BenQ EW2780U review: a 4K monitor to complete your home-office

Right off the bat, I’ll start this BenQ EW2780U review off by saying it's a fantastic, well-priced 4K monitor for home-working and TV streaming, and you can get away with a bit of gaming on it too. 

It’s not easy to find the perfect high-resolution monitor, especially if you want one at a reasonable price. To simplify the process for you, T3 created a guide to the best 4K monitors and the BenQ EW2780U was an obvious entry. It has 27 inches of stunning 4K alongside BenQ HDRi making for very comfortable computing. 

Looking for a display purely for gaming? Check out T3’s guide to the best gaming monitors.

BenQ EW2780U review: price

At the time of writing, the  BenQ EW2780U  is available for as little as $549.99 in the US, £405.59 in the UK and AU$699 in Australia - this is an incredibly well-priced 4K monitor. Be sure to check the widgets for more recent pricing. 

BenQ EW2780U review: design and setup 

The first thing I want to say is that simplicity is the ultimate sophistication, the BenQ EW2780U is proof of that. It has slim black bezels around three sides, a brown metallic border at the bottom and a matching square stand barely taking up any space at all. Contemporary is the word best used to describe the overall look of this monitor. It avoids the plastic black design we are so used to seeing. Something that may be an issue for some is that the stand only allows for tilting the display up or down, there’s no height adjustment, swivel or rotation. It is 100 x 100mm VESA wall mount compatible though, which gives you more flexibility in that sense. 

On the front of the display, the only interruption to the frame is a silver BenQ logo on the bottom right corner and the tiny HDRi button on the left. You’ll find the input, colour mode and power buttons on the back left, with a joystick to control the on-screen display settings. So nothing out of the ordinary there.

Lifting the monitor out of the box was no problem, it only weighs 8.5kg with the stand so it’s definitely doable alone. Fitting the stand was quick and simple too, it’s just a case of slotting it into the back panel and screwing it in. Then, setting it up was as easy as plugging it in using the included HDMI cable. There are plenty of connections tucked discreetly into the nook on the back, with two HDMIs, a DisplayPort and a USB-C to easily connect recent computers or tablets. The variety of connections means you should be able to use it with any Mac or Windows device. 

BenQ EW2780U review: performance

The BenQ EW2780U immediately struck me as impressive, with 3840x2160 4K resolution,  99% sRGB colour gamut coverage and an above-average 1,300:1 contrast ratio. 27 inches is the perfect size for a home-office monitor, any bigger and you'd risk running out of desk space. After using it for a week, it won me over with its ultra-clear details and vibrant, accurate colours. In my opinion, it was a delight to work on and a joy to watch videos on. 

The BenQ HDRi technology intelligently adjusts the display according to the on-screen image and uses an integrated light sensor to detect ambient light levels. The result? Better clarity, perfect brightness, true to life colours and improved image contrast. It also has Eye-Care technology for comfortable use over long periods. My eyes didn’t feel overly strained after a whole day of using it, I hadn’t noticed any flickering, or for that matter, any other glaring issues either. 

Giving you the choice between three HDRi modes: Cinema HDRi, Game HDRi or neutral HDR, the BenQ EW2780U can be adjusted to suit exactly what you are using it for. The Cinematic mode really did create a more immersive, vivid experience watching TV or movies. For day to day web browsing and productivity, the standard HDR mode did a great job clarifying details. 

For switching between work and light gaming, you could get away with using this monitor. However, avid gamers won’t be sold by its 5ms response time or 60Hz refresh rate so look elsewhere if you come under that category. If you are a creator you may not be satisfied by it either, it's an IPS display as opposed to LCD. 

Two treVol speakers are built-in, giving you rich, warm sound and plenty of volume too. You’re unlikely to need external speakers using the BenQ EW2780U. There’s even a choice of five sound modes all of which do a great job at adjusting the EQ settings to suit the content you are watching or listening to. These modes include Cinema, Pop/Live, Dialog/Vocal, Rock/Party, Game. One criticism of it was that it is finicky to switch sound modes, still, it’ll be worth it if you plan to listen to lots of different types of content. 

BenQ EW2780U review: verdict 

The BenQ EW2780U won’t look out of place in any home office - it's a 27 inch 4K monitor with slim bezels and a smart, square stand. Visually, it looks impressive without being overbearing. 

When it comes to the display quality, if you are on the hunt for a high-resolution monitor that will be great for productivity, video streaming and the occasional game then look no further. This is a monitor with a great price, convincing display and a simple setup. Well done BenQ!  

BenQ EW2780U review: also consider  

Another option worth considering in this price range is the Philips Brilliance 328P6VUBREB which is the best 4K monitor for most people and can be bought with an included webcam. You may also want to take a look at the LG 27UL850, another strong all-rounder that could be worth adding to your shortlist. 

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