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Conclusion
When we first unpacked the SW2700PT we weren’t surprised by its exceptional build quality or its large feature set. BenQ always puts maximum effort into its products and this new professional monitor is no exception.
What did surprise us (only a little) was its phenomenal accuracy. We’ve reviewed a good number of monitors from different categories that come with picture modes that don’t require calibration. Even some gaming monitors fare well without adjustment. And we’ve seen plenty of displays with calibration data sheets and in nearly every case our test results confirmed the factory’s claims.
But the SW2700PT is in a class by itself. Usually the default mode on any monitor measures reasonably well but you have to switch to a preset labeled sRGB or Adobe RGB to see the best performance. With this new BenQ it didn’t matter what mode we chose - grayscale, gamma and color measured at reference levels. The initial numbers were so good there was no point in attempting a manual calibration. You can truly call this a plug-and-play product.
This is not to say there aren’t options available. The OSD contains a large set of controls to alter the white point, change the gamma preset and adjust the color gamut. Anything within the Adobe RGB space can be specified if you have the proper instruments and software to implement it.
And speaking of software, this was our first look at BenQ’s Palette Master application. It provides the means to calibrate the SW2700PT with just an instrument and a USB connection. But a few things have been left out; namely options to alter color gamut and change the gamma function. If you want to create a custom white point that ability is there. We’d like to see an update that includes customizable gamuts and the ability to create a BT.1886 gamma curve. That spec is seeing increased use in the film and television industry.
Other than that minor omission, recommending the SW2700PT for professional use is a no-brainer. Accuracy is at reference-level, build quality is sufficient to withstand the rigors of hard use and the image is second-to-none. This display has managed to out-perform several heavy-hitters and it does this for around the price of a business-class display.
For its unmatched performance and incredible value we’re giving the BenQ SW2700PT our Tom’s Editors’ Choice Award.
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Christian Eberle is a Contributing Editor for Tom's Hardware, covering Monitors.
