HP Z32k G3 USB

Sep 06, 2023

The HP Z32k G3 USB-C Display ($839), a productivity monitor with some creative chops, can handle tasks like working with video and web-based art with aplomb thanks to its strong color coverage and accuracy. It also has much better contrast than most IPS monitors do. Its rich selection of ports includes Thunderbolt 4, and puts even standalone docking stations to shame. All this goodness doesn't come cheap, but the Z32k's features and performance earn it our Editors' Choice nod as an elite productivity monitor.

The Z32k G3 is the first HP monitor to employ IPS Black, an in-plane switching (IPS) technology variant that effectively doubles the contrast ratio over standard IPS by rendering much deeper blacks. Only a handful of IPS Black monitors have made it to market so far; we previously saw this technology's effectiveness in the Dell UltraSharp 27 4K USB-C Hub Monitor (U2723QE), which earned an Editors' Choice award for elite productivity displays.

The heart of the Z32k G3 is its 32-inch (measured diagonally) screen. It features a native resolution of 3,840 by 2,160 pixels, better known as UHD or 4K, which makes for a high pixel density of 140 pixels per inch (ppi). All else being equal, the higher the pixel density—how closely pixels are packed together—the sharper the image, and the Z32k G3 should be fine for working with small text, complex diagrams, graphics, and photos. It doesn't have the pixel density of its smaller sibling, the Z27k G3 (163 ppi) or any other 27-inch 4K panel—the smaller the screen for a given resolution, the higher the pixel density will be—but it's more than adequate for most any task a creative professional might need it for.

As is typical of IPS panels, the Z32k G3 offers wide viewing angles, with a rating of up to 178 degrees for both vertical and horizontal viewing, meaning that colors should remain reasonably true—free of shifting or posterization—even when seen at extreme angles, from the side or above. This proved to be the case in my testing.

Including the stand, the Z32k G3 measures 23.8 by 28.1 by 8.5 inches (HWD), and it weighs 19.8 pounds. Surrounding the screen are narrow black bezels, plus an additional thin border, on all four sides. The stand supports the full range of ergonomic features. You can adjust the monitor’s height by up to 5.9 inches, and tilt the top of the panel up to 5 degrees toward you or up to 20 degrees away from you. You can swivel the panel up to 45 degrees in either direction, and pivot it from landscape to portrait and back, something not every large productivity monitor is able to do—for instance, the MSI Summit MS321UP lacks pivot capability.

Should you prefer to arm- or wall-mount the Z32k G3, there is a square pattern of holes placed 100mm apart to which you can attach a VESA bracket.

As is the case with the Z27k G3, the Z32k is endowed with a profusion of ports. Most notably, the Z32k upgrades the smaller monitor's USB-C port to Thunderbolt 4. Thunderbolt 4 uses a USB-C-shaped connector, and is backward-compatible with previous Thunderbolt versions as well as all USB standards. This connection provides up to 100 watts of power delivery to a laptop, as well as transfers data from the computer (assuming it supports Thunderbolt 4) at up to 40GBps via DisplayPort over USB Alternate Mode.

The Z32k includes one DisplayPort input and one DisplayPort output; the latter lets you daisy-chain another 4K monitor to your setup. With a hub of four USB 3.2 Type-A ports, you can add a mouse, hard drives, and other peripherals to the mix. There's also one USB-C and one USB-B port, a pair of HDMI 2.0 ports, and an audio-out jack.

Most of the ports face downward in back, which traditionally is an awkward place for connecting cables, but with the Z32k you can simply pivot the monitor into portrait mode to easily access the connectors. One USB-A and one USB-C port are located on the side for even easier access.

The Z32k also has an RJ-45 jack that supports gigabit Ethernet, letting you connect to a LAN even if your laptop lacks an Ethernet port or if Wi-Fi is spotty or nonexistent. Supported network manageability features include PXE Boot, LAN/WLAN switching, Wake-on-LAN (WoL), and MAC address pass-through (MAPT). The first (for Preboot eXecution Environment) allows a computer to boot directly from the network. LAN/WLAN switching disables the laptop's Wi-Fi when the monitor is connected to a LAN. WoL, meanwhile, enables a computer to be awakened remotely from a low-power state. The MAPT function lets a connected laptop bypass the monitor/dock's MAC address so it can be uniquely identified on the network with its own MAC address. These functions require that the PC to which the Z32k is connected be in a wake or sleep state rather than off.

In back, in the lower left corner, is a four-way rocker switch with central button, which lets you access and control the Z32k's onscreen display (OSD). It is akin to the mini-joystick controllers found on many gaming and professional monitors, and is easy to learn to use. This sort of switch is preferable to the multiple control buttons still found on many monitors, especially budget models.

HP backs the Z32k with a three-year standard warranty, which is typical of higher-end productivity monitors; the Dell P3222QE and the MSI MS321UP also have three-year warranties. Philips does it one better, warrantying its 329P1H for a full four years.

I tested the Z32k G3's brightness, contrast ratio, and color accuracy using a Klein K-80 colorimeter(Opens in a new window) and Portrait Displays' Calman software. The charts in this section were generated in Calman.

HP rates the Z32k G3 at 400 nits (candelas per square meter) of luminance, and it easily cleared that in our testing, clocking in at 432 nits. As an IPS Black monitor, its contrast ratio is rated at 2,000:1, and it tested reasonably close, at 1,890:1. (Standard IPS monitors are rated at 1,000:1, and seldom test above 1,200:1.)

According to HP, the Z32k G3 covers up to 100% of sRGB, the color gamut for web-based art and numerous other applications. In my testing, it did cover a full 100% of that color space—see the chromaticity (color-coverage) chart below.

The panel is also rated as covering 98% of DCI-P3, a color space used for digital video; our test unit did better, covering 99.9% (see the chart below).

HP doesn't offer a figure for the Adobe RGB space; it covered 87.1% of it in our testing. Although the Z32k G3's sRGB and DCI-P3 superb color coverage is great for working with web-based art and video, those using the Adobe RGB space for processing photos and art for printing will likely want to look for a professional graphic-arts monitor such as the ViewSonic VP2785-4K that provides more complete Adobe RGB coverage. (See more about how we test monitors.)

Delta E (dE for short) is a measure of color accuracy, namely the difference between the hue of a displayed color and the color input that the monitor received. The dE figure that appears in monitor specs is the average of a large number of individual color readings from across the spectrum; the lower the value, the more accurate the color. Many professional monitors tout a dE of less than 2 in various color spaces. HP doesn't list a claimed Delta E among the monitor's specs, but the Z32k G3 scored under 2 in our testing for both sRGB (1.8) and DCI-P3 (1.94). (See the chart for the sRGB results below.)

I also did some real-world testing by viewing a selection of film clips as well as a suite of test photos, and the results were excellent on both counts: vivid colors and strong contrast, with good retention of details in both bright and dark areas.

When we reviewed the Z27k G3 nearly two years ago, we were impressed with its color coverage, profusion of ports, and ergonomic excellence. The Z32k has a larger screen, upgrades the earlier model's USB-C port to Thunderbolt 4, and its IPS Black panel provides considerably higher contrast than the Z27k G3 offers. As you'd expect, the Z32k sells at a considerably higher price than its 27-inch cousin, which is already on the pricey side.

One thing the Z32k lacks is the videoconferencing features found in many recent business monitors such as the Philips 329P1H—webcam, powerful speakers, dual microphones, and the like. These can all enhance the online meeting experience, but most laptops do at least an adequate job for teleconferencing. If yours doesn't, you might want to choose a different monitor, if replacing your laptop isn't in the cards.

A standout feature of the Z32k is its rich selection of ports, even among so-called docking-station monitors. The addition of Thunderbolt 4 adds both speed and power delivery to your system, particularly if your laptop supports that standard. Although the Editors' Choice Philips 329P1H has a lot to offer—including great sRGB and DCI-P3 coverage—at a comparatively low price, it has a more modest selection of ports than the Z32k does.

By virtue of its excellent IPS Black-enhanced contrast, mastery of the sRGB and DCI-P3 color spaces, ergonomic design, and huge selection of ports, the HP Z32k G3 USB-C Display becomes our latest Editors' Choice pick for high-end productivity monitors. It's ideal for workers who spend much of their time processing video and photos for the web.

HP's latest Z32k G3 monitor can easily handle color-sensitive creative tasks, and it adds cutting-edge features like IPS Black and Thunderbolt 4, with a price to match.

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