27" vs 32" 4k for working and gaming

Soldato
Joined
2 Oct 2007
Posts
4,241
Location
Oxfordshire
Right, hello, I need the advice of this awesome community :-)

I currently own a Gigabyte M28U, so the bog standard 28" 4k 144hz and terrible/non existent HDR. I use it primarily for coding (work from home 4 days a week) but I do spend my evenings gaming, whether that be on the PS5 or PC (Call Of Duty, Forza Horizon. I use dark mode and well aware of the various features and tips to keep an OLED in top shape, but I'm torn which way to go. It's basically between the PG32UCDM and PG27UCDM. The smaller but newer screen is around £250 more for me after discounts and what not, but I'm worried the 32 will be too big for work. I have a standard 70cm depth desk with monitor arm, so will be sitting around 50cm away from the screen when coding.
 
32” is massively bigger. It’s not ‘bad’ for working, although for document based work 27” is ideal IMO.

I’d be steered on whether you ever get motion sick (even slightly) when gaming, particularly first person games. If you find yourself trying to distance yourself from your existing 27” at any time, then definitely don’t go 32”.
 
Very just wasted my time, registered and the welcome code for 20% off shows

‘The promotion code WELCOME is invalid’

Goodbye Very, never using you again.
 
I’ve got a 60cm deep desk on a monitor arm. 32 was too big for me and they were curved. Probably worse with a flat screen.

On 27 4k now and it’s a lot better. Also the sharpness of the text at 27 4k is a nice plus. Got the PG27UCDM a couple weeks ago and extremely happy with it.
 
Last edited:
I’ve got a 60cm deep desk on a monitor arm. 32 was too big for me and they were curved. Probably worse with a flat screen.

On 27 4k now and it’s a lot better. Also the sharpness of the text at 27 4k is a nice plus. Got the PG27UCDM a couple weeks ago and extremely happy with it.
I think this is the answer I am looking for. I think I "wanted" the 32 to make sense considering it's much cheaper, but if you're spending over £800 on a monitor you want to do it properly!
 
I think this is the answer I am looking for. I think I "wanted" the 32 to make sense considering it's much cheaper, but if you're spending over £800 on a monitor you want to do it properly!

I've been mulling over the same question (27" vs 32") but having measured it out 32" feels like it would be too large for a monitor you're sitting close to when working. Like yourself I "wanted" the 32" monitor to be my choice as it's cheaper and you kind of assume by default that more screen space is better! However I think 27-28" is the sweet spot on a regular 70cm deep desk.

I'm planning on going for a 27" 4k OLED monitor to replace my current 34" 1440p ultrawide.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Rup
I'm genuinely confused about the suggestions of a 27" for work don't you people then need to use scaling to see anything?

With a 32" you're a lot more likely to be able to not use scaling and get a heck of a lot more space. Am I missing something here?

Personally running a 1440p 27" and 4k 32" 240Hz QD-OLED dual monitor for work. The 27" 1440p is better suited because I don't need to use scaling.

Used to have 34" 1440p ultrawide which was also very useful for work.
 
I used a 30" 2560x1600 for a long time which was fine size wise, although not the PPI of 4k panel. 27 would be too small for me.

That said, I use a 49" 5120*1440 which works well for me, don't even use all the space while working, but having main window in the center, and a few other panels floating around the edges is really nice.
 
I'm genuinely confused about the suggestions of a 27" for work don't you people then need to use scaling to see anything?

With a 32" you're a lot more likely to be able to not use scaling and get a heck of a lot more space. Am I missing something here?

You would definitely need to use scaling on a 4k 27” monitor but in theory the pixel density is high enough that it likely wouldn’t be noticeable.

Potentially it could actually look better and clearer at a scaled resolution than an equivalent 27” 1440p would look at native resolution due to the higher PPI.

Many folk I’ve spoken to use scaling on even 32” 4k monitors as they find fonts too small at native resolution.
 
Last edited:
Okay thank you, so that at least makes sense then.

It does mean however you're showing less on screen which for work seems like a big downer, though I guess it depends what work you do. For me I want as much on screen as possible so I'd always go for the larger size.
 
Okay thank you, so that at least makes sense then.

It does mean however you're showing less on screen which for work seems like a big downer, though I guess it depends what work you do. For me I want as much on screen as possible so I'd always go for the larger size.

I’m sure you got this, but just to be sure - you will have identical ‘screen real estate’ on a 4k monitor whether it’s 27” or 32” (so long as the scaling is the same). The latter is simply ‘stretched out’ over a wider area.

That doesn’t necessary mean that the 32” is better - it’s a lot taller than a 27”. What is more comfortable may depend on how far away you are sat from it.

Either way, even if you do have to use scaling there is still a lot a real estate available.
 
Thank you sir, I do get that

I didn't explain very well, but I'm comparing using a 32" 4K without scaling vs a 27" 4K monitor with scaling. Which from my experience a 32" can be just about used without scaling but I'd have no chance on the 27".

Hence, in this case the 32" will give more "screen real estate" and would be my preference for work.
 
Recently moved from a 27 4k LCD to a 32 4k OLED. Would have preferred the 27 4k OLED but not available until end April and a few hundred more anyway.
32 OLED is overall great, just push it back slightly if needs be, text quality still great.
 
Back
Top Bottom