BenQ DesignVue PD2770U 4K professional monitor review: A blend of flexibility, control, and precision

A flexible and capable professional monitor with a 27-inch IPS panel, 4K resolution, and premium build quality.

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BenQ DesignVue PD2770U
(Image credit: © Tom's Hardware)

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Our HDR benchmarking uses Portrait Displays’ Calman software. To learn about our HDR testing, see our breakdown of how we test PC monitors.

The PD2770U supports HDR10 and HLG signals with an automatic switch. It does not support Dolby Vision or HDR10+.

HDR Brightness and Contrast

· HDR White Luminance – 373.9316 nits

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· HDR Black Level – 0.3640 nit

· HDR Sequential Contrast – 1,027.4:1

The PD2770U offers a bit more brightness for HDR content with a measured 374 nits peak. Contrast is just over 1,000:1, which means there is no zone or field dimming happening here. It would be nice to have that option. I noted that brightness, contrast and color saturation remained adjustable in HDR mode.

Grayscale, EOTF and Color

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BenQ DesignVue PD2770U
(Image credit: Portrait Displays Calman)

Out of the box, the PD2770U is a tad green in steps brighter than 50%. This is similar to what I observed in SDR mode. You can calibrate this mode without an HDR signal if you wish, just select it from the list and click Execute. The EOTF tracks too light above 20% brightness and hits the tone-map transition point at 55% instead of 65%. This is a minor error that is hard to see in actual content.

In the color test, you can see slight oversaturation across the full gamut with excellent coverage of DCI-P3 and BT.2020. That extra green comes in handy here and it visibly enhances HDR images. In the BT.2020 test, the PD2770U runs out of color at 90% red, 85% green and 95% blue. I calculated the 2020 volume at 79.71%, more than any Quantum Dot monitor I’ve reviewed.

Test Takeaway: The PD2770U has superb HDR color but could be brighter overall. With a peak of 374 nits and no dynamic dimming, HDR content is less vivid than other screens. It is extremely colorful though. The gamut coverage is enormous with more green saturation than anything else I’ve tested. It comes closer to BT.2020 than the competition.

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Christian Eberle
Christian Eberle
Contributing Editor

Christian Eberle is a Contributing Editor for Tom's Hardware US. He's a veteran reviewer of A/V equipment, specializing in monitors. Christian began his obsession with tech when he built his first PC in 1991, a 286 running DOS 3.0 at a blazing 12MHz. In 2006, he undertook training from the Imaging Science Foundation in video calibration and testing and thus started a passion for precise imaging that persists to this day. He is also a professional musician with a degree from the New England Conservatory as a classical bassoonist which he used to good effect as a performer with the West Point Army Band from 1987 to 2013. He enjoys watching movies and listening to high-end audio in his custom-built home theater and can be seen riding trails near his home on a race-ready ICE VTX recumbent trike. Christian enjoys the endless summer in Florida where he lives with his wife and Chihuahua and plays with orchestras around the state.