TechRadar Verdict
The Lenovo Legion Y32P-30 gaming monitor does a lot of things really well, from its sharp 4K resolution at a relatively speedy 144Hz refresh rate to the inclusion of a USB-C port, KVM switching, and PiP/PBP features. Those last few inclusions make using this model almost as ideal for productivity as it is for gaming. The only real drawbacks are the price and underwhelming speakers.
Good looking 4K resolution at 144Hz refresh rate
Feature-rich including PiP/PBP and KVM
Plenty of ports including USB-C
A bit on the expensive side
Thin-sounding speakers
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Lenovo Legion Y32P-30: Two-minute review
Let’s get one thing out of the way – theLenovoLegion Y32P-30 is expensive. There’s really not much to complain about this monitor, unless you need a much higher refresh rate, a larger screen, or a more impressiveHDR. This model makes for a great gaming monitor and is just as great for productivity. But, you have to pay quite a bit to get it.
Many, but not all, of thebest 4K monitorsare at least a couple hundred dollars/pounds cheaper. You don’t have to drop that kind of money to get one of thebest gaming monitors. That said, getting a 32-inch4Kmonitor with a 144Hz refresh rate right now is not a cheap proposition. For example, theCorsair Xeneon 32UHD144, which shares a lot of the same specs including decent but not great HDR as well as size, resolution, and refresh rate, almost hits that painful $1,000 / £1,000 mark.
So, if you can swallow the fact that you’ll be dropping quite a bit of hard-earned cash on a display like this, then you’re in for a visual treat. Just be aware that you’ll want to spend a little more for your audio, whether that’s investing in a headset or some external computer speakers, as the built-in speakers are mediocre at best.
Luckily, there’s much more happening with the Lenovo Legion Y32P-30 gaming monitor than the fact that it comes with speakers. To start, it comes with a fairly compact base that doesn’t require a lot of desk space. And, though rudimentary, the stand has built-in cable management to keep a clean-looking desk.
More interestingly, the panel is pretty thin with similarly tiny “near edgeless” bezels. There’s also a decent amount of articulation available, particularly the ability to swivel 30 degrees in either direction, tilt down 5 and up 22 degrees, and adjust the height by a total of 5.3 inches.
For just a little bit of flair, the Lenovo Legion Y32P-30 comes with some RGB lighting. Unlike what I’ve seen on other monitors, it’s more than decoration. Billed as “smart” RGB lighting, it will do things like pulse when a source is turned on or off and change color when switching inputs.
While that’s a nice feature and adds some nice ambiance during use, what I appreciate much more is the port selection. Next-gen console users will especially appreciate the two HDMI 2.1 ports that let you play your Playstation 5 in 4K at 120Hz as well as take advantage of HDR. Likewise, anyUltrabookuser looking to also get some work done will love the fact that the Lenovo Legion Y32P-30 comes with a USB-C port complete with up to 75W power delivery, more than enough to keep my 2020 MacBook Pro charged.
There are some features hardcore gamers may not care about but multi-source users like me will, specifically the inclusion of PiP / PBP and KVM via the included USB hub. PiP (Picture-in-Picture) and PBP (Picture-by-Picture) work as expected and are great if you need to see two sources at the same time.
However, the KVM is more important. You can plug a keyboard and mouse into the USB hub and use it with both your USB-C source and one other source. Unfortunately, since you have to connect the single USB upstream port to whichever other HDMI or DisplayPort source you want to use, you can only use KVM between two sources. And, one of them has to be connected via USB-C. So, if you plan on going between two sources, you’ll probably need a standalone KVM switch.
With or without the KVM, the Lenovo Legion Y32P-30 is a pleasure to use. Its 31.5-inch IPS panel affords you plenty of screen real estate, particularly when running it at its native 4K resolution. Images are crisp, whether gaming, watching a movie, or just doing some work, thanks to its almost 140 PPI pixel density. In fact, it’s almost too much screen. Any bigger and I would need some curvature to see the whole thing.
Add in a speedy refresh rate of 144Hz and 0.2ms response time, and anything you’re doing is going to look very smooth. Not quite the level of those super-fast refresh rate monitors we’ve reviewed recently, but fast enough to where you won’t notice any ghosting or latency. Only the most competitive gamers might have an issue here. As I’ve noticed with high-refresh rate monitors like theAlienware AW2524H, beyond a certain point, you feel the difference more than you see it.
For me at least, this is more than fast enough. My gaming experience is just as immersive as displays with faster refresh rates, regardless of whether I’m running around the maintenance sector ofControlor avoiding getting killed (again) by a tank inBattlefield 2042.
Add to that the Lenovo Legion Y32P-30’s color coverage and accuracy as well as HDR and gaming sessions come alive with vibrancy. Specifically, this monitor covers 112% sRGB and 90% DCI-P3 with a 10-bit color depth. It also comes pre-calibrated from the factory with a delta E<2.
As far as HDR goes, you’re getting Vesa Certified HDR400. This is leagues better than the monitors that purport HDR support or HDR10 as you don’t get that washed-out look when turning HDR on. But, it’s the most entry-level option of the Vesa Certified options, meaning that you’ll get some better contrast, especially in dark areas of the screen. However, turning it on is not going to blow you away.
Lastly, a quick note about the speakers. I would rather they not be included and have the price be $50 / £50 lower as they’re incredibly thin sounding and not really worth including. Now, they’re nice to have if you’re setting up and don’t have speakers on hand. But, get yourself a pair of speakers or a decent headset as soon as you recover from the hole the Lenovo Legion y32P-30 has left in your wallet.
Lenovo Legion Y32P-30: Price & availability
First off, readers in Oceania will have to wait or go for something else as the Lenovo Legion Y32P-30 isn’t available there. For those in the US and UK, while this display is available to you, you will have to drop a cool $749.99 / £799.99 / about AU$1147.34 to get it. That’s not cheap.
Of course, what you get, it’s not a surprising price tag. For instance, theCorsair Xeneon 32UHD144will set you back an even higher $999 / about £900 / AU$1,450 for a similarly sized monitor with the same refresh rate, resolution, and ports with its only real advantage is a slightly better HDR.
If you can sacrifice either the higher refresh rate or resolution, you can save yourself a lot of money. For example, theAsus TUF Gaming VG289Qmight be a little long in the tooth these days, but it still comes with a sharp 4K resolution. You just have to live with a 60Hz refresh rate, which is still great for anyone not doing competitive gaming. And, it will cost you just $329 (about £250, AU$460) to get one.
Or, if you care more about the refresh rate, theAOC CU34G2Xmight be the way to go. For just $315 / around £280 / AU$500, you get a 144Hz refresh rate and a still sharp 1440p resolution.
Lenovo Legion Y32P-30: Specs
Should you buy the Lenovo Legion Y32P-30?
Buy it if…
You want a fantastic 4K monitor with a speedy refresh rate
You’ll have to pay for it, but this monitor’s 4K resolution at 144Hz is an ideal combination of crystal-clear image quality and speed.
You also use an Ultrabook
Not all gaming displays can accommodate switching between a gaming computer and an Ultrabook. With USB-C and KVM, not to mention PiP / PBP, the Lenovo Legion Y32P-30 is the monitor version of business in the front, party in the back.
Don’t buy it if…
You’re on a budget
This is not a cheap monitor. So, if you’re on a budget, you should consider sacrificing either on resolution or refresh rate for something that will get you most of the way there while clocking in at half the price.
You need a higher refresh rate
At 144Hz, I find this monitor to cover all my needs. However, competitive gamers may find something with 240Hz or above to be more their speed.
Lenovo Legion Y32P-30: Also consider
AOC CU34G2X
You’re not going to get quite as good of an image with the AOC CU34G2X, but it still comes with a respectable 1440p resolution. More importantly, for a pretty low price, you’re still getting some speedy performance with a 1ms response time and 144Hz refresh rate.
Read our fullAOC CU34G2X review
Corsair Xeneon 32UHD144
This might be an expensive monitor, but it’s an excellent performer with a 4K resolution, 144Hz refresh rate, and Vesa Certified HDR600. It also has excellent color coverage, making this gaming monitor great for all-around use.
Read our fullCorsair Xeneon 32UHD144 review
How I tested the Lenovo Legion Y32P-30
To test the Lenovo Legion Y32P-30 Gaming Monitor, I spent a week with it, playing all sorts of games from fast-paced titles likeBattlefield 2042to more graphically intense single-player titles likeControlandFar Cry 6.
While testing, I spent plenty of time checking for ghosting, screen-tearing, and latency while also toggling HDR to see what effect it had. I also checked out the various features included to see how they worked, particularly the KVM feature. For this review, I used two computers. One had anNvidiaGeForce RTX 4090 while the other had an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060.
Having spent the last few years reviewing tech gear for gaming and otherwise, I’ve gotten a feel for what to look for and how to put a piece of kit through its paces to see whether it’s worth the recommendation. And, I’ve spent even longer playing computer games so I have an understanding of what gamers look for to get the most out of their titles.
Read more about how we test
First reviewed May 2023
James Holland loves checking out gadgets of all sorts, whether it’s audio equipment, laptops, or vacuums (especially of the robot variety), and does so for a number of Future Publications including TechRadar, Top Ten Reviews, Homes & Gardens, and T3. He’s built up an expertise for in-depth reviewing over the last four years. When he’s not putting in the work on the latest tech, he loves to travel, play music, and eat questionable food.
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