Dough Spectrum Black 32
MSRP $900.00
“The Dough Spectrum Black does not relatively really feel able for showtime.”
Professionals
Horny, minimalist design
Simply clears 1,000 nits
Plenty of options, together with BFI
Customization is excellent
Cons
Colours are method off at the moment
Just a two-year guaranty
Deficient tone mapping in HDR
Desk of Contents
Desk of Contents
Dough Spectrum Black specifications
Design
Options
Ports and menu
Symbol high quality
Gaming
Guaranty and burn-in
It wishes extra time
Dough (previously Eve) isn’t the primary emblem that involves thoughts while you’re speaking about the most efficient gaming screens. Infamously overambitious, the community-driven emblem has discovered itself in sizzling water over the last few years with unfulfilled buyer orders and a loss of conversation with its network. The Spectrum Black 32, Dough’s 2nd OLED show, is a monument to the following generation of the corporate.
The times of strife appeared to have handed for Dough, with its screens now to be had on Amazon and apparently within the fingers of consumers.
Get your weekly teardown of the tech at the back of PC gaming
The Spectrum Black 32 faces different issues, then again. Regardless of showcasing promising options, a ton of customization choices, and an envy-inducing third-gen WOLED panel, the Spectrum Black 32 nonetheless wishes a large number of paintings ahead of it could stay alongside of absolute best OLED screens available on the market.
Dough Spectrum Black specifications
Dough Spectrum Black 32
Display screen dimension
31.5 inches
Panel kind
WOLED with MLA+
Solution
3,840 x 2,160
Brightness
450 nits (SDR), 1,000 nits (HDR)
HDR
DisplayHDR True Black 400
Native dimming
8,294,400 zones
Distinction ratio
1,500,000:1
Reaction time
0.03ms (GtG)
Refresh fee
240Hz/480Hz (dual-mode)
Curve
N/A
Audio system
N/A
Inputs
2x HDMI 2.1, 1x DisplayPort 1.4 (no hub) / 2x HDMI 2.1, 1x DisplayPort 2.1, 1x USB-C w/ 100W energy supply (with hub)
Ports
1x USB-C upstream for firmware updates (no hub) / 1x USB-C upstream for firmware updates, 2x USB-C 2.1 Gen 2, 2x USB-A three.1 Gen 2
Checklist worth
$900 – $1,300
Design
Jacob Roach / Virtual Traits
It is advisable to stack up the Dough Spectrum Black up in opposition to the Eve (Dough’s earlier identify) Spectrum from a couple of years in the past and infrequently realize a distinction in design. It’s a black rectangle, however that’s now not a foul factor. Even with out a branding and a minimum design, the Dough Spectrum Black feels top rate, much more so than one thing just like the MSI MPG321URX.
A large reason why for that’s the dark-gray end that wraps across the again aspect of the observe, which is built absolutely of steel. Like equivalent OLEDs I’ve reviewed, such because the Sony InZone M10S, the panel itself may be very skinny. Dough stuffs your entire connections and the center of the observe in a raised segment in the back of the show. It’s totally out of view, which makes the observe really feel a lot thinner than it in truth is when considered from the entrance.
It’s a great-looking show, however the large factor that sticks out from a design point of view is the stand. Dough doesn’t come with a stand by means of default. You’ll want to spend an additional $99 to get the stand. It’s a pleasing stand, built absolutely of steel and with a cable routing channel in the course of the heart to stay your cable litter at bay. Nevertheless it’s an additional that you simply’ll must pay for, whilst just about each and every different observe you’ll purchase features a stand within the field.
Jacob Roach / Virtual Traits
The loss of a stand by means of default might be excellent or unhealthy relying for your state of affairs. For starters, Dough best makes use of one stand. If in case you have a prior model of the Spectrum, you’ll switch over the stand. As well as, the stand mount makes use of a typical 100mm x 100mm VESA mount, so you’ll throw the observe up on an arm if you wish to have. If you have already got a observe arm, you’re saving cash, and that’s super.
Alternatively, in the event you simply desire a observe with the entire customary conveniences (like a stand), you’ll finally end up spending greater than the contest. As any individual who has a number of observe fingers I’ve got through the years, I in the end like the verdict to split the stand out. Then again, it’s one thing you’ll want to bear in mind when buying groceries round when you’ve got not anything to prop the Spectrum Black up on.
Options
Jacob Roach / Virtual Traits
In case you’re questioning if the Dough Spectrum Black has a specific characteristic you may want, there’s a great opportunity the solution is sure. It’s packed to the brim with extras. The standout characteristic is the twin refresh fee, permitting you to modify between 4K at 240Hz and 1080p at 480Hz. Just like the LG UltraGear Twin Mode OLED, there’s a devoted button underneath the entrance lip of the observe that adjustments between the 2 modes (you’ll rebind the command of this button, as neatly).
That’s the standout, however there’s much more right here. For starters, you get Black Body Insertion, or BFI. I’ve noticed this option ahead of on screens just like the Asus ROG Swift 32 QD-OLED, which halves the refresh fee and inserts a black body in between each and every refresh. You don’t in truth see the ones black frames. As a substitute, you get extra strong frames all through each and every refresh.
In case you’re, as an example, taking part in video games locked at 60 frames in keeping with 2nd (fps) on a console, you’ll see movement blur between two frames. BFI supplies higher movement readability by means of blacking out the display between each and every body so that you don’t get any extraordinary transitions the place a couple of frames display up at the display without delay. It’s an excellent characteristic for consoles, despite the fact that you’ll have to seriously sacrifice the brightness of the show so as to use it.
Along with BFI, Dough contains clamping for fashionable colour areas like DCI-P3 and AdobeRGB, in addition to an anti-flicker environment for the variable refresh fee (VRR) within the show. The latter will lift the decrease certain of the VRR vary, fighting flicker on content material working at a low body fee. In spite of everything, Dough helps two inputs without delay, both thru break up display or picture-in-picture mode.
My favourite characteristic is display emulation, despite the fact that. The Spectrum Black contains pixel-perfect scaling, and it lets you emulate a 27-inch, 25-inch, or 21-inch observe. That’s extraordinarily helpful for aggressive players who’re used to taking part in on a smaller 1080p show, particularly bearing in mind the 480Hz refresh fee choice.
Ports and menu
Jacob Roach / Virtual Traits
It’s uncommon to discover a observe with customization choices, however that’s precisely what Dough provides with the Spectrum Black. You’ll pick out up the observe without or with a USB hub, and with other DisplayPort requirements. Getting the barebones type will prevent some huge cash in comparison to the contest, and all with the similar symbol high quality.
With out the USB hub, you’re getting a typical lineup of ports — two HDMI 2.1 connections and a DisplayPort 1.4 port. You’ll have to make use of the lossless Show Movement Compression (DSC) to succeed in 4K at 240Hz, however that’s true of even a lot more dear screens packing this panel, such because the Asus ROG Swift PG32UCDP. If you wish to flip off DSC at the price of your refresh fee, you’ll.
This type, which is probably the most affordable at $900 for a matte coating and $1,100 for a shiny coating, doesn’t have any USB ports. It contains one USB-C connection, however that’s just for firmware updates. If you wish to have USB ports, you’ll want to spend $1,300 for the highest-end configuration.
Jacob Roach / Virtual Traits
Dough makes the highest-end type well worth the cash. You’re getting the shiny Gorilla Glass coating, at the side of DisplayPort 2.1 so you’ll have the entire solution and refresh fee with out DSC — more moderen OLED choices just like the HP Omen Go beyond 32 are transitioning to DisplayPort 2.1, as neatly. Extra importantly, you get a complete of 4 USB ports (two USB-C and two USB-A), at the side of a USB-C enter that’s able to 100W of energy supply.
I like the truth that you’ll ditch the hub and avoid wasting cash. For a ton of customers, a USB hub is extraneous in a observe, and no different emblem provides this degree of flexibleness. If you wish to move with the USB hub, you even get a KVM transfer, which I like to peer.
The menu aspect of items isn’t as rosy. The on-screen show (OSD) has the whole thing you wish to have, nevertheless it’s tough to navigate. Dough makes some makes an attempt at readability with brief explainers for each and every of the choices, however I think a large number of customers will nonetheless get misplaced within the OSD. There are a ton of choices, and with just a four-way joystick to get round, discovering they all could be a ache.
Symbol high quality
Jacob Roach / Virtual Traits
Nice design, a ton of options, and a value that — minus the stand — may be very aggressive with extra mainstream choices? So, what’s the catch with the Dough Spectrum Black? Symbol high quality, it seems. I’ve examined the very same panel a variety of instances ahead of, and the consequences right here don’t line up with what I’d be expecting. That is nonetheless an OLED observe, and it nonetheless seems to be super, however Dough has a large number of paintings to do.
Gamut efficiency, which you’ll see underneath, units the degree for why. In SDR, the gamut is spot on. I’ve noticed some QD-OLED panels just like the Alienware 32 QD-OLED crack above 90% of AdobeRGB, however for the newest WOLED choices, the gamut right here is correct. By way of default, the observe sticks to DCI-P3, nevertheless it has choices to clamp the gamut to other colour areas, as neatly.
Colour protection
sRGB (Default)
100%
DCI-P3 (Default)
96%
AdobeRGB (Default)
87%
sRGB (HDR mode)
85%
DCI-P3 (HDR mode)
63%
AdobeRGB (HDR mode)
63%
After which HDR comes into the image. Those effects are all off, however that’s since the tone mapping for SDR content material is all off. You get that horrific grayed-out glance that used to be acquainted with HDR screens a couple of years in the past. HDR content material seems to be excellent, however seeking to run any SDR content material at the show will throw the colours and distinction method off.
Dough has addressed SDR tone mapping just a little with a brand new firmware replace. Extra on that later on this segment.
Colours are a ache level normally, as you’ll see from my colour accuracy effects underneath. This panel must be hitting a colour error of simply over 1, however Dough’s show is hitting a colour error of over 2 when measured in opposition to sRGB. You don’t want any fancy calibration equipment to peer that the colour is off, both. Irrespective of the preset I selected, it gave the look of one thing used to be off. The Show-P3 settings pushes too closely into the vegetables, as an example, whilst the sRGB mode is simply too blue.
Reasonable Delta-E (colour distinction)
Same old (sRGB) pre-calibration
2.25
Same old (sRGB) put up calibration
2.1
The firmware I examined isn’t the overall firmware for the observe, or so Dough tells me. And a firmware replace right here can repair the loss of right kind tone mapping in HDR, in addition to the colour accuracy problems. Nonetheless, this can be a honest research of the show at the moment. Dough has been promoting this observe for some time, and in keeping with the Dough subreddit, there are many customers with the show in-hand.
Fortunately, the colour problems don’t bleed into brightness. A few of LG Show’s newest WOLED panels, akin to the only at the Asus ROG Swift PG32WCDM, can succeed in above 1,200 nits, however the brightness efficiency remains to be super right here. Dough is in a position to transparent 1,000 nits for highlights conveniently, and SDR brightness, even if now not the most efficient I’ve noticed, isn’t unhealthy.
Top brightness
1% SDR
335 nits
4% SDR
332 nits
10% SDR
332 nits
1% HDR
1,071 nits
4% HDR
604 nits
10% HDR
430 nits
In the end, that is nonetheless an OLED show. It seems to be super, in particular while you’re taking part in video games or appearing right kind HDR content material. It’s transparent the sliders are off, despite the fact that, and also you don’t have a ton of choices to deliver the picture high quality again in-line with out a right kind firmware replace. I’d be at liberty to suggest the Dough Spectrum Black if it’s ready to get as regards to what this panel is able to after a firmware replace. Because it stands now, then again, the observe wishes extra paintings.
A be aware on firmware updates
I in the beginning examined the Dough Spectrum Black 32 with firmware 1.0.4, which is what the observe shipped with. Maximum customers won’t ever carry out a firmware replace on their observe, and I’d bet a excellent bite don’t even know that screens have firmware. Except there’s some important trade with more moderen firmware, I really like to check how the observe plays how it presentations up — that’s the revel in maximum customers are going to get.
Given my effects, I reached out to Dough, and it informed me it had a firmware replace virtually able that addressed one of the most problems I realized. What used to be meant to be a lengthen of a couple of days ended up being as regards to two weeks. The firmware replace regularly failed, even once I resorted to scouring the Dough subreddit for a handful of guidelines that different customers had get a hold of to get a firmware replace to stay.
I in the end up to date to firmware 1.0.7, which is the present firmware on the time of publishing. With out the gory main points, believe me after I say that it used to be a ache to even flash the replace at the observe — one thing different Dough customers are already speaking about within the corporate’s subreddit. This replace does, certainly, cope with some issues. Nevertheless it introduces simply as many.
For example, the SDR tone mapping with HDR grew to become on is far better. It’s now not superb, however that’s a vital level of growth. Alternatively, the firmware introduces a subject matter the place the colours will considerably shift inexperienced with a full-screen software, and the one method to take away the golf green tint is to toggle HDR off and on.
It’d be something if there used to be some main factor with the observe that Dough fastened with a unmarried firmware replace. It occurs. However at this level, it’s beneficiant to label any of those firmware updates as 1.0.x. It’s commendable that Dough needs to handle network comments with firmware updates, however at this level, those updates best serve to get the Spectrum Black 32 as much as par with different OLEDs that value the similar worth.
Gaming
Jacob Roach / Virtual Traits
Numerous what you wish to have to find out about gaming at the Dough Spectrum Black has been lined up thus far. You’re getting flicker-free VRR, BFI for console gaming, and the mainly fast reaction instances of an OLED panel. Upload on a 480Hz refresh fee, emulation for a couple of display sizes, and pixel-perfect scaling for unfashionable video games, and you have got a observe that may deal with with regards to any gaming state of affairs you’ll throw at it.
In gentle of the present symbol high quality, it’s exhausting to mention it’s an excellent gaming observe, then again. That is an OLED show, and video games glance excellent on it, however a lot of screens from Asus, MSI, Alienware, and extra have higher colour efficiency out of the field. It’s now not too distracting at the Dough Spectrum Black, nevertheless it in large part comes right down to the video games you play. In some titles and with some show settings, the colours don’t glance relatively proper.
That doesn’t imply it’s unusable. I used to be ready to have an relaxing gaming revel in with Particular Ok, which I used to inject HDR into video games with larger keep an eye on over the output. All these equipment can counteract one of the most problems baked into the present firmware, and in the event you don’t thoughts getting your fingers grimy, you’re left with a forged gaming revel in. Nonetheless, you shouldn’t must lodge to third-party equipment, particularly when Dough is looking for simply up to the mainstream festival.
Guaranty and burn-in
Jacob Roach / Virtual Traits
The Spectrum Black has a ton of burn-in mitigation options — too many, in reality. You get pixel transferring, pixel refresh, a display saver, static component detection, and brand detection, however Dough is going a lot additional. You’ll in finding settings like temporal top luminance keep an eye on, temporal goal curve, and convex energy keep an eye on — and the ones are simply among the choices.
In case you’re a show nerd, it’s possible you’ll acknowledge a few of these settings or their related acronyms, however I’d bet that most of the people gained’t. I don’t suppose Dough must eliminate those settings, nevertheless it’d be useful to both higher give an explanation for them with the tooltips within the OSD or to cover them in a sophisticated menu so informal customers know which burn-in prevention settings are crucial.
That’s an offer, as Dough is obviously nonetheless operating on some facets of this observe. The guaranty is a grievance. Dough provides a two-year guaranty that covers burn-in, matching LG, however falling at the back of maximum different observe manufacturers. The going time frame for an OLED guaranty is 3 years. I don’t suppose you’ll expand burn-in inside 3 years usually, a lot much less two years, however Dough remains to be at the back of the contest right here.
Dough doesn’t have an excellent popularity for customer support, both. There’s a subreddit devoted particularly to horror tales with the logo, in particular preorders that by no means shipped. The professional Dough subreddit presentations that buyers are getting screens, however there are nonetheless a ton of threads asking about the place orders are.
You shouldn’t have problems ordering a observe — they’re to be had and delivery from Amazon now, which is the course I’d counsel going with in the event you’re enthusiastic about selecting one up — however the guaranty doesn’t encourage a large number of self belief. Given Dough’s historical past, I was hoping for a clearer dedication to customer support with its OLED unlock.
It wishes extra time
Jacob Roach / Virtual Traits
I wish to just like the Dough Spectrum Black. I like the design, and I respect Dough’s way to customization choices. The wealth of options even manages to lend a hand the Spectrum Black stand proud of the handfuls of alternative OLED screens that experience flooded the marketplace. Nonetheless, it looks like a observe that’s in beta checking out.
I will respect the exhausting paintings that is going into optimizing a product after it’s to be had, in addition to the conversation Dough has with its network on-line after a tumultuous few years. But if the Spectrum Black prices simply as a lot — and occasionally much more — than the contest, it’s exhausting to justify. There’s now not sufficient meat at the bone right here, and in some spaces, akin to symbol high quality, you’re spending the similar worth for a worse show.
