BenQ PD2720U 27-Inch 4K HDR IPS Monitor Review: Superb Color Performance
Introduction
A few months ago BenQ announced the PD3220U and PD2720U designer monitors which are the successors to the PD3200U and PD2700U that were released early last year. BenQ has sent us their PD2720U for review which is a 4K UHD 27-inch stylish monitor that incorporates a wide range of features such as an IPS panel, a fully adjustable stand, two Thunderbolt 3 ports, and a high color gamut. BenQ's goal with the PD2720U is to provide a superb color performance for graphic designers, video editors and photographers. The PD2720U also excels at serving as a multi-purpose monitor for users who are into HDR content such as watching movies and gaming.
BenQ is using an IPS (AU Optronics AHVA) panel on their PD2720U which is a type of panel that is best known for its color consistency and wide viewing angles. The PD2720U features a 60Hz refresh rate with a 5ms (GtG) response time. The IPS panel used in the PD2720U has a 1000:1 contrast ratio which is the norm for IPS panels. Price-wise, the PD2720U retails for $1099.99 on BenQ's Direct Store and comes with 3 years of warranty including on-site replacement service. BenQ has positioned the PD2720U towards the higher end of the market to compete with other 4K 27" IPS monitors such as the Asus PB27UQ 27" ($900), Dell UP2718Q 27" ($1500), and Acer XB273K 27" ($1100).
We have reviewed many designer monitors from BenQ in the past such the PD2710QC and PD2500Q which can be a good alternative if you are on a budget. We have also covered gaming monitors from BenQ like the EX3501R and EX3203R which offer an immersive gaming experience thanks to their curved design.
Features
Some of the features that BenQ has integrated into the monitor include Flicker-Free and Low Blue Light. Flicker-Free technology is used to reduce or eliminate screen flickering which effectively reduces eye fatigue and it can also help with reducing headaches brought on by prolonged computer use. There have been many studies that have shown that blue light coming from the computer monitors may be very harmful to the eyes causing macular degeneration or sleep disorders and that's where BenQ's Low Blue Light technology comes into play to combat the possible side effects.
BenQ has added a wide array of ports into the PD2720U to make it truly stand out from the competition. The PD2720U has two Thunderbolt 3 ports allowing you to use up to two 4K monitors with a high speed data transmission. The standard I/O ports on the back of the monitor includes one DisplayPort 1.4, two USB 3.1 downstream, one USB 3.1 upstream and two HDMI 2.0 ports.
The PD2720U comes with a 10-bit color depth that can display up to 1.07 billion colors and supports 100% sRGB and 96% DCI-P3 coverage. BenQ has factory calibrated the PD2720U to produce the most accurate colors possible and they have included a printed report with the factory calibration settings in the box. It's very important for people who do graphics work for a living to have their monitor output highly accurate colors. BenQ has said that all of their PD series designer monitors will be professionally factory-calibrated out-of-the-box.
Performance
The PD2720U is not being targeted at gamers because it lacks gaming features such as AMD FreeSync and also the refresh rate tops out at 60Hz. A 60Hz refresh rate is not ideal for fast-paced games like CS:GO and Overwatch because fast-paced games require a high refresh rate. Even though though it's not a gaming monitor, it can certainly play any game you want just fine.
I tested the monitor by playing a slow-paced game like the Shadow of the Tomb Raider with all the settings turned to maximum including HDR and I must say that the image quality looks outstanding on the PD2720U. Enabling HDR mode makes the game look stunning because it improves the contrast and enhances the dark areas in games.
Specifications
| BenQ PD2720U Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Manufacture: | BenQ |
| Model: | PD2720U |
| Screen Size: | 27" |
| Panel Type: | IPS Panel |
| Product Color: | Black/Grey |
| Aspect Ratio: | 16:9 |
| Brightness: | 350 cd/m² |
| Refresh Rate: | 60 Hz |
| Color Bit: | 10 Bit |
| Native Contrast: | 1000:1 |
| Response Time: | 5ms (GtG) |
| Max Resolution: | 3840 x 2160 |
| Viewing Angles: | 178/178 |
| PPI: | 163 |
| Display Colors: | 1.07 billion |
| Color Gamut: | 96% DCI-P3/100%sRGB/100% Adobe RGB |
| Backlight: | LED |
| Display Area (mm): | 596.74(H) x 335.66(V) |
| Features: | HDCP AMA Low Blue Light Flicker-Free PIP/PBP |
| Audio: | 2Wx2 |
| Power Supply: | Built-in |
| Power Consumption (On mode): | 200W |
| Dimensions (HxWxD mm): | H: 593.71 x 614.4 x 186.31 L: 443.71 x 614.4 x 186.31 |
| Net Weight: | 8.3 kg |
| Gross Weight (kg): | 10.5 kg |
| Display Screen Coating: | Anti-Glare |
| OSD Language: | 18 languages |
| VESA Wall Mounting: | Yes |
| Tilt (down/up): | -5°/20° |
| Height Adjustment: | 150mm |
| Ports: | USB 3.1 Downstream x 2 USB 3.1 Upstream x 1 HDMI (v2.0) x 2 DisplayPort (v1.4) x 1 Thunderbolt 3 x 2 (1xPD65W, 1xPD15W; DP Alt mode, Data) |
| Warranty: | 3 Years |
| Release Date: | February 2019 |
Packaging
The PD2720U comes in a basic brown carton that weighs roughly 22 lbs. The features of the monitor are listed on the side of the box. On the front you can will find some basic information about the monitor such as the 27" monitor size, PD series, PD2720U model number and that it is a designer monitor. On the sides you will find a list of the features that the monitor comes with such as the low blue light technology, eye-care, HDR10, 4K UHD, and Thunderbolt 3.
BenQ includes high quality thick cables which is nice to see. The components inside are well packaged and everything feels well secured inside the box. Inside you will find the 27” monitor, the stand and base, power cord (1.8m), 2x HDMI 2.0 cable (1.8m), 1x USB Type-C cable (1m), a quick-start guide with documentation on a CD-ROM and a printed report with the factory calibration settings. BenQ also includes a Hotkey Puck G2 which can be used to customize shortcuts to their preferred features through the upgraded OSD. You can use the hotkey Puck G2 to adjust the brightness, contrast and volume of the monitor based on your preferences which I really like. The monitor's dimensions are 24 inches in width, 14 inches tall and 3.4 inches deep and weighs 18 lbs including the stand.
The PD2720U comes well protected by two high density foams as shock absorbent and plastic wrapping to prevent any accidental damages during shipping. Packaging is top notch and the product arrived in perfect condition.
Design & Build Quality
BenQ is using a 2-stage bezel design for the sides and top which is a very thin hard outer component and a panel border that appears to blend into the screen when the screen is turned off. The bezels on the sides and top measure approximately 8 millimeters while the bottom bezel is about 21 millimeters thick. BenQ's PD2720U sports a minimalistic and elegant design with a dark gray finish that looks really attractive. The display features an anti-glare screen coating finish which makes it easy to see the screen under bright lights.
The stand and base are made out of metal which gives the monitor a nice premium feel to it which I really like. They do not come pre-assembled but the installation process is very simple and won't take more than a few minutes. All you need is a screwdriver to connect the panel to the stand and the base attaches via a single thumb screw.
Moving on, on the back you will be presented with a black smooth surface along with the BenQ logo printed at the top. When it comes to adjustments, you can adjust the height of the monitor up to 150mm and tilt the monitor by -5° backwards and 20° forward. You are also able to swivel the panel left and right by 30˚/30˚. The panel offers 178/178-degree viewing angles and 5ms (gray to gray) response time. The OSD buttons are located underneath the frame and they are easy to press.
The display can also be turned on its head by rotating the display 90-degrees into vertical orientation to meet the needs of many type of users. BenQ has also added support for VESA mounting into the PD2720U which might come in handy if you want to mount it to a stand or to the wall.
I was disappointed to find out that the PD2720U did not come with BenQ's Brightness Intelligence Plus Technology. I have reviewed many BenQ monitors in the past and I find their Brightness Intelligence Plus (B.I+) technology very useful. For those that don't know what the B.I+ technology is, it's a sensor used to detect the environment that you are in and will change the brightness and color temperature of the monitor accordingly. Using the Brightness Intelligence Plus technology helps to balance maximum contrast and vibrancy while maintaining viewing comfort.
As far as ports go, you get one 3.5mm headphone jack, two HDMI 2.0 ports, one DisplayPort 1.4 port, two USB 3.1 Downstream, one USB 3.1 Upstream, and two Thunderbolt 3 ports. The ports themselves can easily be hidden behind a cover which BenQ includes. Also, the PD2720U has support for VESA 100 x 100mm mounting but BenQ has not included a VESA converter plate in the box. You will need to purchase a VESA transfer kit from either from BenQ's store which retails for $39 USD or get one from Amazon.
I love the minimalistic design of the stand that BenQ has gone with here. It feels extremely well designed and high quality. The stand offers fantastic stability and is very sturdy and it doesn't wobble even if you move your desk around. It is quite blocky so it takes up some space on your desk but at least it provides firm and precise movements. Typically, large monitors come with a big power supply but BenQ has integrated the power supply inside the monitor so you don't have to worry about finding a place to hide the power brick.
On-Screen Display & Panel
The on-screen display menu is easy to navigate and the buttons are located behind the frame of the monitor. The buttons are quite snappy and easy to press. The OSD menu consists of four settings with the first setting being the color mode, then we have input mode, after that comes brightness mode, and then comes the customizations mode which is where you will spend the majority of the time tweaking different settings.
In the color mode you can select between pre-configured options but you can also customize your own profile. The monitor ships with the Display P3 option as the default but you can also choose sRGB, M-Book, DCI-P3, HDR, Adobe RGB, Rec.709, CAD/CAM and Animation.
Moving on to the Input setting, here you can select between HDMI, Thunderbolt 3 or a DisplayPort connectivity.
The brightness setting is also self-explanatory.
Now in the customization mode is where you will be spending most of your time. This is where you will go to play around with settings such as Input, Picture, Color, Audio, KVM Switch, Custom Key, and System. In the input section, you can select between PIP, PBP, PBPx4 and SWAP. PIP / PBP stands for picture-in-picture and picture-by-picture which can be used to separate the screen into two parts so you can view images from different signals.
The picture section provides control over brightness, contrast, and sharpness. There is also an advanced option which will allow you to change Dynamic Contrast, Display Mode and Overscan. Dynamic contrast is used to allow the monitor to automatically adjusts picture detail and brightness. When you enable HDR, some of these settings become locked and you can't adjust them until you deactivate HDR.
In the color setting, you can change the Color mode, DualView and Color Temperature. The advanced section includes options to change the Gamma, Hue, Saturation, AMA, HDMI RGB PC Range and Reset All Colors.
The audio setting is pretty self explanatory but I will say that the 2x2W built-in speakers are fairly low-quality and the sound output is low even when it is set to 100%.
The KVM Switch sections will allow you to control multiple computers from one or more sets of keyboards, video monitors, and mice..
You can setup hotkeys in the Custom Key section.
In the system section, you can tweak settings such as OSD Settings, HDR Demo, Auto Switch, ERGONOMICS, Power awake, Advanced, System Setting and Information.
Backlight Bleed
Now we are going to test the backlight bleeding at 0%, 50% and 100% brightness and the testing will be performed in a dark room.
Backlight bleeding is a major concern among enthusiasts and gamers because it is a major issue with IPS panels but not so much with VA and TN panels.
VA panels normally have superior blacks to IPS panels, but IPS panels have better color accuracy and viewing angles.
Another thing that I want to mention is that VA panels do not normally suffer from backlight bleeding whereas IPS panels are known for
suffering from backlight bleeding. The above photo is tested at 0% brightness and you can clearly see that this monitor does not suffer from
backlight bleeding which is awesome.
Here we are testing the backlight bleeding at 50% brightness.
Now we are testing at 100% brightness and you can see a slight color variation around the sides.
When it comes to backlight bleeding, it will all depend on how sensitive you are to it but I can tell you from spending two weeks testing this monitor,
that this monitor has zero issues with backlight bleeding. Also, keep in mind that backlight bleeding varies from panel to panel and you could
spend a lot of time trying to a find a monitor without any bleeding and not succeed.
Viewing Angles
Now we are testing the viewing angles at 0%, 50%, and 100% brightness and the testing will be performed in a dark room.
The above photo was tested at 0% brightness and you can clearly see that the viewing angles and color uniformity are not very good
when looking at the monitor from the sides.
Now we are testing the viewing angles at 50% brightness.
Here we are testing at 100% brightness. During testing, there was color shifting and loss of luminance when viewed from an
angle. You can clearly see above that the colors do not stay true when the screen is viewed
from an angle without distorting the picture or losing color accuracy.
Overall, the viewing angles and color uniformity are acceptable for an IPS panel.
Conclusion
The PD2720U has everything you can ask for in a high-end designer monitor. It comes with a high build quality, a fully adjustable stand, IPS panel and great color accuracy. On top of all that, it is loaded with connectivity options. It has two Thunderbolt 3 ports that you can use to transfer your data, video, and audio files. Another thing that I really like about the PD2720U is the fully adjustable stand. You can adjust the height up to 150mm and you are also able to rotate it into vertical orientation.
Backlight bleed or 'IPS Glow' is very common with IPS panels and while the PD2720U suffers to some degree from it, it's definitely bearable. Keep in mind that backlight bleed should not impact you in any way, unless you are staring at the corners of the screen. Moving on, the 2x2W built-in speakers are quite weak. They are fairly low-quality and even when the volume is set to 100%, the sound output is still too low.
Pros:
+ Factory Calibrated
+ Fully Adjustable Stand
+ IPS Display Panel
+ Superb Color Accuracy
+ Elegant Modern Design
+ Excellent Connectivity
+ HDR Support
Cons:
- Price
- Weak Built-In Speakers
The PD2720U is an excellent monitor with an amazing color quality and I can safely recommend this monitor to
creative professionals. I really like that the monitor comes calibrated out-of-the-box so I don't have to waste my
time calibrating different settings. The biggest negative of the PD2720U is its steep price.
BenQ is selling the PD2720U for $1100 which is very expensive and
will definitely push some people away. Overall, the BenQ PD2720U deserves our editor's choice award.
Final Score 9.4
