Early Verdict
To take full advantage of what HDR10 has to offer, you’ll need to either put a 55” Vizio (or an LG OLED if you’re well-funded) on your desk or spend a lot of money on a multi-zone backlight monitor. For under $300 though, you can enjoy BenQ’s EW277HDR. If you’d rather not wait for prices to come down on professional-grade computer monitors, this one offers superb color accuracy and reasonable HDR today. It may not be compatible with every source device so check your gear before buying. But at this price point, it’s hard to beat.
Pros
- +
HDR10 support
- +
Out-of-box accuracy
- +
Slim & light chassis
- +
Styling
- +
SDR contrast
- +
HDMI 2.0 inputs
Cons
- -
Edge backlight limits HDR contrast
- -
FHD resolution
- -
No USB ports
Why you can trust Tom's Hardware
Features & Specifications
Depending on who you talk to, HDR is either coming or it’s here already. Clearly, there are many HDR-capable televisions and monitors filling the aisles of big box stores and the virtual shelves of our favorite online merchants. But how many of them can truly do justice to the standard? That’s a question we’ve explored already in our reviews of Dell’s S2718D and UP2718Q. Both support HDR10, but their implementations are as different as night and day. The former makes do with an IPS panel with an edge-array backlight and fairly low native contrast. The UltraSharp model uses a 384-zone backlight and can top 1000nits when measuring a 10% window. It also boasts over 17,000:1 contrast in HDR mode. Which do think is the better screen?
Of course, that kind of performance doesn’t come cheap, and BenQ is offering a compelling compromise with its EW277HDR. It accepts HDR10 signals and offers an HDR-emulation mode for standard content. It also sports a DCI-P3 color gamut with options for sRGB, Rec.709, and several other specs. All of this is wrapped in a slim package that costs less than $300 at this writing. Let’s take a look.
Specifications
The EW277HDR nearly aspires to be a professional display, but it comes up a bit short of that label. BenQ calls it a “Video Enjoyment Monitor.” But it has multiple color modes that in our tests measured right on spec. In fact, we didn’t even bother to calibrate it, it’s that accurate.
To keep costs down, there are two major omissions: a multi-zone backlight and Ultra HD resolution. The LEDs are arrayed at the edges, which eliminates any possibility of useful dynamic contrast. Recall that in our review of the Dell UP2718Q, its 384-zone backlight was responsible for a true 1000-nit output and 17,000:1 contrast in HDR mode. BenQ addresses contrast with an excellent VA panel part that delivers 3000:1 natively. That’s a major step forward from IPS’s 1000:1. The EW277HDR won’t hit 1000 nits, but HDR mode ups output to 400cd/m2.
The EW277HDR’s 1920x1080 resolution is a bit of a head-scratcher until you look at the price tag. And since it’s exactly one-fourth the pixel count of Ultra HD, the down-res doesn’t look too bad at normal viewing distances.
The other component needed for good HDR is extended color, and this monitor has it in the form of a DCI-P3 native gamut. BenQ claims 93% coverage, and our test results came close to that. Of equal importance is the EW277HDR’s accurate Rec.709 mode. You can select that gamut so your standard content looks correct. And if you want to apply a gamma shift to make the picture more HDR-like, there’s a handy button right on the bezel to make that happen. Also in the mix is an ambient light sensor that can vary brightness and color temperature automatically. BenQ calls it Brightness Intelligence Plus.
We’re looking at a unique display that sells for a very low price. Our tests will include the standard contrast and color benchmarks plus a full evaluation of its HDR10 capability.
Packaging, Physical Layout & Accessories
We’re used to well-built displays from BenQ, so we were a bit surprised at the lightness of its carton. Fear not though, the usual standard is upheld. Despite weighing just over nine pounds, the EW277HDR is a solid piece with secure packaging to match. The panel, upright, and base are separate pieces but can be assembled without tools.
The accessory bundle includes a high-bandwidth HDMI cable and a power supply brick. To properly support the 18 Gb/s HDMI 2.0 inputs, use the included cable or a good-quality one of your own. The user’s manual comes on a CD.
Product 360
While we may have truly bezel-free monitors someday, that day is not yet here. The EW277HDR comes close though, with only a 7mm frame around the top and sides of the image. The screen is flush-mounted so it looks like a plain black panel when turned off. The anti-glare layer is very effective at controlling reflections and imparts no grain or other artifacts. Tiny text and detail is plainly visible and always sharp without added edge enhancement.
The bottom strip is wider at just under an inch and features an HDR button prominently in the lower-right corner. This key toggles HDR emulation along with Brightness Intelligence Plus (BI+), which uses a sensor to vary output and color temperature according to ambient lighting conditions. The remaining controls consist of buttons along the bottom of the panel whose functions are indicated by on-screen icons. In the center is a small sensor that supports the BI+ feature. It can be turned on or off in the OSD.
The EW277HDR’s side profile is kept slim thanks to an external power supply. There are no USB ports here, nor are they on the rear-facing input panel. There is also no provision for a VESA mount. The included stand has its fulcrum at the bottom and provides 5° forward tilt and 15° back. There is no height or swivel adjustment, nor is there a portrait mode. Movements are firm and solid despite the monitor’s light weight. Good build quality doesn’t have to be heavy as BenQ amply demonstrates.
Inputs consist of two HDMI 2.0 ports with HDCP 2.2 content protection. You also get a VGA port, though it’s hard to imagine anyone using it. Nonetheless, it is supported in the OSD with full analog signal adjustments. The built-in speakers fire out two small grills in the back and play at polite volumes without distortion. If you want to use headphones or the line input from your computer, there are two 3.5mm jacks provided.
MORE: Best Gaming Monitors
MORE: Best Professional Monitors
MORE: How We Test Monitors
MORE: How To Choose A Monitor
MORE: All Monitor Content
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.
Deckintosh has Apple's latest macOS Sequoia running on the Steam Deck
User scores a Ryzen 7 5700X3D for $130 on AliExpress — lucky buyer gets legit CPU for 38% lower than the street price
AMD Ryzen AI 300 CPU beats Intel Core Ultra 200V CPU in Linux showdown — Strix Point was up to 1.6X faster than Lunar Lake
-
AgentLozen This seems like a good 2nd monitor to have if you're a gamer. It looks like it would work just fine for gaming but it's missing features like GSync or 120+hz that would elevate it to true gaming levels.Reply -
cwolf78 My 4K HDR TV has ruined me from gaming on my ASUS 144 Hz TN gaming monitor. To me, the reduced motion blur doesn't make up for seeing jaggies everywhere (24" 1080p) and the muted color reproduction. This BenQ monitor would be more tempting if it were QHD or 1080p at 21 or 22" and supported Gsync.Reply -
WyomingKnott I don't understand the color charts at all. Delta E of up to ten being praised? What am I missing?Reply -
gdmaclew The Amazon specs list it as having HDMI, VGA and DisplayPort inputs, which it obviously doesn't have.Reply