TL/DR: Amazing monitor. Great picture, Great Features. HotKey Puck - the accessory I didn't know I needed, but can't live without! Wish it had 1 or 2 more USB ports & Ethernet port.
I shopped for a monitor for months. I have used dual 27" monitors for at least a decade. I've recently started to have trouble with vision - more than just my eyes getting old, but they are too. I thought getting a slightly larger monitor would be nice. Then my docking station for 2 laptops (built-in KVM) started to fail - and it had been discontinued and there were no replacements available. I had 2 choices, buy 2 docks, plus a KVM and all of the extra cables, or reevaluate my entire setup and consider a monitor with a built-in KVM. Frankly, it was a really tough decision. Lots of monitors with built-in KVM - not many that also have daisy-chain capability. And without daisy-chain capability, I'm back to needing 2 laptop docks and all the cables that would require.
This monitor from BenQ was the only one that also let me take advantage of the Thunderbolt connection on my laptop. Another key requirement was 4K resolution capability.
The Good:
The picture quality is really good and the features are fantastic. The display is plenty bright, without being too bright. It is flicker-free and has settings to minimize blue light. The color calibration is far more than I need. All the various color settings and features are interesting and cool. I don't really use them but did find them interesting enough to check out. There is also a boatload of software that you can download, including eye care software that reminds you periodically to look away from the monitor etc. All good things to help preserve eye health.
The Freakin' AWESOME
The most exciting feature of the monitor is the hot-key puck. With other monitors that have a built-in KVM switch, the switch to changing computers is usually on the monitor itself - not always convenient or easy to reach. The hot-key puck has a 3–4-foot cord and allows you to navigate the on-screen menu without needing to reach the monitor. You can even customize the buttons (hotkeys). This handy-dandy device allows me to change the computer with a click of a button on the hot-key puck. While the cord is plenty long to be within reach without stretching, I do wish it was a tad bit longer or could use an extension cable, so that I could run the cord under my desk to minimize cord clutter. But that's a really petty complaint for a spectacular feature.
The monitor stand is an outstanding feature with a well-thought design. The stand has quite a bit of heft to it - it's downright heavy. It has a flat plate that sits on the desk. It's suitable to place any number of small items you want to place below your monitor. It's almost large enough for my 13" Ultrabook to set on top of, but not quite. The monitor connects to the stand with a quick-release type of connection giving the back of the monitor a very finished look. Putting it together is a one-person job.
The meh
There is a single headphone jack on the side of the monitor. I made sure to get a right-angle plug to minimize the impact on the monitor alignment on my dual-monitor setup.
Most of the connections are on the back of the monitor but facing upward - meaning it's impossible to see the connections with the monitor standing upright. It is much easier to plug everything in, then attach the monitor to the stand. I keep my user guide handy so that I can find the connection diagram if I need to unplug or reconnect anything.
The Could-Be-Betters
There is no ethernet port. You can certainly use one of those ethernet-to-USB adapters and plug that into a USB port. I found that to be slower than when I plugged the ethernet adapter directly into my laptop. It also uses a USB port. Which leads to....
There are only 4 USB 3.1 ports (3 USB-A, 1 USB-C) for peripherals. 2 of these ports (1 USB-A & 1 USB-C) are on the side of the monitor. Those are easy to reach, but when in use, they prevent smooth alignment with another monitor for multi-monitor set-ups. 4 USB ports are typical of many, if not most, KVM switches, but fewer than I need. I have a USB hub connected to one of the ports on my monitor.
I do wish that there were an option for a monitor arm that was compatible with the quick-release feature. It is so easy for one person to attach, and it looks very finished. (One of the new BenQ monitors has an arm like another brand's arm that does fit. I haven't tried the other brand's arm long-term because there isn't enough room for all the cables with the monitor's KVM switch). I do wish that the new BenQ monitor arm was compatible and available to purchase without the new monitor. I would buy it in a second.
Prior to researching for a new monitor, I had never heard of BenQ. Given my experience with this product though, they have moved to the top of my list for future monitor purchases.
| Standing screen display size | 27 Inches |
|---|---|
| Screen Resolution | 3840x2160 |
| Max Screen Resolution | 3840 x 2160 Pixels |
