BenQ has revealed a new addition to its Creative Pro monitor line-up: the PD2732U. This 27‑inch 4K display has been designed for photographers, videographers and creatives who need a wide-gamut, color-accurate display. It boasts 99% Adobe RGB, 99% DCI‑P3, and 100% sRGB coverage – percentages that few other monitors can compete with, regardless of price. The Adobe RGB coverage is especially impressive, and it means on-screen colors can be more accurately matched to CMYK print output.

Every PD2732U is factory calibrated to an accuracy of Delta E <2, and is Calman Verified and Pantone Validated for additional color dependability. BenQ’s AQCOLOR Pilot calibration software enables hardware and software calibration management for long-term color accuracy. The PD2732U is also said to “ensure reliable color performance and brightness across the entire display, minimizing color deviation with advanced corner-to-corner uniformity correction”.

In addition to the display’s pro-grade image credentials, the PD2732U also features Thunderbolt 4 connectivity for single-cable video, data, and power delivery, along with Smart KVM with daisy‑chain support, enabling you to control multiple computers through a single monitor. Mac‑optimized color matching eliminates differences between Mac displays and the monitor – ideal when using the PD2732U alongside a MacBook. Each monitor is supplied with BenQ’s wireless Hotkey Puck that gives quick access to modes and settings.

The BenQ PD2732U is available to pre‑order at B&H for $699, which considering its superb color space coverage makes it a bit of a bargain. Alternatively, it can be bundled with BenQ’s Ergo Arm for a $50 discount. Retail availability at B&H starts on July 22, with Amazon and other retailers stocking the display from September 1.

BenQ has long been a go-to brand if you wanted a premium monitor suitable for color-critical creative work. It’s SW270C, SW271C and SW272U 27-inch monitors have consistently delivered superb image quality at a fair price. The PD2770U isn't in the same model range as those monitors, but it's aimed at similar users. It boasts excellent image quality specs and a host of extra features designed for discerning creatives. On paper at least, it seems like the PD2770U has it all. Let's see if it delivers in real-world use as well.

Specifications

Display area: 27 inches
Aspect: 16:9
Panel type: IPS
Panel bit depth: 10-bit
Display colors: 1.07 billion
Resolution: 3840 x 2160
Pixel density: 163 ppi
Refresh rate: 60Hz
Response time: 5ms
Brightness: 400 cd/m2
Contrast ratio: 1000:1
Color space coverage: 100% Rec.709, 99% AdobeRGB, 99% P3
Video inputs: HDMI x2, USB-C (DP Alt Mode), DisplayPort

Read more:
The best monitors for video editing
The best photo-editing monitors
The best monitor calibrators

Key features

The PD2770U has pretty much every conceivable monitor feature you could ask for from a photo or video editing perspective. It nails the basics with an impressive 99% coverage of the wide-gamut Adobe RGB and DCI-P3 color spaces, along with 100% Rec.709 coverage. Each PD2770U comes pre-calibrated to a color accuracy of less than Delta E 1.5, so you can be confident it'll display accurate color right out of the box.

To ensure it continues to be color-accurate, the PD2770U features hardware color calibration, meaning when you recalibrate its color, the adjusted color balance look-up table is stored within the monitor itself, rather than on the host computer. That way you can connect any computer you like and the monitor will always display the same, accurate color. What's more, you don't even need a separate monitor calibrator to calibrate the display in the first place. Built into the PD2770U's top screen bezel is a small colorimeter on a motorized hinge. When you want to calibrate, the colorimeter rotates out from its slot, then the monitor fires a sequence of pre-set colors. The entire calibration process is completely automatic and hassle-free, plus it can adapt to ambient lighting conditions. You can even schedule the process to take place at a day/time convenient for you.

But it's not just color accuracy that defines good image quality. You also want a monitor to display consistent color and brightness across its entire screen area, not just the central region. The PD2770U achieves this with a dedicated uniformity mode that keeps brightness consistent right to the corners of the display.

You can have all the image quality features out there, but they won't be much good if you can't see what's on screen. To ensure on-screen content is clearly visible, the PD2770U sports BenQ's Nano Matte coating to reduce reflections and ambient glare. It's also claimed to improve eye comfort during long editing sessions.

And the extras don't stop there. In addition to standard on-panel controls, BenQ includes its Hotkey Puck. This wireless remote control is designed to make navigating through the monitor's menu and settings a more ergonomic experience. The central, clickable dial is ideal for fine-tuning screen brightness, while the buttons surrounding the dial enable instant switching between your preferred three color modes. The buttons are also customizable, and though I personally don't find the Puck to be an essential accessory as I tend to stay in one color mode and screen brightness setting for the majority of my work, it's nonetheless a nice extra to have.

Build & handling

As you'd expect for a monitor at this price point, the PD2770U looks and feels like a high quality product. The screen's casing feels solid and well assembled, while the adjustable stand is predominantly metal and weighty; it’s a reassuringly stable base for the screen itself. It also has a decent range of height, tilt and swivel adjustment. The overall design of the monitor and stand is quite conservative - its substance over style - but one noteworthy visual feature is the screen’s oversized top bezel. The reason for this is to make room for the calibration colorimeter, which hinges out of a slot in the middle of the bezel so it can analyse and calibrate the display.

Directly below this, at the base of the screen, is a row of buttons and BenQ's classic joystick controller for navigating the various on-screen menus and monitor settings. This system works well, and feels more intuitive than a button-only interface, though don't forget you can also use the included Hotkey Puck remote dial for an even more ergonomic control system. Also on the bottom of the display are a pair of USB-A sockets, and a 3.5mm headphone socket.

At the rear of the panel are fairly standard input sockets, including a pair of HDMI ports, a single DisplayPort connection, dual USB-C ports, and an RJ45 LAN connection which is used for network-managed firmware updates and synchronized color management. If you connect a laptop via USB-C, the monitor can supply it with up to 96W of power, so you can have a single cable carrying power and video data.

BenQ supplies the PD2770U with a separate shading hood to guard against unwanted screen reflections. This is a one-piece design that easily attaches to the monitor using magnets - no prior assembly or annoying clips required.

Performance

The PD2770U uses a wide-gamut 10-bit IPS LCD panel, and to great effect. To the naked eye and in the default color pre-set, the display looks great, with vibrant but not over-saturated color, along with consistent color and contrast, regardless of your viewing angle. The 4K resolution on a screen this size results in a crisp 163 pixels per inch, though you will need to use approximately 150% operating system scaling in order for text, icons and toolbars to be easily readable. The Nano Matte coating does an excellent job of minimizing reflections, so unless you have a strong light source nearby, the shading hood shouldn't be required. One small quirk I noticed with the screen is how the extreme left and right edges appear to curve away from you just as they disappear behind the frame bezels, rather than having a defined edge. This seems to be by design, and while it does look a bit strange at first, you do get used to it.

Lab results

Color gamut:

A key selling point of the PD2770U is its excellent color space coverage; BenQ claims impressive 99% Adobe RGB and 99% DCI-P3 coverage. Testing our sample monitor revealed 97% P3 coverage, while Adobe RGB was exactly as advertised, at 99% - both terrific scores, and very welcome if you edit in either of these color spaces.

Color accuracy:

BenQ advertises the PD2770U as factory calibrated to a Delta E accuracy of less than 1.5. I managed a marginally worse deviance of 1.58, though I was able to get this down to 0.97 after a manual calibration. While this level of color accuracy is respectable, I was expecting better. For context, BenQ's SW272U monitor managed 1.07 out of the box during my testing, and its 5K PD2730S returned a superb Delta E deviance from ideal color of just 0.42.

Brightness and contrast:

Maximum brightness is advertised at 400 nits. I managed to record 367.1. That may be a little short of the claimed brightness, but in an ideal world you'll want to be editing in room that doesn't have strong ambient lighting, and therefore you shouldn't need your monitor to be set at a retina-searing brightness level.

If you choose to enable the screen's brightness uniformity mode, maximum brightness is reduced to 286.3 nits. This does appear noticeably dimmer to the naked eye, though again, it’s still well above the brightness level you'll likely be editing at.

Brightness uniformity:

With there being little practical penalty from using the uniformity mode, I kept it enabled when testing the PD2770U's brightness and color uniformity. I recorded a 4% difference between the brightest and dimmest screen regions, whether overall brightness was set to 100% or 67% - a very impressive result.

Color uniformity:

Color uniformity isn't quite so great, with a difference between the most and least accurate screen regions of Delta E 2.4, but it’s by no means a bad performance. What's more, reduce brightness down to a more usable 67% and color uniformity improves considerably, to a deviance of just Delta E 1.4.

Verdict

There's no denying that the BenQ PD2770U is a serious investment, but you do get a heck of a lot for your money. Excellent color space coverage, USB-C connectivity with Power Delivery, an included shading hood and Hotkey puck remote, plus the fully automated color calibration with built-in calibrator: the PD2770U has pretty much everything you could want from a high-end monitor designed for demanding creatives. For context, the Eizo CG2770X is another 27-inch 4K display with similar color space coverage as well as a built-in calibration sensor, yet it will set you back around $3400/£2500, making the PD2770U look like great value.

The PD2770U would easily be worth a full 5-star rating, if it wasn't for one thing: its color accuracy. Although BenQ advertises it to be within Delta E 1.5 of perfect color out of the box, I've tested many monitors of similar or lower cost that return a deviance of less than 1, making our 1.58 figure comparatively disappointing. Thankfully this score was improved by a manual calibration, and it's entirely possible other PD2770U examples could perform slightly better out of the box than our test sample.

Ultimately, if you need a high-quality monitor for color-critical image or video editing, the PD2770U should be high on your shortlist. It's ideal if you edit in Adobe RGB or DCI-P3, and it's completely automated hardware calibration is a blessing for creatives who require long-term color consistency. Even so, there are plenty of compelling alternative monitors at this price point, not least from BenQ itself. The aforementioned PD2730S lacks hardware calibration and a built-in calibrator, and its Adobe RGB coverage is only 86%, but it boasts a 5K resolution and has even better color accuracy, while costing around 30% less than the PD2770U.

BenQ's Professional-line monitors have traditionally hit a sweet spot between offering very high image quality and premium features, but at a (relatively) accessible price. The new PD2730S is no exception. Though it's far from cheap, with a list price of $1,499.99 / £999.99, you get an awful lot for you money. Headline features include 5K (5120 x 2880) resolution, 98% DCI-P3 coverage, HDR support, factory color calibration, USB-C connectivity at Thunderbolt 4 speed, and plenty more besides.

Let's see if the PD2730S can live up to expectations...

Specifications

Display area: 27 inches
Aspect: 16:9
Panel type: IPS
Panel bit depth: 10-bit
Display colors: 1.07 billion
Resolution: 5120 x 2880
Pixel density: 218 ppi
Refresh rate: 60Hz
Response time: 5ms
Brightness: 400 cd/m2
Contrast ratio: 2000:1
Color space coverage: 100% sRGB, 100% Rec.709, 98% P3
Video inputs: HDMI, USB-C (DP Alt Mode), DisplayPort

Read more:
The best monitors for video editing
The best photo-editing monitors
The best monitor calibrators

Key features

The headline feature of the PD2730S is its resolution. Where the vast majority of 27-inch monitors top out at 4K (3840 x 2160), the PD2730S goes a step better, to 5K (5120 x 2880). Though only a 1K difference, this actually equates to nearly 80% more total pixels over the screen area, in turn making individual pixels essentially impossible to see from any reasonable viewing distance. It means this is one of the sharpest standalone monitors money can buy, with a pixel density of 218 PPI.

And the image quality doesn't stop with just high resolution. The PD2730S has an advertised 98% coverage of the wide-gamut DCI-P3 video color space, along with a high 2000:1 contrast ratio, earning it display VESA DisplayHDR 400 certification. Color accuracy should also be excellent, as BenQ ships each PD2730S pre-calibrated to an accuracy of within Delta-E 2. Even the best image quality can be ruined by unwanted screen reflections, so to avoid this the PD2730S features a Nano Matte anti-reflective coating to diffuse ambient light, making the display TÜV-certified reflection-free.

The PD2730S is also a USB-C monitor, meaning you can connect a laptop to it via a single USB-C cable which will both power your laptop while also carrying the video signal to the monitor. What's more, the USB-C connection operates at a blazing-fast 40Gbps Thunderbolt 4 speed, making it possible to daisy chain two 5K monitors together, both linked via a singe Thunderbolt 4 cable to a compatible laptop. The connection is capable of up to 90W of Power Delivery, which should be enough to power all but the thirstiest laptops.

Build & handling

BenQ has designed the PD2730S to be stylish yet understated. The display panel itself is nothing particularly special - the screen bezels aren't the narrowest, but the professional users this monitor is targeted at will likely care far more about the monitor's image quality than how it looks when turned off. The stand is a high quality item, constructed almost entirely of metal. It's solid, weighty, and more than up to the job of supporting the screen. There's plenty of adjustability, including swivel, tilt, and a generous amount of height adjustment. The screen can also be rotated through 90 degrees so it can be used in portrait orientation if required.

At the rear you'll find a standard AC power input socket (no separate power brick required), along with a single HDMI port, a Display Port connection, plus three USB-C ports, one of which doubles as a Display Port connection with 90W of Power Delivery. There are additional USB ports on the base of the display panel, effectively enabling the PD2730S to double as a USB hub/docking station. These include one USB-C and three USB-A sockets, all running at USB 3.2 Gen 2 speed (10Gbps), and providing up to 7.5W of charging power each.

BenQ supplies a variety of display cables and USB leads in the box, but the most interesting included accessory is the Hotkey Puck G3. This is a remote control that we've seen supplied with high-end BenQ monitors for several years, and is designed to make navigating through the monitor's menu an settings a more ergonomic experience than fumbling around with the tiny joystick and buttons on the base of the display.

Unlike older versions of the Puck, the G3 incarnation is wireless, and it's also nicely weighted so it sits securely on most desk surfaces. The central, clickable dial is ideal for fine-tuning screen brightness or adjusting the volume of the built-in speakers, while the buttons surrounding the dial enable instant switching between your preferred three color modes. The buttons are also customizable, and though I personally don't find the Puck to be an essential accessory as I tend to stay in one color mode and screen brightness setting for the majority of my work, it's nonetheless a nice extra to have.

Performance

Right out of the box, the PD2730S immediately impresses with its super-bright, high-contrast, vibrant image quality. This is helped by BenQ shipping the screen pre-set to 100% screen brightness and the wide-gamut Display P3 color profile, but even with brightness reduced to a more comfortable 50%, this is still a stunning screen to behold. The IPS LCD panel gives uniform viewing angles, with little - if any - observable variation in color or contrast consistency between the center and edges of the screen.

Then there's the huge 5K resolution. Though very impressive on a spec sheet, I find the benefits to be harder to quantify in real world use. 4K on a 27-inch screen is already a high enough resolution to make pixels so small that they're not individually visible at a normal viewing distance. One advantage is you can preview a 4K video at 100% size and still have space around it for a timeline and toolbars. But in terms of outright sharpness, there's little visible difference between 4K and 5K - the former is already more than sharp enough for a 27-inch screen size.

What matter's far more than outright resolution for color-critical image or video editing is a screen's color accuracy, as well as color and contrast consistency across the whole screen area. To properly assess this without merely relying on the subjective naked eye, you need the help of a specialist measuring device called a colorimeter, better known as a monitor calibrator. A calibrator such as DataColor's Spyder Pro can not only calibrate a monitor's color, it'll also measure its out-of-the-box color accuracy, brightness, color space coverage and brightness uniformity:

Lab results

Color gamut:

BenQ claims 98% DCI-P3 color space coverage - I recorded 97%. Close enough to be within an acceptable margin of error. sRGB coverage is 100%, just as advertised. BenQ doesn't state AdobeRGB coverage, but I measured it at 86%.

Brightness and contrast:

Peak brightness is listed as 400 nits. Try as I might, I couldn't match that figure in my testing, and could 'only' record around 340 nits. Even so, for long-term eye comfort and for optimal image or video editing, it's best to stay below 200 nits brightness anyway. I measured a peak contrast of 1890:1, which isn't far off the claimed 2000:1 figure, although this ratio was only achievable at around 25% screen brightness. At any other brightness setting, contrast drops closer to 1000:1.

Color accuracy:

Every PD2730S comes pre-calibrated to an accuracy within Delta-E 2, but our particular test monitor was better still, measuring just 0.42 (a perfect score being zero). However, as we find with many new monitors, the cyan reading isn't as accurate as the other tested colors. This slight blue shift is often favored by monitor manufacturers, as it makes white tones appear cooler and crisper, but naturally this comes at the expense of true color accuracy.

Luminance uniformity:

Screen brightness (luminance) uniformity is fairly good, with a maximum 12% difference between the brightest and dimmest regions of the display. I've recorded more consistent results than this, but it's a moot point, as you're highly unlikely to notice this minimal variance in real-world use.

Color uniformity:

Color uniformity is excellent, never exceeding more than Delta-E 2 (values closer to zero are better) between the most- and least color-accurate regions. This drops to just 1.4 with brightness set to a more usable 67%.

Verdict

There can be no doubting that the BenQ PD2730S is an excellent monitor for creatives. Its high DCI-P3 color space coverage makes it a particularly good choice for video professionals, although photographers who work in the AdobeRGB color space will probably want to consider other options. Decent color and brightness uniformity, teamed with excellent color accuracy, further enhance this screen's appeal for color-critical workloads.

But the real selling point here is resolution. 5K monitors are relatively rare, and the PD2730S offers an exceptional level of crispness and pixel density. While this is noticeable in day-to-day use (you can display more of an image on screen at any one time, and a 4K video preview can be displayed full-size, with space alongside for a timeline and tools), the difference in terms of clarity is minimal. Where a 27-inch 4K screen is noticeably sharper than a 27-inch QHD (2560 x 1440) display, there are diminishing returns by going higher still, as you already can't make out individual pixels at 4K.

Though I may not be convinced by 5K on a 27-inch screen, it's not as if the PD2730S relies solely on its resolution to be a compelling monitor. Its image quality is excellent in plenty of other ways, while build quality is first class. The super-fast USB-C connectivity is genuinely useful for laptop users, and the Hotkey Puck remote dial further justifies the price. What's more, when you consider that BenQ's own SW272U 27-inch 4K display costs more than the PD2730S (though it does have better AdobeRGB coverage), you're at least not paying a premium for 5K.

If you're a videographer shooting primarily in 4K and need that extra screen space around your video preview, the PD2730S makes sense and is worth the money. Photographers won't be disappointed either, but for image editing I personally would probably save a few bucks and go with a 4K screen instead.

Spending hours on color editing only for a different screen to throw the colors all out of whack is a frustrating experience – but BenQ’s newest monitor is designed to help vloggers and video editors minimize unexpected color shift. The BenQ PV3200U is a 32-inch, 4K monitor made for video-based content creators and YouTubers.

The BenQ PV3200U targets video-focused users by mixing a monitor geared towards color accuracy with dual 2W speakers and an independent 5W subwoofer for audio.

The monitor comes color calibrated out of the box and boasts 95% DCI-P3, 100% Rec. 709, and 100% sRGB color specs. But the monitor also has a color mode preview that allows creators to view their work on the colors to simulate an iPhone, iPad, or MacBook to help avoid unexpected colors on other devices.

Those color preview options can also be easily accessed using the Hotkey Puck, an external monitor control that also allows users to customize shortcuts for color and audio modes.

Geared towards video production, the monitor also has integrated speakers designed to allow creators to take a break from headphones during long editing sessions. The built-in audio system uses a 2.1ch frequency, dual 2W speakers, and an independent 5W subwoofer. The monitor also has a Studio Mode, which BenQ says delivers unprocessed sound true to the source.

“Creators shouldn’t have to guess how their content will look and sound once it’s live,” Peter Huang, President of BenQ Corporation, said. “Too often, post-production color shifts and flat audio edits hamper YouTubers. PV3200U’s precise color, clear sound editing, and seamless device compatibility empower creators to trust the creative process from first cut to final upload.”

The monitor uses a single USB-C connection that’s capable of 4K video transfer as well as recharging devices with up to 65W to create a desktop with fewer cords. The monitor also comes with a stand that supports height, tilt, swivel, and pivot for users to customize an ergonomic position for the screen.

The BenQ PV3200U lists for £699.99, which converts to about $946 / AU$1,457.

You may also like

Browse the best video editing monitors or the best video editing software.

BenQ has launched its first on-camera monitor: the PVS7. This 7", 1920 x 1200 backlit IPS display stands out from the competition by boasting a super-high 2000-nit maximum brightness, along with an advanced anti-reflective coating that's claimed to minimize reflectance to just 5%. The result is a display that should be easily visible under the brightest sunlight, though a shading hood is also provided if you need an even clearer view.

Read more:
The best on-camera monitors in 2025

BenQ's AQCOLOR technology should ensure color consistency across the entire panel, and the monitor is capable of displaying the Rec.709 color gamut with pre-calibrated accuracy.

The PSV7 features fan-less cooling so it won't interfere with audio recording, even when shooting the quietest scenes. BenQ states that the monitor is perfectly compatible with Sony, Canon, Fujifilm and other cameras, with connectivity via HDMI and SDI interfaces, plus there's a microSD slot that can be used for uploading LUT files.

BenQ has also engineered the PVS7 to be rugged. Its construction is drop-proof to a height of 1.5m (a separate cage is also included for additional protection), and the screen surface has a 6H hardcoating for increased scratch resistance. Power can come from the mains via an included AC adaptor, or from NP-F-type batteries, with an advertised 5 hours runtime from a 5200mAh capacity battery.

The BenQ PVS7 is available to pre-order now, priced at $799.99/£999

Pre-order now from Wex
Pre-order now from B&H

BenQ specializes in products that improve people’s lives. This includes electronics, computing, and communication products, with a significant focus on things like projectors and monitors.

The product I have before me today is related to these but in many ways unique. It’s the ScreenBar Pro and is designed to provide workspace lighting for those who find themselves working in poorly lit environments.

At £119, this is far from the cheapest lamp you could buy for your desk but it does have the benefit of providing bright and even lighting across your whole workspace. This sets it apart from standard lamps, which often provide spotlighting, a type that is far from ideal for reading.

Having never tried a monitor-mounted workspace light before, I was really intrigued and excited to give it a whirl. I mounted it on top of my 32-inch Philips Evnia monitor located on my 180cm wide and 60cm deep desk. Read on for what I thought of it.

BenQ ScreenBar Pro: Specifications

BenQ ScreenBar Pro: Price

The BenQ ScreenBar Pro Monitor Light attracts a cost of £119. From the price, you can tell that this is no ordinary desk light and you’ll be paying for certain privileges that are not available on standard lights.

As far as monitor light bars go, this is definitely on the more expensive end of the spectrum. If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly alternative, then the Xiaomi Mi Computer Monitor Light Bar can be bought for around $40/£50 (check Amazon). Keep in mind that it is not as feature-rich as the BenQ alternative.

BenQ ScreenBar Pro: Design & Handling

My first impressions of the ScreenBar Pro were that BenQ have created a beautifully built device. The excellent build quality spans right across the button strip, the clamp, and the lightbar itself. I’ll take these in order of how I interacted with them.

The first was the clamp mount. Prior to attaching it to my monitor, I was concerned that it would damage my display. I needn’t have worried. The clamp includes two rubber pads that are large enough to ensure no other part of the light bar touches the monitor itself. The quality of the hinge is also up there with the best. It’s a spring-loaded hinge that is robust enough to withstand regular movement as well as the pressure of being applied to a monitor over a long period of time. It’s very good indeed.

The light bar itself continues BenQ’s commitment to excellence. The 50cm bar is constructed of Aluminum alloy, PC / ABS, Polycarbonate, and Zinc alloy, making it very strong indeed. I tried bending the bar with all my strength and it didn’t budge even a little. The LED lighting strip is protected by a thin strip of plastic, which is the biggest letdown to the overall quality. I knew I would damage it if I pushed my finger through it too hard. The bar can rotate a small number of degrees so you can direct the light towards or away from your monitor.

The final part of the product is the button bar. This is located in the middle of the light bar and contains a set of buttons for operating the light. I really like the design, with lit-up icons telling you what is active at any point in time. Unfortunately, I found the button presses to be a little temperamental and unpredictable. Buttons with some haptic feedback would definitely be preferable.

I was also incredibly impressed to see that all of the protective film, cushioning, and tape in the packaging had been made from wood fibers instead of plastic. As a result, everything could be recycled. BenQ is clearly committed to the planet.

BenQ ScreenBar Pro: Performance

I’ve covered a lot of how the light bar performs from a design and handling perspective in the previous section. But most people don’t buy a light bar because of what it looks like; they buy it because of the light it’s able to generate.

The BenQ ScreenBar Pro offers a fantastic level of brightness with a whopping 1,000 lux at the centre, spreading out to 500 lux at the edges. This makes it the brightest light bar on the market at the moment. It’s brightness capabilities don’t just make it ideal for dimly lit spaces but also make it usable when it needs to compete with lighter environments.

Other than the light brightness and colour, the other consideration with any light bar is the coverage area. BenQ’s offering covers an area of 85 x 60cm (at 500 lux), which was more than enough coverage for my desk and I imagine most people’s desks.

The light bar includes motion controls, which turn the light on and off automatically. This is a fantastic little feature, as you don’t need to worry about wasting and paying for precious electricity. The motion sensor performed well enough to be a reliable inclusion for the product.

I’ve previously talked about the issue with the capacitive touch controls, much of which could have been overcome with a simple remote control. At this price, I would have expected one to be included but alas, there isn’t.

BenQ ScreenBar Pro: Verdict

I really love the BenQ ScreenBar Pro Monitor Light and it has been a pleasure to interact with it ever since I unboxed it. The light quality is excellent and the ability to adjust the brightness is incredibly useful. The light bar lit up the whole of my desk with no problems and the light was surprisingly even across the space. The buttons didn’t have any haptic feedback and were a little unresponsive and unpredictable at times. That being said, this is a classy light bar that delivers where it matters most.

Alternatives

BenQ has a history of making some of the best monitors for photo editing, and the SW272U is its latest flagship offering for discerning photo and video editors. The new display boasts factory color calibration to an accuracy of Delta E ≤1.5 and is capable of displaying 100% sRGB and 99% AdobeRGB coverage - impressive stuff.

The SW272U replaces the SW271C in the BenQ range. It inherits similar core specifications from the outgoing display, the main being its screen size, high color accuracy and 4K native resolution. But the SW272U does offer some improvements over its predecessor, including a better anti-reflective coating, a redesigned remote controller that's also now wireless, and an upgraded USB-C connection with more potent Power Delivery.

Let's see if the upgrades are enough to keep the SW272U ahead of some stiff competition...

Specifications

Display area: 27 inches
Aspect: 16:9
Panel type: IPS
Panel bit depth: 10-bit
Display colors: 1.07 billion
Resolution: 3840 x 2160
Pixel density: 163 ppi
Refresh rate: 60Hz
Response time: 5ms
Brightness: 400 cd/m2
Contrast ratio: 1000:1
Color space coverage: 100% sRGB, 99% Adobe RGB, 99% DCI-P3
Video inputs: HDMI x2, USB-C (DP Alt Mode) x1, DisplayPort v1.4 x1

Key features

The main selling point of the BenQ PhotoVue SW272U is its color accuracy. Plenty of low- to mid-range monitors cover 99-100% of the relatively undemanding sRGB color space, but its the percentage coverage of the far broader Adobe RGB and DCI-P3 gamuts that separate the best monitors from the rest. Here the SW272U really makes a case for itself, boasting 99% Adobe RGB and 99% P3 coverage - both highly respectable figures that few rival screens can match. The SW272U is also certified by Pantone Validated, Pantone SkinTone, and is Calman Verified for color performance and calibration. And it's not just the impressive DCI-P3 coverage that makes this monitor so appealing to videographers: the SW272U also supports HDR10 and HLG for playback of HDR video content.

To keep colors at maximum accuracy, the SW272U incorporates hardware color calibration. Unlike conventional monitor calibration where a LUT (look-up table) is saved to your computer to modify the graphics card's color output, the SW272U stores calibrated color data in the monitor itself, independently of the connected computer. A separate colorimeter from a brand like Calibrite, Datacolor or X-Rite is required, which is then used in conjunction with BenQ's new Palette Master Ultimate calibration software. BenQ says this has been in development for 6 years and is both easier to use compared to previous software versions, as well as being 50% faster. Palette Master Ultimate is also said to be twice as accurate as older versions, while offering a real-time comparison of pre- and post-calibration color.

Like the old SW271C, the SW272U is a USB-C monitor, able to be linked to a compatible laptop via a single USB-C cable that transfers both power and the video signal. But where the old monitor could only supply 60 watts of power, the new model is able to feed a more substantial 90 watts.

Another improvement to the SW272U is its new, fine-coated anti-reflection panel coating that's said to dramatically cut down reflections and glare, and should simulate the texture and experience of viewing paper - ideal when color matching with print output. And if the improved anti-reflection coating still isn't enough to banish reflections, the monitor is also supplied with a detachable shading hood which can be used in both landscape and portrait orientation.

Like most high-end BenQ monitors targeted at creative pros, the SW272U includes BenQ's Hotkey Puck remote control dial, now in its G3 revision. Core functionality remains largely the same as the previous G2 hotkey puck - it lets you take control of monitor settings, switch color spaces, etc - but now the controller operates wirelessly. The buttons have also been tilted slightly at an angle to better face the user, and as before, and they can be customised to suit your workflow.

Build & handling

The SW272U is subtly styled, with form definitely following function. This is a monitor with a firm focus on image quality and ergonomics, not superficial showy styling gimmicks. The overall build quality is solid, as you'd expect from a premium monitor, and the same goes for the included stand. This attaches easily to the monitor panel, with no screws required. It enables decent range of ergonomic adjustability, with 140mm of height adjustment, -5˚ - 20˚ of tilt, and 30˚/30˚ of swivel movement. The stand's base is generously large, giving the monitor an extra-stable footing. New for the SW272U is a leatherette insert in the base, adding an extra touch of luxury.

One area where the old SW271C frustrated was its control interface. Thankfully BenQ has replaced that monitor's row of buttons with a much more intuitive five-way joystick controller for the SW272U, which makes menu navigation much easier. The menu interface itself is typically well laid out and simple to operate.

If you don't fancy using the onboard controls to navigate the monitor's settings, you can always used the supplied - and now wireless - Hotkey Puck instead. This consists of a central rotating dial, surrounded by a Rotation Key, three function keys and a back button. It's certainly a nice extra to have as it does make it easier to navigate through the on-screen display, especially if you want to frequently switch between color gamut presents at the touch of a hotkey button, rather than scrolling through menus every time. However if, like me, you tend to work in one color mode, and leave brightness and other image settings alone once you've got the monitor set up how you want it, then the Puck will likely just gather dust.

At the bottom of the monitor you'll find an SD card reader, two USB 3.2 Type-A ports and a 3.5mm audio jack. All these ports are actually rather useful, considering many new ultra-thin laptops now lack any USB-A ports, not to mention a card reader. Next to the video input ports there's also that USB Type-C port with its 90 watts of power passthrough.

Performance

As we've come to expect from BenQ's SW-series PhotoVue monitors, the latest SW272U performs admirably. Its IPS LCD panel provides excellent color vibrancy and consistency, regardless of your viewing angle. Contrast is also good, though deep blacks inevitably take on a little 'shimmer', which is inevitable for a backlit LCD display. BenQ's latest 'Fine-Coated' anti-reflection panel coating also did a good job of muting any reflections from the overhead lights in our testing lab.

The only aspect of image quality which doesn't instantly impress is overall brightness. Compared to the latest retina-searing OLED displays on many new laptops, the 400-nit maximum brightness of the SW272U seems relatively subdued. However it's worth remembering that around 120-150 nits is an optimal brightness for comfortable and accurate image editing, as a higher brightness setting can result in blowing out subtle highlight details.

As with any 27-inch 4K monitor, you'll be highly reliant on interface scaling from your computer's operating system. With scaling set as low as 100%, icons and toolbars will be tiny and almost illegible. Windows does a great job of upscaling its interface to whatever size you find comfortable to view, but some third-party apps which haven't been properly coded for optimal scaling may well look aliased and blurred when viewed on the SW272U. This is no fault of the monitor - it's just something to bear in mind when choosing a relatively small monitor with a 4K native resolution. BenQ does have an answer to this in the shape of its SW272Q, with its lower 2560x1440 resolution.

But to really assess a monitor's image quality, you need more than a subjective human viewpoint. So we broke out our DataColor Spyder X Elite monitor calibrator to really put the SW272U through its paces.

Lab results

Color gamut:

BenQ claims 100% sRGB and 99% DCI-P3 color space coverage, and our testing found that to be pretty much accurate. Our 89% Adobe RGB figure was measured with the monitor in the P3 color preset, so it's likely the monitor would have scored better in the appropriate preset mode.

Color accuracy:

BenQ claims the SW272U comes pre-calibrated to a Delta-E color accuracy of <1.5. We found this to be quite conservative, as we measured an impressive score of 1.07 (values closest to zero are better). We could not improve on this with further calibration.

Luminance uniformity:

Luminance uniformity simply measures the consistency of brightness across 9 screen regions. In this test the SW272U scores quite well, recording a maximum brightness difference of 7-8%, measured between the brightest and dimmest screen regions. You'd be hard pressed to spot this with the naked eye.

Color uniformity:

Color accuracy can fluctuate when you move away from the center of the screen, so this test measures how consistent color is in 9 regions spread across the display. Once again, the SW272U performs well. With brightness set to 100%, we recorded a Delta-E of just 2.7 (values closer to zero are better) between the most and least color-accurate regions. This drops still further, to 2.1, with brightness set to 67%.

Verdict

Taken in isolation, the BenQ PhotoVue SW272U is a terrific monitor that's a pleasure to use, both for image and video editing. Its high color accuracy and wide color space coverage are outstanding, it's also built to a very high standard, and it's packed with features orientated squarely at enthusiast and professional creatives. With no significant drawbacks, we could therefore end right here and award a full five stars. 

But, this isn't the only 27-inch, 4K monitor in town that can boast impeccable color accuracy. There's now a wide choice of sub $1000/£1000 screens that can match or almost match the SW272U's core specifications, with some costing even less. Take, for example, the Dell UltraSharp U2723QE. Apart from Adobe RGB coverage, its display specs are almost identical to the the SW272U, yet it can now be had for under $600. Sure, you don't get extras like a Hotkey Puck, a fancy anti-reflective coating or an included shading hood, but do these really justify spending well over twice as much for the BenQ? We doubt it.

If you're a professional or semi-pro creative who needs maximum Adobe RGB coverage and can really make the most out of the SW272U's features, then this monitor may just be worth the money. However, for the vast majority of buyers, it's far harder to justify the SW272U when you can get comparable performance from rival monitors that cost a fraction of the price.

Read more:
The best photo editing tools and accessories 
The best NAS drives
The best cameras you can buy right now
The best monitor calibrators
The best photo editing software
The best desktop computers for photo editing
The best ultrawide monitors for photo editing
Best video editing monitors

BenQ consistently makes some of the best monitors for photo editing, and now it's launching two new monitors aimed squarely at discerning photographers and videographers. The new PhotoVue SW272Q and SW272U replace the outgoing SW271C and SW270C, with the key difference between the two new models being panel resolution: the SW272Q is a Quad HD (2560 x 1440) display, while the SW272U has a Ultra HD (3840 x 2160) resolution. Both are 27-inch displays like their predecessors, and both boast USB-C connectivity for simple link-up with an attached laptop, but BenQ has now boosted Power Delivery from 60W to a healthier 90W.

But what really makes the SW272Q and SW272U special is their color accuracy and wide-gamut color space coverage. Both models boast 100% sRGB and 99% AdobeRGB coverage, along with factory color calibration to an accuracy of Delta E ≤1.5. The PhotoVue SW272U and SW272Q are certified by Pantone Validated, Pantone SkinTone, and Calman Verified for color performance and calibration. Both also support HDR, though only the SW272U supports hybrid-log gamma, making it the more suitable display for video editing.

What's more, both models also feature hardware color calibration. Unlike conventional monitor calibration where a LUT (look-up table) is saved to your computer to modify the graphics card's color output, the SW272Q and SW272U store calibrated color data in the actual monitor, independent of the connected computer.

A separate colorimeter from a brand like Calibrite, Datacolor or X-Rite is required, which is then used in conjunction with BenQ's brand new Palette Master Ultimate calibration software. BenQ says this has been in development for 6 years and is both easier to use compared to previous software versions, as well as being 50% faster. Palette Master Ultimate is also said to be twice as accurate as older versions, while offering a real-time comparison of pre- and post-calibration color.

Like previous BenQ monitors, the SW272Q and SW272U are supplied with BenQ's Hotkey Puck remote control, but this time in a new G3 revision. Core functionality remains largely the same as the previous G2 hotkey puck - it lets you take control of monitor settings, switch color spaces, etc - but now the controller operates wirelessly. The buttons have also been tilted slightly at an angle to better face the user, and as before, and they can be customised to suit your workflow.

If you'd rather use the monitor's on-board controls, these have been upgraded from a row of button son the SW271C and SW270C to a new five-way controller for the SW272Q and SW272U. Also on the bottom of the monitor you'll find an SD card reader, two USB 3.2 Type-A ports and a 3.5mm audio jack.

The monitor's stand has also been upgraded with a soft-touch rubberized surface on the stand's base, while a detachable back cover and cable hub improves cable management. As with previous models, the SW272Q and SW272U are both supplied with a detachable hood, though only the hood supplied with the SW272U can be used in portrait orientation. Both models also feature a fine-coated anti-reflection panel coating to dramatically cut down reflections and glare, simulating the texture and experience of viewing paper.

The Ultra HD SW272U is available imminently, priced at $1,599.99 in the US and is available for pre-order in Australia right now for AU$2,499. The Quad HD SW272Q will begin shipping July 3rd, priced at $799.99 in the US, and it will set Aussies back AU$1,299 with a shipping date TBC.

Read more: 

The best monitors for video editing
The best photo editing monitors
The best USB-C monitors
The best ultrawide monitors
The best portable monitors
The best monitor arms
The best monitor calibrators

BenQ makes some of the best monitors for photo editing, but these are almost always 16:9, conventional 'widescreen' displays. What if you want something wider? An ultrawide monitor offers a significantly wider perspective - at least 21:9 - giving you more space to display two windows alongside each other, or additional image/video editing pallets alongside a preview pane.

Often if you want an ultrawide monitor larger than 30 inches, it'll also be curved. That's great for gaming and movie immersion, and for making the corners easier to see at a glance, but it can come at the expense of image quality. Curved monitors almost always use VA-type LCD panels, which don't provide the same color and contrast consistency as IPS-type display - the gold standard (OLED being the exception) for image quality.

And here's where the BenQ PD3420Q makes a real case for itself: this is a 34-inch flat ultrawide monitor, based around an IPS LCD display, and boasts some very respectable image quality specs as a result. Let's dig in...

Specifications

Display area: 34 inches
Aspect: 21:9
Panel type: IPS
Panel bit depth: 10-bit
Display colors: 1.07 billion
Resolution: 3440 x 1440
Pixel density: 109 ppi
Refresh rate: 60Hz
Response time: 5ms
Brightness: 350 cd/m2
Contrast ratio: 1000:1
Color space coverage: 100% sRGB, 100% Rec 709, 98% DCI-P3
Video inputs: HDMI x2, USB-C (DP Alt Mode), DisplayPort

Key features

The main attraction with the PD3420Q is it's ultra-wide 21:9 aspect ratio. This gives you around 33% extra screen width over a conventional 16:9 monitor - great for multi-tasking. Take a conventional 27-inch, 16:9 screen monitor with a 2560x1440 resolution, add an extra 7.7 horizontal inches / 880 horizontal pixels, and you essentially get this 34-inch, 3440x1440 beast.

Photo and video editors are catered for with 100% sRGB and 98% DCI-P3 color space coverage - the latter being a very respectable coverage figure for this wide-gamut video color space. The PD3420Q also comes factory calibrated to an accuracy of Delta-E <3 - not quite as impressive as many high-end monitors which promise a <2 accuracy. But as we'll find later, BenQ's accuracy figure is quite conservative, at least for our test monitor. The only potential weakness in the PD3420Q's color fidelity is AdobeRGB percentage coverage, which isn't stated by BenQ. A 350cd/m2 max typical brightness is good, though not class-leading.

The PD3420Q is also a USB-C monitor, so it can be linked to a Thunderbolt 3-equipped laptop via a single USB-C cable that also supplies power, with the monitor passing through 65W to an attached laptop. 3 additional USB 3.1 Type-A ports (two on the back, and a third on the side for easier access) would have once been barely worth mentioning, but now most new laptops are lucky to get a single USB-A port, having several more on your monitor could well be very useful for connecting devices like flash drives and older external hard drives.

Like most high-end BenQ monitors targeted at creative pros, the PD3420Q includes BenQ's Hotkey Puck remote control dial. This plugs into the monitor and is used as a more ergonomic means of controlling monitor settings like brightness, color modes and the volume of the built-in dual 2.5W speakers. The puck consists of a central rotating dial, surrounded by a Rotation Key, three function keys and a back button. It's certainly a nice extra to have as it does make it easier to navigate through the on-screen display, especially if you want to frequently switch between color gamut presents at the touch of a hotkey button, rather than scrolling through menus every time. However if, like me, you tend to work in one color mode, and leave brightness and other image settings alone once you've got your monitor set up how you want it,  then it's more difficult to make a compelling case for the Puck.

Lastly, the PD3420Q incorporates a built-in KVM (keyboard, video, mouse) switch, allowing you to control two computers from a single keyboard and mouse, with the Hotkey Puck able to perform the switch.

Build & handling

The PD3420Q is built to BenQ's typically high standard. The overall design is subtle and understated, with slim gunmetal grey screen bezels and a simple yet solid stand. The stand attaches easily to the panel - no screws required - and also incorporates some basic cable management. It enables decent range of ergonomic adjustability, with 150mm of height adjustment, -5˚ - 20˚ of tilt, and 30˚/30˚ of swivel movement. The stand's base is nicely machined metal, and is easily large enough to keep the extra-wide display securely anchored.

Accessible by your right hand on the rear panel are the controls for navigating the on-screen display. Thankfully BenQ has fitted a 4-way joystick controller for this, so there's no messing about trying to navigate using a row of buttons alone.

Monitor settings are accessed via a clear and easy-to-navigate on screen display. Settings include a color gamut presets like sRGB and DCI-P3, along with customisable picture modes, and settings for configuring the included Hotkey Puck G2 remote controller.

In addition to the extensive connectivity on the back of the monitor, BenQ also gives you a few side-mounted ports, including USB-C, USB-A, and a headphone socket. These are far easier to find than fumbling around behind the screen to locate the other ports.

Performance

In its default Display P3 color mode, the PD3420Q doesn't fail to impress, with vibrant colors and excellent color and contrast consistency - regardless of viewing angle - on account of its 10-bit IPS LCD panel. The consistently is especially important with a screen of this width, as the angle you're viewing the corners of the screen is very different from the perpendicular position of the center.

In our case, we did encounter a little difficulty in getting the monitor to run at its native 3440 x 1440 resolution, as the available options in our Windows display settings were all 16:9 and 16:10 resolutions. However, once we added a new, custom resolution in the PC's graphics drivers, all was well. This is not an issue with the monitor though, but rather our Windows 10 install not having the correct resolution as an available option by default.

The native 3440 x 1440 resolution produces optimally sized toolbars and icons on a on a display of this size, with no scaling necessary, while the lower overall pixel count is significantly easier for a graphics card to drive smoothly than a 4K resolution. Of course the downside are slightly larger individual pixels, but if you're not coming from an Apple Retina monitor, you're unlikely to notice. More problematic could be the lack of 4K support if you're editing 4K video footage, but 21:9 ultrawide monitors with a 4K (2160p) vertical resolution are very rare, and at least twice the price of the PD3420Q.

But to really assess a monitor's image quality, you need more than a subjective human viewpoint. So we broke out our DataColor Spyder X Elite monitor calibrator to really put the PD3420Q through its paces.

Lab results

Color gamut:

BenQ claims 100% sRGB and 98% DCI-P3 color space coverage, and our testing found that to be spot on. AdobeRGB coverage isn't advertised by BenQ, but we found it to be 87%.

Brightness and contrast:

Although BenQ's specs say the typical max brightness of the PD3420Q is 350cd/m2, the display didn't seem that bright to the naked eye, and testing with a SpyderX Elite colorimeter revealed screen brightness at 100% to a somewhat mediocre 223cd/m2. However, for typical image editing, 200cd/m2 brightness is still more than enough.

Color accuracy:

BenQ claims the PD3420Q comes pre-calibrated to a Delta-E color accuracy of <3. We found this to be quite conservative, as we recorded a very good out-of-the-box accuracy of 1.4. Calibration improved this accuracy still further, to a very respectable average of 0.82, with all the tested colors being accurate to <2, resulting in a both color-accurate and also very neutral color balance.

Luminance uniformity:

Luminance uniformity simply measures the consistency of brightness across 9 screen regions. In this test the PD3420Q scores very well indeed, recording just a 4% difference in brightness between the brightness and dimmest screen region  with overall brightness set to 100%. With brightness reduced to 67%, uniformity remains almost as even.

Color uniformity:

Color accuracy can fluctuate when you move away from the center of the screen, so this test measures how consistent color is in 9 regions spread across the display. Once again, the PD3420Q performs very well indeed. With brightness set to 100%, we recorded a Delta-E of just 2.7 (values closer to zero are better) between the most and least color-accurate regions. This drops still further, to 2.1, with brightness set to 67%.

Verdict

If you're in the market for an ultrawide monitor that's going to give you solid, dependable image quality for image or video editing, the BenQ PD3420Q is a fine choice. Retaining a flat rather than curved profile means you get an IPS-based LCD panel, which is generally a superior panel technology for photo and video editing. Extras like USB-C connectivity with Power Delivery are also welcome when connecting the monitor to a laptop.

The only minor downsides are the screen's mediocre AdobeRGB color support, while the sub-4K resolution could be problematic if you regularly edit 4K video. However if the majority of your content is shot at 1080p, the 3440x1440 native resolution of the PD3420Q is ideal, with loads of space for pallets, timelines and toolbars around a video preview pane. We were also a little disappointed that our test monitor couldn't hit the advertised 350cd/m2 maximum brightness figure, but this is only likely to be an issue if you need to work with HDR content.

Overall, the BenQ PD3420Q is a well-specified, high-performing display with a super-practical screen size, and all for a fair price when you consider its wide color DCI-P3 gamut coverage.

Read more:
The best photo editing tools and accessories 
The best NAS drives
The best cameras you can buy right now
The best monitor calibrators
The best photo editing software
The best desktop computers for photo editing
The best ultrawide monitors for photo editing
Best video editing monitors

Not so very long ago, buying a photo-editing monitor represented a significant investment and the choice of models was quite limited. Now you’re spoiled for choice mainly due to the efforts of BenQ, LG and Samsung.

BenQ has been particularly targeting photographers with its earlier QHD models and now various 4K resolution offerings in the most-used screen sizes of 27 and 32 inches. The PD3205U delivers 4K and a 32-inch screen at a very affordable price, achieved by paring down the feature set compared to the BenQ PD3220U, although it still has quite a lot in common with this model.

What’s gone isn’t likely to overly worry photographers – or even video-makers – so the PD3205U is arguably the more tailored model for these applications... you don’t need to pay for features aimed at gamers, for example.

The screen’s actual size is 31.5 inches which, with a resolution of 3840x2160 pixels, gives a pixel density (ppi) of 140, so fine detailing is still easy to see at a comfortable viewing distance. BenQ emphasizes that its DesignVue series monitors incorporate a number of features to help provide comfortable viewing over longer periods of time without creating eye fatigue. These include a matte anti-glare screen surface, Darkroom and Low Blue Light viewing modes, and flicker-free technology. LCD panels actually switch on and off at a very high frequency and, while you can’t really discern this flickering, it’s a major cause of tired eyes, especially with long working sessions. Additionally, the Low Blue Light mode filters out the blue wavelengths that particularly cause eye strain. BenQ packages all these elements under the ‘Eye Care’ banner.

True colors

The PD3205U’s LED backlit IPS display uses 10-bit processing delivering a palette of 1.07 billion colours, thus resulting in smoother shading, colour transitions and tonal gradations. The In-Plane Switching technology gives a fast response time of 5ms – an important spec for video-makers in particular – and enables a wide viewing angle of 178o.

In terms of reproducible colours, the panel delivers 95% of the sRGB colour space and its video equivalent, Rec.709, which is the standard for colour reproduction on transmissive displays, including tablets and smartphones. For video-makers, the PD3205U also handles HDR content via HDR10 support, but unlike the PD3220U, it doesn’t support DCI-P3 which is a cinematographic colour space with a wider gamut. There are also dedicated display modes for CAD/CAM and animation.

Notably, the display is individually calibrated prior to shipping – and the results documentation is supplied in the box – so the overall accuracy of the color reproduction is guaranteed at the start. For the record, the average Delta E rating of our test example was 0.218, and any number below 1.00 means that even an expert can’t see any difference when comparing two colours side-by-side. Additionally, the panel is not only Pantone Validated for overall colour accuracy, but has earned the more exacting Pantone Skintone Validated status for the precise reproduction of skin tones.

Unlike the more expensive BenQ monitors, the PD3205U doesn’t support hardware calibration, but you can still perform software-based calibration using a colorimeter – such as Datacolor’s Spyder X – which will be necessary over time to ensure the display is kept within specifications.

Specifications

Panel type: 80 centimetres (31.5 inches) IPS with white LED backlighting.
Display area: 697.31x392.23 millimetres (full scan). 16:9 aspect ratio.
Native resolution: 3840x2160 pixels (140 ppi).
Viewing angles: 178 degrees horizontal and vertical.
Brightness: 250 cd/m2 (average).
Contrast: 1000:1 (typical).
Display caolors: 1.07 billion.
Colour range: 99 percent sRGB, 99 percent Rec.709.
Internal processing: 10-bits per colour. Height Adjustment Range: 11.0 centime- tres.
Mount adjustments: -5.0-20 degrees tilt, 15/15 degrees left/right swivel, 90 degrees pivot (for portrait format).
Connections: Back panel = Display Port 1.4, HDMI 2.0, USB Type C, two USB 3.2 Type B (upstream), two USB 3.2 Type A (downstream), USB mini B (for the ‘Hotkey’ puck controller. Side panel = USB 3.2 Type C (downstream; data, AV, 90 watts power delivery, Display Port mode), USB 3.2 Type A (downstream), 3.5mm stereo audio output.
Features: Ten color modes (sRGB, Rec. 709, CAD/CAM, Animation, DICOM, HDR, Darkroom, Low Blue Light, MacBook, User set), HDR 10 support, Delta E ≤3 (CIE) color accuracy, ‘Hotkey Puck G2’ wired remote controller, ‘DualView’ side-by-side comparison display, picture-in-picture and picture- by-picture displays, Display Pilot Edge software (for multiple window partitions), matte anti-glare screen coating, flicker-free technology, KVM Switch (auto pairs two input systems), two built-in loudspeakers, VESA wall mount (100x100 mm). Pantone Validated, Pantone Skintone Validated and CalMAN Verified.
Dimensions (WxHxD): 714.7x589.0x256.8 mm (including stand at highest setting). Weight: 9.4 kilograms (including stand).

Controls and connections

Ever thinner bezels – the display’s surrounding frame – are now a feature of TV screens and it’s becoming a trait in monitor design too. Consequently, the PD3205U is virtually an all-display panel at the front, and even the lower edge is now free of branding and any external controls. It looks very clean and elegant as does the rounded support column and the heavyweight base, which means it can have a smaller footprint without compromising stability. The column incorporates a cable holder so you don’t end up with the common tangle behind the monitor. The column is internally damped so it can be freely moved, but then stays firmly parked at the desired height. The adjustment range is 11cm and the panel's mount allows adjustments for both tilt and swing, plus a full 90° pivot for a portrait orientation. 

The physical controls are now located on the lower right – as you look at the monitor – of the rear panel so they’re obviously out of sight, but it doesn’t take long to memorize what does what. One of these controls is a little joystick for navigating the monitor’s on-screen menus and you do have to think in reverse for this. A better option for navigating the menus is BenQ’s Hotkey Puck G2, a handy wired remote controller that can be positioned wherever it’s the most convenient and comfortable. It comprises three hotkeys that can be assigned a function – such as switching between the regularly used color modes – and a central dial that’s also customizable for adjustments such as brightness.

This monitor also has a Keyboard Video Monitor/Mouse (KVM) which allows for easier switching between two input computers or two monitors. There’s also a DualView mode for when you’re using one display with two inputs. The connection options are numerous with the main bay on the rear panel comprising a total of eight ports (and a handy graphic shows the KVM pairing options). These include one USB-C, two USB-A and two USB-B, plus a Display Port input. Located on a small panel on the side of the monitor – so it’s easier for frequent connecting and disconnecting – is a USB-C port (which supports charging), a USB-A port, and a 3.5mm minijack audio output for connecting up headphones.

Performance

Subjectively, the PD3205U’s colour fidelity is exceptional with nicely smooth gradations, a wide dynamic range and beautifully crisp fine detailing or text. The average screen brightness could, however, be a little on the low side for anybody working in an area that has a lot of natural light.

To back up our observations, we conducted software-based calibration using the SpyderX Elite colorimeter, and the subsequent DisplayCal scores for colour uniformity and colour accuracy, luminance uniformity, white point uniformity, tone response and contrast were all very good. The sRGB colour gamut is fine for working with images that will end up online and on TV displays, but if you’re intending to do a lot of image editing for printing, then the wider gamut of the Adobe RGB colour space is the standard. As we noted with the PD3220U, this monitor can still be used for print preparation, but you’re not going to see exactly how the output will look. Nevertheless, you’d need to be printing for commercial sales or exhibitions to justify the significantly higher cost of a monitor capable of reproducing more of the Adobe RGB colour space.

The verdict

The price tag is obviously a big attraction of the BenQ PD3205U, especially for a 32-inch 4K UHD display, but it also delivers a lot for the money, especially in terms of its outstanding color accuracy and panel uniformity. For many photographers, making videos is likely to be a higher priority than making prints, in which case the PD3205U is even more of a value-for-money all-rounder.

While it’s more of a no-frills model compared to the likes of the PD3220U, it still has everything most pros working in both stills and video will need, including the conveniences of the hotkey controller and the multi-function USB-C in/out port. Additionally, it’s well built and smartly styled, so it looks right at home in the décor-conscious office or studio. If, for one reason or another, you’re having to watch your expenditure on new imaging hardware more closely, then the PD3205U monitor is certainly a sound choice economically, but it’s also hard to beat for its performance and practicality.

Read more
The best monitors for photo editing
Best video-editing monitors
Best monitor arms
The best USB-C monitors
The best ultrawide monitors
The best camera for streaming
The best portable hard drives for photographers
The best all-in-one printers

The BenQ TK850 is a great budget 4K projector to consider, with rich colors and simple interfacing that will make it at home in any living room. It's not a native 4K projector, despite the branding; it replicates 4K resolution by quadrupling a 1080p output. This won't be the best option for recreating true Ultra HD, then, but it does have a 4K effect that should look more detailed than lower-res models – and for the price it may be worth the compromise.

Key features

The BenQ TK850 outputs at 3,000 lumens, offering an exceptional brightness (despite some resolution trickery) and aiding an above-par color performance through BenQ's CinematicColor processor. 

As a DLP projector, the TK850 saves costs by using a micromirror device allied to a spinning colour wheel to create images. DLP is popular choice for cheaper projectors, but is still able to output sharp images, even if occasional rainbow effects mean it won’t be the ideal choice for perfect recreation of monochrome photographs or videos.

The 1.3x zoom means you can get a 100-inch projection from a little over nine feet away, or pull the projector in closer to the wall for a smaller, more intimate size. There’s also a vertical lens shift feature that moves the image slightly up or down (good for avoiding furniture or picture frames), while the underside of the projector also has a stand you can unscrew to better angle it in a specific direction.

Specifications

Resolution: 4K (4 x 1080p)
Brightness (claimed): 3,000 ANSI lumens
Contrast (claimed): 30,000:1
Zoom: 1.3 Dimensions: 477.5(w)x383.5(h)x195(d)mm
Weight: 4.2kg

Build and operation

The TK850 is not a slight projector. The profile is obviously smaller than the average TV would be, but it has a rather chunky, if rounded, shape and measures 13 x 38 x 26cm, weighing just over 4kg. While it went well with our own decor during testing, you may want to consider how you like the appearance of it – though the strength of its images should mean you’re not staring at it too much.

The ports are all on the rear side, facing the viewer, making it easy to access the two HDMI 2.0 inputs, USB 3.0, SPDIF, RS232, and audio out (for headphones or speakers). The upper side of the TK850 features some basic inputs, but you’ll largely be making use of the backlit remote, which helps to ensure you can see all its buttons clearly even when you’ve turned the lights out for an evening movie.

Performance

It’s hard to knock the TK850’s brilliant brightness at 3,000 ANSI lumens, which helps to keep picture vivid and visible even in the daytime or with any kind of ambient light in the room.

The mix of BenQ’s CinematicColor processor and that high brightness means that HDR content does offer a notable uptick in contrast and color depth – ideal for movies over Netflix, and the like – even while ensuring that regular SDR content is shown off in a good light.

You may well be eyeing up the TK850 for sports in particular, given that’s what BenQ is marketing this model around. The capable contrast is definitely a boon for seeing players against football pitches, especially when using the dedicated Sports Mode to improve contrast further. Motion handling is more than good enough too, while the Sports Mode also tweaks the basic 10W audio output to ensure the sound of live crowds doesn’t get lost in the background.

This isn’t a true 4K projector, though. BenQ’s wizardry technically quadruples the same 1080p output to give an appearance of Ultra HD. This is handy especially when using the TK850 for its largest image size, ensuring that you aren’t faced with big blocky pixels, though it is a touch less impressive than some 4K laser projectors out there – given that you’re essentially seeing each pixel four times, rather than 8.3 million individual ones. 

There’s some slight video noise you’ll have to forgive, whatever the resolution of the content you’re viewing, though at this price we wouldn’t call it a deal-breaker.

BenQ TK850: Verdict

It’s hard to knock the BenQ TK850 for what it offers. Yes, the 4K label is a bit misleading, but it does ensure large projection sizes don’t break up the picture unnecessarily, and the strength of the HDR and color performance is more than enough to make up for it.

At this price, too, the TK850 is a great all-round option, able to output movies, games, and sports matches with an impressive level of contrast and color. The variety of zoom and focusing tools at your disposal too mean you’re fully able to tweak the TK850’s images around your particular needs. Be mindful, though, that you won’t get streaming apps built-in, so connecting devices through the HDMI or USB ports is pretty essential to get the most out of this model.

Read more

Best projectors

Best projection screens

Best TV for a computer monitors

BenQ's new PhotoVue SW271C is the company's latest entry in its already extensive range of high quality monitors for photo editing and video editing . It joins two existing 27-inch screens in the PhotoVue range: the BenQ SW271 and SW270C. The latter is a 2560 x 1440 panel, but the differences between the new SW271C the older SW271 are more subtle, as both are very similar 4K (3840 x 2160) IPS (in-plane switching) LCD screens.

Key features

The primary enhancement over the old SW271 is BenQ’s third-generation color Uniformity Technology, which fine-tunes the color and brightness of sub-regions across the screen for a more consistent viewing experience. The SW271C is also a USB-C monitor, with up to 60W Power Delivery – and handy boost compared to the 10W USB-C PD rating of the SW271.

Elsewhere, the new SW271C mostly matches the specifications of the older SW271. It's a 4K (3840 x 2160) display that boasts superb color space coverage thanks to its 10-bit color technology that means it’s able to show up to 1.07 billion colors. This results in an impressive 99% Adobe RGB, 100% sRGB/Rec.709, and 90% DCI-P3/Display P3 color space coverage.

BenQ SW271 full review •  BenQ SW270C full review

Hardware color calibration should ensure a high color accuracy of Delta E ≤ 2 for Adobe RGB and sRGB content, and the monitor boasts Pantone and CalMAN validation, with support for standalone monitor calibrators. The SW271C also supports two HDR formats - HDR10 and HLG - making it suitable for video editing and color grading.

The monitor comes with BenQ’s 2nd-generation Hotkey Puck remote control dial for faster and more efficient on-screen-display navigation, plus it enables easier switching between different color spaces for a side-by-side comparison.

If you have a Canon Pixma Pro-10 or Pixma Pro-100, Epson SureColor P600 or SureColor P800 printer and you like using Canon Matt Photo Paper, Photo Paper Pro Platinum, Photo Paper Pro Luster or Photo Plus Semi-gloss or Epson Premium Semi-gloss Photo Paper or Velvet Fine Art Paper, BenQ also supplies its free Paper Color Sync software that’s designed to match the on-screen image to the final print. However, this does use a generic profile system rather than a custom one that’s designed to match individual printers.

Specifications

• Panel Type: IPS LED
• Panel Size: 27" (16:9)
• Display Area: 596.16 x 335.34mm
• Max. Resolution: 3840x2160
• Pixel Pitch (mm): 0.15525
• Brightness (Typ.): 300 nits
• Contrast Ratio (Typ.): 1000:1
• Viewing Angle (H/V): 178/178 degrees
• Display Colors: 1.07 Billion
• Response Time: 12 ms (Tr+Tf)
• GtG response Time: 5 ms
• Color Gamut: Adobe RGB 99%, sRGB 100%, P3 90%

Build & handling

The SW271C is supplied in a very large and bulky box, but once you've assembled the high quality two-peice stand and attached it to the monitor panel, this isn't an overly dominating screen and you should find it provides generous screen real estate while still being comfortable to view at typical working distances.

The panel's 59.6 x 33.5cm display area equates to a 16:9 aspect ratio, which while not suiting the native stills output (3:2 or 4:3) from most cameras, works well by the time you’ve factored in things like the toolbox and control panel in software packages like Adobe Camera Raw and Lightroom.

It’s also possible to rotate the PhotoVue SW271C so it’s in portrait orientation, which seems like a major bonus for editing portrait images, but the 16:9 aspect ratio doesn’t work actually work so well for processing vertical stills. The screen seems a lot longer and thinner in portrait orientation. Nevertheless, it’s a nice to have feature just in case - and it helps with the set-up process.

A plastic bezel of around 2.5cm surrounds the screen, giving it overall dimensions of around 64.7 x 38.8cm.  Although it can be mounted on a VESA monitor arm, it only takes a couple of minutes to assemble the included stand and clip the monitor into place. Also, because the screen rotates, there’s easy access to the connection ports. If the rotation weren’t possible, these connection points would a pain to reach as they’re on the back of the monitor facing downwards when it’s in landscape orientation. Before you can rotate the screen, you need to lift up and then turn it in a clockwise direction, it won’t go counter-clockwise from horizontal.

BenQ also supplies a 5-piece hood to fit around the monitor whether it’s in landscape or portrait orientation (one reason why the shipping box is so huge!). This slots neatly into position and is a useful inclusion if your viewing environment has a nearby window which could cast unwanted reflections onto the display surface.

This has the potential to be particularly problematic as the SW271C isn't the brightest display you can buy. Its maximum brightness of 300 nits means its best suited to use in rooms with subdued lighting, but that’s not uncommon, and around 120 nits is often recommended as an ideal brightness for serious image editing, as it allows your eyes to easily see detail in both shadow and highlight areas.

And it's not just the hood that improves the SW271C's ergonomics. Also included is the Hotkey Puck G2. A BenQ exclusive, this circular wired remote control is an easier, more ergonomic alternative control input to the conventional buttons on the screen's lower bezel. You can use it to switch between input sources, and to change the monitor's pre-set display modes and settings. While the buttons on the screen bezel work well enough for these functions, the size and shape of the Hotkey Puck takes convenience to another level.

Performance

Thanks to is IPS (in-plane switching) technology and matte panel finish, the PhotoVue SW271C doesn’t suffer from troublesome glare and there are wide horizontal and vertical viewing angles to ensure color accuracy and contrast don't vary according to the angle from which you view the screen. Compared with a freshly-calibrated iMac, the SW271C looks a little warmer and more vibrant while subtle colocolours r transitions are more apparent. High contrast images also have greater dynamic range and images generally look a little brighter.

Although the screen looks excellent straight from the box, BenQ recommends downloading its Palette Master Elements calibration software to calibrate the monitor’s color and brightness. However, there’s no measurement device in the box so you'll still need a monitor calibrator. Helpfully, you can calibrate the monitor in several different color spaces and easily swap between the profiles using the Hotkey Puck. So while Adobe RGB is the natural choice for photographers, you can switch to Rec. 709, for example, for video editing.

Lab data

Brightness & contrast:

BenQ claims the SW271C has a maximum brightness of 300cd/m2 and a max contrast of 1000:1. We recorded 275.8cd/m2 and 700:1. The latter is likely due to max contrast only being available by manually selecting User Mode in the Picture Mode menu.

Color Gamut:

BenQ claims 100% sRGB, 99% Adobe RGB and 90% DCI-P3 color space coverage, and we concur. We actually achieved a slightly higher 100% Adobe RGB result, which is highly impressive, and we were able to exactly match the advertised 90% P3 coverage.

Color uniformity:

Color uniformity is excellent across the entire screen, with only a maximum 3.2% deviation from optimal.

Color accuracy before calibration:

A high quality monitor for photo editing should have accurate color, so we measure how close a monitor's color output is from perfect. A perfect result on the charts below would be zero, with no visible color bars on the chart below. A higher Delta-E score and longer bars on the chart indicate a larger deviation from ideal color accuracy, and therefore a worse performance. Short bars and a low Delta-E number are what we're after here.

BenQ advertises the SW271C as being factory calibrated with a Delta-E average of less than 2. Our testing found this to be rather conservative, as our monitor recorded an exceptionally accurate Delta-E figure of 0.77 straight out of the box.

Color accuracy after calibration:

After calibrating with a Datacolor Spyder X Elite colorimeter, the SW271C managed an even more impressive Delta-E of 0.55. With this degree of color accuracy, you can be assured that your images are being displayed with near-perfect color rendition, regardless of the color space in which you're editing.

Verdict

The BenQ PhotoVue SW271C is an outstanding monitor which performs almost flawlessly - it's very hard to fault. Color accuracy is superb straight out of the box, and can even be made slightly more accurate with a monitor calibrator. Brightness uniformity is also first class, and while the monitor may not have the sexiest exterior, it's extremely functional, easy to use, and very well made. The substantial included stand is anything but an afterthought, and the additions of a full shade hood and the useful Hotkey Puck remote controller further help to justify the premium price tag.

But it's that price tag which is the only downside with the SW271C. If money's no object and you want an exceptionally color-accurate, high quality monitor for serious image or video editing work, go right ahead and buy an SW271C. However, if you're after maximum visual bang per buck, the choice isn't quite so clear cut. BenQ itself offers the equally impressive SW271 (non 'C'), which  is almost identical to the SW271C but costs around 20-40% less. You'll have to do without 60W USB Power Delivery and BenQ's third-generation color Uniformity Technology, but if they're not deal-breakers for you, then the SW271 is a better value proposition. Likewise, a screen such as the Dell UltraSharp U2720Q offers the same size and 4K resolution, along with almost as good color accuracy, but for less than half the price of the SW271C in some regions.

Read more
The best monitors for photo editing
Best video-editing monitors
Best monitor arms
The best USB-C monitors
The best ultrawide monitors
The best camera for streaming
The best portable hard drives for photographers
The best all-in-one printers

BenQ has expanded its already extensive range of high quality monitors for photo editing and video editing with this, the SW271C.

The SW271C joins two existing 27-inch screens in BenQ’s PhotoVue range: the SW271 and SW270C. The latter is a 2560 x 1440 panel, but the differences between the new SW271C the older SW271 are more subtle, as both are very similar 4K screens.

BenQ SW271 full review •  BenQ SW270C full review

Specifications

• Panel Type: IPS LED
• Panel Size: 27" (16:9)
• Display Area: 596.16 x 335.34mm
• Max. Resolution: 3840x2160
• Pixel Pitch (mm): 0.15525
• Brightness (Typ.): 350 nits
• Contrast Ratio (Typ.): 1000:1
• Viewing Angle (H/V): 178/178 degrees
• Display Colors: 1.07 Billion
• Response Time: 12 ms (Tr+Tf)
• GtG response Time: 5 ms
• Color Gamut: Adobe RGB 99%, sRGB 100%, P3 90%

The primary enhancement over the old SW271 is BenQ’s third-generation color Uniformity Technology, which fine-tunes the color and brightness of sub-regions across the screen for a more consistent viewing experience. The SW271C is also a USB-C monitor, with up to 60W Power Delivery – and handy boost compared to the 10W USB-C PD rating of the SW271.

Elsewhere, the new SW271C mostly matches the specifications of the older SW271. Both are 4K (3840 x 2160) displays, and both boast superb color space coverage, with the wide-gamut 16-bit panel delivering 99% Adobe RGB, 100% sRGB/Rec.709, and 90% DCI-P3/Display P3 coverage. Hardware color calibration ensures a high color accuracy of Delta E ≤ 2 for Adobe RGB and sRGB content, and the monitor boasts Pantone and CalMAN validation, with support for standalone monitor calibrators. The SW271C also supports two HDR formats - HDR10 and HLG - making it suitable for video editing and color grading.

And it’s not just the screen spec that could make this a future candidate for our best monitors for photographers list. The monitor comes with BenQ’s 2nd-generation Hotkey Puck remote control dial for faster and more efficient on-screen-display navigation, plus it enables easier switching between different color spaces for a side-by-side comparison.

Also included with the monitor is a full hood shade to ensure ambient light and reflections won’t interfere with the display’s precise color and contrast.

The hood will also be beneficial when using the included Paper Color Sync software, which automatically adjusts the color and contrast of an on-screen image preview to match that of the final print.

The BenQ SW271C is available to pre-order now from B&H, priced at $1,599.99. That’s a hefty increase over the similarly specced $1099 SW271 - we’ll await a review sample to see if the difference is worth the extra outlay.

Read more
The best monitors for photo editing
Best video editing monitors
Best ultrawide monitors
The best photo editing tools and accessories 
What to look for when choosing a monitor
Best USB-C monitors for photo editing
Everything photographers need to work from home
Best broadband deals in the UK
Best webcam for home working
Best laptop stands

If you are considering stepping up to a 4K resolution photo monitor or, indeed, thinking of upgrading to a bigger display, then BenQ’s SW321C would certainly be on the short list. BenQ is building a reputation for affordable high-performance photo monitors, but the SW321C's price may make this too expensive for many right now. If you’ve already put a 32-inch display and 4K UHD resolution on the wish list, there aren’t really a lot of cheaper alternatives… except if you browse through the BenQ monitor catalogue, you’ll find the PD3220U which is one of the company’s DesignVue series models. It’s primarily aimed at graphic designers, but a quick survey of the key specs shows that it shares quite a bit with the Benq SW321C at least in terms of the physical features and even some display capabilities – but is noticeably cheaper.

So OK, this is a monitor primarily made for designers and it has a number of design-orientated features, but some of these are equally useful to photographers as well… especially if you’re doing a bit of graphic design work too, either for yourself or clients. The key aspects for photographers are that it’s an individually factory-calibrated display with the ‘sweet spot’ specs – for image editing especially – of a 31.5-inch panel and 3840x2160 pixels resolution which represents 140 ppi so fine detailing is still easy to see at a comfortable viewing distance. 

Handling

BenQ emphasizes the DesignVue monitors are designed to provide comfortable viewing over longer periods of time without creating eye fatigue. The PD3220U has a matte anti-glare screen surface, and both Darkroom and Low Blue Light viewing modes as well as flicker-free technology. LCD panels actually switch on and off at a very high frequency which and while you can’t really see this flickering, it’s a major cause of tired eyes if you’re staring at the screen for hours at a time. The Low Blue Light mode filters out the blue wavelengths that cause eye strain.

On the physical side, the PD3220U has clearly been styled with fashion-conscious designers mostly in mind so it’s actually much smarter looking than the PhotoVue models, with a rounded support column and wide stand that are both finished in contrasting silver-grey. 

The stand provides a height adjustment range of 15 centimetres and allows for both tilting and swiveling plus a full 90-degree pivot for a portrait orientation. 

The panel’s bezels are super-thin with the physical controls arranged behind the bottom right edge and which includes a little joystick-type controller for navigating the on-screen menus. The alternative means of operation is the current version of BenQ’s ‘Hotkey Puck’ which is a handy wired remote controller. It allows for faster and easier navigation of the on-screen menus as well as, probably even more conveniently, quicker switching between assigned color modes (for example, sRGB and B&W). 

This monitor also has a Keyboard Video Mouse (KVM) which allows for easier switching between two computers or two monitors. There’s a ‘DualView’ mode for when you’re using one display with two inputs. Here then, the PD3220U has appeal for both designers and photographers, enhanced by the provision of the much faster and higher bandwidth Thunderbolt 3 connectivity via its pair of USB Type C ports. A Thunderbolt 3 cable is supplied with the monitor. This allows for the single cable transmission of both data and power (up to 85 watts through one of the connections), greatly simplifying the daisy-chaining of two 4K monitors… so, for example, you can display a big image across the two displays. USB C doesn’t have the bandwidth to support two 4K displays.

Specifications

Panel size: 31.5 inch

Panel Type: IPS with white LED backlighting

Resolution: 3840x2160 pixels (140 ppi)

Brightness: 250cd/m² 

Contrast: 1000:1 

Pixel Response: 5ms

Color Coverage: 100 percent sRGB, 100 percent Rec.709, 95 percent DCI-P3, 80 percent Adobe RGB.

Refresh rate: 60 Hz

Vesa: 100mm x 100mm

Inputs: Display Port 1.2, Mini Display Port 1.2, two HDMI 2.0, USB 3.1 hub (4 downstream and 1 upstream), USB mini B, two USB Type C with Thunderbolt 3 connectivity, 3.5 mm stereo headphone output.

Performance

The PD3220U’s display has 10-bit color processing which delivers a palette of 1.07 billion, resulting in smoother shading, color transitions and tonal gradations. The In-Plane Switching (IPS) technology enables a fast response time of 5.0 ms – an important spec for video-makers in particular – and gives a wide viewing angle of 178 degrees.

In terms of reproducible colors, the panel delivers 100 percent of the sRGB color space and its video equivalent, Rec.709 which is the standard for color reproduction on transmissive displays, including tablets and smartphones. The display also covers 95 percent of DCI-P3 which is a cinematographic color space (but also the color space of Mac computers). For video-makers, the PD3220U also handles HDR content via HDR10 support.

BenQ doesn’t supply a specification for the Adobe RGB color space which is used by photographers for printing as it has a wider gamut. If most of your work is ending up online and on electronic displays then sRGB is the standard. You could certainly still use the PD3220U for print preparation, but its Adobe RGB coverage isn’t as wide as that of a dedicated photo monitor (we tested it at around 87 percent which is actually a bit better than the quoted spec), but the overall accuracy of its color reproduction thanks to the factory calibration is still a good start. Incidentally, while this monitor doesn’t support hardware calibration you can still perform software-based calibration with a colorimeter – such as Datacolor’s Spyder X – which will ensure that the monitor is kept within specifications over time.

As usual, we tested the monitor’s via software-based calibration using the SpyderX Elite colorimeter and DisplayCal measurements for colour gamut, tone response, white point uniformity, contrast, luminance uniformity, colour uniformity and colour accuracy. The PD3220U scored well in all these tests so it’s more than capable of meeting the demands of many photographers.

Purely subjectively, the test images we displayed were very accurately rendered with good saturation and fidelity, nicely smooth gradations, a wide dynamic range and crisply resolved detailing. 

Verdict

For photographers who don’t plan to do a lot of printing, the BenQ PD3220U has everything they need for the processing and presentation of images. It represents a significant saving over the comparable photo monitor from BenQ (and others), but still offers exceptional workflow efficiencies and great flexibility for both Mac and Windows users. It’s also an excellent monitor for video editing which is becoming another important consideration for photographers these days (in reality probably more so than making prints). Overall though, it’s the value-for-money proposition that’s the hardest to ignore given the performance so, while it might say “Designer Monitor” on the box, the PD3220U is more than capable of delivering as photo/video monitor too.

Read more
• Best monitors for photo editing
• Best USB-C monitors
• How to calibrate a monitor
• Best monitor calibrators
• Best 8K monitors
• Best video editing monitors
• Best ultrawide monitors
• Best portable monitors
• Best TV for a computer monitor

Ever wondered what it takes to produce top-notch photographs of the animal kingdom? Or are you keen to improve your wildlife photography skills?

You'll be able to find the answers you need in a free webinar this Wednesday, February 17, hosted by monitor-maker BenQ and one of Australia's top wildlife photographers, Joshua Holko.

During the hour-long webinar, Joshua will share his knowledge and experience in the field, explain what it takes to shoot great wildlife photography and walk you through the process of editing your photos.

Post processing isn't only about editing your photos on a computer – it also means calibrating your monitor for the best results, particularly if you're keen on printing your images. During the webinar, Joshua will explain why this is an important step and run you through his experience using BenQ's flagship SW321C 4K Photovue monitor.

There's a lot you'll be able to learn during this session if you're a keen wildlife photographer, and you'll have the chance to ask Joshua questions as well.

Click here to register for the webinar, which will begin at 6:30pm AEDT on Wednesday, February 17.

Meet the expert

Melbourne-based photographer Joshua Holko knows more than just a thing or two about wildlife photography. He's won several accolades around the world and is a member of the Australian Institute of Professional Photographers (AIPP).

He's extremely well travelled, having shot throughout his home country of Australia, crossed the ditch to New Zealand, and ventured to South America, Canada, the Scandinavian countries, Mongolia and even to the Arctic and Antarctic regions.

You can read his full bio on his website and peruse some of his work on his blog.

BenQ has announced a new ultrawide monitor aiming to be one of the best photo editing monitors. The PD3420Q stands out from typical 16:9 widescreen monitors thanks to its ultrawide 21:9 aspect ratio that provides 33% more horizontal screen real estate than a 16:9 panel. This makes the PD3420Q ideal for split-screen multitasking, or for adding extra room for editing pallets alongside your image preview pane.

Even the best ultrawide monitors tend to be aimed at gamers, as they sport curved displays for greater gaming immersion. The PD3420Q is relatively unusual in the ultrawide sector as it's a flat display, as this ensures lines displayed on screen don't bend or skew as they would on a curved ultrawide.

A flat screen also enables BenQ to use an IPS LCD panel in the PD3420Q, where most curved ultrawide screens are based around VA panels - an LCD technology which tends to trail IPS screen tech when it comes to color and contrast consistency. The PD3420Q's IPS screen boasts 178/178-degree viewing angles, a 5ms GtG response time, and it can display 1.07 billion colors.

Color accuracy is a big selling point of the PD3420Q. BenQ’s AQCOLOR technology, factory color calibration and Pantone/Calman verification all ensure accurate colors right out of the box, while VESA DisplayHDR 400 certification means the monitor can produce a peak 400cd/㎡ brightness for previewing HDR10 content. The PD3420Q covers 100% of the sRGB and Rec.709 color spaces, and an impressive 98% of the DCI-P3 color space, which is up there with some of the best monitors for video editing. BenQ's Uniformity Technology also helps iron out any uneven back-lighting, as the screen is divided into hundreds of sub-regions and fine-tuned for brightness precision.

With such impressive specs, it's perhaps a little disappointing that the PD3420Q 'only' has a resolution of 3440 x 1440 pixels, which is some way short of 4K (3840 x 2160), and results in 109 pixels per inch. This puts it on par with a 27-inch 2560 x 1440 16:9 monitor for visible display height and pixel density, though the PD3420Q obviously has additional horizontal resolution.

The PD3420Q is supplied with BenQ's Hotkey Puck G2 - a round tabletop remote control that makes monitor settings adjustment and input selection a quicker and more intuitive process than navigating the on-screen menu using conventional menu buttons on the monitor itself. What's more, this is also a USB-C monitor, with a single USB-C connection able to transmit video, audio and up to 65w Power Delivery. This helps make the PD3420Q just as convenient for connecting to PC or Mac, and the Mac-friendly features also extend to BenQ's ICCsync feature that synchronizes color profiles between your monitor and Mac.

Additional features include a KVM (keyboard video and mouse) switch that enables the content from two PCs to be viewed on one monitor and controlled by a single keyboard and mouse. The PD3420Q also supports Picture In Picture (PIP) and Picture By Picture (PBP) split screen modes to fully utilize its extra screen width.

The BenQ PD3420Q is available to pre-order from B&H, priced at $899.99

Read more: 

The best monitors for video editing

The best photo editing monitors

The best USB-C monitors

The best ultrawide monitors

The best portable monitors

The best monitor arms

The best monitor calibrators

The BenQ SW321C is the flagship monitor in BenQ's premium PhotoVue photographer monitor range. It lines up alongside the 27-inch SW271 in BenQ's extensive range of monitors for photo editing and is built to a pro-spex standard throughout. The SW321C has already been awarded Best Professional Photo Monitor in the 2020 TIPA World Awards so we were keen to get our hands on this enticing display to see what the fuss is about.

Key features

At the heart of the SW321C is a 32-inch (708.48 x 398.52mm) 4K display with a native resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels. This equates to a crisp 137ppi and 0.1845 dot pitch. The 10-bit wide-gamut IPS display boasts excellent colour space coverage - 100% sRGB, 99% AdobeRGB - particularly impressive - and 95% coverage of the DCI-P3 video color space (the cinematic equivalent of sRGB). Wide 178/178-degree viewing angles promise accurate contrast regardless of your viewing position, helped by an anti-glare and anti-reflective coating. A 5ms response time is more than fast enough for photographic applications, as is the maximum 250cd/m2 brightness.

To further enhance its appeal to enthusiast and pro photographers, every SW321C is pre-calibrated at the factory to ensure an average Delta-E color accuracy of below 2 (zero being perfect color reproduction). The monitor also incorporates hardware calibration (via an external colorimeter) to keep it performing perfectly. This works by directly adjusting the monitor's in-built processing chip via BenQ’s Palette Master Element software, rather than changing the look-up table of your computer's graphics card.

Another pro-orientated feature is Paper Color Sync. This enables you to choose color gamut, printer model and paper you're working with, then the monitor adjusts its color to match what you'll see in print. The screen's anti-reflective coating further helps with preview accuracy.

There’s a total of 14 color modes (including three calibration settings), an ‘Advanced B&W’ mode (with three presets), built-in SD card reader and, for video-makers, an HDR mode which supports HDR10 inputs. Very handy is a feature called ‘GamutDuo’ which works in the monitor’s picture-by-picture (PBP) display and provides mirrored images in two different color spaces. Better still, each image is fully adjustable independently. Normally, this is something that would need two monitors side-by-side to achieve, so it’s a much more convenient option (as well as being a lot less expensive).

In addition to a HDMI and DisplayPort connectors behind the monitor, there's also a USB-C port supporting Thunderbolt 3. This allows video, data and power to be transmitted over a single cable.

Build & handling

From the moment you try lifting the huge, 25kg packing box containing the SW321C, you can feel this is a quality monitor. Contributing to the hefty weight is a very sturdy stand with -5˚/- 20˚ of down/up tilt, 45˚/45˚of left/right swivel, and 90˚ of pivot adjustment, enabling a switch from landscape to portrait mode. The stand also allows for a generous 150mm of height adjustment.

Also in the box you'll find an equally well-made five-piece modular hood to surround the screen, and it can be configured to work in both landscape and portrait orientation. With the aid of the panel's anti-reflective coating, it really helps keep glare and reflections off the screen and lets the panel's color accuracy show through at all times.

Then there's the included Hotkey Puck G2. A BenQ exclusive, this wired circular remote control enables more convenient and ergonomic adjustment for switching between input sources, as well as changing the monitor's preset display modes and settings. The well-positioned buttons on the front of the lower screen bezel already provide intuitive control over the monitor's on-screen display, but the size and shape of the Hotkey Puck takes convenience to another level.

Monitor aesthetics come a fairly distant second to display quality with a device targeted at pro users, which may explain why the SW321C isn't exactly a design classic. Form definitely follows function here, with the simple matte black plastic casing and base being styled to blend into your editing environment, providing minimal distraction from your workflow.

Performance

Even without testing the monitor with our trusty colorimeter, the SW321C impresses with its excellent screen brightness uniformity and lack of backlight bleed. BenQ's Uniformity Technology plays a part in this, as the technology measures the brightness and color across hundreds of regions over the display to ensure the whole panel displays consistently from corner to corner.

Color vibrancy, contrast and brightness are all excellent to the naked eye, and although the outright maximum brightness is a fairly mediocre 250cd/m2, you really don't need any extra brightness for serious image editing, as highlight detail will start to blow out. In fact, when calibrating, 120cd/m2 is considered optimal brightness.

Even without the included hood fitted, the panel's anti-reflective matte finish does a great job of minimizing reflections, while the IPS panel stays true to its 178/178-degree viewing angle specification. Contrast remains consistent not just when viewing the screen from an extreme angle, but also in a more typical scenario when you need to compare image quality at the corners of screen to in the centre, as the sheer size of the SW321C means the difference in viewing angle between the centre and corners is significant.

However, to really test how color-accurate any monitor is, as well as its color and brightness uniformity, you really need a more objective means of testing than the fallible human eye. For this we use Datacolor's latest SpyderX Elite calibration colorimeter to really put a screen through its paces:

Lab data

Brightness & contrast:

BenQ claims the SW321C has a maximum brightness of 250cd/m2 and a max contrast of 1000:1. We recorded 253.9cd/m2 and 750:1. The latter is likely due to max contrast only being available by manually selecting User Mode in the Picture Mode menu.

Color Gamut:

Our testing found the SW321C covers 100% of the sRGB color space and 99% of the AdobeRGB color space - exactly as BenQ claims. Our 91% DCI-P3 score is slightly below the 95% coverage that BenQ claims, though this could be due to us not having selected the monitor's P3 display preset for this particular test.

Color uniformity:

Color uniformity is excellent across the entire screen.

Color accuracy before calibration:

A high quality monitor for photo editing should have accurate color, so we measure how close a monitor's color output is from perfect. A perfect result on the charts below would be zero, with no visible color bars. A higher Delta-E score and longer bars on the chart indicate a larger deviation from ideal color accuracy, and therefore a worse performance. Short bars and a low Delta-E number are what we're after here.

BenQ advertises the SW321C as being factory calibrated with a Delta-E average of less than 2. Our testing found this to be rather conservative, as our monitor recorded an exceptionally accurate Delta-E figure of 0.98 straight out of the box.

Color accuracy after calibration:

After calibrating with a Datacolor Spyder X Elite colorimeter, the SW321C managed an even more impressive Delta-E of 0.63 - this is about as good a result as you can expect to see without spending considerably more money.

Verdict

BenQ has a well-established reputation for producing high-spec photo editing monitors at a fair price, and the SW321C is a fine example of the breed. Its superb color accuracy, uniformity and color space coverage are a match for the very best photo editing monitors on the market, and extras like hardware calibration, an included hood, high-quality stand and the convenient hotkey puck remote control further add to the value.

However, even with all these plus points, $2,000/£1,500 is still a serious amount of cash to splash on a monitor, and the SW321C does have some stiff competition. For less than half the price of the big BenQ, Viewsonic's VP3268-4K offers the same screen size, resolution, 100% sRGB coverage and factory color calibration with a Delta-E of less than 2. You'll have to sacrifice built-in hardware calibration and 100% AdobeRGB coverage, but invest in an aftermarket monitor calibrator for around $150 and you've still got money left in your pocket. It's also worth remembering that BenQ's own SW271 27-inch monitor boasts the same resolution and sRGB/AdobeRGB color space coverage as the SW321C, as well as hardware calibration, an included hood and the same Hotkey puck, but the SW271 is almost half the price of the SW321C in the US.

There's no doubt the BenQ SW321C is an exceptional monitor, and we can hardly fault it in terms of build quality, features and performance. But when it comes to bang per buck, the 4K SW271 is equally impressive for substantially less cash - you've really got to want that extra 5 inches of screen real estate for the SW321C to be the better buy.

Read more
The best monitors for photo editing
Best video-editing monitors
Best monitor arms
The best USB-C monitors
The best ultrawide monitors
The best camera for streaming
The best portable hard drives for photographers
The best all-in-one printers

Not so long ago, buying a monitor for photo editing used to be an expensive exercise. There were only a couple of brands to choose from and they all targeted professional users with very high-end products. Now the market has become much bigger thanks, in part, to the efforts of BenQ. 

BenQ already had a big reputation in the gaming world, but then decided to get involved in the photo and video editing sectors, quickly gaining a reputation for affordable performance. There’s already been a couple of industry awards for BenQ’s photo monitors, the latest being the PhotoVue SW321C which has recently been judged Best Professional Photo Monitor in the 2020 TIPA World Awards.

BenQ’s newest offering in 27-inch photo monitors is the SW270C which is essentially a 2K QHD version of the 4K BenQ SW271. The higher resolution displays may have glamour status right now, but the reality for many photographers is that 2K is more than sufficient for many image editing requirements. It may sound contradictory, but in terms of evaluating fine detailing in an image, less resolution can actually be more revealing than more, especially at the smaller monitor sizes which result in very high pixels-per-inch (ppi) counts. QHD is a good compromise. That said, video is a different story, but the SW270C is first and foremost designed for photographers.

It’s a direct successor to the SW2700PT (itself an award-winner), but benefits from advances in display panel technologies – particularly in the uniformity of both color reproduction and brightness – and an expanded function set thanks to more recent features such as an Type C USB connection which handles video, audio, data and power. Physically, the SW270C is the same as all BenQ’s current SW series monitors with an ultra-thin bezel, matte screen face – to minimize glare and reflections – dark grey finish and easy-to-assemble stand. 

The baseplate is now quite a bit bigger which takes up a bit more desktop, but makes for a much more stable, wobble-free set-up. The support arm incorporates a carry handle at its top. Putting it all together after unboxing takes only a matter of minutes and the unit is supplied with a five-piece modular hood, a generous set of cables, a two-page calibration report and the latest G2 version of BenQ’s ‘Hotkey Puck’. The sturdy stand has a height adjustment range of 15 centimetres and allows for both tilting and swiveling plus a full 90-degree pivot for a vertical orientation (hence the hood’s modular design so it can be configured either way). 

The Hotkey Puck is essentially a wired remote controller which bypasses the various mode buttons on the monitor’s bezel, allowing for easier navigation of the various menus as well as quicker switching between assigned color modes. It has its own recess at the base of the stand’s support arm, but can be positioned anywhere and works like a mouse except with a main rotary-type controller and three user-assignable function keys.

Key features

The display is an IPS type panel with LED backlighting, an area of 596.7x335.6 millimetres and a resolution of 2560x1440 pixels which gives 109 ppi. It has 10-bit color processing which delivers a palette of 1.07 billion, resulting in smoother shading, color transitions and tonal gradations. And IPS enables a wide viewing of 178 degrees. The response time is 5.0 ms – which is more than fast enough for video applications – and the refresh rate is 60 Hz.

In terms of reproducible colors, the SW270C delivers 99 percent of the Adobe RGB color space (so, obviously, 100 percent of sRGB) and 97 percent of DCI-P3 which is a cinematographic color space. It’s taking over from sRGB – or, more specifically, its video equivalent, Rec.709 – as the standard for color reproduction on transmissive displays, including tablets and smartphones.

As just noted, the monitor is individually calibrated before it leaves the factory, but hardware calibration – via an external colorimeter – can be subsequently performed via BenQ’s proprietary Palette Master Element software (which is supplied on a CD-ROM). Hardware calibration is generally considered superior to software-based calibration (which also requires a colorimeter), but the latter will still ensure you keep the monitor within specifications over time. As an aside, the USB-C port enables the convenience of a one-cable connection to the computer when performing hardware calibration. 

Performance

The SW270C has a 16-bit 3D LUT (Look-Up Table) which enables hardware calibration independent of a computer’s color management. However, to test this monitor’s performance we ran software-based calibration using the new-generation SpyderX Elite colorimeter from Datacolor (although it’s now supported for hardware calibration in the latest version of the PME software). 

DisplayCal’s scores for color gamut, tone response, white point uniformity, contrast, luminance uniformity, color uniformity and color accuracy were all impressive; so the BenQ monitor is definitely punching out a performance well above its price. 

A key element is the second-generation ‘Uniformity Technology’ which now works on hundreds of sub-regions across the display so you don’t see any shifts or tints anywhere. Likewise, there are no noticeable variations in brightness either.

There’s a total of 14 color modes (including three calibration settings), an ‘Advanced B&W’ mode (with three presets), built-in SD card reader and, for video-makers, an HDR mode which supports HDR10 inputs. Very handy is a feature called ‘GamutDuo’ which works in the monitor’s picture-by-picture (PBP) display and provides mirrored images in two different color spaces. Better still, each image is fully adjustable independently. Normally, this is something that would need two monitors side-by-side to achieve, so it’s a much more convenient option (as well as being a lot less expensive).

Verdict

BenQ continues to steadily improve its photo monitor offerings both in terms of the overall build quality and the display performance. The SW270C looks and feels very well-made while the QHD display delivers accurate color reproduction with excellent panel uniformity. In particular, the performance in the Adobe RGB colour mode is exemplary and, certainly at this display size, the resolution is arguably more workable for many photographers than 4K. Better still, it calibrates well, unlocking more performance potential. Additionally, the conveniences of the hotkey controller and the USB-C port enhance the overall functionality and operational efficiency. And 27 inches is a good screen size for many smaller working spaces.

All this is topped off by excellent affordability for what is definitely a pro-grade color-accurate monitor with the potential to make a valuable contribution to a color-managed workflow.

Read more
The best monitors for photo editing
Best video-editing monitors
Best monitor arms
The best USB-C monitors
The best ultrawide monitors
The best camera for streaming
The best portable hard drives for photographers
The best all-in-one printers

Color Confidence swung by The Photography Show's Burst Mode studio to show us some of the gear they're particularly excited by at the moment. First up is the new BenQ SW321C Pro 32in IPS monitor. This was announced earlier this year, but we finally got a chance to see it in the flesh. The SW321C is a 32" photographer monitor that also comes with a detachable shading hood designed to reduce the monitor's screen glare from ambient lighting for accurate color representation.

The BenQ SW321C monitor has a 99% Adobe RGB color space and is 4K with IPS Technology. It also has a 16-bit LUT (look-up table) that helps to improve RGB blending accuracy. 

• Read more: Best monitors for photo editing

Usefully, the SW321C can be used in both portrait and landscape mode, which is helpful for photographers and videographers who need the ability to work flexibly. It has a variety of input ports, including two HDMI ports. However, it also has a USB-C port, which means you can easily plug laptops into the monitor as well as traditional desktop computers. 

However, it wasn't only the BenQ SW321C that Color Confidence brought to the Burst Mode studio. The GrafiLite-2 LED desktop color assessment lamp is the perfect complementary partner to the SW321C. This lamp allows you to view prints and color swatches in standardized lighting conditions, which means you can ensure you're setting a screen to print match. 

Available at three color temperature settings (natural daylight, store light and home light), the GrafiLite-2 lamp is powered by professional quality CRI 95+ LED ClearSun Technology. The lamp also comes with a neutral grey viewing mat.

Not only is the lamp perfect for viewing prints, it's also a SAD light, which is capable of lifting the effects of Seasonal Affective Disorder. 

The last exciting product that Color Confidence showed us was the X-Rite i1 Display range for color calibration, including the i1 Display Studio, i1 Display Pro and the i1 Display Pro Plus. Not only can these devices calibrate ordinary monitors, they can also calibrate laptops, projectors and even your mobile device.

Calibrating all of your screens means that you never have to worry about your colors being inaccurate – instead you can focus on expanding your creativity. The X-Rite i1 Display Studio includes an i1 colorimeter and i1Studio software, which walks you through the entire calibration process.

Meanwhile the X-Rite i1Display Pro features X-Rite's next-generation i1Profiler software, which has an advanced mode that allows you to define specific options for a custom profile. If you're working with high-end super bright monitors, then you might want to look at the X-Rite i1Display Pro Plus, which has a colorimeter that measures up to 2,000 nits for the highest level of on-screen color accuracy. 

Find out more information in the video above or at the Color Confidence website.

Read more

Best monitor calibrators in 2020: keep your on-screen colors accurate
Best photo-editing laptops in 2020: top laptops for photographers
Best photo editing tools and accessories in 2020

While BenQ’s entry-level SW240 24-inch PhotoVue monitor has been making the headlines (and winning awards) for its combination of exceptional affordability and performance, it’s likely that many pro-level users will want something more… at least as their primary working display.

As far as 27-inch professional photo monitors are concerned, the BenQ SW271 still has excellent affordability on its side, but more significantly it has a 4K resolution display, a more flexible set of inputs and some additional operating conveniences to assist with workflow efficiencies. 

First and foremost, the combination of a 27-inch display and 4K resolution is a good one for both photographers and video-makers alike as it is able to better resolve the fine details delivered by the current generation of higher-res sensors in both DSLRs and mirrorless cameras. It also ensures rendering times are still very short and, in physical terms, it’s not too big so it’s comparatively easy to move around and doesn’t take up an excessive amount of workspace (particularly if it’s being used as a secondary monitor).

The SW271’s 3840x2160 pixels display gives a healthy 163 ppi so high-res stills simply pop off the screen. This further helped by the display’s 10-bit color depth which delivers a palette of 1.07 billion colors, giving much smoother shading, color transitions and tonal gradations. 

In terms of reproducible colors, the SW271 delivers 99 percent of the Adobe RGB color space (so, obviously, 100 percent of sRGB) and 93 percent of DCI-P3 which is a cinematographic color space that’s now taking over from sRGB (it has a 25 percent wider coverage) as a standard for color reproduction on transmissive displays, including tablets and smartphones. As far as most working photographers are concerned, it’s the Adobe RGB coverage that’s important because it encompasses the much wider color gamut of printed images produced on either pro-level inkjet printers or when using the CMYK offset litho printing process for outputs such as this magazine.

The display panel itself is an IPS type with LED backlighting. IPS stands for In-Plane Switching and this is a display technology which enhances the off-axis image performance by minimizing any brightness reduction or color shifts when viewing the screen from the sides. As a result, the image still looks perfectly good at wide viewing angle of up to 178 degrees, either vertically and horizontally. This isn’t really going to matter to you, but it means that any clients (or students) looking on will still be getting the full effects of the color, brightness, contrast and dynamic range.

You want more?

As with all the BenQ PhotoVue monitors, the SW271 is calibrated before it leaves the factory and a printed report is included in the supplied documentation. Subsequently, hardware calibration – via an external colorimeter – is performed via BenQ’s proprietary Palette Master Element software (supplied on a CD-ROM). Hardware calibration is generally considered superior to software-based calibration (which also requires a colorimeter), but the latter will still ensure you keep the monitor within specifications over time.

Three calibration settings – which are essentially application-based such as, say, print or Web – and two custom profiles can be included in the monitor’s colour modes, alongside Adobe RGB, sRGB, DCI-P3, Rec 709 (the colour space for HD TV displays), DICOM (the standard for medical imaging), B&W and Darkroom (which optimises the brightness and contrast for working in darkened situations such as a video editing suite). Additionally, again primarily with video-makers in mind, there’s an HDR mode which supports HDR10 inputs.

The adjustable parameters for the custom profiles include brightness, contrast, sharpness and black level which are adjusted via on-screen sliders; plus color temperature (5000, 6500 – the default – or 9300 degrees Kelvin presets and a user-defined setting), gamma, hue and saturation. Six gamma settings (1.6, 1.8, 2.0, 2.2, 2.4 and 2.6) are provided for optimizing the contrast ratio and color saturation to the application. Also adjustable are various system functions such as the menu display time, auto power-off timings, and audio settings. Usefully, the menus can be set to automatically rotate when the monitor is used in the portrait orientation.

Unlike the budget-priced SW240, the SW271 is supplied with BenQ’s ‘Hotkey Puck’ which essentially serves as a wired remote controller (with its own dedicated connector port). It has its own circular recess in the monitor’s base (but you can put it anywhere you like) and provides a set of three multi-function keys, an ‘Exit/Return’ key a four-way navigator pad and an ‘OK’ button which serves as the ‘Enter’ key. This by-passes the five function keys arrayed along the lower right-hand front of the monitor (also the location of the on/off button), and works in conjunction with the monitor’s on-screen menus for set-up and adjustment. 

The Hotkey Puck is particularly handy if you need to regularly switch between color modes as three of them can be assigned to the puck’s main keys (for example, Adobe RGB, sRGB and B&W), but it’s generally more intuitive and less time-consuming than using various combinations of the unmarked keys on the monitor itself. However, either method can be used to select on-screen menus for the input source, screen brightness and contrast, aspect ratio and a big selection of color adjustments which is also where you create and saved your custom color profiles. These adjustments include color balance, saturation (with individual channel controls for red, green, blue, cyan, magenta and yellow), hue (again with the same individual channel controls), gamut, gamma and black level.

A neat feature is called ‘GamutDuo’ which is a version of the picture-beside-picture (PBP) display mode that enables you to simultaneously view an image, for example, in the Adobe RGB and sRGB color spaces. As an aside, there’s also a picture-in-picture (PIP) viewing mode.

Putting it together

The SW271 is very similar to the SW240 in terms of styling with super-slim bezels, a gently curved back casing and an adjustable stand which comprises a base and a support column. These two components couple via a beefy three-claw bayonet mount which simply twists into place and is tightly secured via thumb-screw.

The column slots – and automatically locks – into the back of the monitor, after which it can be adjusted for height over a range of 15 centimeters as well as tilted or swiveled. It’s all well-made and certainly looks very strong and ensures good stability.

The display’s surface has a matte finish to help reduce glare, but an

six-section, clip-together modular hood is supplied to provide proper shading and more effectively eliminate reflections, ensuring optimum viewing conditions regardless of the time of day. The hood’s modular design means it’s easily reconfigured with the monitor is being used in the vertical orientation.

The connection options comprise a pair of HDMI ports (Version 2.0), Display Port, USB 3.0 (upstream for hubbing) and USB Type C plus a 3.5mm stereo audio headphone output. Two downstream USB 3.0 ports are located on the rear left side of the monitor along with a slot for SD/SDHC/SDXC memory cards which, apart from the convenience factor, also frees up one of the main USB ports for the great many photographers using this format. A circular port in the support column serves as a cable run to keep everything tidy.

Performance

The SW271 has a 14-bit 3D LUT (Look-Up Table) which enables hardware calibration independent of your computer’s colour management. However, to test this monitor’s performance we ran software-based calibration using the new SpyderX Elite colorimeter from Datacolor. As of yet, PME doesn’t support the latest generation SpyderX for hardware calibration, but the monitor still calibrates well, delivering more accuracy. That said, the factory calibration results are pretty good for the monitor straight out-of-the-box, but the good news is that SW271 can do even better and has great calibration potential.

It scores highly for colour accuracy and the uniformity of colour accuracy (i.e. across the screen) also gets a big tick. The uniformity of brightness – always a challenge with backlighting using LEDs – isn’t quite so good with, in particular, the top corners exhibiting some slight fall-off although it’s unlikely create any real issues when editing images or preparing them for print. The response time is 5.0 ms – which is more than fast enough for video applications – and the refresh rate is 60 Hz.

For most photographers, it’s the Adobe RGB colour mode that will be most important and here the SW271 performs exceptionally well across the wide gamut, delivering impressive accuracy and vibrancy along with tonality and texture. Additionally, the gradation from saturation to subtle is seamlessly smooth, and the colour fidelity is complimented by deep, solid blacks. The 4K resolution ensures beautifully rendered fine detailing and seamlessly smooth tonal gradations, as well as enabling better – and easier – assessments of image sharpness. An added attraction for both photographers and video-makers is the availability of an HDR mode and the associated increase in dynamic range.

Verdict

There’s plenty of competition among 27-inch 4K pro-level monitors and from manufacturers who have been in this space a lot longer than BenQ, but the company is a quick learner and has been steadily improving its products specifically targeted at photographers. The SW271 still has affordability as a major attraction, but it competes quite successfully with pricier 4K models in terms of performance, utility, flexibility and calibration potential so it’s more about sheer value-for-money than the actual price tag. Add the USB-C port, HDR mode and hardware calibration, and you’re getting a lot of pro-level monitor for your money.

BenQ is now definitely a force to be reckoned with in pro-level photography monitors (and, indeed, seems more dedicated to these users than some of its rivals), and the SW271 is arguably its best advertisement yet. A calibrated monitor is a key element of managed color workflow, but with so many demands on the budget, it can be an expense many photographers may find challenging. Not anymore.

Read more
The best monitors for photo editing in 2020
Best video-editing monitors
Best monitor arms
What to look for when choosing a monitor
The best ultrawide monitors for photo editing
Best USB-C monitors for photo editing
The best photo editing tools and accessories
The best monitor calibrators
The best photo editing software