display can only be activated when the "Dynamic Display" option is stopped. But frankly, in reality it doesn't change much. So if you are videographers and you want to activate this last option for the increased contrast it will offer you, don't hesitate!

... and color temperature:

Again, this is really very good.

About calibration with Asus Pro Calibration software....

I am rarely enthusiastic about proprietary software (Asus or BenQ) - most often an evolution of the X-Rite iProfiler software - and this Asus Pro Calibration is no exception. The calibration process is significantly longer - especially in 25-zone mode - and the results are less good. I would advise against it.

And my subective data: what does my eye see?

A very beautiful display with many facets and which will therefore be suitable for different uses. Let me explain. A video editor and a retouching photographer do not have the same needs. An editor needs contrast, real black stripes and HDR display, while a photographer, especially if he often prints his photos, will need less contrast and especially no HDR display. Well, this display will satisfy both these uses with ease. And even better: if you do video editing, graphic design for the Internet and photos to illustrate your customers' brochures, you have the perfect display that will perfectly cover your different needs. It is therefore a favorite in very high-end for those who want to offer themselves the "most versatile" without falling into the Eizo prices see need more contrast to make video editing or surf the Internet thanks to the "Dynamic Display" mode.