HP’s first “IPS Black” display really stands out with Thunderbolt 4

HP isn’t the first company to offer a display with an IPS Black panel, a technology that doubles the contrast ratio of IPS to deliver richer contrasts and darker blacks. Dell has this distinction. However, the HP Z32K G3 4K 60Hz display stands out with 31.5-inch Thunderbolt 4 support, allowing for 100W charging and fast data transit at 40Gbps, as well as the unique ability to daisy-chain with another 4K display—all through Only one cable is connected to your computer.

It can also act as a good hub, supporting accessories like webcams and a mouse with four USB-A 3.2 ports, and you can connect an Ethernet cable to it. It streams with video inputs, including the aforementioned Thunderbolt 4 Type-C port, an HDMI 2.0 port, and two DisplayPort 1.4 ports (one in, one out for sequential purposes).

The Z32K G3 is designed for creators who need a display with accurate colors above the stunning contrast that IPS Black offers. It claims to support 100 percent of the sRGB color gamut and 98 percent of DCI-P3. The four-way adjustable stand allows the monitor to pivot (can be rotated 90 degrees for the tall look), tilt up or down, swivel 45 degrees left or right, and pan up and down. It also supports VESA mounts in case you prefer to use the monitor arm.

But back to IPS Black – rich contrast and deep blacks are usually associated with OLED. However, the IPS Black’s 2000:1 contrast ratio is nowhere near the nearly infinite contrast ratio of an OLED. While some OLED displays can’t get any brighter than the Z32K G3’s 400-nit brightness, OLED has unparalleled pixel control for more realistic lighting and dimming. But apart from OLED, and in the world of technology most common in computer monitors, IPS Black appears to be well ahead of both VA and TN in terms of color accuracy and contrast ratio.

The big question here is the cost. How much does a Dell 32″ IPS Black monitor currently cost $859.99 (seems to be on sale, as it’s usually $1149.99), but HP hasn’t shared a price for this monitor yet. Since it has Thunderbolt 4, you’d be pleasantly surprised if the HP monitor sold for less than $1,000, but don’t hold your breath. The company is aiming to launch it in November 2022, so we’ll likely hear more soon.