ViewSonic VX3219 2K PRO Gaming Monitor Review: A solid option for gamers on a tight budget

Pros:
- Massive 32-inch size at this price point
- 165Hz refresh rate
- Amazing response time
- Image quality and colour reproduction
- Price when compared to similar monitors
- Supports HDR10 and FreeSync Premium

Cons:
- The OSD design looks dated
- Buttons instead of a joystick to navigate the OSD
- Some backlight bleeding
- No USB ports
- No height adjustments

Rating: 4/5
Price: Rs 25,000 on e-commerce platforms

While 1080P gaming has been great for most people, manufacturers who make PC components know that more and more people are warming up to 2K and even 4K gaming monitors, especially if they are updating their rigs. While 4K PC gaming is catching up, it is still years away from going mainstream. More and more GPU manufacturers are now focusing on 2K gaming, and because of this, even display manufacturers are coming up with some pretty solid options within a reasonable budget. One great example of this would be the ViewSonic VX3219 2K PRO fits in.

The ViewSonic VX3219 2K PRO Gaming Monitor truly lives up to its name — it is a spacious 32-inch display with 2K resolution that is tailored for gaming enthusiasts.

Some of the noteworthy features that the monitor comes with include its remarkable sub-1 ms MPRT (Moving Picture Response Time) and a rapid 165 Hz refresh rate. Plus, it looks great, both for gaming and watching content. In this review, we find out if the ViewSonic VX3219 2K PRO is a good option if you’re planning to upgrade your monitor from a 1080P panel to a 2K.

ViewSonic VX3219 2K PRO Gaming Monitor Review: Design and built
At first glance, the ViewSonic VX3219 2K PRO is Similar to many budget-friendly gaming monitors, as it seems to prioritise function over flair. However, plug it and you’ll see that it has got plenty of bling as well.

What really stands out immediately is the size of the thing, especially if you’re coming from a 27-inch or a smaller monitor. At 32 inches, you will definitely need a lot of space if you want to plop up this monitor on your desk. Despite its size, it has a sleek and slender profile. The screen which spans approximately 32 inches diagonally, is set in the 16:9 aspect ratio.

Holding everything up is a metallic stand that comes with the monitor. Initially, I was a bit let down by the lack of height adjustment in the stand, but then I came to realise that with a panel of this size, you really don’t need any height adjustment — everything that you need to see while gaming is just there right in front of you. Users do get some tilt support, but that’s it.

Setting up the monitor on the stand is a piece of cake. The assembly is completely tool-less but you will need two hands, and probably another person to help you out. But, despite its size and weight, it is pretty manageable to work with. You get a a 100X100 VESA mount, to attach the matte-finished, metallic arm and the base.

The base of the stand is pretty wide and has a cut-out that lets you route cables through it. The tiny V-shaped stand actually works well for the monitor and keeps it pretty stable. Plus, a smaller stand like the one the VX3219 2K PRO has, means you get more room for your keyboard and mouse. You also get a folding arm-sort of a mechanism on the back that lets you hang your headphones off of it, freeing up more desk space.

At the back you get a you get some RGB lighting on the back, but don’t expect it to go very bright. When you have the lights in your room turned all the way up, we’re pretty sure you won’t get any ambient lighting. Still, it’s a cool feature to have.

As for the materials used in the construction of the monitor itself, you mainly get to see hard plastic for the outer case. Having said that it is pretty well behind and has a very solid feel — there is no flimsiness or creaking sound as you try to move this behemoth around. Considering what the VX3219 2K PRO costs, I would say the construction is pretty solid.

In line with most other monitors that are going for that premium look and feel, the VX3219 2K PRO, has very thin bezels on the top and the sides. The bottom shin is slightly thicker, but still pretty slim compared to what we have seen from others.

As always with ViewSonic though, a major drawback would be in the OSD (On-Screen Display) buttons. They are located at the bottom. Although they are pretty easy to reach when you’re facing the display, they feel stiff and are facing downwards. Moreover, they are not labelled clearly which means you will need some time to get used to them. Buttons anyway are a very cheap way to go about it, and I would prefer a joystick at the rear panel over buttons any day

ViewSonic VX3219 2K PRO Gaming Monitor Review: Inputs
The ViewSonic VX3219 2K PRO offers a plethora of connectivity options It’s equipped with two HDMI 2.0 ports, one DisplayPort 1.4, along with a 3.5mm audio jack. You also get your power connector on the same side of the ports.

However, at this price point, we would expect the ViewSonic VX3219 2K PRO to have a couple of USB-A ports. It would have been great if it had one or two USB-C ports that supported power delivery as well, but alas, we have none of those.

This becomes even more frustrating when you consider that other gaming monitors at this price point, and some that are slightly smaller but cheaper as well, also give users this option.

You also don’t get any built-in speakers, which, in my opinion, is fine but only if you consider the price. Normally, 32-inch monitors that claim to be designed for gaming but are slightly more expensive, do come with a set of speakers, Mind you though, these speakers don’t really offer much when it comes to sound quality.

ViewSonic VX3219 2K PRO Gaming Monitor Review: Performance
This is where things get interesting. The ViewSonic VX3219 2K PRO monitor boasts a pretty massive 32-inch IPS panel with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels, operating at a refresh rate of 165 Hz, and offering 250 nits of brightness. It also has an impressive response time of 0.43ms.

As a result, gaming on this monitor is a delight. The rapid response time, aided by MPRT (Moving Picture Response Time), along with the high refresh rate of 165 Hz, ensures that you have a blast when playing fast-paced action like F1 2023, PUBG, and CoD Warzone. And because the display is so big, get a truly immersive experience, filling your field of view and keeping you deeply engaged when you sit just a couple of feet away from it, as you would with a monitor.

You also get support for AMD FreeSync Premium which means the monitor delivers a buttery smooth gaming experience with minimal stuttering and no tearing.

As for colour accuracy, the display boasts a wide colour gamut and covers 95 per cent of DCI-P3 and 137 per cent of the sRGB colour space. It also has a Static Contrast Ratio of 1200:1 and support for 16.7 million colours. While our review unit did need some calibration when we took it out of the box, once we made the adjustments, the visual experience was simply brilliant.

You also get support for HDR10 but do note that this monitor doesn’t claim to compete with top-tier premium monitors, so you may want to temper your expectations with HDR content. This isn’t an OLED panel so you obviously don’t get that crushing, deep and inky blacks that make HDR content really pop out.

Having said that, unless you are a content creator or are coming from an OLED monitor, for the average user, the VX2728J-2K delivers pretty vibrant colours, has solid brightness, and has a great resolution.

I was expecting to see some issues with pixel density, and perceived resolution in using a 2K, 32-inch panel, sitting just two feet away from it, but somehow, it works. It also works really well if you hook it up with a console and use it as a TV, although, you don’t get a remote for that.

The inclusion of MPRT technology, with a sub-1 ms response time, enhances pixel response and reduces motion blur, though its effectiveness may vary depending on individual sensitivity to strobing. Also, in some scenes of Oppenheimer, we did notice some backlight bleeding.

As for the OSD menu, there have been some improvements by ViewSonic, but, it still needs so work. Regardless, it is much easier to navigate now, barring the unlabeled buttons that we get at the bottom edge of the front lip. ViewSonic can easily replace it with a joystick if they want to, which I’m pretty sure their users would love.

ViewSonic VX3219 2K PRO Gaming Monitor Review: Verdict
The last ViewSonic monitor that I reviewed was the Omni VX2728J, another gaming monitor that was pretty solid, albeit with a few issues of its own. The VX3219 2K PRO just bundles up most of those issues and knocks it out of the park. Is it perfect in any way? No. Will it give you a lot of reasons to complain, or regret buying it, should you choose to go for one? Absolutely not, especially when you consider that you can pick the VX3219 2K PRO for much lower than what ViewSonic is officially asking for it.

While the ViewSonic VX3219 2K PRO may not be loaded with features, it delivers one of the best gaming experiences available under Rs 25,000, which for a 32-inch monitor, might just be the bargain of the century. With a 165Hz refresh rate and a pretty vivid and lively display that is also very expansive and therefore, immersive display, it manages to stand out.

We only wish that ViewSonic reworks on one of their design choices — they seriously need to consider ditching those buttons and instead use a joystick to navigate the OSD menu. And, if you’re going to charge more than Rs 15,000 for a monitor in 2024, you need to include a USB-A hub or at least a single USB-port. Again, a USB-C would be ideal but let’s not get greedy here.

All in all, the ViewSonic VX3219 2K PRO is indeed a rather impressive performer and one that we would wholeheartedly recommend if you’re able to find it for under Rs 25,000.