Oftentimes monitor manufacturers look to set each product apart from the rest of their range or indeed from competitors by going all out on a single feature. More often than not, this would be the refresh rate as per the Philips Evnia 27M2N8500 monitor, but it could also be related to the resolution, response time, or ergonomics.
The 32M2C5501 that I have before me bucks this trend in that it’s one of the best all-rounders I’ve seen in a long time. In every area of monitor specs that you look at, this offering packs a punch that results in a great viewing experience for gamers and creatives. It could well put it on our list of the best curved monitors.
It boasts a curved display, a 180 Hz refresh rate, a 0.5ms MPRT with Smart MBR feature, and HDR10 for visually impressive pictures. Gamers are guaranteed to get immersed in the action as the monitor wraps itself around you during gameplay.
The 32-inch size means the curve is not too big and will fit on most modest-sized desks. If you’d like something a little more manageable then there is also a 27-inch in the range with similar specs.
Height adjustment: 130 mm, Swivel-/+ 30 degree, Tilt-5/20 degree
Dimensions:
709 x 593 x 311 mm with stand
Weight:
8.17kg
Design and build
(Image credit: Future)
The first thing to know about the design of this monitor is that it’s curved. It’s not a particularly profound curve and across 32 inches, you’d be forgiven for wondering whether it’s worth being curved rather than flat. I was sceptical to start with, but it proved to be just the right amount to draw me in and immerse me in my game or creative work. Some monitors feel the need to push the curb further or even make the curve adjustable by the user, but that’s not the case with the Evnia 32M2C5501.
The display itself is QHD resolution, which gives you 2560×1440 pixels to enjoy. At 32 inches, I was hoping for a 4K resolution that might set it apart from its smaller 27-inch brother. The display is framed with a super thin white strip around three edges and a much larger strip along the bottom.
Evnia seems to increase the height of the bottom strip as their monitors increase in size but I’d much rather see a slimline design ethos that puts all the focus on the display itself. Considering this is designed to be an immersive monitor I would have expected to have seen a more minimalist approach.
The display is supported by a robust and well-built bracket and stand that looks as good as the monitor itself. It also adopts the same speckled composite material that is found on the Evnia 32M2C5501.
The electronics of the display are self-contained neatly within a beautifully curved and discreet panel at the rear. This panel is broken up into a series of geometric squares, although I would’ve preferred for it to have been smooth. This panel also houses a limited number of ports, although you do have both a HDMI and DisplayPort to choose from.
Ergonomics including tilt, swivel and height are about a standard as on any monitor of this type. It won’t transition into a portrait monitor which some creatives might like, but as this is primarily a gaming monitor, it would be pretty null and void.
All in, this is a well-designed monitor that will look great on any desk. I wonder if the white and grey material choices appeal more to creatives than gamers, but maybe this provides a perfect hybrid option for those working creatively during the day and gaming for fun at night.
Features and performance
(Image credit: Future)
Despite being a relatively affordable gaming monitor, the 32M2C5501 performs amazingly. Gamers care about great visuals that display in super quick time. The images are impressive. Thanks to its QHD resolution, pixel density, and high dynamic range technology, this monitor has everything required to make games look as unbelievable as the creators intended. I can tell you: you will not be disappointed by the quality.
HDR technology means that whites and blacks at both extremes of the colour spectrum are properly replicated, as well as all colours in between. This leads to greater brightness, vibrant contrast, and an overall feeling of greater depth. All of this contributes towards being drawn into the game.
This is not to say that creatives will not be equally pleased. The 32-inch size and QHD resolution make whatever you’re working on, pop off the screen. Whether that be video editing, photo editing, or working on your latest 3D project you can be guaranteed to get great visual output.
These amazing visuals are served up in super quick time thanks to the 180 Hz refresh rate, 0.5ms Smart MBR, and low input lag. I noticed no problems with lag, missing images, or slowdowns that might otherwise have hindered and ruined my experience. In my tests, there was nothing by smooth and seamless images presented on the beautifully curved screen.
The only other thing to note about this monitor is that it is a fast VA panel. This means it’s ideally suited to delivering sharp imagery at high frame rates. Why should you care about this? Because it makes blurry gaming a thing of the past. Yes please.
There’s very little not to love about the performance of the Evnia 32M2C5501. If I was being picky then I might have liked more ports with throughput power, essentially turning the monitor into a docking station, but at this budget price, I’m probably expecting too much.
Price
(Image credit: Future)
The Philips Evnia 32M2C5501 monitor delivers almost everything gamers could ever want and all for a relatively affordable price of £259.99. You will struggle to get a more impressive monitor for much less. If you’d like to save a little bit of money and are happy losing some screen real estate, then you could opt for the 27M2C5501 which has a very similar spec.
