ASUS PROART PA329Q
Time to put away the big boys’ toys
SUPERWIDE 21:9 aspect screens with crazy curves? Wall-sized UHDTVs masquerading as PC monitors? Gaming gimmicks such as adaptive sync and 160Hz refresh? They’re all very well, but it’s time to put away the big boys’ toys and get serious. Enter the new ProArt PA329Q, Asus’s shot at a lasting monument to visual precision.
It isn’t big by high-end standards. It’s just 32 inches. But it is 4K, which has implications for pixel pitch and sharpness. As its name suggests, it’s aimed at serious productivity, therefore the core technology is IPS, with added color-fidelity chops.
In terms of color reproduction, that includes 10-bit per channel support, along with a 14-bit look-up table for precision calibration. But what marks the PA329Q out as cutting edge is the addition of quantumdot backlight enhancement for even greater color dynamism. The result is 100 percent coverage of the Adobe RGB color space. Asus also claims that factory calibration guarantees a sub-two Delta E color space.
The bottom line is that this display will enable you to properly master content for HDR compliance, including the Rec. 2020 video gamut. The PA329Q’s physical bearing reflects its pro remit, too. There’s a pleasing quality to the chassis and stand, the latter being fully adjustable, including rotation to portrait mode. While the overall feel is robust, it’s far from chunky or oldfashioned, thanks to a very slim bezel. What you don’t get is a curved panel, zany refresh rates, frame synching, or crazy levels of pixel overdrive. It’s all about precision.
Fire her up, and initial impressions are glorious. The PA329Q is supervibrant, but without that uber-saturated look that many TVs go for in order to achieve superficial punch. Think of it as both power and control when it comes to colors. The viewing angles are pretty much immaculate, too, and the anti-glare coating is superclean and free from grain or sparkle. Plus, there’s the razor sharpness due to that tight pixel pitch.
The basic calibration is bang on, with flawless detail in white and black scales, and visually perfect gradients. The default 6,500K color temperature is a little warm subjectively, and the IPS panel can’t compete with the latest VA screens for contrast and black levels. Likewise, support for a higher refresh rate would be nice, but that’s limited by display interface bandwidth.
In all other regards, this is a screen with which you could have a long and meaningful relationship. The advent of OLED tech notwithstanding, it’s easy to imagine the PA329Q still looking stunning in five years. It ain’t cheap, but it is a good investment.