BenQ PD2725U | 4k Monitor for Photographers

[@NCPhotography]

I actually got one of these on your recommendation earlier this year and man the difference going from a regular 4k monitor to an actual monitor meant for color accuracy has made such a difference. I got the 4k 32 inch version

[@jbivphotography]

Amazing! I’ve been using the ultra wide monitor they have (which is 2k) and even the change from 2k to 4k is a HUGE difference. Now all I wish is that they had a 4k ultra wide. That’s great to hear that you grabbed one and it’s been working out for you!

[@MusicFed]

@@jbivphotographyisn’t 27” making the UI of lightroom difficult to use? Some say 32 would be easier for lightroom and photoshop for 4k

[@caleblatreille8224]

Thank you so much for this review. I'm about to purchase my first monitor after years of using an MBP/iMac setup (the Apple silicon era is great!), and as a newbie I appreciate that you're actually explaining and SHOWING so much of what you're talking about instead of just listing specs. You also cover a few specific use cases that apply to me but hadn't seen addressed anywhere else. I can see why you're a BenQ fan and you've just made me one too!

[@fredericdiserens7208]

Interessting joice… why is a photographer like you not also using a monitor from the SW series for better color accuracy (srgb etc)?

[@johnbergsing3374]

I have the PD3205U and absolutely love it!

[@nduri2]

Same here, was nicely surprised by how good it is, especially for the price. I will eventually pair it with the 850 or a thunderbolt hub so I can get the cord mess under control. Leaning toward the hub but the price would be fairly similar either way.

[@gordonshkurhan]

This is the type of review I've been looking for. Thanks so much.

[@jbivphotography]

Glad it was helpful!

[@tomwomersley6485]

I've got this monitor sitting next to my iMac Pro. I've stopped using it because the blacks are not punchy enough and there is a lot of green tint compared to the iMac. It always threw me off when editing. So I would rather spend the extra cash for the studio display so they are seamless. I really love the monitor but yeah I wish tint and blacks were more accurate.

[@Moisesgardunorivera]

Gosh dammit I just want to know what monitor to get

[@thisisbug]

im so over this process hahaha@@Moisesgardunorivera

[@jonelkscott]

Considering the studio display for my post production but this is a great alternative. Thanks for the review!

[@jbivphotography]

The price difference is super helpful when comparing to the studio display. But that thing looks great.

[@allenschneider1847]

How does the scaling on the 27" 4k no It or work with the MacBook? Do you notice any blurring or are the letters too small?

[@oddy5175]

I just waiting for a video like that. Thx John. 🔥 Greez from Germany. :)

[@jbivphotography]

That’s awesome to hear! I hope it helps out.

[@simonmaduxx6777]

Hey John glad you're out here reviewing monitors and glad you have a successful business. Since you are reviewing BenQ monitors, I have to say that I am very very disappointed that they don't show our Adobe RGB numbers and I have to go looking for them even on their own website. It's very disingenuous of these companies to claim SRGB which should be the easiest low hanging fruit of any monitor at all. BenQ actually states that the SW series is their photography monitors. an E

[@prashant0129]

I am confused between Apple Studio Display and this monitor. Basically i am using macbook pro from 6 years so in the macbook pro black is looking deep black. But i am worry about the Benq. I heard that in Benq blacks are not looking deep blacks. it is looking like dark grey. So what should i do now?

[@bachcomic]

Constrast ratio in Benq is just 1000:1. You better choose another monitor.

[@twotonesmybones]

Office walkthrough would be helpful! Would be great to learn how to be organized and how you store stuff you need for photography and video jobs. Thank you!

[@jbivphotography]

lol I try my best to be organized. My wife honestly is the one who helps me to be organized. 😅

[@TheOrigamy]

PD series is good for web oriented designs/photos/videos. It has 80-85% Adobe RGB which is the gamut used for printing. SW series is the one you should use for photos which you are going to print as it covers at least 99% Adobe RGB.

[@jbivphotography]

Exactly. I find that the PD series is the perfect middle ground for me and everything I do. Since I'm not only doing professional photography but also producing videos for KZbin.

[@thegoodguy44]

@@jbivphotography does this have scaling issues on MacBook Pro m1? Like it upscales to 5k, then downscales, which can be an issue for performance.

[@muntublackson4757]

whats the link to the monitor arm? need a good white monitor arm for my room aesthetics

[@iPanickedTGG]

I’m using a tiny 13” MacBook Pro and I just got my Fuji XT5, I have a feeling I’ll be needing a new computer soon 😅 Upgraded from my XT2, just got the XT5 yesterday 🙌🏻

[@WIL_FPV]

Does anyone know why it looks bright enough for me only in dualview mode m-book and m-book?

[@guidophotographyfilms4314]

Hi John, for photography do you think 4k es better than 2k?

[@liamburke1436]

Love your videos. Have you tried EIZO monitors? Would imagine that you’d appreciate the improved quality as a pro?

[@Lucamitm]

Hi, do you need a calibration tool or is that inside the monitor. For recalibration over time i mean, i heard you said it comes calibrated. Thanks

[@RowdyGeronimo]

Can you daisy chain with a Dell monitor using the HDMI port? Thanks

[@darivadeneyra]

Hey men, thanks for the review. What about the retina, because it's not a 5k instead a 4k? Do you notice up?

[@Shelby-xz4qk]

Can you recommend a benq monitor for some one on a budget

[@RabeccaPrimeau]

ooh please tell me about the monitor arm you have the monitor connected to? and can this be used with your ipad pro?

[@ninamcophotoediting6585]

Thank you so much for this review! I am so ready to upgrade my Benq. Do you use any type of calibration software?

[@jbivphotography]

I usually don't and I've never had any issues with my BenQ monitors.

[@gringomann1]

What about de blacks,is that good?and the ips glow?

[@JohnSmith-zl8rz]

why there's physical settings on the menu and an app too? one overwrite the other? confused!

[@jbivphotography]

You can use either or. But generally I just use the physical settings. It's rare that I use that app. But it's an added bonus.

[@JohnSmith-zl8rz]

@@jbivphotography thanks

[@guidophotographyfilms4314]

Hi Jhon, whould you highly recomend it for mac mini?

[@politicalsena5069]

Is there monitor hood available for this?

[@owenacevedolara8850]

Thanks for sharing this video. One question, I understand that this monitor comes precalibrated. Does it require that it be calibrated every certain time of use? Is it calibrated in a specific way, or with an xrite can it be calibrated through software?

[@Ffvisionary]

Yes, I'd really love to know as well.

[@thisisbug]

same@@Ffvisionary

[@arvidjohansson3120]

I would not recommend the PD line for photography. AdobeRGB is the colour space you want to work with if you are going to print a lot. Sadly Benq does not have ARGB on most PD screen. Software calibration to ARGB from p3 is not an optimal solution. Soo benq SW line would be a better choice for photographers. If one only works in sRGB or other supported colour space the PD line is great!

[@chesslover8829]

Thank you so much! Maybe you should have done the review? If one is a stills photographer and wishes to sell prints, then the Adobe spec is very important!

[@mysticandroid57]

Is SW good for video editing?

[@arvidjohansson3120]

@@mysticandroid57 depends on what your requirements are. The colour accuracy is there but you need to know the colour space you are going to work in. Most likely it will be a fantastic choice for P3 and rec 709. I believe most monitors in the SW line up handles 24/25/30/60hz correctly.

[@simonmaduxx6777]

I just added a similar comment, as this review not expressing this is just ridiculous and i wont watch the rest of it. Benq states that the SW series, not this one, is for photography. This monitor doesnt even have adobe rgb listed - on thier web site. That's ridiculous. Also odd? Reviewing multiple monitors is very odd for a working photographer. Color correction and accuracy, profiles, calibration..its a huge headache. Yes he gets free monitors, but thats pretty bizarre and very difficult to be accurate about.

[@tonymoore3090]

Nonsense

[@matthewmarciano890]

Question.. I have the new M3 MacBook Pro for both photo/video as well as music production. There are no USB-A ports on the laptop for say my audio interface, etc. Do I need a separate hub/adapter for my MacBook for these pieces of hardware that only use USB-A, or can I use the ports on the BenQ monitor instead? Does the BenQ monitor act as the hub in this situation?

[@jbivphotography]

It does act as a hub but probably not the best option at all times if you're running audio through it. I have the same problem as well (I went to school for music production so I have a small setup). Currently I run my Clarett 4 Pre through my BenQ and it seems to work fine. However, that's not the best option and can lead to degraded audio and delays in sound sometimes.

[@matthewmarciano890]

@@jbivphotography ok so it does work, but a separate hub may be better long term you’re saying. Thanks!

[@ianbarnett]

Hi John, a question for you if I may? I am an amateur photographer and am interested in this model. I have a MacBook Air M1 and have heard there is an issue with scaling to monitors. I am not tech savvy and don’t understand this. Is this a big problem? Does it affect the quality of images seen on the monitor? Any advice welcome.

[@demoniodelamemoria]

Hey, experienced photographer here. The scaling with macOS is an issue with UI/UX elements only, not with picture quality. This means that the windows, buttons and text will not show in its true native quality (such as the Retina display) when scaled, and if you want that quality, those UI elements will get very small. The perfect monitor for a MacBook should be 5K so we get those sweet pixels, but a 4K won’t hurt our photos or videos. It could be annoying to some, though.

[@ianbarnett]

@@demoniodelamemoria wow! Thanks for the quick reply!😜

[@mtcrun]

Hey John - with most people viewing images on screen but some wedding images being printed, what colour space do you shoot and edit in? Also, what iPad stand were you using in this video?

[@terrygriffin5201]

I am also a BenQ Pd owner. What about color calibration? Have you ever calibrited your monitor? I manily do video editing.

[@robertdoeleman3471]

So. 27 4K or uwa? What’s your preference. I’m in doubt. I have a 32inch now but it’s to big and want something sharp and smaller. This is why this specific monitor is on the short list. However seeing your older uwa review I’m in doubt. Shame it’s still 1440p though for the uwa.

[@firexela]

Hey John! Nice video! what profile do you use to edit your photos sRGB or some user setings?

[@jbivphotography]

I generally keep my monitor in sRGB

[@iGreggors]

@@jbivphotography What brightness do you have it set to? I tend to use 80 cd/m2, but have an old SW display to calibrate this. Can you set this on a PD display?

[@sarasantana1290]

What mouse and keyboard do you use?

[@pianoman1973]

Thanks for the review ! Isn't 4K an overkill for a 27" monitor ? Would you recommend the 32" for photo editing purposes ?

[@deadreckoningoutdoors]

Can you hook an iPad to the monitor?

[@vidmon]

Thanks for the video. Like you I'm a gamer so if I'm spending that much money on a BenQ monitor for all it's editing power I'm curious if they offer a monitor in the same size and resolution with a higher refresh rate worthy of your approval? Which OLED monitor do you recommend or do you? Thanks

[@CGRFilmsStudios]

Hey nice Strive shout out!

[@povertytaretv]

Thank you ! ❤

[@jbivphotography]

You're welcome 😊

[@RabeccaPrimeau]

Im torn between this monitor and the MSI Creator PS321URV

[@lawman2112]

Are these easy to daisy chain together for the Mac M1\M2?

[@jbivphotography]

Yes. There’s actually a specific spot with the dual thunderbolt ports where you just connect the other monitor to that same spot. It’s pretty cool.

[@franksiessa]

Hi can we connect a Mac mini M1 to this monitor?

[@jbivphotography]

Yep yep. Probably one of the best ways to use it.

[@exterminatorofcakes110]

Hello Sir, Great video 👌 Epic Channel 😃 Congratulations. I really need your opinion: I'm interested in buying the BenQ PD2705U monitor, what do you think about this model, would it be a good buy? My fear and doubt is that it has 250 nits. Based on your experience, do you think 250 nits is enough? I'm going to use this monitor for web design, programming, and also for watching movies and shows. My office has a window that I usually leave open. The window is 4 meters away from the monitor. What is your opinion? Thanks in Advence

[@baodown76]

Yes I would like to buy it but maybe later next year due to its price point,

[@Tom-ff8cv]

after using both 27" and 32", what do you prefer??

[@jbivphotography]

Personally the 32". My first pair of BenQ monitors also were 32"

[@Tom-ff8cv]

@@jbivphotography perfect, thinking of getting the 32" soon!

[@subarashi-sama6309]

GULTY GEAR STRIVE AYO 👌🏽✨🔥

[@jbivphotography]

👏👏👏 I spend too much time in that game. And they got that new cross play now. 👌👌👌

[@flymrjones]

Nice! I’m just using a laptop 😅. But this will be my first monitor.

[@jbivphotography]

Wow only a laptop? I love being able to hook up to a monitor when I’m not on the go. Honestly I’m really thinking a bout getting an Apple Studio for the home work.

[@flymrjones]

@@jbivphotography Yeah only a laptop🥹. Thanks for sharing this though I’ll have to change that!

[@AarronAndersonPhotography]

you would've did better with an SW270C

[@Thai.H]

This monitor is too expensive for what it offers there's plenty of monitors that have the same color calibration and if not better menu system for half the cost. Good review none the less

[@jbivphotography]

What monitor would you suggest? I’m open to seeing and hearing considerations mainly because I’ve been on BenQ for the last 10 years and don’t know much else. Thanks for the suggestions and thanks for watching.

[@Thai.H]

@@jbivphotography ViewSonic 2768a 4k monitor is about $500 and has the same color accuracy or lg ultrafine 4k monitor also offers similar for half the cost

[@arvidjohansson3120]

Are you sure about that? When you buy a Benq PD or SW they make sure that the screen is uniformly colour accurate. That means the top right and bottom left corner will be good. I could of course be mistaking but I believe Viewsonic and LG don’t make sure the screen is uniform. They focus on centre of screen colour accuracy. One could always improve the accuracy and uniformity with software calibration, but if the factory hardware calibration is not good enough it will cause gradient and gamma problems.

[@Thai.H]

@@arvidjohansson3120 ik ViewSonic Includes charts with their monitors. Each one is uniformly color calibrated. Not just a blanket color calibration

[@Thai.H]

@@arvidjohansson3120 let's say it wasn't you could buy a color calibration tool with the monitor and it'd still cost less money then just this monitor alone. Plus you should color calibrate your monitors on a regular basis and if you don't then it really wouldn't matter. Ik in a local professional studio their monitoes get color calibrated every 1-2 months

[@danawakes2001]

Loved the video but I gotta say 4K matte monitors can't really compare to 5K glossy ones. 14 million pixels is a whole lot more pixels than 8 million - the sharpness is noticeably better. Also matte coatings tend to dull colors and kill the vibrancy of the image. If you want to future proof your work, gloss is the way to go.

[@gmcubed]

if only they made a glossy monitor. I just don't think I could ever like as matte one.

[@jbivphotography]

I love the matte monitors. I’ve been on them forever. I prefer a matte over glossy.