Conclusion
It’s clear from our reviews of the latest business-class monitors that it’s becoming difficult to separate screens based solely on performance. The out-of-box and calibrated results are so close that most monitors will display identical images when set up properly. Pricing for the 27” IPS/QHD genre has come down some from where it was two years ago, but most products like this are still a premium purchase.
It becomes a challenge, then, for manufacturers to set themselves apart. BenQ always delivers good build quality and solid, accurate video performance. But it’s not alone in this regard. By adding function with an integrated docking station, the PD2710QC becomes unique in a large field of competing displays.
In our review of the 32” Ultra HD PD3200U, we posed the question: “Is this Designer Monitor simply a styling exercise or is it actually for designers?” Clearly both it and its 27” QHD cousin are ready for users and artists who demand maximum color accuracy with minimum fuss. The PD2710QC doesn’t require calibration in its Standard, sRGB, or Rec.709 modes. But if you wish to eke out that last 1% of performance, there’s the User mode with its gamma presets, RGB sliders, and color hue/saturation controls.
With a price of around $600 at this writing, it seems like a throwback to the numbers we saw three years ago, but those early screens didn’t offer such good performance, nor did they have a complete laptop docking station in their bases. BenQ is offering a unique feature here with full USB-C support, DisplayPort, Ethernet, and even a headphone jack.
As always, BenQ’s build quality is only matched or exceeded by NEC. For workaday tools that last through multiple system upgrades, there are few models from either company that won’t be there for the long haul. While they aren’t the least expensive displays out there, they offer a lot of value in their reliable and well-engineered designs.
We liked the PD2710QC very much, and it has certainly earned its place among the best. For its superb out-of-box performance, added function through its integrated laptop docking station, excellent build quality, and no-nonsense styling, we’re giving it our Tom’s Hardware Editor Recommended Award.
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