ASUS ProArt PA32UCG initial impressions

After using this monitor for 6 months with both a PC and a MacBook, I finally managed to return it. It was extremely frustrating to discover that such an expensive monitor was so poorly designed and performed so poorly. I cannot comprehend how a monitor at this price point could be so bad
 
The refund posted for mine too. A shame about the quality control. Mine had either an eyelash or black plastic shaving (hard to say) inside the screen. I resolved that by gentle tapping, but then had at least 3 dead pixels and 1 stuck pixel. It also was SLOOOoOOOoW to come back from sleep and occasionally just...wouldn't want to. That and the blooming issues in SDR (and also more up close viewing angle issues than I expected) just killed it for me. Convinced me to go back to a 27" for the time being.
 
I am also having the video signal issue as described in https://hardforum.com/threads/asus-proart-pa32ucg-initial-impressions.2015411/#post-1045258185. I get no video in BIOS settings with PA32UCG most of the time (Windows works fine). If I keep rebooting eventually it will work but very rarely (maybe 1/10 reboots would be successful in detecting video signal). Same problem with both HDMI 2.1 and DP 1.4. The card is 3090 Ti.

The monitor works fine with my previous card (RTX Titan) via DP 1.4. The 3090 Ti also works fine with a different (old) Asus monitor. What a weird situation.

So it looks like some incompatibility between PA32UCG and 30 series...

If anyone has found a fix/workaround to this, please let me know.
 
I am also having the video signal issue as described in https://hardforum.com/threads/asus-proart-pa32ucg-initial-impressions.2015411/#post-1045258185. I get no video in BIOS settings with PA32UCG most of the time (Windows works fine). If I keep rebooting eventually it will work but very rarely (maybe 1/10 reboots would be successful in detecting video signal). Same problem with both HDMI 2.1 and DP 1.4. The card is 3090 Ti.

The monitor works fine with my previous card (RTX Titan) via DP 1.4. The 3090 Ti also works fine with a different (old) Asus monitor. What a weird situation.

So it looks like some incompatibility between PA32UCG and 30 series...

If anyone has found a fix/workaround to this, please let me know.
The incompatibility/sensitivity issue also occurs on 4090, RTX FE and others.


So, in many different configurations, its seems an issue with the monitor firmware. The issue manifests also with the 4090 rtx series.

Findings so far:
The monitor will post almost every time for bios IF the monitor is turned ON right before the bios attempts to look for a monitor. It seems only after the asus screen passes from monitor boot that for 10-12 seconds it seems sensitive enough and provides feedback to card.pc.bios that there is a monitor there.

I have dual 4090s and the issue is the same on no matter which one is selected or what port.

on firmware 1090/209 there is zero improvement on any of these issues. Actually never an improvement.

Anything after firmware 103 seems to bork the fald and the ghosting, on 103 the screen is at its most beautiful and accurate, 104/204 to 109/209 there is worse sensitivity and colors are washed out and there is plenty of ghosting in the fald.


On all tech call requests, Asus tech support does not know anything. It might be a license issue with dolby vision or whatever. DP compression is an issue in windows as blackouts occur for several seconds when doing alt tab. HDMI 2.1 solved the black outs, but not the lack of startup sensitivity.


Best visuals and performance so far is firmware 103.


Jay
 
The incompatibility/sensitivity issue also occurs on 4090, RTX FE and others.


So, in many different configurations, its seems an issue with the monitor firmware. The issue manifests also with the 4090 rtx series.

Findings so far:
The monitor will post almost every time for bios IF the monitor is turned ON right before the bios attempts to look for a monitor. It seems only after the asus screen passes from monitor boot that for 10-12 seconds it seems sensitive enough and provides feedback to card.pc.bios that there is a monitor there.

I have dual 4090s and the issue is the same on no matter which one is selected or what port.

on firmware 1090/209 there is zero improvement on any of these issues. Actually never an improvement.

Anything after firmware 103 seems to bork the fald and the ghosting, on 103 the screen is at its most beautiful and accurate, 104/204 to 109/209 there is worse sensitivity and colors are washed out and there is plenty of ghosting in the fald.


On all tech call requests, Asus tech support does not know anything. It might be a license issue with dolby vision or whatever. DP compression is an issue in windows as blackouts occur for several seconds when doing alt tab. HDMI 2.1 solved the black outs, but not the lack of startup sensitivity.


Best visuals and performance so far is firmware 103.


Jay
The newest firmware update 210 seems to have finally fixed the FALD and ghosting issue for me. I haven't rolled back to 103 since it's initial release, but I was on 208 and the blooming was terrible. There is a significant improvement in blooming and the speed that the local dimming is updating. I'm still having trouble getting my monitor to show up when I try to access the BIOS. To solve the issue, start the monitor before starting the computer, as mentioned before. It's annoying that such an expensive monitor had so many issues, and I'm now waiting for the 2nd gen QD-OLED monitors to come out.
 
The newest firmware update 210 seems to have finally fixed the FALD and ghosting issue for me. I haven't rolled back to 103 since it's initial release, but I was on 208 and the blooming was terrible. There is a significant improvement in blooming and the speed that the local dimming is updating. I'm still having trouble getting my monitor to show up when I try to access the BIOS. To solve the issue, start the monitor before starting the computer, as mentioned before. It's annoying that such an expensive monitor had so many issues, and I'm now waiting for the 2nd gen QD-OLED monitors to come out.
I'm also disappointed by having such an expensive monitor not being great . A lot of very positive reviews and none have mentioned any banding or glowing issues .
On my end I experience a lot of unnatural banding in low exposure in HDR . I tested on other monitors ( far less expensive ) and they don't show anything close in term on banding.
You mentioned 210 firmware but couldn't find it on Asus support page, the latest is 209 . Where did you get it ?
 
I'm also disappointed by having such an expensive monitor not being great . A lot of very positive reviews and none have mentioned any banding or glowing issues .
On my end I experience a lot of unnatural banding in low exposure in HDR . I tested on other monitors ( far less expensive ) and they don't show anything close in term on banding.
You mentioned 210 firmware but couldn't find it on Asus support page, the latest is 209 . Where did you get it ?

They pulled the 210, however it is not an improvement on the 103/203 (also not available). 103 Recommended.

100 series does not have the power restriction / warning of the 200 series (USA due to California)

here are all 4 files sir, flash at your own risk
 

Attachments

  • PA32UCG_MCM103.zip
    2 MB · Views: 0
  • PA32UCG_FW_MCM210_NA.zip
    2.2 MB · Views: 0
  • PA32UCG_FW_MCM110_WW.zip
    2.2 MB · Views: 0
  • PA32UCG_MCM203.zip
    2 MB · Views: 0
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They pulled the 210, however it is not an improvement on the 103/203 (also not available). 103 Recommended.

100 series does not have the power restriction / warning of the 200 series (USA due to California)

here are all 4 files sir, flash at your own risk
Thanks a lot !
 
They pulled the 210, however it is not an improvement on the 103/203 (also not available). 103 Recommended.

100 series does not have the power restriction / warning of the 200 series (USA due to California)

here are all 4 files sir, flash at your own risk

what kind power restriction have 200 series firmware? have you detailed information? because i know there are more restriction in UE about power, for example innocn and ktc miniled cant be directly selled due UE power restrictions, but are ok in USA
 
what kind power restriction have 200 series firmware? have you detailed information? because i know there are more restriction in UE about power, for example innocn and ktc miniled cant be directly selled due UE power restrictions, but are ok in USA



The 200 series defaults to a lower performance SDR and so that "standard" is not as bright, "Deep level" power savings is the default and there is a warning / acknowledgment that comes up after the 2nd or third full power cycle after a firmware update. Again these can be changed regardless of version. But I notice 103 is brighter than 203 for the same settings.

I have seen this behavior in over 14 monitors. The 210 is somewhat better than the 209 and the 110 is better than the 109 in resolving a lot things, but colors are still washed out and there is a lot of glow and ghosting

HOWEVER
Please compare the "standard" of 103 and 109 or 110 (or 203 and 209/210)
you will find a huge difference:
Better colors, not washed out, and very little, NOTICEABLY better / less glow and ghosting



103/203 compared to 109/209

Use some standards for comparison testing:

RESET after firmware update

4k
10 bit
standard
50 brightness
50 saturation
FreeSync ON
Dynamic Dimming ON and set to FAST
Normal Power Mode
and use HDMI 2.1 or Display Port 1.4 DSC

BUT HDMI 2.1 has faster response and less issues in windows, DSC 1.4 DP does not work well.


Hope this helps
 
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