iiyama G-Master GCB3280QSU-B1 31.5in Monitor Review

Rating: 9.0.

Large curved monitors used to be at a considerable premium, but the iiyama G-Master GCB3280QSU-B1 costs less than £300 for a 31.5in panel and 2,560 x 1,440 resolution. It even offers a maximum refresh of 165Hz, which used to be an expensive feature too, and this comes with AMD FreeSync Premium. So at a first glance this is a very promising gaming screen for the money. Could there be a catch? Is there something important missing? 

This is a bit of a contrast considering that the company made its name with premium professional displays. The G-Master GCB3280QSU-B1 is part of iiyama's Red Eagle range. It's based on VA panel technology, so offers a considerable 3,000:1 contrast ratio. But the brightness level is relatively modest at 350cd/m2. The quoted pixel response is just 0.2ms, but that's MPRT not grey-to-grey. There is no mention of a gamut specification, however. The FreeSync Premium capability is the middle of AMD's adaptive sync levels, offering at least 120Hz vertical refresh at a minimum of Full HD, support for low framerate compensation, and low latency.

There is a decent selection of video inputs on the G-Master GCB3280QSU-B1, including DisplayPort, and two HDMI. There's a USB Type B input with two Type A outputs, plus an analog headphone jack and built-in stereo speakers.

Ergonomic adjustment includes height alteration, swivelling, tilting, and pivoting into portrait orientation. With some gaming-specific presets in the OSD, there's a lot to like in the G-Master GCB3280QSU-B1. Let's find out if it lives up to our expectations.

Specification:

• Screen size: 31.5-inch, 16:9 aspect
• Native resolution: 2,560 x 1,440
• Curvature: 1500R
• Refresh rate: 165Hz
• Panel type: VA
• Contrast ratio: 3,000:1 (typical)
• Brightness: 350cd/m2
• Response time: 0.2ms MPRT
• Display inputs: HDMI x 2, DisplayPort x 1
• USB hub: Yes, Type B input, 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 outputs
• Tilt: 5 degrees forward, 23 degrees backward
• Raise: 150mm
• Swivel: 45 degrees left or right
• Portrait: Yes
• Other: Audio output minijack, 2 x 2W stereo speakers

Retail Price: £298.99 (inc. VAT)

Become a Patron!