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BenQ SW2700PT 27 Inch QHD 1440P IPS Photography Monitor | Aqcolor technology for Accurate Reproduction | Hotkey Puck Efficiency Boost,Black

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 517 ratings

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Screen Size 27 Inches
Display Resolution Maximum 3686400 Pixels
Brand BenQ
Special Feature 3D, Hardware Calibration
Refresh Rate 60

About this item

  • 27 inch 2K QHD resolution with IPS Tech: exceptional clarity and fine detail, wide viewing angle
  • Aqcolor advantage: 99% Adobe RGB color space, 14-bit 3D look up table (LUT) and Delta E≤ 2, accurate color reproduction.
  • Efficiency Boost: hotkey Puck lets you easily switch between Adobe RGB, sRGB, and Black & White mode, or set the hotkey Puck buttons to the OSD settings of your choice.
  • Custom calibration: each SW2700PT arrives pre-calibrated with factory report, hardware calibration, palette master element calibration software; calibrate for a consistent color advantage.
  • Professional monitor capabilities: included shading hood minimizes ambient light, Advanced Black & White lets you preview B&W content in three preset modes.
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WARNING:

CHOKING HAZARD -- Small parts. Not for children under 3 yrs.

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PriceCurrently unavailable.$549.99-24% $530.41
List:$699.00
-11% $417.40
List:$469.00
$475.00$363.46
Delivery
Get it as soon as Tuesday, Apr 2
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Customer Ratings
Picture quality
4.7
4.5
4.4
4.4
4.4
4.2
Brightness
4.7
4.4
4.4
4.4
4.4
4.3
Value for money
4.5
4.4
4.4
3.9
4.0
Screen quality
4.4
4.5
4.5
4.3
4.1
For gaming
3.6
3.6
3.6
3.4
3.3
Sold By
Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Amazon.com
display size
27 inches
27 inches
32 inches
27 inches
27 inches
27 inches
resolution
QHD Wide 1440p
4K UHD 2160p
4K UHD 2160p
4K UHD 2160p
4K UHD 2160p
4K UHD 2160p
display technology
LED
LCD
LCD
LCD
hardware interface
displayport
hdmi, displayport, usb c
usb, hdmi, usb c, displayport
usb, displayport
usb, hdmi, usb c
hdmi, 3 5 mm audio, usb c, usb3.2 gen 1
viewing angle
178 degrees
178 degrees
178 degrees
178 degrees
178 degrees
178 degrees
mounting type
VESA Wall Mounting‎ 100 x 100mm‎
Wall Mount
Wall Mount
Wall Mount
Wall Mount
Wall Mount

From the manufacturer

Benq_sw2700pt_photography_monitor_adobe_rgb_color_space

Relive the Moment

Benq_sw2700pt_27_inch_2k_monitor_qhd_resolution

2K Monitor

See the difference four times the resolution of Full HD makes in clarity of detail and stunning display.

Benq_sw2700pt_photography_monitor_shading_hood_to_block_ambient_light_included

Shading Hood

The detachable shading hood reduces screen glare from ambient lighting. Block external light for stellar color accuracy.

Product Description

With stunning 2K resolution, the 27” BenQ SW2700PT monitor is equipped with 99% Adobe RGB, 100% sRGB, 100% Rec.709 color space coverage providing you with a wide range of spectacular colors to work with.

What's in the box

  • LED-backlit LCD monitor
  • DVI cable - 6 ft
  • DisplayPort cable - 6 ft
  • SuperSpeed USB cable - 6 ft
  • Detachable hood
  • Looking for specific info?

    Product information

    Technical Details

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    Additional Information

    Warranty & Support

    Amazon.com Return Policy:You may return any new computer purchased from Amazon.com that is "dead on arrival," arrives in damaged condition, or is still in unopened boxes, for a full refund within 30 days of purchase. Amazon.com reserves the right to test "dead on arrival" returns and impose a customer fee equal to 15 percent of the product sales price if the customer misrepresents the condition of the product. Any returned computer that is damaged through customer misuse, is missing parts, or is in unsellable condition due to customer tampering will result in the customer being charged a higher restocking fee based on the condition of the product. Amazon.com will not accept returns of any desktop or notebook computer more than 30 days after you receive the shipment. New, used, and refurbished products purchased from Marketplace vendors are subject to the returns policy of the individual vendor.
    Product Warranty: For warranty information about this product, please click here. [PDF ]

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    BenQ SW2700PT 27 Inch QHD 1440P IPS Photography Monitor | Aqcolor technology for Accurate Reproduction | Hotkey Puck Efficiency Boost,Black


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    Customer reviews

    4.6 out of 5 stars
    4.6 out of 5
    517 global ratings

    Customers say

    Customers like the color accuracy, quality and versatility of the monitor. For example, they mention it's an excellent monitor for photo editing, works perfect right out of the box and is good value for money. They appreciate resolution, and ease of setup. Opinions are mixed on calibration.

    AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

    78 customers mention69 positive9 negative

    Customers like the color accuracy of the monitor. They say the color rendition is great, the images are tack sharp, and the colors are breath taking. The color management is hardware based, so they can calibrate it to be as close as possible. It's an excellent color accuracy monitor for photo editing, with a striking industrial design and the wired puck remote control to adjust. The illumination as well as the very fine detail, text also looks really good. For programming and photography, this is going to work, and Netflix has never looked better.

    "...The color rendition is great; the size of the monitor is great; and it works well for doing video (no smearing)...." Read more

    "...The color management is hardware based, so I was able to calibrate by scanner to be as close as possible to my Macs, and I can seamlessly switch..." Read more

    "...Otherwise, the panel looks pretty good. Very small IPS glow in one spot on the bottom. Other than that not any bleed that I noticed...." Read more

    "...about the SW2700PT is the very even illumination as well as the very fine detail. One very nice feature is the OSD Controller...." Read more

    73 customers mention69 positive4 negative

    Customers are satisfied with the quality of the monitor. They mention that it is an excellent quality monitor, perfect for photography work, and brilliant. Some say that the build quality is great and the product is recommended for image processing. Overall, most are happy with their purchase and recommend it to others.

    "...quality interface cables for DVI, USB, and DisplayPort and a very robust and durable shading hood that attaches to permanent mounting clips molded..." Read more

    "...The build quality is great on these things!" Read more

    "...Second monitor has a flawless display...." Read more

    "This is an excellent monitor...." Read more

    31 customers mention31 positive0 negative

    Customers find the monitor versatile and perfect for photo editing, video editing, and gaming. They say it's an excellent tool to process photos and helps streamline photo editing.

    "...have no problem recommending it to anyone wanting an excellent tool to process photos.EnjoysekI" Read more

    "...I love it so far. My photo editing has been streamlined and its saving me so much time!" Read more

    "...full 4K resolution but also did not break my budget, a good compromise for photo editing for my business web site." Read more

    "This monitor has an incredible picture and is fantastic for photo editing...." Read more

    28 customers mention22 positive6 negative

    Customers like the performance of the monitor. For example, they say it works well for doing video, has no issues, and works perfect as a MacBook extension. Some mention that it plays well with the i1Profiler monitor calibrator.

    "...rendition is great; the size of the monitor is great; and it works well for doing video (no smearing). All in all - money well spent...." Read more

    "...This monitor works perfect for my needs, especially with the control puck that lets you switch color profiles with a button...." Read more

    "...Bought primarily for Lightroom photo work. Very happy with the performance and color accuracy. I have not had a single problem with it...." Read more

    "...Upon return, the monitor would not work. I then ordered a new Thunderbolt cable from Amazon and it has been working great since...." Read more

    27 customers mention25 positive2 negative

    Customers are satisfied with the value of the monitor. They mention it's a great product for the money, with a wide gamut panel and accurate picture quality. Some say that the calibration software is only for Windows, while others say that it works with Mac. Overall, most are happy with their purchase and recommend it to others.

    "...This is a valuable resource to give you a starting point to fine tune your specific monitor to your individual graphics card, software and output..." Read more

    "...All in all - money well spent.In my environment I chose not to use the hood so I can't anything about it...." Read more

    "...So, I bought this monitor for $600 and it was worth every penny!!" Read more

    "...Exceptional out of the box...." Read more

    17 customers mention14 positive3 negative

    Customers like the resolution of the monitor. They mention that it works nicely, the colors are amazing, and the contrast is amazing. Some say that the image quality is impeccable, and that the display is very responsive and fast.

    "...Second monitor has a flawless display. No purple splotch, no dead pixels, very minimal IPS glow in one spot on the top, and negligible black light..." Read more

    "...but I think this is fine and I get good resolution of pics for post processing even at 1:1, 2:1, 3:1 magnification...." Read more

    "...only thing I wish was different is that it was 4K, but this resolution works nicely...." Read more

    "...All I can say is WOW!! The colors, the color depth and contrast the resolution were amazing. While a little bright It was easily corrected...." Read more

    16 customers mention16 positive0 negative

    Customers find the monitor easy to set up and use. They mention that the quality control has been fast and easy, and the controller allows swift and easy toggling of settings. Some love the setup, shade, and remote menu puck. Color accuracy is spot on, and it is easy to correct brightness.

    "...The images are tack sharp and colors are breath taking. Set up was easy and fast...." Read more

    "...The monitor arrived in the time expected. Packed well. Much easier to put together than I expected from the reviews...." Read more

    "BenQ customer service is excellent. I needed them. The set up is supposed to be simple. Plug in the power and Thunderbolt cable and good to go?..." Read more

    "...While a little bright It was easily corrected. At 27 inches there's plenty of screen real estate for Photoshop and my image...." Read more

    25 customers mention17 positive8 negative

    Customers are mixed about the calibration of the monitor. Some mention that it can be calibrated, has great color accuracy, and is easy to adjust. However, others say that it wouldn't calibrate via the included Palette Master and never could get a decent calibration.

    "...The monitor has an impressive range of vertical adjustment and is self-locking and calibrated so a favorite position may be replicated at different..." Read more

    "...Monitor came factory calibrated and we haven't connected an external calibrator just yet but it is clear the hardware is set up to easily accept it...." Read more

    "...process I've described here is that brightness (back light) adjustment is not enabled when using the calibration memories...." Read more

    "...Exceptional out of the box. The factory calibration was the best I've ever had in a monitor and was shockingly better than another similarly..." Read more

    A serious look at a serious graphics monitor
    5 Stars
    A serious look at a serious graphics monitor
    BEFORE WE START​Important: please note that the seller has lumped 8 different BenQ monitors together on this page, resulting in reviews for all of them being mixed together. That can lead to confusion and conflicting information from well-meaning reviewers. To further complicate it the actual model number is not displayed anywhere for each review, only a generic product description in fine print called &#34;Style Name&#34;. To be clear then the model I am reviewing is the SW2700PT 27&#34; IPS Adobe RGB Color Management 2560x1440 Display.MY ROLE IN THE CREATIVE PROCESSI have owned an award-winning still and video photography business for many years, having trained at several recognized institutions. My work is primarily documentary and product-related. Precision resolution and colorimetry in my acquisition and post gear is of high priority to me. There are many brands, models and technologies of imaging devices available to the professional; however it is sometimes difficult to lock in to definitive standardization. I have used BenQ products since the late 1990’s and recognize them as a prime manufacturer associated with display products suitable for professional applications.HOW I WILL BE REVIEWING THIS PRODUCTThis review will not be laden with specs, neither those published by the manufacturer nor those measured by me, specs and features are readily available at the manufacturer’s website. Specs are not my primary motivator in considering a monitor, any more than I dwell on specs when evaluating the purchase of a new camera. Specs don’t create art. Bluntly, computer monitors are an unfortunate but necessary tool to achieve an interim step in the process of communicating what the artist/photographer sees and interprets to the ultimate viewer. If we are to work in the digital realm we must use monitors, we have no other option, and all claims and hype from the manufacturers aside there is no monitor that exists capable of perfect imagery. When an artist/photographer perceives a nuance of a color that defines what their finished product will be it is the job of the camera, monitor, software and printing/display process to retain as much as possible of that hue so it may be shared with others. That to me is the difference between buying an $89 monitor at Walmart and making the commitment to acquire a monitor such as this and spend the time and energy it takes to fine-tune it to realize its full potential.Specs are not meaningless and BenQ is generous with them to the degree of including a custom factory calibration report with each individual SW2700PT monitor. This is a valuable resource to give you a starting point to fine tune your specific monitor to your individual graphics card, software and output media. What is applicable to me is unique and applies only to me and my workstation. What is important is that the monitor has a plethora of fine-tuning adjustments far beyond the average computer desktop monitor.WHYBefore even getting into specs, features and performance one might ask why spend so much on a computer monitor. These days it’s easy to buy a decent monitor for just over $100 and a very good monitor for about twice that. Why spend $650 (MSRP) for a “photography and video editing display” at all? I’ll refer back to this again a little later but the #1 reason is that photography (and graphic arts) are not about specs, features or performance. A monitor exists for the sole reason to display as reasonable a facsimile of what the photographer/artist visualizes, either at the time of creation or their interpretation of the finished product. Therefore a monitor, as a tool, must be: A) accurate; and B) replicable, i.e. it must reproduce the same tonality all the time, every hour of every day, under reasonable variable lighting conditions.FUNCTIONALITYApart from the visual fine-tuning range available, the SW2700PTmonitor also customizes well physically to your workstation needs. The base and mounting arm are in a class all by themselves in terms of structural rigidity resulting in virtually no physical “shake”. That’s important, as miniscule amounts of shake can affect human perception of the sharpness of an image. The monitor has an impressive range of vertical adjustment and is self-locking and calibrated so a favorite position may be replicated at different sessions. Likewise the 90 degree swivel is smooth but tight so no locking screws or cams are needed. If it is necessary to move the monitor for any reason there is a simple push-button mechanism to unlock it from the mounting arm after which the screen portion may be lifted from the base. This model is compatible with an excellent wired OSD remote controller for menu access with 3 user-determined presets; a quantum improvement over reaching under the screen and randomly pushing tiny menu buttons as you would find on the vast majority of monitors. The wired remote may be set into a receptacle built in to the bottom of the base; a similar receptacle built in to the arm or removed completely and placed at your fingertips for instant menu adjustments.The SW2700PT is packed with premium quality interface cables for DVI, USB, and DisplayPort and a very robust and durable shading hood that attaches to permanent mounting clips molded into the bezel of the monitor. Also included is a comprehensive version of Palette Master Element calibration software. The monitor is rated as “zero” flicker and low blue light emitting. Unique are a SD card reader and two USB 3.0 ports on the left side of the cabinet.USAGEThis monitor is best suited for a permanent, lighting-controlled graphic workstation. I mentioned that I am using this monitor in my home office workstation. Make no mistake, work that I do away from the studio is just as just as serious as what I do “at the office”. I have been using a 23” monitor up until I tested the BenQ because I believe anything larger may be difficult to process in my brain as a finite image. Here’s an example of what I mean … hold a 4x6, a 5x7 and an 8x10 printed photograph in your hands and look at them. Your eyes perceive the entire image as a something finite with boundaries. Now hold a 16x20 print in front of you. Too large, huh? You have to scan your eyes and maybe even turn your head to take in the entire image. This is not always a good thing when you are editing still or motion photographs (video). My example illustrates why a larger workstation monitor is not necessarily a better thing. After using this monitor for a while I discovered that 27” is not too large for editing tasks, but I will say that it is the largest I would be willing to use. At the same distance as my 23” monitor (and I am unwilling to change that) I’ve learned that MOST of the time my eyes are comfortable taking in the entire image as one finite composition. The only time I find the BenQ to be “too big” is when editing purposely distorted high res video such as from a GoPro. In those cases I need to increase the distance from my eyes to the screen by about 20% more.HOW DOES IT PERFORMImage “quality” is very elusive to define … even under the most controlled of conditions it can still be subject to a large number of variables and therefore the degree of satisfaction will probably not be the same for everyone. I know the term personal preference should have no place in a review of a tool that is intended to render images to a certain definable standard, but in real life it does, if only to the degree that there are individual differences in how each of us perceives color, intensity and tonal balance. My vision has been professionally tested recently for my ability to perceive color accuracy and the results indicate that my vision is near-perfect. But I will wager it is not the same 24/7/365. During the course of my test period I have been very satisfied with the degree of accuracy this monitor is capable of. I have reviewed a wide range of archive images and shot some stuff specifically for comparative purposes. Posting them here would be a useless exercise so you will have to accept that I am convinced enough that this monitor will suit my needs that I will be adding it to my wish list which hopefully will coincide with a time that it goes on a Lightning Deal. For those reading my review I can’t imagine how anyone could make a final decision on something like this based on what someone else says. If you think it will fit your needs I suggest buying one and trying it before you make a final commitment.AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENTI’m not sure what practical concern this would be but it should be noted that the HDMI port is Ver 1.4 rather than the Ver 2.0.WHY BENQI have little to no concern what brand name is on a tool that I use in my trade. In fact I have always covered brand logos on my cameras with electrical tape so they don’t distract my subject. My only consideration for the brand name of this product is whether the company behind it is an actual engineering/development company or just a brand name slapped on a generic product. And whether the company will be there to provide after-purchase support. I have owned BenQ products going back 15 years or more and I am confident that they have the necessary experience, skills and stability to be considered one of the major players when it comes to professional display products.SUMMARYShould you choose this specific model of monitor? Of course that is a personal decision. Here is my professional input as a working photographer who uses monitors such as this as part of my working “toolkit”. I see the use of a monitor in photo editing as being broken down into four general levels of need, and where the user fits into one or more of those level:1. The Exhibition Photographer – this is when I must present my work in its most perfect form, such as a display in a gallery or museum. There are criteria I must meet, some of them self-imposed, that are not cost-effective for me to do myself, or that can meet a higher standard if I work with a pro lab equipped with specialty equipment that is outside of my budget range. This is more often the case for video editing but it can also apply to my still photography needs. I don’t care what brand equipment they use, I care about the results and I’m willing to pay them for those results. Obviously for that category of work I don’t need to own a monitor (or any equipment or software) of my own.2. My Business – this is my bread and butter. This is where I choose the equipment, software and accessories to best accomplish my highest standard of work while still running a profitable business. After careful consideration I found this monitor to be an excellent fit for my needs and it is priced at a enterprise-friendly cost. For the working professional’s studio or home workstation I would recommend giving this monitor serious consideration. When properly adjusted I consider it worthy of being called a professional photographer’s tool.3. Enthusiast – I believe a high percentage of people reading this review fall into this category. I do when I am taking photographs not for profit but for the sheer joy and satisfaction of photography. I want my results to reflect what I saw at the time I created the photo and I think most people who invest in a good camera and a quality set of lenses are after the same goal. When you consider what you spent on your camera gear the purchase price of this BenQ monitor is indeed reasonable and is “night and day” superior to a typical run-of-the-mill generic computer monitor. I doubt if a quality-conscious photo enthusiast would be disappointed in this monitor.4. The family snapshot shooter – frankly 95% of what I take these days for family fun time is with my smartphone and I post it directly to social media without editing so, no, this monitor would be overkill for someone who primarily takes pictures of the kids and pets. But guess what? Cell phone cameras have become amazingly capable these days and every so often I take a candid shot that knocks my socks off and I do spend time touching it up. So I would say if you’re into photography and/or video and have a few bucks to spend on a monitor the fact alone that the screen on this one is so good I would say it’s hard to go wrong, if for no other reason than the “instant” push-button profile selector.Regardless of what else you may ever read about this monitor, words will never be able to communicate how your images will look to you (ideally of course they should look exactly like what you saw/envisioned in real life when you created the image). Whether I tell you positive words or negative words to describe how well that worked out for me what I had this monitor to use my words can’t let you see what I see. While the current selling price of just under $600 (when this review was written) may be on the pricey side for the photo enthusiast it is actually on the lower end of the spectrum compared to what you CAN spend on a display monitor if you really want to. Consider that the price also includes a three-year warranty on parts, labor, and backlight and I would consider this monitor not only an advanced and accomplished tool for the professional photographer/videographer but a good value as well.I evaluated a new retail production model monitor that was loaned to me for a month for the express purpose of sharing my observations in a review. I did not receive any compensation, free or discounted goods, nor any special requests from the marketing company who facilitated the loaner sample and I did not communicate directly with BenQ at any time. The monitor was packed up and sent back after the short-term loan.
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    Top reviews from the United States

    Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2016
    Customer image
    5.0 out of 5 stars A serious look at a serious graphics monitor
    Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2016
    BEFORE WE START

    ​Important: please note that the seller has lumped 8 different BenQ monitors together on this page, resulting in reviews for all of them being mixed together. That can lead to confusion and conflicting information from well-meaning reviewers. To further complicate it the actual model number is not displayed anywhere for each review, only a generic product description in fine print called "Style Name". To be clear then the model I am reviewing is the SW2700PT 27" IPS Adobe RGB Color Management 2560x1440 Display.

    MY ROLE IN THE CREATIVE PROCESS

    I have owned an award-winning still and video photography business for many years, having trained at several recognized institutions. My work is primarily documentary and product-related. Precision resolution and colorimetry in my acquisition and post gear is of high priority to me. There are many brands, models and technologies of imaging devices available to the professional; however it is sometimes difficult to lock in to definitive standardization. I have used BenQ products since the late 1990’s and recognize them as a prime manufacturer associated with display products suitable for professional applications.

    HOW I WILL BE REVIEWING THIS PRODUCT

    This review will not be laden with specs, neither those published by the manufacturer nor those measured by me, specs and features are readily available at the manufacturer’s website. Specs are not my primary motivator in considering a monitor, any more than I dwell on specs when evaluating the purchase of a new camera. Specs don’t create art. Bluntly, computer monitors are an unfortunate but necessary tool to achieve an interim step in the process of communicating what the artist/photographer sees and interprets to the ultimate viewer. If we are to work in the digital realm we must use monitors, we have no other option, and all claims and hype from the manufacturers aside there is no monitor that exists capable of perfect imagery. When an artist/photographer perceives a nuance of a color that defines what their finished product will be it is the job of the camera, monitor, software and printing/display process to retain as much as possible of that hue so it may be shared with others. That to me is the difference between buying an $89 monitor at Walmart and making the commitment to acquire a monitor such as this and spend the time and energy it takes to fine-tune it to realize its full potential.

    Specs are not meaningless and BenQ is generous with them to the degree of including a custom factory calibration report with each individual SW2700PT monitor. This is a valuable resource to give you a starting point to fine tune your specific monitor to your individual graphics card, software and output media. What is applicable to me is unique and applies only to me and my workstation. What is important is that the monitor has a plethora of fine-tuning adjustments far beyond the average computer desktop monitor.

    WHY

    Before even getting into specs, features and performance one might ask why spend so much on a computer monitor. These days it’s easy to buy a decent monitor for just over $100 and a very good monitor for about twice that. Why spend $650 (MSRP) for a “photography and video editing display” at all? I’ll refer back to this again a little later but the #1 reason is that photography (and graphic arts) are not about specs, features or performance. A monitor exists for the sole reason to display as reasonable a facsimile of what the photographer/artist visualizes, either at the time of creation or their interpretation of the finished product. Therefore a monitor, as a tool, must be: A) accurate; and B) replicable, i.e. it must reproduce the same tonality all the time, every hour of every day, under reasonable variable lighting conditions.

    FUNCTIONALITY

    Apart from the visual fine-tuning range available, the SW2700PTmonitor also customizes well physically to your workstation needs. The base and mounting arm are in a class all by themselves in terms of structural rigidity resulting in virtually no physical “shake”. That’s important, as miniscule amounts of shake can affect human perception of the sharpness of an image. The monitor has an impressive range of vertical adjustment and is self-locking and calibrated so a favorite position may be replicated at different sessions. Likewise the 90 degree swivel is smooth but tight so no locking screws or cams are needed. If it is necessary to move the monitor for any reason there is a simple push-button mechanism to unlock it from the mounting arm after which the screen portion may be lifted from the base. This model is compatible with an excellent wired OSD remote controller for menu access with 3 user-determined presets; a quantum improvement over reaching under the screen and randomly pushing tiny menu buttons as you would find on the vast majority of monitors. The wired remote may be set into a receptacle built in to the bottom of the base; a similar receptacle built in to the arm or removed completely and placed at your fingertips for instant menu adjustments.

    The SW2700PT is packed with premium quality interface cables for DVI, USB, and DisplayPort and a very robust and durable shading hood that attaches to permanent mounting clips molded into the bezel of the monitor. Also included is a comprehensive version of Palette Master Element calibration software. The monitor is rated as “zero” flicker and low blue light emitting. Unique are a SD card reader and two USB 3.0 ports on the left side of the cabinet.

    USAGE

    This monitor is best suited for a permanent, lighting-controlled graphic workstation. I mentioned that I am using this monitor in my home office workstation. Make no mistake, work that I do away from the studio is just as just as serious as what I do “at the office”. I have been using a 23” monitor up until I tested the BenQ because I believe anything larger may be difficult to process in my brain as a finite image. Here’s an example of what I mean … hold a 4x6, a 5x7 and an 8x10 printed photograph in your hands and look at them. Your eyes perceive the entire image as a something finite with boundaries. Now hold a 16x20 print in front of you. Too large, huh? You have to scan your eyes and maybe even turn your head to take in the entire image. This is not always a good thing when you are editing still or motion photographs (video). My example illustrates why a larger workstation monitor is not necessarily a better thing. After using this monitor for a while I discovered that 27” is not too large for editing tasks, but I will say that it is the largest I would be willing to use. At the same distance as my 23” monitor (and I am unwilling to change that) I’ve learned that MOST of the time my eyes are comfortable taking in the entire image as one finite composition. The only time I find the BenQ to be “too big” is when editing purposely distorted high res video such as from a GoPro. In those cases I need to increase the distance from my eyes to the screen by about 20% more.

    HOW DOES IT PERFORM

    Image “quality” is very elusive to define … even under the most controlled of conditions it can still be subject to a large number of variables and therefore the degree of satisfaction will probably not be the same for everyone. I know the term personal preference should have no place in a review of a tool that is intended to render images to a certain definable standard, but in real life it does, if only to the degree that there are individual differences in how each of us perceives color, intensity and tonal balance. My vision has been professionally tested recently for my ability to perceive color accuracy and the results indicate that my vision is near-perfect. But I will wager it is not the same 24/7/365. During the course of my test period I have been very satisfied with the degree of accuracy this monitor is capable of. I have reviewed a wide range of archive images and shot some stuff specifically for comparative purposes. Posting them here would be a useless exercise so you will have to accept that I am convinced enough that this monitor will suit my needs that I will be adding it to my wish list which hopefully will coincide with a time that it goes on a Lightning Deal. For those reading my review I can’t imagine how anyone could make a final decision on something like this based on what someone else says. If you think it will fit your needs I suggest buying one and trying it before you make a final commitment.

    AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT

    I’m not sure what practical concern this would be but it should be noted that the HDMI port is Ver 1.4 rather than the Ver 2.0.

    WHY BENQ

    I have little to no concern what brand name is on a tool that I use in my trade. In fact I have always covered brand logos on my cameras with electrical tape so they don’t distract my subject. My only consideration for the brand name of this product is whether the company behind it is an actual engineering/development company or just a brand name slapped on a generic product. And whether the company will be there to provide after-purchase support. I have owned BenQ products going back 15 years or more and I am confident that they have the necessary experience, skills and stability to be considered one of the major players when it comes to professional display products.

    SUMMARY

    Should you choose this specific model of monitor? Of course that is a personal decision. Here is my professional input as a working photographer who uses monitors such as this as part of my working “toolkit”. I see the use of a monitor in photo editing as being broken down into four general levels of need, and where the user fits into one or more of those level:

    1. The Exhibition Photographer – this is when I must present my work in its most perfect form, such as a display in a gallery or museum. There are criteria I must meet, some of them self-imposed, that are not cost-effective for me to do myself, or that can meet a higher standard if I work with a pro lab equipped with specialty equipment that is outside of my budget range. This is more often the case for video editing but it can also apply to my still photography needs. I don’t care what brand equipment they use, I care about the results and I’m willing to pay them for those results. Obviously for that category of work I don’t need to own a monitor (or any equipment or software) of my own.

    2. My Business – this is my bread and butter. This is where I choose the equipment, software and accessories to best accomplish my highest standard of work while still running a profitable business. After careful consideration I found this monitor to be an excellent fit for my needs and it is priced at a enterprise-friendly cost. For the working professional’s studio or home workstation I would recommend giving this monitor serious consideration. When properly adjusted I consider it worthy of being called a professional photographer’s tool.

    3. Enthusiast – I believe a high percentage of people reading this review fall into this category. I do when I am taking photographs not for profit but for the sheer joy and satisfaction of photography. I want my results to reflect what I saw at the time I created the photo and I think most people who invest in a good camera and a quality set of lenses are after the same goal. When you consider what you spent on your camera gear the purchase price of this BenQ monitor is indeed reasonable and is “night and day” superior to a typical run-of-the-mill generic computer monitor. I doubt if a quality-conscious photo enthusiast would be disappointed in this monitor.

    4. The family snapshot shooter – frankly 95% of what I take these days for family fun time is with my smartphone and I post it directly to social media without editing so, no, this monitor would be overkill for someone who primarily takes pictures of the kids and pets. But guess what? Cell phone cameras have become amazingly capable these days and every so often I take a candid shot that knocks my socks off and I do spend time touching it up. So I would say if you’re into photography and/or video and have a few bucks to spend on a monitor the fact alone that the screen on this one is so good I would say it’s hard to go wrong, if for no other reason than the “instant” push-button profile selector.

    Regardless of what else you may ever read about this monitor, words will never be able to communicate how your images will look to you (ideally of course they should look exactly like what you saw/envisioned in real life when you created the image). Whether I tell you positive words or negative words to describe how well that worked out for me what I had this monitor to use my words can’t let you see what I see. While the current selling price of just under $600 (when this review was written) may be on the pricey side for the photo enthusiast it is actually on the lower end of the spectrum compared to what you CAN spend on a display monitor if you really want to. Consider that the price also includes a three-year warranty on parts, labor, and backlight and I would consider this monitor not only an advanced and accomplished tool for the professional photographer/videographer but a good value as well.

    I evaluated a new retail production model monitor that was loaned to me for a month for the express purpose of sharing my observations in a review. I did not receive any compensation, free or discounted goods, nor any special requests from the marketing company who facilitated the loaner sample and I did not communicate directly with BenQ at any time. The monitor was packed up and sent back after the short-term loan.
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    Reviewed in the United States on April 25, 2019
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    Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2017
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    5.0 out of 5 stars First one no good
    Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2017
    This is a very nice display, however I am forced to give it a 1 star review until my replacement arrives.

    The first one I ordered has a small purple splotch near the bottom left - about the size of a pencil eraser. It's not huge, and not overtly noticeable, but once you know it's there it is all you can see. I know this monitor gives a lot for the price, however that's no excuse for a defect like this. I find it hard to believe when it was calibrated this wasn't noticed in QA, but alas mistakes happen and I know display panels just do not get scrutinized much by manufacturers anymore.

    Otherwise, the panel looks pretty good. Very small IPS glow in one spot on the bottom. Other than that not any bleed that I noticed.

    Already put in a request for a replacement, so if the second one is without defects I will update the rating.

    *** UPDATE 5/10/2017 ***

    Let me just say bravo to Amazon. They sent my replacement monitor overnight and I had it today after work. Second monitor has a flawless display. No purple splotch, no dead pixels, very minimal IPS glow in one spot on the top, and negligible black light bleed.

    Calibrated with a Syper5 Express and ready to rock.

    Updating to 5 stars.
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