HP Omen 32 OLED 4K 240 Hz gaming monitor review: Speedy, colorful, precise, and flexible

One of the happy trends in the evolution of gaming monitors has been their improved picture quality and color accuracy. Ten years ago, I often qualified their image fidelity with the tag “for a gaming monitor.” I didn’t usually see one that could match a professional display for low grayscale, gamma, and color errors.

These days, it’s hard to find a gaming screen that even needs calibration. Many look great right out of the box and can only be minimally improved with instrumented adjustments. But they aren’t fully professional, either. For professional status, you need composition markers for film production, multiple color modes that match industry standards, and quick calibration using integrated tools.

HP seeks to upend the norm with its new Omen 32 OLED. It is two displays in one with the software and capability to match. On one side, it’s a 4K 240 Hz screen with Adaptive-Sync, HDR, and Quantum Dot color. With a simple OSD switch, it becomes a pro monitor with selectable color gamuts, markers, HDR adjustments and available calibration software that makes keeping it to spec a snap. Let’s take a look.

HP Omen 32 OLED Specs

Starting with the Omen 32 OLED’s gaming cred, it is one of a small group of high-end panels that combines the best of everything: 4K 3840x2160 resolution, Quantum Dot color, 240 Hz, Adaptive-Sync and HDR10 with a VESA DisplayHDR 400 certification. It delivers the same perfect motion resolution as any fast OLED while being certified by AMD and Nvidia for FreeSync and G-Sync, respectively. It also has the expected group of gaming aids, including crosshairs, timers, and frame counters. LED lighting graces the back so it looks the part as much as it delivers great game performance.

On the professional side, it includes a factory calibration for all gamuts from sRGB to BT.2020. Once you switch the OSD to Professional mode, you just pick the desired gamut, and it defaults to industry specs for grayscale and gamma. Calibration can be accomplished using HP’s Display Center which is a free download. It is very powerful, and it not only maintains the Omen 32 OLED’s built-in modes but also allows the user to create up to three additional memories. You can even create a BT.601 color space for the creation and restoration of standard definition content. If you remember 480p and 480i, you’ll know what I’m talking about.

The Omen 32 OLED doesn’t stop at software features. It also has one of the most powerful KVM and multi-source menus I’ve yet seen. There is a plethora of USB ports, type C and type A, along with the ability to bind them to the four video inputs, DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.1, and USB-C. You can do that along with the PIP and PBP functions to extend or mirror another screen from a laptop or tablet using another free app called Omen Gear Switch.

The Omen 32 OLED is priced at the premium level for $1,300 at this writing. While that isn’t a small sum, you are essentially getting two monitors here. One is a premium gaming screen with top-level performance, and the other is a fully realized professional display that is qualified for critical applications in video and graphic production.

Assembly and Accessories

The Omen 32 OLED comes packed in engineered cardboard rather than crumbly foam. It’s well protected and the entire carton is recyclable. The first thing I extracted was its enormous power supply brick. It’s the largest one I’ve yet seen. HP’s reasoning is that it is needed to support the USB hub’s 140-watt capability and the plethora of other ports that are included. It is accompanied by very thick cords which all work to manage heat and keep it out of the screen’s housing. They’re long enough that you can put the brick on the floor. Also in the box are two USB cables plus wires for HDMI and DisplayPort. The base seems a bit small for the task, but it is heavy, and the panel is lighter than most OLEDs, thanks to the external power supply. Once the captive bolt is tightened forming the stand, the screen snaps on.

Product 360

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The Omen 32 OLED’s styling doesn’t have a look-at-me vibe but stands out with a white back piece and rear-facing inputs. Rather than a thin screen and a component bulge, it looks more like a traditional LCD. Only its shiny front layer suggests something different. It doesn’t pick up too many reflections, but you should avoid sunny windows and bright overhead lights. The Omen logo can be seen on the front bezel and the back, presented in screened-on lettering.

In the back, you can see a central black rectangle that hides the 100mm VESA mount under a flush cover. An LED ring surrounds it, which can display any color of the rainbow and cycle through multiple effects. The controls consist of a joystick, power toggle and KVM key.

The stand is relatively solid, but the attachment point is a little small, which introduces some wobble. Luckily, the panel isn’t too heavy. Ergonomics include 5/20 degrees tilt, 90-degree portrait mode and a four-inch height adjustment. Movements are firm and confident. There’s no swivel action, but the base has felt feet to easily slide on the desktop when turning the monitor.

Inputs face rearwards and boast an extensive array. You get two HDMI 2.1, one DisplayPort 1.4, and one USB-C for video. Peripherals and KVM can utilize two additional USB-Cs and three USB-As, all version 3.2. Headphones get a 3.5mm jack and there are a pair of good speakers built in that include a selection of sound modes for different sonic environments. Speaking of headphones, there’s a little divot on the panel’s top left edge that accepts an included white magnetic hook from which to hang your favorite cans.

OSD Features

The Omen 32 OLED literally reinvents the computer monitor OSD. It’s unlike anything I’ve seen before and once I got the hang, it made a lot of sense. It’s very large and easily read from a distance which makes me wonder why no remote was included. Pressing the joystick brings it up.

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The OSD starts with a small quick menu with the Professional and Gaming switch at the top, followed by picture modes, brightness and tools appropriate to the selected mode. Professional and Gaming each have a unique set of image presets. Gaming caters to different game types, while Professional offers the most commonly used gamuts, sRGB, Rec.709, Adobe RGB, DCI-P3 and BT.2020.

Keep clicking downward and you’ll open the full menu with sub-screens arrayed across the top and options shown below. It’s very intuitive and easy to find what you need. Gaming options are complete with Adaptive-Sync toggle, frame rate counter, aiming points and timers.

The Picture menu includes eight game image presets. Native is the go-to for full color and an accurate image. Every mode can be tweaked using Downstream RGB Adjust, which has gain and bias sliders. The Lighting screen lets you play with the LEDs in back, which can be any color you desire. They can be static, breathing, random or cycling.

The input selector does much more than change inputs. It’s also the KVM center and PIP/PBP control. You can have many combinations of input, USB port and screen arrangement. This can also be controlled by HP’s Gear Switch app. It’s the most powerful KVM and screen management feature I’ve yet seen.

In the Audio menu are four sound modes which sound distinctly different. I liked DTS Video for its healthy bass boost. The internal speakers are better than most, but you’ll get the most benefit from a good pair of headphones. If you’re concerned about OLED burn-in, there are protection features that detect letterbox bars, dim the screen and save the panel from persistent logos and status bars. You can also run a refresh routine automatically every 16 hours or more often manually if you wish.

In the Professional menu, the look changes to one of function. There are five picture modes, and you can view the preset information, gamma, grayscale and gamut coordinates for each one. Like the Gaming side, you can tweak each mode’s grayscale using the RGB gain and bias sliders. HDR gets extra attention with three different clipping levels. This controls how aggressively the variable brightness is in HDR mode. You can also activate content markers, which aid in video production. They are enhanced by selectable aspect ratios and a center cross icon.

All settings are mode independent which means changes made to one mode won’t affect another. This makes the Omen 32 OLED supremely flexible, and you can set it up for any task, work or play, with ease.

HP Display Center

The Omen 32 OLED includes easy calibration by way of HP’s Display Center app which is a free download. It supports many different color meters and can be used to maintain the included presets and create additional ones to the user’s preference. It also can calibrate HDR, which is something most monitors lack. The app mimics all functions of the OSD as well.

Calibrating is very easy. You just create the parameters you want, hang the meter and click go. The patterns are automated and generated for you, so no additional video source is needed. A full session takes 8-10 minutes and can be run on a schedule if you like.

HP Omen 32 OLED Calibration Settings

The Omen 32 OLED doesn’t need calibration in any of its Professional modes, or in the Gaming Native mode which I used for testing. There are no gamma presets in the OSD, but you can tweak grayscale using RGB gain and bias sliders. They are extremely precise, with 1,023 steps of adjustment. If you want to change gamma, the Display Center app can do that for you. To change the gamut using the OSD, pick the appropriate mode in the Professional menu. HDR also includes RGB gain and bias sliders along with three different clipping points. For the most impactful and brightest HDR, choose 1,000 nits. My SDR settings are below. No changes were needed in HDR mode.

Gaming and Hands-on

The Omen 32 OLED is an incredibly flexible and versatile display. As a gaming monitor, it is awesome in the way all premium OLEDs are. The picture is stunning, with deep contrast and vivid color. It’s nice and bright in SDR mode, though I occasionally missed the variable brightness option in graphics-heavy games like Tomb Raider. The rich color helped a lot there. HDR games are really enhanced by the 1,000-nit peak option. I noted that it is always set to that in Gaming mode. If you want a lower peak of 400 or 250 nits, that can be chosen in Professional mode.

Motion processing is as good as it gets and the higher the frame rate, the better. I could sustain 240fps at 4K resolution with Doom Eternal set to max detail. My GeForce RTX 4090 helped there. If you’re going to game at 3840x2160, you should get the fastest video card you can afford.

Motion processing was visually perfect in every respect. Adaptive-Sync worked without issue. There were no artifacts like phasing or stuttering. Granted, you don’t need a $1,300 monitor to achieve this. Any 240 Hz OLED will give you the same feel. The Omen 32 OLED has the lowest input lag in its class. You can check out the test results on the next page to see.

Where the Omen 32 OLED really delivers is versatility. Though its color is spot-on in Gaming mode, it is also ready for critical applications in professional mode. You can choose any gamut you like for video or photography creation from Rec.709 and sRGB to DCI-P3 and BT.2020. Adding HP’s free Display Center app to the toolkit takes the Omen 32 OLED to another level. Calibration is a 10-minute affair that you can run while going out for a snack. I could tweak any of the preset modes or create up to three additional presets. And the Omen 32 OLED is the only monitor I’m aware of that can reproduce BT.601. Granted, this color space is old tech. But if you are remastering an old TV show, you’ll need that gamut. The inclusion of composition marks is cool too. That makes the Omen 32 OLED suitable for on-site production as a tethered display.

I played a bit with the KVM feature and found it extremely powerful. The Omen 32 OLED has a ton of USB ports and coupled with its four video inputs and useful PIP/PBP options, it can serve as an anchor for a multi-system setup that includes a laptop and/or gaming console. It’s easy to set up in the OSD or using HP’s Gear Switch app.

Physically, it’s a professional and premium monitor in every respect. The stand and panel are rugged and relatively light in weight. Moving the substantial power supply to an external brick makes sense from a bulk and heat management standpoint. Yes, it’s big and heavy. But the cables are long enough so you can put it on the floor. The only convenience that could be added here is a handheld remote. The OSD is perfectly suited for distant viewing.

Takeaway: The Omen 32 OLED is a supremely capable, accurate, flexible and versatile display. It’s one of the best gaming monitors you can buy. And it’s one of the best professional monitors you can buy. Though it is expensive, it’s a bargain when you view it as two monitors in one. Coupled with the extremely powerful KVM feature, it’s hard to imagine anything it could not do well.

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