INTRODUCTION

   Recently (and probably due to Black Friday and the holidays) some of you have reached out to ask for reviews of LCD screens/monitors aimed at "regular" everyday consumers while others have asked for such reviews aimed towards professionals and of course gamers. Now as you probably know i have done my best to deliver what professionals would like to see with my EIZO reviews but other than that most of my reviews have been of gaming LCD screens. Well, my friends over at Viotek reached out roughly a couple of months ago and asked if I’d be interested in testing their latest FI32DB monitor released both for regular consumers and professionals and after using it for almost a full month i can finally share my opinion with all of you.

   Viotek is a different kind of tech company. Built on an unwavering will to innovate, Viotek is dedicated to making the best products at the best price for technology enthusiasts worldwide. With an imaginative research and development team and the resources to bring ideas to life, Viotek is committed to never follow but always lead.

   The Viotek FI32DB is a 32 inch widescreen (16:9) LCD monitor based on a 10 bit (8 bits + FRC) IPS W-LED backlit panel (anti-glare/matte finish) which sports a maximum resolution of 2560x1440p (QHD) with a refresh rate of 75Hz (FreeSync compatible) and 178 degrees viewing angles. Always according to Viotek the FI32DB also delivers an sRGB color gamut of 99% (NTSC 72%) and features a contrast ratio of 1200:1, 300cd/m2 brightness, 8ms response time (G2G - 6.5ms in overdrive mode) and a pixel density of 93ppi. As for available connections, the FI32DB packs two HDMI ports (v1.4), single DisplayPort (v1.2), single mini DisplayPort (v1.2), single Dsub (VGA) and a 3.5mm audio output (can be used with speakers and headsets). For the FI32DB Viotek has used a metal stand with tilt (5/-15 degrees) functionality, and VESA mount compatibility (100x100mm). Typically, Viotek covers the FI32DB with a 3-year limited warranty and a pixel perfect policy upon delivery (no questions asked replacement). So is this the monitor to spend your money on this Christmas? Let's find out.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

Viotek uses a thin cardboard box to ship the FI32DB the front and rear of which are taken by a product picture, their logo and the main product features.

The product features are also printed on both sides.

Along with the FI32DB screen, its power adapter and its 2 piece stand (screws included) inside the box Viotek has also placed an HDMI cable and the user manual.

THE FI32DB

The FI32DB may not be a curved LCD screen but still with a diagonal of 80.1cm and a QHD 2560x1440p resolution it provides more than enough area/surface for most uses.

Mounting the 2 piece stand is easy, just attach them together and then onto the rear of the screen as seen above.

Afterwards you can also place the plastic cover over the VESA area as seen above (do keep in mind that the plastic is not very easy to remove once in place).

With the stand installed the FI32DB looks really nice, doesn't really stand out much (only its thickness does) but it looks nice regardless.

One more thing that stands out when looking at the FI32DB from the front is the thickness of its bezels.

To be precise the top, left and right bezels are just 10mm thick whereas the bottom one is almost 13mm thick.

Unfortunately, the stand is fixed (not height adjustable) and keeps the monitor roughly 77mm from the desk.

Moving at the rear we see a large company logo printed at the top.

The joystick menu button is also located here as are the power port, 2 HDMI ports, DP port, mini DP port, Dsub (VGA) port and the 3.5mm audio out.

You can also tilt the screen up to 15 degrees backwards and 5 degrees forward.

FI32DB MENUS

By using the rear joystick button, you can turn the screen on/off, access the input, brightness and volume controls (as seen above) and enter the menu.

The screen menu has a total of 7 tabs the first of which is the picture tab which includes the brightness, contrast and black equalize settings.

Inside the display tab you can adjust the position and sharpness of the screen (when not using one of the available presets that is).

Everything related to color from temperature, color effect and gamma to hue, saturation and low blue light can be found inside the color tab.

From the advanced menu you can turn on/off the ultra-vivid, OD (overdrive) and FreeSync modes.

The input and audio tabs are self-explanatory, i guess.

Finally, you can change the language of the menu, adjust its position, timeout and transparency, get the current input information (this actually reminded me to put the screen at 75Hz) and reset all settings to their factory defaults from the other tab.

VIEWING ANGLES / PICTURE QUALITY

Using an IPS panel all but guarantees perfect viewing angles, at the expense of pure black that is.

So yes, even though black may not be quite as deep as some people would like it to be the FI32DB does very well in terms of image quality as you can see from the above pictures.

TEST RESULTS

DATACOLOR SPYDERX ELITE MEASUREMENTS

By using the SpyderX Elite Colorimeter by Datacolor i measure both the color gamut (SRGB and Adobe) and the brightness levels of the monitor at hand.

Here you can see results for Color and Luminance Screen Uniformity (instead of just listing results at 100% brightness I’m listing all of them - 50/67/83/100%).

Datacolor rates monitors based on their overall results so it was decided to include this chart as well.

POWER CONSUMPTION

Power consumption may not be what most people look for when out to get a brand new monitor but at the end of the day it's still an important factor so i do hope this is of interest to some of you.

CONCLUSION

   After spending almost a month using it i have to say that the FI32DB monitor by Viotek is a somewhat “unique” case. For one its screen is not curved and that alone is something that may attract or turn away potential buyers. And then we have its IPS panel which may not sport the deepest black out there but it does combine vibrant colors with very good viewing angles making ideal for semi-professional use. The same can be said about its refresh rate and response times, yes 75Hz and 6.5ms GTG (OD) may not be ideal for serious gaming but i do expect some will be quite fine with it (again i only had noticeable ghosting issues with fast passed games). One serious drawback about the FI32DB however has to do with its stand which is not even height adjustable something that i do happen to consider important. Yes, you can always use a desk/wall arm/mount and not use the bundled stand at all but that would mean spending more on this monitor (unless you already own one). I was also very surprised to see that the FI32DB is equipped with a D-Sub (VGA) connector. For many this may seem a bit strange but there are actually quite a few people out there who still own monitors, TV screens or even video recorders with that input so i guess it can’t hurt having it.

   The FI32DB monitor by Viotek currently retails for a very balanced price tag of USD239.99 inside the USA (Amazon.com) so that too i expect will attract potential buyers on a budget. Of course, if you happen to be a serious gamer there are several better choices available at slightly higher prices (like the Odyssey G5 model by Samsung) but if gaming is not your thing the FI32DB should be more than enough which is also why i strongly recommend giving it a chance, it might just surprise you.

PROS

- 2560x1440p QHD Resolution
- LED Backlit IPS Panel (75Hz)
- Image Quality / Vibrant Colors
- Available Ports (2xHDMI v1.4 / DisplayPort v1.2 / Mini DisplayPort v1.2 / DSub / 3.5mm Mini Jack)
- FreeSync Compatible
- 3 Year Limited Warranty / Pixel Perfect Policy
- Price (For Some)

CONS

- Not Ideal For Gaming (Ghosting)
- sRGB Color Gamut (Compared To The Advertised Number)
- Bundled Stand (Not Height Adjustable)
- Availability Outside The USA