BenQ SW vs PD Pro Display Lineup Compare!

This video will compare the 2 prominent BenQ Pro Display Lineup, go over the similarity and differences between them so that you can choose the best display line that would fit best with your workflow. BenQ SW line is a hardware calibrated display designed primary for photographers and post production color grading workflow. Whereas the PD line is created for Designer, Architect, CAD/CAM, 3D, Animation and content creator such as KZbinrs. The PD line can also be used for photography as well but the best for photography is still the SW line!
Timemarks:
00:00 Intro
00:33 Preface & Target Audiences
01:03 SW Line
01:51 PD Line
03:34 How they are similar
03:45 10 BIT Panel & EyeCare
04:11 All IPS LED BackLight Panel
05:06 Uniformity Technology & Backlight Bleeding
05:46 Differences Hardware vs Software Calibration
07:44 2 Advantage of Hardware Calibrated Displays
08:05 Advantage of Hardware Calibration
08:35 Color Gamut Coverage
08:51 Factory Calibration & Report
09:20 ∆E Guarantee & Conversation about it
10:09 SW vs PD Color modes
12:34 Gamut Duo Implementations
13:27 HDR Support & Video Centric Features
14:17 Certifications
15:26 Ergonomic & Design
16:38 Shading Hood
17:12 Hotkey Puck
17:40 SW Line Handle
19:01 Connectivity
21:29 Conclusion
21:48 Holiday Encore
Director of Photography & Filming by
Art Suwansang
SW321C www.benq.com/en-us/monitor/ph...
Review: • BenQ SW321C Review - T...
SW270C www.benq.com/en-us/monitor/ph...
Review: • BenQ SW270C Review: Th...
SW271 www.benq.com/en-us/monitor/ph...
Review: • BenQ SW271 Full Review...
SW240 www.benq.com/en-us/monitor/ph...
Review: • BenQ SW240 Review, The...
SW2700PT www.benq.com/en-us/monitor/ph...
PD2720U www.benq.com/en-us/monitor/de...
PD3220U www.benq.com/en-us/monitor/de...
Review: • The Ultimate BenQ PD32...
PD2700U www.benq.com/en-us/monitor/de...
PD3200U www.benq.com/en-us/monitor/de...
PD3420Q www.benq.com/en-us/monitor/de...

[@UndergroundCultIndia]

That was really educating. Thanks for making such videos.

[@ArtIsRight]

Thank you!

[@rahulpartoti3212]

Very nicely made. I got to know the difference between these two lineups.

[@ArtIsRight]

Glad I could help!

[@JoaquimGonsalves]

Excellent video indeed! Thank you heaps!

[@ArtIsRight]

Glad it was helpful!

[@SachinBalan_PB]

I was waiting for this video. Great video Art.

[@ArtIsRight]

Thanks!

[@davidburchettephotography6513]

As many have stated this has lots of great info. Thank you so much.

[@ArtIsRight]

You are so welcome!

[@6stringks]

Thanks for this very informative video!

[@ArtIsRight]

Glad it was helpful!

[@6stringks]

@@ArtIsRight got myself a PD2700U - delivered tomorrow. :-) As I am no pro it will be a good entry into color grading for me

[@redmer89]

Excellent video, great professionalism! I want to to teach myself photoediting and is quite a struggle choosing a proper monitor. I have finally decided on a BenQ and this video explained a lot of questions that I had. Thank you Art!

[@ArtIsRight]

Glad it was helpful!

[@kanedafx1]

Which one you buy?

[@alignstudio]

Thanks this has been so useful

[@ArtIsRight]

Glad it helped

[@nadieselgirl]

Thank you, this is very helpful!

[@ArtIsRight]

Glad it was helpful!

[@erJonhy]

Deeeeeeeep review!!! Congratulations!! 🔥🔥🔥

[@ArtIsRight]

Thanks!

[@farhaddad]

Thank you for the great review. One of the most important differences is that the PD line is flicker-free! A deal-breaker for people that are sensitive to PWM dimming. I wish the SW line was flicker-free as well.

[@ArtIsRight]

You mean eye care, it is in the majority of the SW displays.

[@farhaddad]

@@ArtIsRight Thank you for replying. None of the current SW models has a flicker-free dimming. I confirmed it with BenQ. Only the panels that specifically mention flicker-free in their specifications do. PD2725U uses DC dimming for example. I can't understand why they don't make them all Flicker Free!

[@ArtIsRight]

Not sure why, but good to know. Thanks for the info.

[@moncho33]

I've been researching displays this past few days and for almost every search I do, one of your video shows up. So, thank you! I do photography and video recording/editing on the side. Until now I've been using my 2014 MacBook Pro, but it's time to upgrade. I'm looking to get a Mac Mini, as my laptop has become a desktop computer as it rarely leaves the house. I would love to get the SW271C, but it's out of budget. I do shoot 4K, but mostly deliver in 1080p. Another option would be the SW270C, but I'm worried that it might not be a good investment. I recently saw the specs and price for the PD2725U, and it goes over budget, but not by much... In my case, doing photography and video part time and taking into consideration that this will be my main computer for office work, media consumption, video calls and more, would you recommend the SW270C or the PD2725U? I'm leaning towards the SW270C because of the hardware calibration, 3D LUTS and lower price. Looking forward to your advice. Thanks!

[@ArtIsRight]

Here's the thing, I would also add the SW271 (without the "C") To the list. It is a great capable display kzbin.info/www/bejne/jZWxeH6sp8xlrKs and the price should be in your range as well and you get the hardware calibration feature. Now that you are aware of this if you want to get one I would move fast while they are still in stock. It is a great display. As for the Mac mini, I have a video that I am releasing this Friday that will go over the minimum specs that a creative pro should get. But if you have any question about that you can let me know too.

[@MrGLOWFOX]

Hi Art! Great Video, I've decided on getting the SW for more color critical work, my question is, I Game form the same system that I work on, is there going to be issues using the SW for Photography and my current monitor for gaming since they run at different refresh rates?

[@ArtIsRight]

You'll be fine! No issues at all

[@sjazzp]

Thank you very much. Very comprehensive indeed. I guess the SW best suits my needs but it would be great if it have a Thunderbolt port as that would mean better compatibility with my MacBook Pro and Big Sur due to recent reported issues (bugs)

[@ArtIsRight]

The bug is not with USB C, it is with Big Sur OS, thunderbolt runs into the same issue as well.

[@sjazzp]

@@ArtIsRight Well, it looks that Apple has a homework. A couple of days ago I was with an Apple service advisor going through this issue. It was temporarily fixed but they still have a lot to do to eradicate it.

[@ArtIsRight]

I hear ya

[@michalgric]

Thank you for your thorough comparison. I would like to ask you about KVM differences between SW and PD line. It is incorporated in PD line only?

[@ArtIsRight]

Yes it is in PD only. Personally I don't find KVM so much a useful feature especially when I am using wireless keyboard and mouse that can switch computer with a touch of a button (Logitech).

[@naushadakhtar5688]

really helpful appreciate that

[@ArtIsRight]

Glad it helped

[@eliasnemer2103]

Hello, thank you for your informational videos. I've recently bought the sw271 and can't wait to work with it. I would love to know what is happening with the pv271 though. Is this still a thing because it looked great at the conference, in 2019 I think it was, it even had an internal calibrator.

[@ArtIsRight]

None of BenQ displays in the line up have calibrator build in. You may have seen an Eizo. Eitherway PV270 has been discontinued for sometime now and the SW270C is the replacement for it.

[@parksoo-kim6908]

I love this review. I did have 1 question, does the PD pro display get bright enough for daytime usage in front of a window? My iMac gets more than bright enough with 500nits max brightness but my cheaper LG 850uk seems very dim by comparison.

[@ArtIsRight]

probably not but if you do color critical work there;'s a few things wrong with that premise. You should control the environment and don't let the display ramp up to meet the environment. If you have to run the display at 500 nits, it is too bright and you should not be doing color critical work in that environment.

[@NA-kw2ex]

Good comparison. In future videos, It would be helpful to mention Text Clarity when comparing monitors- thank you

[@ArtIsRight]

You mean talk about 4K native vs 4K scale vs 2K native for instance? There are videos that I have talked about this. But this is not the topic for this specific one.

[@robertkitto6412]

Thanks for the video. Do Benq not make the PV270 monitors anymore? Looking for the best alternative. Thanks

[@ArtIsRight]

PV270 has been discontinued. If you can find one refurbished that would be an option. The replacement is SW270C

[@WillMruzek]

Hey Art! Thanks for your in-depth comparison. Digital cinema primarily works in the DCI-P3 color gamut. Given that which line would you recommend? I ask because you mention The SW line is hardware calibrated, but the color coverage of DCI-P3 is higher on the PD line. Curious on your thoughts. Thanks!

[@ArtIsRight]

Looking at DCI-P3 coverage alone can be misleading. All of them show 90% + DCI-P3. A few percents differences here and there won't really matter much, with color everything homogenizes anyway. But what it comes down to is what features are you looking for. If you want the best color accurate panel then I would choose the SW because of the hardware calibration features that by pass any color adjustments or remapping from the computer and icc profile. Both SW & PD uses top end panel but the very best panel are always going to be reserved for the SW line. Hope this helps :)

[@WillMruzek]

@@ArtIsRight It does! Thank you so much!

[@ArtIsRight]

:)

[@colinjudge1261]

Hi Art, thanks for your videos, they really helped me make my choice of what monitor to buy, and I went with the SW270C. I know that you often discuss the angle of view on these IPS panels, and how the colours remain accurate. However, what's your experience with IPS glow? I'm really impressed with the colours, and I have no issue with uniformity or backlight bleed. But I have noticed quite a strong IPS glow when viewing at a slight angle, resulting in a sort of a reverse vignette on the corners even when viewing straight on when displaying darker content. Is this normal, or might I have a defective model?

[@ArtIsRight]

That is something that shows up on IPS panel especially with extreme edge and angle of view. so yes what you described seem normal.

[@colinjudge1261]

@@ArtIsRight Thanks for your fast reply Art!

[@ArtIsRight]

Sure thing!

[@bruh-qi7ue]

Hey Art! I am looking at the sw240 for photo editing and just consuming content and movies. I really value good and accurate colours but I was wondering whether I can get really good srgb coverage with a larger monitor like 27 or 32 inch for the same like 300-500$ price tag. Thanks!

[@ArtIsRight]

If you are just looking at sRGB sure, most display can do that. You can look at BenQ PD line or the next model up SW270C

[@Theflicker67]

As not wanting to spend to much at the moment for a 24 monitor for photography and doing a few prints from it, would the PD2500Q be a good alternative being 200 euro cheaper over here. Eventually I will go for the sw range but up grading my pc will come first before that.

[@ArtIsRight]

If you are looking at a 24" Get the SW240 a much better display Thant the PD2500Q and only about $70 more new.

[@danielemilazzo432]

Thank you, I’m a UX designer, but I enjoy photography. I’d love a SW, but will photography be terrible on the PD? Just limiting myself to the 27inch.

[@ArtIsRight]

no but you won't get 99% Adobe RGB coverage, but if you don't need that or work in sRGB then you are ok, it all depends on the workflow.

[@elliem1]

Hi Your guidance has always helped. Getting the mac mini M2 pro. But haave come to trouble you again. In my country and area, currently I am getting SW270c and PD2725u are almost the same price. Which one would you advice? Use case - UI/UX design and branding which includes working with colour accurate photos and graphics. Thank you once again for all your effort.

[@ArtIsRight]

For what you do I would consider the PD, you get 4K and still good color. You don't need Adobe RGB nor 99% Adobe RGB coverage so that is why I am not recommending the SW line

[@elliem1]

@@ArtIsRight thank you so, so much for your help.

[@ArtIsRight]

Sure thing

[@Baygolf54]

Great Video Art, I do have a question about the Benq SW line - Will the Adobe working space play well with ProPhoto working space? I have not seen one of your videos addressing this. Thanks

[@ArtIsRight]

Yes it will, it is not an issue which is why I never cover it really. Everything would get scaled down from ProPhoto to Adobe RGB via Adobe Color Engine, ACE.

[@Baygolf54]

I have other question, but it's not related to this video - Can one replace the SW271 Hotkey (gen 1) with the Hotkey gen 2, and what are your thoughts on the E-reader Lamp Plus?

[@ArtIsRight]

SW271 is firmware corded to Hotkey Puck Gen 1 and will only partially work with Gen 2. And by partially I mean that the dial wheel, push button, and extra function key would not work.

[@hyunjeekim1]

Hello, Art. I really appreciate your thorough reviews as someone looking to buy a new monitor. One question: I understand that there’s about 20% difference between the PD line and the SW line in terms of adobe rgb coverage. How noticeable would you say the difference is in photography? Printing isn’t a big part of my work, but there are still times that require me high quality color printing. The SW line is out of my budget, and I know there are other brands’ monitors that are within my budget and have a 100% adobe rgb coverage. However, I’m really drawn to some of the features available with PD3220u. Could you please weigh in on this matter?🙂

[@ArtIsRight]

So yes there are some brands that covers 100% Adobe RGB but they might not be hardware calibrated display like the SW line, either that or they are, however, the calibration software does not work as well or does not provide an icc profile to the system to use. As far as PD3220U it is a great display and if you can still find a SW271 (discontinued) I would get that because it is 27" 4K, really great panel. The pice is close to the PD3220U. However, if you end up with the PD, will you see the color differences, probably not. If you are not looking at these side by side then you'll probably not notice any difference.

[@hyunjeekim1]

@@ArtIsRight It's a relief to know the difference isn't that visible. I've considered the SW271, too, but I'll probably go with the PD3220u. It's more within my budget and I'm curious to try the cad mode and 32" display. Thank you so much for your reply!

[@ArtIsRight]

👍🏼

[@bruh-qi7ue]

Also one more question. Does the calibration or color accuracy of a monitor get worse over time? Is this something to worry about? After how much time should I replace a monitor like the sw240?

[@ArtIsRight]

They are great display, they will drift over time as all displays do, so you just have to custom calibrate it, monthly is a good interval.

[@tarantula23]

Great video. Thank you, i was wondering which,of the PD like has the same above RGB of 99% as the SW. also, is the PD stand stable, i am interesting in the pd32 one with thunderbolt, is that the one with the same as the SW27 in terms of adobe RGB. My target use is photography, design, general usage, and audio production... so color accuracy is very important still. Which would you recommend. Also is the pd line stand stable, as it looks like just a slight bump or quake will send it falling over?

[@ArtIsRight]

PD stand is stable like all BenQ, it is not as tight as SW line but not loose by any means, also don't look at my studio table for sturdiness, because it is not it is a temporary light weight setup. All PD can show 100% sRGB, if you want 99% Adobe RGB then the only PD that can do that is PD2720U. If you need super accurate color I would go for SW line.

[@tarantula23]

@@ArtIsRight what about the PD2725, nowhere on benq does it list the adobe rgb values... also, oddly the pictures of the monitor show 2 usb c and 2 usb a ports, but the specs just list a pair of usb c.. what does it have in terms of a "usb hub"... how is the PD2725 compared to the sw271... the pd2720u has been discontinued it looks like and the pd2725 the new version..

[@ArtIsRight]

For that model you are looking at about 80% Adobe RGB coverage, because it is not high in the 90 range they generally don't list it. Yes the 2725 is the update to the 2720 And about the USB, yes you still have 2 USB Type C (one is Thunderbolt 3) and 2 USB 3.1 Type A so the hub function will work just fine. Compared this to the SW271 it is a different beast, if you are looking for high Adobe RGB coverage with Hardware Calibration I would choose the SW271 over the PD.

[@tarantula23]

@@ArtIsRight it makes it a tough choice as i am both a photographer and a designer..... the thunderbolt is nice to not use up the port and have a daisychain capacity but i know that thunderbolt adds to the cost of production and thus the panel and internal components may be prone to the accountants pen compared to using usb c which is a lesser costing bus to add, and thus the SW probably has a better panel and as said, more accuracy and range... i like the design of the PD but then again, the handle on the SW is also nice if you want to pack it up to take to a hotel for location work... i suppose the best solution is to simply get both.. lol..

[@ArtIsRight]

That would be an interesting solution, if you are in the US dm me on Facebook page or insta if you are thinking of getting one.

[@badhabit714]

SOLD!

[@ArtIsRight]

Fantastic!

[@strahinjazlatanovic4307]

Hey Art, I love this video, but I would also like to pick your brain a little bit more. I'm starting with ink-jet waterbased canvas printing and I'm looking to get a new monitor set-up. Most of my printing will be illustrations, like pet art, watercolor designs, etc.. Do you think one of the PD models would be good enough for this type of printing work? I'm aiming to buy a 2k 27 inch monitor and I would love if you could recommend one? Thanks so much

[@ArtIsRight]

I would probably choose the SW for printing over PD line, the 2 models that you should look at is the SW2700PT and the SW270C both are 2 and you can find a comparison between those two on my channel as well.

[@Trylobit]

Art, I need your help. I'm thinking about buying SW271C or PD2725U. I'm a videographer making videos for internet, so I'm mainly interested in sRGB nad P3, so it seems like PD2725U should be perfect. I saw some reviews and the out of box calibration on it is amazing. I do have a iDisplay calibrator, so I can calibrat it further, but here is my only doubt. I use both: PC and M1 Mac and Display Pilot is not working on M1 Macs. The question is: should I worry about it? Would you say that this is the reason to spend 50% more on SW271C?

[@ArtIsRight]

Don't worry about display pilot not important and will not break any function that you can't do without it. PD probably work best for your needs. Factory calibration is great but that is not the best calibration for your machine. None of our machine are outputting reference color. If you want accurate color then I would still use a calibrator.

[@Trylobit]

@@ArtIsRight I bought the PD2725U. In general, I'm very happy, but I noticed that now, after about 2 months sometimes the screen starts to flicker like crazy, Usually turning on DualView for a moment fixes the problem. Should I send it back or is it fixable from settings level?

[@simonanartist]

I love to create abstract fine art print and illustration through Affinity Designer. I hoping to go for Canon imagePROGRAF Pro 1000 ( I know you used an Epson printer). So which monitor would you go for SW or PD. By the why Benq now has PD2750U. I am more of a printmaker. I would usually make positive films for screen printing. I like to print mostly on matt fine art paper acid-free.

[@ArtIsRight]

I would go with the SW for what you are doing. It is a display with a better spec for what you need. Especially with printing

[@glic83]

Seeing as the sw2700pt can't be found anywhere in Ireland (or Europe) I'm looking at a toss up between the PD2700Q or the SW270c , is the SW270c worth over twice the price? Only do photography no video work, I know the pd2700q can't be hardware calibrated and only has around 75% Adobe RGB, just just trying to see if it's worth spending the extra?

[@ArtIsRight]

SW2700PT is discontinued. And SW270C with the 99% Adobe RGB and True Hardware Calibration (Adjustable 16 BIT 3D LUT) yes it is worth the price, different class of displays.

[@slytherben]

We edit photos on two 5K iMacs and I was wondering what monitor you would recommend to get similar color to the 5k iMac? Thanks!

[@ArtIsRight]

You can go with either model, they both have M-Book which is supposed to match apple displays or you can use P3 but if you ask me these are not necessary the best color mode for printing. I would recommend the SW and calibrate your display to Adobe RGB which is best for photo.

[@crxgator]

What cable would I need to get 10-bit color on a Mac mini M2 and a SW240? Thank you.

[@ArtIsRight]

USB C to Display Port

[@robgerety]

Thanks for these videos. Question - is it possible/recommended to scale down a 4K to 2k when doing photo editing? I see many photographers recommending 27" 2K.

[@ArtIsRight]

2K is really more suited for Photo, but if you get 4K scaling it to 2K will work just as well, In fact on a Mac (intel) it is better for the GPU, faster rendering, etc

[@robgerety]

@@ArtIsRight Thanks - that is exactly what I suspected would be the case. I will be using M1 Max.

[@robgerety]

27? 32?

[@ArtIsRight]

2K I would choose 27" and not 32" If you are looking SW, 2K only comes in 27" anyways.

[@MusicFed]

@@ArtIsRightthanks for the great video. What 27 monitor would you recommend for lightroom/photoshop photo editing including some light grading? I have a Mac and rarely have to print

[@MusicFed]

Does the sw line offer the m-book mode to sync colours with Mac? And if not can you still match exactly the colours with your Mac?

[@ArtIsRight]

All current SW & PD models have m-book mode.

[@MusicFed]

@@ArtIsRight thanks so much. I primarily edit for screen but also print and I might edit for print more in the future. do you think it makes sense to invest in an SW model like the SW272U? it's almost 3 times more than the PD equivalent

[@firlefansel8496]

Thanks

[@ArtIsRight]

Welcome

[@andyjardine8192]

I'm interested in the PD2705Q for professional cad designing. Being a 2k monitor would i run into an it upscaling issues? I have heard of people having problems with 4k on windows and not playing nice with certain cad programs

[@ArtIsRight]

You won't have any scaling issues with 2K. It is a safe bet.

[@andyjardine8192]

Thanks Art

[@ArtIsRight]

:)

[@sallybillman3593]

On Ben's website it says a PD is compatible with Mac, M1 and M2. Is there more tweaking with a SW to a Mac? I have an iMac 24 and am looking in purchasing baseline M1Sudio or a M2 Mini Pro.

[@ArtIsRight]

All compatible with Mac, that is more of a specific marketing.

[@JohnDAlmonte]

Hello, thank you for your videos. I was wondering how BenQ customer service is. If I need a monitor repaired in the USA, how do I go about that?

[@ArtIsRight]

Either give them a call or drop them an email. Sometime you have to leave a message but they will get back to you.

[@max-mr9my]

Hello,Thanks for the video,i'm a photo retoucher but I can only afford the PD as it's cheaper than the SW,would you still recommend I go for it or look elsewhere to brands like dell,hp....and will have to get a calibrator for max performance?.Thank you.

[@ArtIsRight]

If your budget allows for PD, I think you are going to get the best value out of BenQ and the PD line. Other brands may be cheaper but they are not necessarily the same quality. And for the best results yes, you should get a calibrator.

[@max-mr9my]

@@ArtIsRight Great!..Thank you, please do you have videos on how to calibrate a benq monitor ? or something I can use as a guide.Thanks

[@ArtIsRight]

SW kzbin.info/www/bejne/bqPNg6J_mpVgo9E PD kzbin.info/www/bejne/npC3hWyFZ65kmJY

[@Daguigoz]

Hi Art! I have a problem with my PD3220U. It is set on HDR mode and I don't know how to turn it off. It blocks me from changing my color gamut via my puck.

[@ArtIsRight]

Win kzbin.info/www/bejne/b6fWZJt7Zsl_jrM Mac kzbin.info/www/bejne/eXfcf3WPhZqfgM0

[@jannijenhuis5422]

Hi Art, thank you for this video. You mentioned that one PD monitor has a 99% of aRGB colormode. Can you inform me of the type of PD monitor? Jan

[@ArtIsRight]

That would be the PD2720U

[@occamsrazor000]

@@ArtIsRight So PD2720U has 99% AdobeRGB but PD3220U does not?

[@ArtIsRight]

That is correct, PD2720U is the only PD that has 99% Adobe RGB Coverage

[@magnum4623]

great .... i'm a photographer and definitly gonna pickup a sw series... but just e curious question,, which of these are better for movie watching?

[@ArtIsRight]

Both are good and when it comes to that they are all about the same.

[@magnum4623]

@@ArtIsRight thanks for the reply and thanks for the informative video

[@ArtIsRight]

:)

[@mr_Gurme]

As a photographer I prefer SW product line, because of HW calibration. I really like to see picture palette shift, when I make changes in separated color channel by one single point. Its only possible on HW calibrated model with highest color accuracy. But as a photographer for the web (online stores, web-presentation, etc.) I really like some functionality provided by PD product line. I just trying to say, that modern photographer become more and more web-oriented and I think modern photo-monitor must include some web-oriented futures, like design-monitor do.

[@ArtIsRight]

SW encompasses PD Line. There's really nothing that PD can do color wise that SW can't do or do better. If you are talking about thunderbolt connection then that is not necessary a color feature but rather a display feature. So if you are a photographer and want the best, go SW.

[@rachsounds]

For a lower budget option would you recommend sw240 or pd2700q?

[@ArtIsRight]

If you want the best color I would go for the SW240 or if you can still find a SW2700PT, go for that.

[@manueltedesco]

I don't know how much influence you have over what monitors BenQ makes, but please suggest them to make an SW line monitor with 120hz+ refresh rate. If they did that they'd be covering such an untapped market and I personally would pay really good money for it. Great video!

[@ArtIsRight]

I'm with you

[@galed78]

Thank you so much @artisright! I’m buying a Mac studio and doing video with sometimes heavy grading (filmconvert and dehancer). My girlfriend just purchased an m1 MacBook Air and is doing photography (online and magazine print) so we will be sharing a screen. We both worked on a iMac 2017 before, now all of a sudden I had to learn about monitors, finding out Mac isn’t suitable for 4K unless losing some performance. (The scale story which is being mentioned here to) The price range of these two monitors is the max But I’m torn between the two. We both think the 27” is just a bit to small but we do sit relatively close to the panel, the ultrawide for just 100 bucks more seems like a no brainer. But how much performance will you lose with the 34”? How much more accurate is the 27” and with our skill levels, coming from a iMac screen, will we notice? I know, questions that can’t be answered here but it’s a hard one. The 32 would be a solution but a part from the 4K it is way over our budget. Is there a in between option I’ve overlooked? A 32” SW option that is 2k resolution?

[@ArtIsRight]

4K and Mac works just fine, performance wise with these new chip and display engine you are not loosing much and it takes maxing out everything to push it to the point where will you see any degradation. There are so many information relating to this topic out there and I would argue that many, if not, most of them are in accurate one way or another or simply enough they are just sensationalizing the topic. I have been running my Mac Studio with dual 4K and have not found it to be an issue. The GPU inside these chip are way faster than the intel and even discrete chip that has came before, so I would not worry about this too much. This said you won't loose performance on a 34" display either. Unless you are looking at a 5K2K then you are going to start to push the machine harder, but something like the PD3420Q will do just fine. The point here too about the 27" accuracy coming from the iMac is not just accuracy alone. Did you calibrate your iMac that would be the key factor. Because any custom calibration is better than not. And for video work iMac calibrate or not works just fine. However, for photography work, depending on the workflow, you may start to run into gamut variation issue. For instance if one use Adobe RGB, the iMac display can only do P3 and sRGB so that becomes an issue. As far as accuracy goes, BenQ SW are bar-none rank up right close to the top with the PD line coming in right behind. Also skill level aside, I would choose accuracy to start out with. But again that has to come from custom calibration. So don't worry about 4K, performances etc, but the budget part, I understand. Based on what you shared here I would look at PD3420Q kzbin.info/www/bejne/hKLOZK2drrSFi6M hope this helps

[@galed78]

Thx for getting back with your extended answer, that is really appreciated. No we never calibrated the iMac so the PD unit would indeed be sufficient, especially because grading will be done 5% of the time so the real estate is a big factor since editing will be done most of the time. However I’ve went with the sw 2 days ago and just arrived but it’s still in the box. 😂 Color above all we’ve concluded. We hoped it would seal the deal but the purchase didn’t gave the closure we hoped. My partner has her laptop a a 2nd screen for extra real estate, I have a 100 bucks 24” Samsung so we should be good. We will get there, again thx so much for the advice, I just read it after the purchase. (I thought KZbin would notify me when a reply would appear)

[@galed78]

As for the performance on 4K monitors, did you see this and what do you think of his findings? kzbin.info/www/bejne/oaG7ZmlnlL2AaJI

[@ArtIsRight]

I have seen parts of that video and it is misleading in many ways. I would check these video out. You will find that it is not really an issue. Just something to be aware of. kzbin.info/aero/PLjlr8rlxl_q65mOyASWU2naUlPCr78nxi

[@galed78]

@@ArtIsRight Fantastic! Thank you for your services. :)

[@juceking]

do you think a benq pd2700u woud do the work in cinema movie scenario?

[@ArtIsRight]

Yes.

[@HerrUsta]

BenQ PD2720U vs EIZO CS2731 .... Which one do you prefer for a Graphic- and 3D designer

[@ArtIsRight]

2 difference class of displays there. Eizo is hardware calibrated PD is not, to get an even comparisons you are probably looking at BenQ SW241 may be, BenQ does not have the same size and resolution display. The one that comes closest to it would be SW270C or the SW2700PT. You can search my channel for the comparisons. Personally for me, I think that BenQ represents a much better value compared to Eizo but each to their own :)

[@sergioangulo5529]

Hey Art, as always thanks for the videos. I'm writing to you because after the last upgrade Big Sur had I'm having some troubles with a sw271 display. It was working perfectly before the upgrade, but after it when I connect it to my 16" MBP it shows a weird resolution and weird options in the displays preferences. It goes back to a 4k resolution when I restart the computer but it won't allow 60hz (only 30hz available) and when I see the details of the display in about this Mac and system report it shows as a 61 inch 5k display.... I would appreciate any ideas since I haven't found much anywhere about this issue. PS im inclined to think its the os because my Mac Pro acted weird as well with an apple Thunderbolt Display that I use as a second monitor. Also I've tried reseting the pram, vram, deleting os caches etc... with no results. Thanks!

[@ArtIsRight]

Yes let me give it a test and let you know what I find. I am not surprise that these bugs are cropping up.

[@sergioangulo5529]

@@ArtIsRight thanks!

[@jasonburks5445]

Lots of reports (myself included) of problems with 11.1 and 4K monitors. My 16” MBP is definitely having these problems. I’ve not yet updated my M1 Mac Mini to 11.1 because I don’t want to lose the proper resolutions.

[@ArtIsRight]

So I have tested 11.1 on my SW271, it seems ok, but I will have to spend more time with it and look at this closer.

[@jasonburks5445]

In general, it works fine on initial connection or reboot of my 16” MBP, using either USB-C to mDP or USB-C to USB-C. However, once the laptop goes to sleep and wakes back up, more often than not, I lose 4K resolution. There does not appear to be much difference between mDP or USB-C. I did a little testing with HDMI using the Apple dongle, and that seemed to be okay in recovering from sleep, but it doesn’t calibrate as well. Note that so far, the exact same USB-C to USB-C cable is working fine through sleep/wake cycles with my M1 Mac Mini on 11.0.1, so it seems like this was introduced with the 11.1 update.

[@user-eh3qu8jv6e]

I wanted to ask one question i am a professional editor and sometimes also i do video editing so which line up is best for me SW or PD

[@ArtIsRight]

If you want the best choose SW

[@Maurits-PK]

Hello Art. Seems like you are making videos that go into the directions my thoughts are going lately :) One more thing that will help people make a better decision about which display to get is the ppi vs sharpness and size of text and images and the influence of scaling on the sharpness. This concerns mainly MacOS, as with windows the scaling is not really an issue. Further it would be interesting to see how much more taxing scaling in MacOS is for say the Mac Mini M1's performance as it shares its RAM between the CPU and GPU. I had some thoughts about this. The problem is the resolution of 32 inch and 4K/UHD is not a good match because the ppi is too high. It makes text too small. It seems that manufactures all follow the same size-resolution path. In my opinion the 4K is the selling point, but it does not fit the 32 inch screen. There should be a 3K resolution for 32 inch and 4K would work perfectly on a 37 inch display. The ppi at 37 inch wouldbe 119. I am talking about 16:9 aspect ratio the whole time. So there is a mismatch of screen size and resolution at 32 inch/4K. I am just looking into this because I need a new monitor. I would like a sharper screen but for now the best option is 27 inch/2K if you don't want to tax the computer or decrease the quality of what you see on the screen. This is a topic that few people realize is an issue when choosing a screen. You already made a video about scaling that is helpful, but it would be better to show what the actual consequences (or benefits) are when you apply scaling in MacOS. How much sharper is text after scaling down on a 4K/27 inch screen compared to text of 2k/27 inch native. Also how much sharper is scaling 4K on 32 inch compared to 2K native resolution on 32 inch. Sorry Art, the comment is a bit long and if it is too confusing please ask to clarify something if you are not sure. Thanks again for making a great video that is very informative and entertaining at the same time. You are the best :) Greetings, Maurits.

[@ArtIsRight]

Yeah I plan on doing a 4K video talking about scaling with sample from different screen sizes. As far as issue with implementations, Mac and Windows have their own sets of issues, I mentioned in my previous video that one is not necessary better than the other. I have run into plenty of issues with Windows HD-DPI implementation. With regards to M1 and how taxing that is, it would be difficult to test that, my guess that for normal creative work you might not see much different, perhaps in LR scrolling, but that then there's really no objective way to test this. Gaming would be the way to test this I supposed and get a frame rate in the end when you run things at native 4K, but then again game can be optimized for 4K and if LR is not then again that is not a 1:1 translation. I have to give this some more thought. About screen size and resolution, it is a hard one. But what I can tell you is that, the industry follows a trend and this trend is based on the LCD fabrication, so there's really not much that we can do to change this other than if one manufacturer start a new trend, The thing is that I don't see 3K coming anytime soon, the next thing that we will see is 5 or 6K. And about screen PPI, in a sense 4K 32" is a bit high, but if you look on the Retina or HD-DPI side of things it is really too small. You would generally have to double the resolution to get a sharper scaling, so for a 32" display, that number ideally is 5K or 6K and not 4K. But 5 and 6K at this point in time introduces a whole different set of issues that most manufactures would rather just defer and not deal with it. Mostly it has to do with how taxing it is on the video card and overall system. It can work but what are the compromises. Either way, thanks for this great discussion and stayed turned.

[@Maurits-PK]

6K - 32 inch is the double of the would be 3k. It is scaling the resoltion in half. As I understand it MacOS is taking screenshots at 60Hz and then shows you the scaled result on the display. For sure that is taxing on the system and it would be reasonable to want to run a display at native resolution to get the most performance out of it. That's why I am looking at the 27 inch 2k solution. Maybe even 32 inch 2k. I prefer native because it will keep things snappy. It will also mean the system will run better for longer during the years to come... I get the double ppi (retina) thing, but it still means scaling. Anyway, thank you for your reply and I am loving your explanatory videos.

[@ArtIsRight]

Thank you and let me say that I appreciate the understating and reasons that you bring to this discussion! And you are correct, if you can run native, go native!

[@Maurits-PK]

Thank you Art. The 6K displays probably show a bigger UI native that looks like 3k, so there is no scaling there. I need to look into this. I might have made the wrong assumption. That would also mean a 4K display can show a bigger UI native that looks like 1080p. That is too big for 32 inch, so scaling is needed. Anyway, that is interesting stuff and I hope that 3K might replace 2K for bigger screens as a "low Res" option for the future.

[@ArtIsRight]

I think that what we will see next is 5K or 6K, there's less possibility we'll see 3K. So 2K or 4K will become the de facto standard and the upper end would be 5K or 6K which would make scaling much better. Hopefully video cards will be much more powerful by then!

[@elephantgrass631]

Wouldn't the SW line be better for video editors? I know that both would be fine, but what would the SW be "overkill" for pro video? From the specs that I see, it's more inline with pro video.

[@ArtIsRight]

For for typical video both would work, for color grading post production workflow SW is better. For Pro video SW have some features that if you utilized it, it is not necessary overkill but useful features.

[@elephantgrass631]

@@ArtIsRight Ah yes, Art is Right AGAIN. I didn't clarify anything like color grading. I see, so for pushing colors around and such the SW would be the line of choice.

[@ArtIsRight]

If you are doing heavy color grading SW would be better!

[@ronpaek100]

Hey Art I have a question, i'm not 100% sure what caused my problems but i'm having a lot of eye strain I went from a 24 inch lg monitor 4k then tried a 27 inch lg 5k monitor then tried dual monitor mode but then felt like I preferred a single big ultra wide monitor so I upgraded to a 38 inch lg monitor, but I'm getting a lot of eye strain, I don't think i'm studying anymore hours on the computer than previously but my eyes hurt everyday. I see that benQ has a blue-light / eye-strain mode on there monitors do you think down to a 32 inch 4k benq monitor would help vs the 38 inch lg ultra-wide? Sorry this is a really weird question but I can't seem to find any good answers suggestions googling and watching reviews. Did you end up switching your benq 32 inch monitor for a ultrawide 34 inch monitor setup now?

[@ArtIsRight]

My primary setup is a 32" 4K and the ultra wide is part of my test lab. This said eye strain is an individual biological reaction to the display, and it can vary greatly from person to person. For me I never ran into an eyestrain issue with 60 hz displays, I usually have professional line displays in my studio. This is something that would be difficult to search on good, the best thing would be to setup one in your work space and try it out. I know that BenQ display, most of them have eye care that helps with eye fatigue, so you might want to give them a try. Also because you are using 24" 4K and 25" 5K, I think what is causing your eye strain could be the resolution, are you running native or scaling?

[@ronpaek100]

@@ArtIsRight I didn’t experience the eye strain on the single monitors I tested out a 27 5k scaled for a bit then 24 inch 4k scaled they seemed fine on my eyes even with prolonged studying on them, I haven’t been using dual monitor setup that long as I didn’t like the look and having to pull content to the other screen. Currently I bought a lg 38 inch ultra wide it’s 3840 x 1600 resolution it can go up to 120 hz refresh but currently it’s running at 75 hz since that’s max refresh the Mac m1 offers me.

[@ronpaek100]

@@ArtIsRight do you find lower brightness gives less eye strain? I lowered my brightness down to like 10% maybe it’s giving me the opposite effect of helping my eye strain but making it worse, but I think I read that lowering brightness helps some, but I’m not 💯 sure

[@ArtIsRight]

I calibrate and set my display to 80 nits or cd/m^2. Too bright or too dark can effect perception, again can't answer this well, it is based on each person biological response.

[@ronpaek100]

@@ArtIsRight thank you for your help and advice

[@allenschneider1847]

Does one of these lines work best with a macbook or ipad?

[@ArtIsRight]

they are both compatible

[@indikaranasinghe3439]

Hi, I'm graphic designer. Please suggest the BenQ monitor. (SW OR PD) . I'm using m1 mac mini.

[@ArtIsRight]

PD would do just fine for what you do. pick a size and resolution based on your workflow needs and budget.

[@KyawMyo]

PD2700U vs Dell U2720Q, What is your reommandation for photo and video editing works. SW series are out of my budget.

[@ArtIsRight]

I would recommend BenQ PD because their display are tuned and calibrated really well form the factor and it is more a creative display rather than an all around display. There are color modes calibrated specifically for creatives as well.

[@KyawMyo]

@@ArtIsRight thanks for recommendation. Subscribed.

[@ArtIsRight]

Thank you!

[@riyaz2725142]

Hi I bought two pd2700u, my monitor flickers when I open my 3d application (3ds max), I'm using nvidia 1080 graphics card. Do you think flickers occurs due to graphics. What do you suggest to run smoothly two 4k monitors.

[@ArtIsRight]

GTX 1080 should run 2 - 4K just fine. Does other apps cause display to flicker? If yes it could be GPU, if not then it might just be the app itself triggering the use of the GPU.

[@riyaz2725142]

@@ArtIsRight it happens when I play video In KZbin alongside my daily 3d work. Sometimes it also happens when my 3d files becomes heavy. I can also see some ghosting effect of the windows after closing it. It remains for few minutes then it disappears.

[@ArtIsRight]

From what you are describing, it might not be as much display as it is the GPU. I would run a test with 1 display and see if it is any better. If you are doing heavy 3D work I might looking at a more powerful GPU instead of the 1080. Do A/B testing on the display as well by hooking it up to another system and see if your issues still persist. But from what I am hearing, my first suspect is the GPU.

[@riyaz2725142]

@@ArtIsRight Will do the test as you mentioned. Thanks a lot 🙏

[@darnellreid458]

@@riyaz2725142 what was the outcome of the test? I’m actually looking that that same model now due to the price.

[@hubert-williams3379]

Hi, Thanks for your very informed content.. I have a issue with Premeire pro and how it performs on a newly built PC system the monitor is a 27" Asus.. My system is a i7 9700K cpu 3.6ghz......32 gigs of ram, graphic card is GeForce GTX 8 gigs.. my monitor is connected through HDMI cable..The video and audio in premeire pro comes across very choppy , I can't seem to find any answers on Utube or with Adobe.. Im open to any ideas as, I am a pro photographer (still) but Im starting to do video..I have an older system in my upstairs office that works fine with the same software and has half the power ??? help if you can.. Thanks

[@ArtIsRight]

Are you using Nvidia Studio Driver? I have a feeling it is a driver issue. Also make sure that Premier is using hardware acceleration.

[@hubert-williams3379]

@@ArtIsRight I just installed the Nvidia studio driver yesterday, no change.. I will check on the hardware acceleration.. Thanks

[@hubert-williams3379]

I put a call into Adobe or Asurion Home+ provide one complimentary computer diagnostics and troubleshoot session. Asurion is a componet of Adobe (I think), I was able to speak to a tech who fixed the stuttering of the video and Audio in Premiere Pro.. He first ask me what version of premiere I was using then he navigated me to Document folder locate Adobe, locate premiere pro, rename premiere pro to premiere pro.old, then click on start, type run, type appdata, find premiere pro rename it with the same.. maybe this might help some one else. U.S.-based experts are ready to help Adobe members [phone]

[@ArtIsRight]

awesome! Glad it worked out!

[@hubert-williams3379]

@@ArtIsRight Thanks again!!

[@mhs6305]

Hi which model of graphic card would you recommend to pair with SW240 monitor in order to have 10bit colour viewing? Thanks

[@ArtIsRight]

Mac or pc?

[@mhs6305]

@@ArtIsRight PC. I am using a 15" hp laptop

[@ArtIsRight]

Discrete ones are better, meaning not intel integrated one. As far as getting 10 bit that is a different story. You can technically get an Nvidia GPU build in and use the studio driver, which supposedly will give you true 10 bit output but that has been hit or miss.

[@mhs6305]

@@ArtIsRight I see. I have limited budget. My current laptop using Nvidia GEFORCE MX940 and I'm not sure if it supports 10 bit color. Which Nvidia GPU would you recommend? I came across the AMD RADEON Pro WX 4100 (refurbished) for good price. What do you think? Should I install it inside or outside the laptop?

[@ArtIsRight]

With laptop you are limited to what you can do internally, you can look at eGPU but they have to be compatible and I am not sure if your system can handle that or not. I would not worry so much about 10 bit output.

[@anirbanhalder6022]

Dear Sir, I have benq sw240. My pc has USB-C port.But when I connected USB-C to display port of monitor, there is no display. I changed DP 1.2 to 1.1 by hdmi cable connection,but it did not work.I think my usb- c port is not disp alt mode supported. Now I think I need graphics card. Benq has provided mDP to DP cable.please suggest me specification for graphics Card with ,what type of port required for compatibility with sw240. Please note I use Lightroom cc.

[@ArtIsRight]

What is your computer, desktop, laptop, spec, models, etc? Also do you have HDMI or Display Port that you can use? If you have display port then just buy a full display port to display port cable and use that.

[@anirbanhalder6022]

Thank you Sir, for responding. 1) cpu:Amd Ryzen 5 2nd Gen APU 3400G on AM4 Socket, With Radeon Vega 11 Graphics, 4 Cores, 8 Threads, 4.2GHz Boost Clock, 6MB Cache 2) mother board: Tomahawk Max II I have HDMI(presently working with that), and usb c( not working with sw240). No other port like DP or mDP is available. Then shall I have to buy graphics Card?? If so what should I must consider before buying graphics card? Also I work with Lightroom cc Please reply

[@ArtIsRight]

Are you having issues with HDMI. If not stick with it. the SW240 does not have USB C anyway, so there's really no need to adapt the ports.

[@sallybillman3593]

Is this the most recent comparisons? And I imagine other professionals use photo, video, animation, and design together. It would be nice to use one monitor for all. Maybe that is not possible.

[@ArtIsRight]

Yes it is a trickle down pyramid, SW at the top and can do everything at a premium. PD is second in line and can also do the rest as well. It comes down to Hardware calibration and 99% Adobe RGB coverage, do you need it, if so then choose SW, other PD will work just fine for the workflow

[@MC87Football]

Which PD monitor cover 99% Adobe RGB? Thanks

[@ArtIsRight]

None in the current line up

[@MC87Football]

@@ArtIsRight thanks, i saw on the benq website that the PD2720U covers 99% adobe RGB

[@ArtIsRight]

That one does but it has been discontinued for at least 2 if not 3 years already.

[@paniwscibska4123]

Virtually every matrix in the PD LCD line is defective. I tested two.

[@ArtIsRight]

virtually? based on 2 units? without even saying what is defective? be thorough and complete when you make statements like this.

[@donmcpheephotography]

Which PD model has 95%Adobe RGB?…Thank you!!

[@ArtIsRight]

None, all of them like most others P3 oriented displays are going to be able to show 80-84% Adobe RGB

[@frankhu8692]

the interest fact that apple products, though ips, never have any light bleeding issue is a treat

[@ArtIsRight]

hmm, I think you are mistaken, lots of test does not cover that and if you look at their latest Studio Display, yes there are light leak and uniformity issues.

[@frankhu8692]

@@ArtIsRight there are uniformity issues, at least for imac and macbook pro or ipad pro that I've purchased, I 've never seen any light bleed from personal perspectives

[@frankhu8692]

@@ArtIsRight I did not consider studio dispaly anyway, its more a gimick in terms of capability and functionality

[@ArtIsRight]

MacBook no, because it the display layering is different. iMac yes, may be less noticeable but it is there.

[@michaelschultze3595]

I'm going crazy. Since this morning, my LG monitor hardware is broken, may CallDigit Thunderbolt Hub is also broken. So for now, all I have is my MacBook ... nothing more. And the BenQ PD3420 is still not available.

[@ArtIsRight]

I would try to get warranty on both. And I know chip shortage it hitting the global supply chain.

[@michaelschultze3595]

@@ArtIsRight Sometimes it just happens. Bad luck. Since I don't want an LG anymore, I ordered the PD3200U, and hope it will work fine with the next gen MacMini M1X...). I would have preferred the 3220U. But also not to get .... I hope the Lenovo ThinkVision P40w from Lenovo still comes this year ... TB4 (?)

[@ArtIsRight]

That display will work fine with M1

[@ArtIsRight]

One more thought, I would just get it fix or replaced under warranty, if it still is and sell it, make some money back ;)

[@michaelschultze3595]

@@ArtIsRight The JoyStick (LG) was deffekt. Then for repair. Then the monitor came back and had a big colored spot. To have this repaired would have cost 500 EUR ... The LG 34UM95 is already a bit older... not worth it But, now from me still questions 1. can I find out how long the PD3200U has been on the shelf? 2. You wrote - That display will work fine with M1 - How exactly can I understand this? The interfaces are already a bit older. And I actually wanted to use my OWC Thunderbolt HUB ...with the next gen of MacMini Thanks!

[@jennifermedia6288]

Your labels are wrong at the beginning one the wide 34 one you wrote pd32

[@ArtIsRight]

Great catch, thanks. This is a proof that I am still human ;)

[@lukeivan1520]

Awesome 😍💋 💝💖♥️❤️

[@ArtIsRight]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@estwern]

You realise that the video contains 6 blocks of ads?

[@ArtIsRight]

pay per view!

[@estwern]

@@ArtIsRight please elaborate

[@user-eh3qu8jv6e]

I wanted to ask one question i am a professional editor and sometimes also i do video editing so which line up is best for me SW or PD

[@ArtIsRight]

If you want the best choose SW