BenQ PD3420Q monitor review

A feature-packed, ultra-wide monitor designed for color-critical editing

BenQ PD3420Q
(Image: © Future)

Digital Camera World 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 PD342Q is a fine choice. Extras like USB-C connectivity with Power Delivery are also welcome, as is the factory color calibration and Hotkey Puck remote control. The only minor downsides are a lack of 4K support, which could be problematic if you regularly edit 4K video, and the screen's mediocre AdobeRGB color support. But overall, the BenQ PD342Q is a well-specified, high-performing display with a super-versatile screen size, and all for a fair price when you consider its wide DCI-P3 color gamut coverage.

Pros

  • +

    Excellent image quality

  • +

    Versatile screen size

  • +

    98% DCI-P3 coverage

Cons

  • -

    Max brightness not great

  • -

    AdobeRGB coverage could be better

  • -

    Sub-4K resolution

Why you can trust Digital Camera World Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out how we test.

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.

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Ben Andrews

Ben is the Imaging Labs manager, responsible for all the testing on Digital Camera World and across the entire photography portfolio at Future. Whether he's in the lab testing the sharpness of new lenses, the resolution of the latest image sensors, the zoom range of monster bridge cameras or even the latest camera phones, Ben is our go-to guy for technical insight. He's also the team's man-at-arms when it comes to camera bags, filters, memory cards, and all manner of camera accessories – his lab is a bit like the Batcave of photography! With years of experience trialling and testing kit, he's a human encyclopedia of benchmarks when it comes to recommending the best buys.