The Lenovo Legion Y32p-30 offers premium-grade performance and design for gamers who want the best equipment for the money. It’s a 4K 144Hz IPS monitor, which, we realized, sounds vanilla now, but it has a few characteristics that we think place it at a higher tier. It is challenging to rate a $750 MSRP gaming monitor when there are competitors for almost half the price, but let us take a closer look to elucidate the differences and similarities.
Lenovo Legion Y32p-30 Specifications
- Screen Size: 32 Inches
- Resolution:3840 x 2160 UHD
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Panel Technology: In-Plane Switching (IPS)
- Refresh Rate: 144Hz
- Response Time: .2ms
- Contrast Ratio: 1000:1
- Brightness: 400 cd/m2
- Built-in Speakers: None
- Stand: Height – Yes
- Stand: Tilt – Yes
- Stand: Swivel – Yes
- Stand: Pivot– No
- VESA Compatibility: Yes (100 x 100)
- Connectivity: DisplayPort 1.4 DSC x 1, HDMI 2.1 x 2, USB-C PD75W x 1, USB-C PD15W x 1, USB 3.2 x 3, 3.5mm Jack x 1
- Dimensions With Stand (WxHxD): 28.15″ x 23.58″ x 11.75″
- Weight: 20.92 lbs
Design and Features
The Lenovo Legion Y32p-30’s aesthetic closely resembles the newer R45w-30, so it looks more sophisticated than the older version. It has a matte black finish and a gunmetal base, plus an RGB LED strip along the bottom bezel. The massive screen is bezel-free on three sides, but it still has a thicker bottom strip and inner borders.
The package is pretty straight forward, so opening that clamshell box shouldn’t be a pain for anyone. The device comes disassembled into three pieces, but putting it together is tool-free so you shouldn’t have any trouble. We recommend building the base and stand first then attaching it to the main chassis before taking it out of the box since its quite heavy for a standard wide screen.
You will find a cable for DisplayPort, HDMI 2.1, and USB-A to USB-B upstream in the package. The monitor has USB-C, but the sample we received did not have a wire for it. Be careful of buying USB-C cables since a lot of them are only meant for charging so they won’t be capable of data or video signal transfers.
The device is larger than your typical monitor, but its giant base makes it even more so. The base’s “architecturesque” design looks great, but there is some functionality to it since the center chord was intended to hold your phone while you game. It needs almost a foot of depth and it weighs over 20 pounds, so some consideration might be necessary before buying it.
Its build quality will also not disappoint since its directly comparable with the brand’s upscale ThinkVision monitors. The plastics used are thick and sturdy, and there were no signs of cosmetic defects on any of its parts. The stand is very stable thanks to its massive base and thick neck, but the heavy screen can still wobble if you nudge it with enough force.
The Lenovo Legion Y32p-30 comes with a distinct blue joystick at the back near the right-side edge of the screen. It also comes with shortcut keys and a pill-shaped power button so you won’t mistake it for anything else. The monitor is also compatible with Lenovo Artery which lends some convenience, although the version we downloaded did not work with this particular model’s RGB lighting.
The included stand offers tilt, swivel, and height adjustments to make comfortable viewing possible all the time. Pivoting wasn’t included since it doesn’t make sense to use a monitor like this in portrait mode. You can use VESA mounts, but that’s only necessary if you want to save space.
The truss-shaped base is also featured on this model, so get ready to create a lot of room for it before unboxing the whole thing. The middle chord which was designed for phones can hold larger models like the iPhone 15 Pro Max comfortably, so it should be useful for anyone. We like that it doesn’t scream “gamer” although some will have something to say about it because of its unnatural size.
Another aspect we love on the Lenovo Legion Y32p-30 is its prosumer-grade connectivity layout. You get DisplayPort 1.4, two HDMI 2.1 ports, and a 75-Watt USB-C port for laptops like the MacBook Pro. You also get a second 15-watt USB-C port, a USB 3.2 hub, and a 3.5mm jack for your accessories.
It also comes with speakers that can get quite loud, but they are sadly incapable of entertainment-grade audio. The lack of bass and depth are immediately apparent if you use them for movies, but we’re always glad to get more features for the money.
Display and Performance
The Lenovo Legion Y32p-30 boasts a 32-inch IPS panel with a 3840 x 2160 resolution, a 144Hz refresh rate, and a 0.2ms minimum response time. The backlight has a 400 cd/m2 output while the contrast is listed at 1000:1. This model supports HDR 400, but we all know how limited that is when it comes to true HDR performance.
32-inch panels are more ideal for 4K since the looser pixel density is better for legibility and visibility. Scaling isn’t as necessary here as it is on the more common 27-inchers, so reading or seeing that bobbing sniper’s head is less of a challenge. You still have to deal with the GPU requirements, but that’s a given for most who want to dive into 4K gaming.
The Lenovo Legion Y32p-30 did not have any issues running at full power and with Adaptive Sync using either its USB-C or DisplayPort. It did not instantly go to 144Hz when we first powered it up, The OSD is very easy responsive and easy to navigate, so tweaking a simple setting shouldn’t be too difficult even for beginners.
HDMI 2.1 also releases limits set on 4K 120Hz-capable consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X. This model will work great if you have both consoles since it has two slots whereas some models only have one true HDMI 2.1 port. It doesn’t have HDR capabilities you normally find on TVs, but at least the option to run the consoles at their max output is there.
The Lenovo Legion Y32p-30 covers 99% of sRGB and 86% of DCI-P3 for great colors in games and movies. What makes it stand out against the competition is its default accuracy which had a deltaE average of only 0.59. Its substantially better than most prosumer monitors in this regard, including some of the ThinkVision models we tested from the same brand.
Calibrating it with our Calibrite Display Plus improved the dE average to 0.4, making it even better for editing and content creation. However, that’s too small of a difference to justify the purchase of a colorimeter that costs $200 to $300, possibly more. We only recommend doing that if you want to maintain the screen’s accuracy for long term use since it can slowly degrade as time passes.
The monitor’s backlight only managed to produce 340 cd/m2 at 100%, but that isn’t bad for a monitor of this size. Its contrast only managed to reach 997:1 at 24% brightness, indicating that it isn’t capable of deep blacks. That’s natural for most IPS panels, but some models with special implementations like the newer IPS Black modules are better now.
Panel uniformity for the test sample was decent since there were no major abnormalities in each quadrant. The bottom corners had higher variances, but it was not noticeable while watching movies or playing games. Note that this can vary with every monitor made due to tolerances, so there is a chance that you might get one with bad symptoms.
The Lenovo Legion Y32p-30’s pixel response time is the trickiest part since it claims a 0.2ms minimum response time. Its overdrive modes are at level 2 by default, but it doesn’t seem smooth and clear in fast-paced scenes. You need to set it to its Level 3 setting for the best balance between preventing overshoot and minimizing smudges and persistence.
The Lenovo Legion Y32p-30 is not a native G-Sync monitor, but its still compatible with both implementations. Dual compatibility is necessary now so you don’t have to buy a new monitor every time you switch to the other GPU brand and would want to keep VRR. Its input lag sits at 4ms at 144Hz, so its still ideal for competitive play.
Thoughts on the Lenovo Legion Y32p-30
The Lenovo Legion Y32p-30 is a fantastic choice for new E-Sports titles like Modern Warfare 3 and classics like CSGO. Its fast and has very accurate color, so its great for both professional use and enjoyment. We love the business aesthetic and the durability that comes with it, as opposed to the plasticky exteriors other gaming variants use.
The Lenovo Legion Y32p-30 is listed at $750 which makes it more expensive than options like the LG 32GR93U or the Gigabyte M32U. However, It’s currently discounted by around $200, making it the superior choice. Our complaints about it are very minor, so it’s a fantastic buy if you can catch it at the price its at the time of this review.
Pros:
- Fantastic Color Accuracy
- Premium Build Quality
- FreeSync and G-Sync Compatible
- USB-C and HDMI 2.1
Cons:
- Expensive at MSRP
- Low Contrast
About the Author: 
Paolo has been a gaming veteran since the golden days of Doom and Warcraft and has been building gaming systems for family, friends, and colleagues since junior high. High-performance monitors are one of his fixations; he believes that every citizen’s right to enjoy one. He has gone through several pieces of hardware in pursuit of every bit of performance gain, much to the dismay of his wallet. He now works with Monitornerds to scrutinize the latest gear to create reviews that accentuate the seldom explained aspects of a PC monitor.
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