Asus and LG enter 6K – new monitors with Thunderbolt 4 and 5!

Calendar 8/27/2025

Asus PA32QCV and LG 32U990A – new 6K monitors. Thunderbolt 4 or 5, matte screens and 98% DCI-P3. Perfect for work, but you won’t find real HDR here.

The monitor market is becoming increasingly interesting. Asus and LG are showcasing their new 6K designs – and these are not ordinary screens. Asus PA32QCV is already available for about 1300 USD, and LG 32U990A will be released in September, priced at approximately 1500 euros. Both have IPS LCD panels and are 32 inches, but… this is not the same panel at all.

Two different 6K – seemingly the same, yet not

LG offers a resolution of 6144×3456, while Asus provides 6016×3384. This is because there are two different 6K panels on the market, and each manufacturer has opted for a different one. Asus boasts a contrast ratio of 3000:1, while LG with Nano IPS typically stops at 2000:1.

Both monitors operate at 60 Hz, cover 98% DCI-P3, and feature a matte coating. Perfect for work, but not necessarily for everything.

Thunderbolt – 4 vs 5

Here it gets interesting. Asus is betting on Thunderbolt 4, while LG is making history as the first monitor with Thunderbolt 5. This means three times the bandwidth compared to the previous version – with one cable, it will handle both data and video.

It's just a shame that LG went a bit overboard with the renders at CES – the thin bezels in the graphics were highly exaggerated. In reality, the monitor has quite noticeable borders.

HDR? Probably not…

And here we get to the point. Neither Asus nor LG have miniLED or LED local dimming, so don’t expect true HDR. The DisplayHDR 600 certification is marketing, not actual experience. In this respect, both models are more reminiscent of the Dell 6K than the Apple Pro Display XDR.

If someone is looking for authentic HDR for photos or videos – they will have to wait longer. And if the priority is HDR in games and movies, it’s better to look towards QD-OLED and WOLED monitors. The effect there is incomparably better, though they are not perfectly suited for graphics.

In short: Asus and LG finally give us alternatives in the world of 6K monitors, but if you’re counting on a “wow” effect in HDR – it’s not that moment yet.

Katarzyna Petru Avatar
Katarzyna Petru

Journalist, reviewer, and columnist for the "ChooseTV" portal