I chose THIS over the Apple Studio Display.

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[@majaano]

Not just helpful... but by far the cutest, funniest, relaxed monitor review I have ever seen. Your cool personality shines through.

[@chrissieknudsen]

This was really helpful, thank you! I'm in the same boat right now choosing a new monitor and feeling stuck with analysis paralysis!

[@mdestacpoole]

With regard to wake time and typing your password in the dark, I changed my cable from 'USB-C to HDMI' to 'USB-C to DisplayPort' and my monitor now wakes considerably faster - almost instantaneous. Another DisplayPort tip, make doubly sure that that both connectors are fully pushed in. Mine weren't initially and I was beginning to think that the cable was faulty which it wasn't. Thank you for an informative video.

[@AlexHarephotographer]

Am i right i thinking that if you dont use USB c (or Thunderbolt where applicable) then you lose the power and data transfer from the Mac to the monitor? and this means you can attach a external HD via the monitor which the Mac can 'see' in terms of reading and writing files?

[@jambononi]

@@AlexHarephotographer yeah display port won't transfer things like external hd connected to the monitor as a hub.

[@Jugbnjy]

I use a thunderbolt3-thunderbolt3 cable and my monitor wake-up is 1s slower than the laptop screen. So no real waiting.

[@davidhughes5849]

I'm sure the studio display is very pleasing, but for the price tag they are asking I could not justify the cost for what we are getting in return. I ended up buying this same benQ monitor to go with my studio and still had nearly 500 left over which went towards a 24" iMac (base model) for another room which in essence gave me a 24" iMac plus a larger 32" over 27" display for about 500 (UK £) more. Excellent video.

[@tronam]

The thicker bezels help minimize backlight/edgelight bleed, which is an issue that plagues most IPS panels in my experience. While not perfect, Apple has tended to do a good job keeping that under control. Also, just because it's a 5K IPS LCD doesn't mean the Studio Display uses the same panel as the 5K iMac. It's actually brighter with better contrast and deeper blacks. Not as good as OLED/miniLED of course, but a refinement nonetheless.

[@slipoch6635]

Apple's prodisplay had really bad halation compared to everything else in the same price-range.

[@tonyoramos1]

There’s not really an excuse not to produce an OLED monitor other than cost.

[@slipoch6635]

@@tonyoramos1 true, but the cost of apple displays is already higher than most good oled monitors of the same size.

[@tonyoramos1]

@@slipoch6635 Yes b/c Apple generally demands high margin. That is a choice; that is not a law of nature. In the meantime they are selling suboptimal monitors to people for a premium price

[@slipoch6635]

@@tonyoramos1 completely agree

[@ramonmurray_]

Hey, just found your channel because I've been trying to decide on a monitor also. Even thought I went with the LG UltraFine 4K 32in Ergo I really appreciated your video and loved that you showed your personality here and there throughout the video, you wouldn't believe how many monitor review videos I've watched that were just boring and full of stats but your video felt different. Thanks for posting and you've gotten a new subscriber!

[@chronicfish]

are u happy with it? i was thinking of getting it for my mac mini m2 pro.

[@DanielHarrisCodes]

Do you have an iPad with stage manager? I want to confirm whether this monitor has the "more space" scaling option for stage manager. Not all of them do and want to be sure.

[@ramonmurray_]

@@DanielHarrisCodes I haven't tried it with Stage Manager yet

[@ramonmurray_]

@@chronicfish It's definitely one of my favorite purchases! 10/10 would recommend. I'd also recommend get a webcam as well to complete the set up.

[@matdeee]

I have two of these and I'm very happy with it. I don't know if anybody mentioned it in the comments, but there is a software by Benq to control your monitors called "Display Pilot". I find this very helpful.

[@stevenpike7857]

31.5" at 4k is to low a resolution for me. One of the great things about Mac monitors and displays is the DPI.

[@bren.r]

And it’s literally the only way to buy a glossy monitor. Literally everything else is a disgusting matte finish that spreads reflections.

[@links-awakening]

😂 I moved from the PD322OU to the Apple studio display and no regrets. There is a known BenQ issue with the m1’s (I have a max mini m1) connectivity - I had to use the hdmi to get 60htz (the usb c would only give 30htz) switching off and on and getting the screen to work was a real pain - I would have to force a connection using the joystick on the back. With the Apple studio display being 5k I surprisingly I don’t miss the size difference over the 32” 4K.

[@DiegoNunes]

The problem with the scaling isn't the resolution itself, but the PPI the screen has. MacOS scales correctly between 100-120 PPI for non-Retina and 200-240 PPI for Retina. Outside that ranges the interface will be either too small or too big. Your BenQ has a PPI of 137 PPI running natively (4k) and the interface looks to small, when you scale it down to 3360x1890, the PPI lowered to 91 PPI which makes the interface look bigger. But as you noticed scaling introduces a few problems like less sharpness, moiré and increased GPU usage. So basically, sucks to use MacOS and choose the monitor you want.

[@nnnikolay]

therefore there is no good choice, and LG Ultra Fine is the only option available with the right ppi. Another option would be iMac M1. I choose to go with iMac with the arm that creates enormous flexibility.

[@slipoch6635]

yeah this is the issue with MacOS forcing ppi-based scaling rather than basing the scaling on the resolution. It also means a lot of reference monitors will not work properly on Apple. If you can turn off the scaling then it should be fine...maybe?

[@nnnikolay]

@@slipoch6635 well, how else you would be able to achieve so great clarity on the screen w/o making whole UI not readable (small)?

[@slipoch6635]

​@@nnnikolay use a larger text size, ppi has nothing to do with it, this is JUST how Apple (and Apple alone) do it, on linux and windows you can do this easily , it''s only because MacOS is trying to force a particular ppi, rather than set the resolution and text/icon sizes independently like every other OS. I have been using 2k+ screens since an older CRT screen in 1999, never had an issue with this on any other OS other than DOS (later versions could change the text size too). I am currently using 2 2k screens (one operating at true 10bit, one at 144hz) and 1 1920x1080 in vertical, all working fine together.

[@nnnikolay]

@@slipoch6635 it's interesting, but if I need to work for windows/Linux screen (non Retina) my eyes getting tired agree 8h working day badly. With Retina on Mac I don't have the same issue. P.S. I work with text

[@igorkhomenko2508]

I've gone through like a dozen of pro design monitors. BENQs are by far the best. So far I have owned three of them - always the same good result. I can agree that the blacks could be blacker though.

[@ryanclouse299]

Benq is pretty good, but I personally probably would've went with Dell's U3223qe. It has a slightly wider color gamut, has a 1:2000 contrast ratio (and yes still ips) and brighter screen. And it does still have pretty much everything you listed. :) I also think it is cheaper. Though you did mention plastic.

[@psathas87]

I have similar thoughts until I saw rtings review reporting very bad reflection handling..

[@nathan-clark]

Yeah except in gaming scenarios Dell Ultrasharp's outperform basically every other thing in market.

[@MaxStArlyn]

No adobe RGB colour space.

[@matejpindroch4760]

Dells suffer from terrible backlight bleed.

[@terencehorsnell9264]

@@MaxStArlyn Well that's a showstopper. Thanks!

[@mariusmocanrealestatephoto1378]

The way Apple scales the image on an external display you really need either a 2560x1440 or 5K monitor (skip the 4K). If you get a 4K monitor and you do heave video editing or 3D rendering you will see that your computer will be working harder behind the scenes to scale the 4K down to 2.5K, which is why the Apple Studio display is 5K (half of 2.5K), because it scales neatly down to half which is 2560x1440 or 2.5K. If you're on a budget, consider a 2560x1440 display so you don't lose performance especially if you didn't by a heavily spec'd out Mac. You're not going to get HDR or Retina quality with 2.5K, but you're also really not going to see a huge difference in image quality loss unless you're looking really close.

[@RudyGiron]

I don't understand exactly why, but I do understand that the 4K monitors are bad for Macs because of either the scaling and the taxing of the GPU, which might not be obvious for normal daily computing like email and web browsing, but definetely very taxing for any graphical, like Adobe apps and video rendering. I was about the make the same mistake as Omar with a 4k monitor, but I came across some videos and information that described the scaling and the performance hit of having the GPU do the scaling in real time. I decided to go for 27" QHD 2560x1440 monitor instead. Too bad not many people are reading your message and the messages of other commenters like yourself who have it clear that a 32" 4K monitor is a bad idea for Macs. Heck even a 27" 4K monitor is a bad idea.

[@kevinlong4657]

It's really frustrating that the LG and Studio Display are the only 5k options. I use both macs and windows and there isn't a great option really.

[@hzleyes7087]

Couldn’t agree more

[@davidstewart9211]

I have 4 ViewSonic VP2768-4K. they came factory calibrated with the calibration sheet enclosed. They are 2 wide and 2 high. I am very satisfied with them. My main use for them is for civil design work. I use a real time 3D rendering of the design to check the design.

[@timotmon]

It's a fucking nightmare trying to pick a monitor, especially in PC land where the tech really hasn't moved that much in several years. I've found that there's no happy medium between a creator monitor and gaming monitor in existence. It's easy to find a monitor that either games well or a monitor that covers the widest color gamut which is always at 60 hrz. Thin Bevels make light leaking worse which results in having to accept a monitor that's ugly.. it's not a good a science. I have that BenQ in the 27in version and it's good for the wide color gamut but it has issues with light leaking and it also goes black for moments at a time. It has a good sturdy stand but don't rely on the color accuracy.. you still need a calibrator. HDR content is a non starter with these things despite what BenQ says.

[@Counz223]

I feel you.. my gaming monitor failed on me just around the time I was getting more serious with photography.. opted for a 27” 4k 60Hz Philips monitor and saved some cash. However I must say, there was a really intriguing 27” Asus gaming monitor that property seemed like the best of both worlds.. it was $900 tho 😅 opted to sacrifice top tier multiplayer gaming and spent $260 instead. At least I’d have good media consumption and crisp AAA single player experiences. I get lost in those games more anyway. It’s hard out here tho..

[@lolfirepoisonftl]

@@Counz223 Michael, I think we might have the same 27" 4K Philips monitor that was around $250! For that price, this monitor has been amazing for creative work and has gotten me through two years of work from home. Although I still hope for a 120 or 144 hz 4K monitor, I still can't seem to find one that isn't too expensive or has decent color accuracy.

[@Counz223]

@@lolfirepoisonftl Yup! They have a few models with very similar panels around that price, mine is the 276E8 (shortened name). Each time I calibrate my monitor it’s given me a delta E of .6! It’s insanely colour accurate for the cost. I’m thoroughly enjoying my usage so far, glad yours is going the distance, hopefully mine does as well! And yea sadly to find high res, high refresh rate and good colour accuracy is still a tough ask.. not too many of us could just throw $900+ at a monitor.. hopefully we see them around $500 in the not too distant future.

[@lolfirepoisonftl]

@@Counz223 Ah got it! Mine's 276E8VJSB. Yeah a delta E less than 1 is crazy good! Would be great if a similar value monitor like this with 144 hz comes out around $500 like you said.

[@Counz223]

@@lolfirepoisonftl Ah yes that’s the exact one! I really don’t see the need for anything else until a “Jack of all trades” appears.

[@vitusyu9583]

thanks for your practical first-hand comments. i'll definitely consider this one with my coming purchase of a Mac Mini / Studio... which i am still bit sort of contemplating which one to choose....

[@ellek8703]

Did you decide, if so what helped your decision?

[@polystormstudio]

I've had the P3200P at home for 3 years and I have to say that it's the best monitor I've ever used. I heard that the 3220U is a step up so I added it to my list for my workstation at work. I'm really looking forward to using that Puck!

[@Rednunzio]

Fine with macOS scaling ?

[@AP-vi2bb]

Omg I got the BenQ designer too! It was literally the only one available at the time for me with my requirements, but it turned out to be very good!

[@sandnessmj]

I just went through the same and landed on the LG 34WK95U. Great picture and the 21:9 lends well to my job, always with multiple spreadsheets and docs open.

[@joelbechtolt]

I have that one and it is indeed awesome!

[@mariusbjonness]

You went for LG 34WK95U and not LG 34BK95U - which according to my research deprived you of Thunderbolt 3. Again, according to my research, "overall, Thunderbolt 3 offers superior performance, versatility, and convenience compared to USB-C or HDMI, especially when you want to take full advantage of high-resolution displays, fast data transfer, charging capabilities, and compatibility with various peripherals." Does the W (not B) variant feel slow in any way?

[@sandnessmj]

@@mariusbjonness I found info on Reddit that stated they were basically the same monitor with the only difference being the length of warranty. Mine has Thunderbolt 3 capability and it functions well without any noticeable lag or delay.

[@AndreiGomesdaCosta]

Check your system report under graphic display. If you scale it other then native 4K Apple (or 1920), like you have chosen, Apple UI will scale up, but the computer will upscale your 3840x2160 screen to 6016x3384 and then cut that down so ur UI 3360x1890. If you buy a UHD screen 3840x2160 be prepared to only run it natively at 3840 or at 1920 or you can scale to the other settings, but it will tax your GPU and take up processing power as it has scale up and down 60hz every second. Basically apple UI doesn't fit with UHD screens only with 5K and 6K and or 1/2 those resolutions with out upscaling and downscaling.

[@AlexHarephotographer]

Think this point gets missed amidst all the other ins and outs of this new tech and all the set up options but this is a MASSIVE issue. 4K is a disaster for a new Apple Mac.

[@jeffellis6544]

My 27" NEC Multisync display is now 11 yrs old. I need a new one. This is the one thing holding me back from getting a 4K display to use with my 2019-16" MacBook Pro. Already when exporting large groups of images from raw files to JPG in Lightroom I basically can't do much of anything else until its done, if scaling up & down 60x/sec at the same time it will really slow things down. I really like all the features in the 32" BenQ 4k. Has all the things I want, the ports, matte screen etc. but I fear the scaling issue will really hurt performance. I've been trying to find another photog in Chicago area that has one I can go see & try for myself. But so far no luck.... I'm coming around to possibly staying with a 27"/1440. Again BenQ looks pretty good for that.

[@Practicaleyes]

Are you sure about that Andrei? I am pretty sure that the whole screen does not refresh 60 times a second. Only things that change get updated not the whole screen. For video most of the screen may have to be refreshed each time but then that would be native at 4K anyway. There are some good tests out there on youtube which seem to show that that the load on the process by re-scaling is negligible.

[@carbonjesus5063]

Man, I am not tech savvy what so ever. But I’ve just purchased an M2 Mac Mini to run a monitor. I’ll be doing music (unimportant) and video editing. I wish I understood what you’re talking about because it sounds SO IMPORTANT. I don’t want my videos to turn to crap due to this new term “scaling”. Any chance you can give me a couple choices that aren’t a hassle? 😬

[@alanc6416]

I just ordered the new Dell u2723qe/u3223qe. It looks like a good option. Too late but thought you might wanna know.

[@MaxStArlyn]

Unfortunately that monitor is not a monitor msde for photographers. BenQ do make some for photographers though. The one you have doesn’t have Adobe RGB colour space. Does this bother you? Are you doing prints? The ine you have is more for Graphic Designers, and video.

[@PhotoTrekr]

Coincidentally I just bought my first monitor made for photography. I went with the 32" Asus ProArt monitor. Love it. Side-by-side you can really tell the difference between the Asus ProArt and the Dell monitors (not 4K) I had used previously. But, you can't go wrong with the BenQ monitors.

[@SarahMRobbins]

I was debating between the Asus ProArt and the Samsung M8. I don't know what direction to go to

[@AnuragSharma-rq2tp]

@@SarahMRobbins m8 is not great for professional use. It is general purpose monitor.

[@heoung8611]

Is the Asus pro better than this? I'm debating 5k LG, Benq , or this.

[@robertgerard6200]

Excellent level of detail in your review, Omar. I have a 2015 iMac with a 27" Retina 5k display which is getting a bit long in the tooth and my thought was to replace it with a Mac Mini and a third-party monitor. This looks like a great choice. Also, as another reviewer mentioned. "I changed my cable from 'USB-C to HDMI' to 'USB-C to DisplayPort' and my monitor now wakes considerably faster - almost instantaneous", and so there's that problem solved.

[@robertgerard6200]

@Adam Neth In order to avoid all the hassle of which monitor, which cable, etc., I took the easy way out and bought a refurbished 27", Retina 5K display. Perfect for me and it has the added bonus that the built-in camera is 1040p and is much better doing Zoom sessions.

[@cartorius]

if you use a mac a 220 PPI is required for their Retina Display output. 27inch is 5k, 21.5 is 4k, 24 is 4.5k if you dont have 220 PPI you want to be at 110 PPI to match their non retina display output. OSX will push any Monitor to 5k Retina if exceeding 110 PPI. you basically need to take a 4k 27 inch monitor and double the scale to 1080p to get a retina clarity. it's super weird that they do that but the do. there's literally 4 consumer Monitors that can match Retina quality and 2 of them are apple... Dell has one and LG has one. anything else including this monitor will not be AS sharp on the mac platform due to the way that OSX does video output. it EXPECTS 110 PPI or 220 PPI exclusively. you can see the difference in your video still shots side by side, there's nothing wrong with your monitor in fact it would have better clarity on a Windows PC it's just the way OSX is rendering it's graphic output. it's giving you 5k and scalling it to 4k thus making it slightly blury.

[@buildwithk]

Most entertaining monitor video out there and I have watched a lot. Could definitely relate to not having fun monitor shopping…

[@mityukov]

I'm a bit concerned about ppi of 32" 4K. MacOS is designed to work best at 110 or 220 ppi. So, in non-retina mode, things (fonts, buttons, etc) would be smaller than you might like, but using scaling will degrade performance..

[@jambononi]

It apparently ever so slightly blurs text. But I don't think it's severe. But yeah, if you want true scaling you have to pay a lot more for it... that's just the choices in the market. Luckily any modern M1 or higher Mac is so powerful any scaling won't affect performance other than what it looks like though.

[@Gojanel]

On the Imac, the colors, contrast and Gamma are better than on the Benq. Even from your images, it can be seen with the naked eye.

[@coriendewitte196]

Got an Eizo color edge monitor. I like it a lot

[@Psychiatry.321]

The best iMac ever is the iMac 27 2020 (i7 or i9). The best Monitor is Apple Studio Display or LG Ultrafine 5K 27

[@CrueLoaf]

I have a Eizo EV2785. Has a brightness of 370 nits. It’s not bad at all! Colors remain true.

[@gerald1964]

4K output from the Mac to the 4K display appears too small while 2K output from the Mac to the 4K display appears too large. In both cases however, there is an integer relationship between the Mac output and the display itself to text and images appear sharp. Choosing 2560x1440 resolution output from the Mac to the 4K display results in slightly fuzzy output due to the non-integer pixel relationship between the Mac output and the native resolution of the 4K display which is 3840x2160. The font size however will appear as Apple intended. I have tried all of this with my iMac with its 5K display and using a 4K monitor as a secondary display as an experiment. Therefore, purchase the PC to use with a 4K monitor or purchase the Mac to use with a 5K monitor. It is really that simple.

[@MadLadsAnonymous]

Does the 5k monitor have to be true 5k res (5120x2880) because of the integer scaling of 1440p? Or can you use the Mac with the newer LG & Dell displays (5120x2160)?

[@gerald1964]

@@MadLadsAnonymous Yes, it does need be 5K. It is all about integer multiples. However, you can still go with a lower cost native 2K or 1440p or 2560x1440 monitor. Of course, resolution is not as good when compared to 4K and 5K monitor. LG does still sell a 5K display. Most recommend going with the new Apple Studio display instead for a few hundred more dollars. Dell does not sell a 5K (5120 x 2880) display.

[@hiddenfromyourview]

For the monitor startup delay (Login “in the dark”): Set the monitor to not detect input signal and to only use the input you are using. I’ve found this significantly reduces or completely eliminates the startup delay

[@tiuvarta]

I got an ASUS ProArt last year and it’s crazy the difference it makes. My print work is identical to what is being shown on screen. With that said having a 100% sRGB also means I have to edit photos twice, one for print, one for Instagram, or whatever social app one uses. I wish my phone had the same screen as my monitor. Pretty sure it would make the battery last longer too.

[@emahadzistojanova2244]

Hi, I'm looking for a monitor like that, so that my print work is identical to what is shown on the screen, but I don't understand why do you have to edit photos twice? :)

[@tiuvarta]

@@emahadzistojanova2244 Hi there, So when I edit I have both screens side by side, my Asus monitor and my MBP. Now take what I'm about to say with a massive grain of salt as I might be completely wrong, sorry :D Whenever I edit for print, in the sRGB gamut, the prints look great and vivid. If I open the JPG in the ASUS it looks great. When I slide that same open JPG from the monitor to the MBP screen the image looks completely different. It looks dull, the colors are different, and the overall experience is not that great. Yes, you could argue that I should calibrate my laptop. The problem is that if I'm putting the image online, everyone else will have the same dull experience. No body is looking to "calibrate their phones," right? So to answer you question, the print image in the pro monitor looks good for print but bad for digital distributions because no one is using a calibrated device to consume the media. Thus my second edit need to happen in order to appeal to the masses. Again, that is just one person's opinion and it might ruffle some feathers.

[@Vipul2112]

@@tiuvarta Hello sir, I might be wrong but shouldn’t you work in CMYK color space for printing and then change it to equivalent RGB for web usage ? It doesn’t feel like calibration issue to me.

[@tiuvarta]

@@Vipul2112 my take is that no monitor can work in CMYK, since the medium is based in reflective, or subtractive light. Monitors are projecting the light, thus producing a different perspective on the colorspace. I’d imagine unless we are working with film, we will not see a CMYK workflow out of a monitor… Best bet, in my opinion, is to stick with RGB and go from there. That’s such a good question tho! I’d love to hear more views on it. Maybe I’m wrong and don’t even know about it…

[@mityukov]

​@@tiuvarta but... Isn't MBP monitor calibrated too? I always thought that MBP colors are very accurate, and that people often have troubles making external monitors look alike, not in the opposite direction. :)

[@TheOfficialOrangeMan]

I shot my first portrait session the other day and it went really well! Thanks for all the help :)

[@musicbro8225]

Great walk through of your reasoning! I'm not a Mac user and although I have zero experience of the Mac environment I'm happy on PC, but one thing is obvious - Mac screens are on a different level of clarity - not a fan of the glossy finish though. The retina concept of having the pixels so small they are hard to see is why I like the idea of 27 inch 4k, still lots of space compared to an ~18 inch laptop screen (26.5 inch 1080 viewsonic second screen). Oled would be nice, but burn in is a thing... :) smh

[@adaephonprime855]

It is finely granular and linear, what you wanted to express is that you wish it was progressively responsive to the the speed/amount of clicks it detects on your input and increasingly jumps in adjustment based on it

[@Neobright1]

Good choice. I have the smaller 27 inch version in 4k and it's awesome, said with a year of experience. Gives little to no eye strain.

[@waawaaweewaa2045]

Any reason u didn't choose the dell U3223QE that just came out over this benq? Seems like the same specs with a new ips panel technology that does 2000:1 contrast ratio and costs 200 dollars less on the dell site....Only reason I didn't purchase it is because im a photographer that needs adobe rgb coverage for print.

[@Bjax111]

Apple uses the gpu to scale to 1440 when it’s not a 5k. That can cause some performance issues. It’s a bit disappointing that there isn’t a 32” 5k monitor. Guess have to go 8k 😃

[@lolfirepoisonftl]

I can confirm that is correct. Text is crisp on a 27" 4K when scaled at 2560x1440 but it does impact performance on some applications. It's not an issue for my M1 Max but my old MBP struggles with it. It's a shame that there aren't more affordable retina monitors besides the two 5K 27" options and the 32" Pro XDR.

[@WineWorldTV]

I know I'm late to the party, but the most important thing is does a monitor fulfill your needs. Are you happy with it? And really, like just about anything, the initial "honeymoon" period will hopefully be positive unless the product is just awful or doesn't meet certain requirements that you though it would. After a few months you'll begin to notice the imperfections more....kind of like with people. To me, the most important specs for a monitor are color accuracy or depth, then brightness. Pixel density is the same across the board based on the maximum resolution and size. Other things like backlight/bleed, contrast ratio, refresh, and other things are how the LCD/LED technology are used and can be of variable importance depending on how you use it. The important thing to remember with Mac OS is that there's a reason why iMacs run at a certain "native", or default more correctly, resolution. Out of the box, they never run at the max resolution of 5k, 4.5k, or 4k. Why? As you noticed, the text will be too small. Like really too small to be comfortable. For the 5k monitors, the optimal resolution is 2560 x 1440. It's a multiple of 720 and the way Mac OS scales things, it's a good compromise. I think most people assume that when they use a monitor, at least with a Mac, that it automatically uses the full 4k/5k resolution, when it doesn't. Only when you go into System Preferences and see the numbers do to realize what Apple does. I think this is the reason why when you choose Scaled the icons don't automatically show the resolution, just how the text will look. The 4k/5k resolution is more about pixel density and how sharp things like text will look. So, yes, the BenQ at 32" will be great will extra screen real estate, but at the end of the day it has a lower pixel density than the 27" iMac or Studio Display. I have a late 27" iMac and an inexpensive LG 27" 4k display. The one thing about the LG is it's difficult to color match the iMac. Other newer displays are able to do that. Or I've messed with all the settings so much between both displays that I'll never get them to match ;) Other than that, at the distance I use it at and the resolution, I don't notice the pixels. Same can be said with a 32" 4k. The farther you are from the monitor the less likely you'll see the pixels. Hence why a 65" 4K TV will look great when you're at least 9' away from the TV. If you're 6' away you'll start notice the pixels. No matter the size of the screen the number of pixels for 4k will always be the same - 8,294,400 or 3840x2160. True 4k is actually 4096x2160, but that's really for cameras. I tried to use each at their full resolution, when my eyes were younger, and it was useless. I mean, using Mac OS at a true 5k is impossible and the 4k resolution, even on the LG was slightly better. I found that putting both monitors at 2560x1440 allows me to comfortably read text and have plenty of real estate to have multiple windows open or work in certain apps full screen. Now, as far as dimming a 3rd party monitor. An app called "Dimmer" does the trick. You can set hot keys so that you can use the keyboard to dim the display, or enable the slider in the menu bar. It works for the native iMac display too. Whichever screen your pointer is on is the screen that dimmer will control via hot keys or whichever menu bar slider you use.

[@ogonzilla]

I still love it. I'd say I wish it was a little brighter when the sun streams in.

[@mrbabyhugh]

5:39 haha, i actually looked at this, thought i was sold on it. I can't remember why I turned it down, I can't remember what feature, damn. this was just earlier today too, LOLOL!!

[@walrusgumboot]

Really struggling about what to buy here. The UI scaling for 4K monitors on a Mac will drive me crazy I think. I need my monitor to also handle both Windows and Mac, not many choices really…

[@staraffinity]

Why will the scaling drive you crazy? The only concern I would have is that an uneven scaling number could affect performance (that’s why scaling a 5K monitor such as the Studio Display to “looks like 2560 x1440” works without any possible performance loss), but I have been using a 27” 4K display with scaling set to “looks like 2560 x1440” and haven’t noticed any performance issues on a 13” M1 MacBook Pro. The only scaling on a 4K display that won’t be shown as “could affect performance” is the native 4K (3840 x 2160) or “looks like 1920 x 1080” which gives you a pretty large GUI (albeit sharp) on a 27” or larger display. I can’t imagine this possible affect on performance when scaling unevenly is something that only affect macOS, is it?

[@walrusgumboot]

@@staraffinity I want the monitor to be able to run at a native (or multiple of the native) scaling to avoid performance issues and also the weird softness that happens when using an in between scale. I’ve tested it and don’t like it. I ended up just buying the BenQ SW270C this week (1440p) instead of opting for 4K. Would love it if there were more 5K options, but anyway.

[@staraffinity]

@@walrusgumboot Okay. That "softness" is still way more preferable than the blurriness of a 1440p display at around 27". But glad you found something that works for you. :) Agree there should be more 5K panels/options out there at around 27". The pixel density of a display at "normal working distance" is noticeably better on 5K vs 4K at those screen sizes.

[@RoastBeefSandwich]

How has Apple not figured out UI scaling? Even Microsoft's haphazard OS can scale at 4K no problem. Maybe you should switch to Windows. You can buy a 4K monitor and a Windows PC for less than the Studio Display.

[@staraffinity]

@@RoastBeefSandwich It works to scale just fine. And sure there are a lot of 4K display that are a lot cheaper than the 5K Studio Display, but there is also a very noticeable difference in the pixel density. 5K at 27" is super crisp, while 4K at 27" is less so at a normal viewing distance for a desktop monitor. Of course this is something that some people won't bother much about, but I can totally understand why Apple went for a 5K panel for the Studio Display.

[@dustinbyerley7226]

4k monitors are the worst monitors for macs because of display scaling. It bogs down your gpu. It should be higher or lower than 4k. Trust me. Took me months to figure this out.

[@senior_ranger]

Yep, been on a BenQ32 4K for several years now. No complaints.

[@K3b33n]

Your review came in extremely helpful! Been looking for a monitor with similar demands as you and the BenQ caught my attention. You have pretty much one of the more thorough and enjoyable reviews out there. Flash forward I took your advice and have immediately fell in love, they were running a LNY deal and I couldn't pass it up, excellent recommendation. Quick question I too am a photographer and was curious as to how you color cal'd.

[@TheJuliousness]

I use dual LG 5K monitors with my Mac Mini M2 and love them. Looked at that BenQ monitor but 32" @ 4K was not enough pixel density for my liking. (218 PPI instead of 137 PPI). They are also compatible with Mac's display brightness default keys.

[@SpiritWolfNJ]

Interesting monitor choice. I’ve been shopping for another one. Interesting picture at 13:55. I’m on staff at that theater in Jersey City. What a coincidence! Wonder who those folks are, the 4 of them. I want there for that shoot.

[@mylastore]

FYI When you begin altering the resolution, your computer's performance experiences a slight decline.

[@JohnKuehne_SF]

Wow! Great review - thanks a ton. Had been looking at the Benq monitors and kept taking them off the list due to the lower brightness capability. I came to the same 400 nit number that you did for my target spec. Glad to hear that you are ok with the brightness although my room is likely a bit brighter than yours. Haven't pulled the trigger yet but my top 3 are the LG 32BL95U with 450 nits of brightness and the IPS Black technology, Dell 3223QE with 400 nits and almost 100% color coverage (I don't need Adobe RGB at 100%) and then the Benq.

[@thomasdietz579]

Seems like most LG and sreens like the DELL UltraSharp U3219Q has better specs then the BenQ so what gives ? I also looking for a new screen althoug I am gonna use it for music (But I like things to look good)

[@musicbro8225]

@@thomasdietz579 When I saw the Dell Ultrasharp 27inch I was impressed and it has nice colour gamut coverage, but I would like to play games a bit and 60Hz is frustrating! Same with the Asus Proart - it seems like a great monitor but 60Hz... Grrr! I'm so over this lol.

[@debbiemowry2591]

How is the monitor holding up? Is it still great? Moving and considering getting a new monitor.

[@rz5959]

Thanks for the great review. I'm also looking for a display something closed to Apple Studio

[@teohyc]

I test many monitors and that BenQ is a good one. The only better from BenQ is the SW series which I will upgrade to once my current monitor dies. As mentioned in the video, if you don’t get Apple, there are so many options out there, and many better ones

[@ogonzilla]

Your videos on the BenQ were so helpful!!

[@Classical416]

just curious what are you planning to upgrade to? I am thinking of the SW321C. Is it worth it? Thanks for your videos too!

[@teohyc]

@@Classical416 I'm using the SW2700PT for several years now so I'll probably go with the SW271C next time as my table isn't big enough for a 32-inch display. SW series has 100% AdobeRGB coverage. PD series have 100% sRGB coverage.

[@Classical416]

@@teohyc I have been debating between the SW271C and SW321C too. I have been reading a lot about them and most people say 27” in 4K makes the text and icons hard to read. I plan to use the monitor for work (reading documents) and for personal use (viewing and editing photos). Would it be better to get the SW271C or SW321C? I have the desk space for either. Not sure which size is better if I intend to use it for both reading documents and viewing photos. Thanks again for all your video tutorials.

[@teohyc]

@@Classical416 If you're using Windows, the only difference is monitor size. Text and UI elements can scale quite well with Windows so it doesn't matter which monitor size you get. For MacOS, if you use scaling, the 1:1 zoom in Photoshop and Affinity Photo will be affected. But if you don't care about that, it doesn't matter which size to choose. Fonts at 4K native resolution on 32-inch can be small -- that's the reason why Omar use scaling to increase UI size as shown in the video

[@markroffey5258]

Can you do a 1 year review of this monitor after using it for a while. Thanks, love the channel. Thanks

[@andynonimuss6298]

For high-end photography and video work, the monitor you really need is the EIZO ColorEdge CG2700X 27" 4K HDR Monitor.

[@Tompa57X]

Thanks for your review. I'm not a fan of matt monitors and wonder what glossy one would've picked if not the BenQ

[@Galileocrafter]

I do have two PD2700U, and they are amazing. However if there where a true alternative (5k@27") to the Apple Studio Display I would get that one, I might have to wait for micro LED to become available to upgrade my displays... I just don't see why I should replace those beautiful and accurate PD2700Us I have, except for maybe a higher refresh rate one, because the 120 Hz on my TV did nag me a bit :D. For the scaling, I don't understand the people who say 4k@27" is bad. Setting the resolution to 2304 x 1296 (option click the "Scaled" radio button), results in enough real estate and sharpness for me, optionally adjust the sharpness in your monitors settings. But 4k@32" is not enough PPI, I'll stay at 4k@27" or better 5k@27".

[@mikldude9376]

Everyone’s eyes are different mate , scaling is a personal thing, my young step brother for example , 20 years my junior can read text that to me looks like I will need a microscope to read.

[@Pete24v]

Nice! I have the same model and am super happy with it.. Apart from, I wish I could turn the screen off and leave the mac running, with drives.ugged into the monitors hub.. Currently turning the monitor off also turns the hub off, and force ejects my drives, which I want to leave overnight backing upto to backblaze. It's only a small issue on a great monitor.

[@mrpihlify]

I think that was an excellent choice! Bought a BenQ PD3420 myself. Very happy 😀

[@mrbabyhugh]

0:22 this is my second week researching to buy one next week, LOL. I thought I decided, UNTIL YOUR VIDEO POPED UP, LOL. So now I gotta see what you have to say.

[@kidcal]

Does the Studio Display delay as much as the BenQ whenever you start it up?

[@bobby350z]

I am planning to go with BenQ sw321c.

[@kilohertz9456]

I am using a Mac Studio Max with a Dell 4K U2718Q Monitor. When I set the Studio up I went to Displays. The Studio already recognized my U2718Q. If you select scaled, it lets you scale the text size. This monitor does not have a usb-c / thunderbolt input, so I am using a Thunderbolt to mini display port cable. This input is Mini Dis[ay Port ver 1.2. It is a HDR10 content monitor. It was released in 2018. It handles 4K HDR10 MP4, M2TS and MKV formats perfectly. The monitor has an included fully adjustable stand. So for now I'm sticking with it.

[@billsimmons1753]

I have the Dell 4K U2720Q, which does have a USB-connection, along with other kinds, and use it side by side with an older HD Nec monitor that has very accurate color when calibrated. I would be curious whether Omar considered their 42.5 inch model, which is still less expensive than the BenQ. Even more real estate for the money on a high quality monitor.

[@StephenShankland]

Now that I've seen HDR photography in action, I want much higher peak brightness. So I've started looking much more carefully at brightness - 1,000 nits minimum recommended by Adobe. Unfortunately, Apple XDR display is $$$$$$.

[@vvanheukelum]

For me the lack of A-TW polarizer is what disqualified this monitor as a good monitor for my photography usage. There are very few monitors left which have this layer, I am only aware of three actually. But without that layer it will always have issues with backlight bleeding through when watching low-key pictures... and don't get me wrong, even Apple's own Studio Display seems to lack it, and their iMacs definitely don't have it, it's why I ditched the iMac. But the only three panels whose blacks come near Oled territory as much as the old iMacs did, are the LG 32UQ85R, LG 32GQ950P and the Dell U3223QZ.

[@Klotgren]

Correction, very few monitors can be calibrated. This is a big general missunderstanding. You cant calibrate e.g. an apple monitor, nor a normal monitor or the PD3320 either. What you do is that you are correcting the computers graphic card for the caveats your monitor has - meaning profiling. If you want to calibrate your monitor you need a monitor that can be hardware calibrated, meaning e.g BenqSW series, EIZO CS/CG series etc.

[@fenrisler]

Why not just use iMac27 as a monitor? I've done it with my 2010 iMac 27, worked just fine until it died.

[@olirc]

Oh cool. I bought the same screen a year ago and love it. Tons of connectivity, great features and great screen. I have one of its smaller brothers for second screen, too.

[@Classical416]

How's the 32" size? Do you need to move your head/eyes/neck a lot to see the screen? Do you get tired from the big monitor? Thanks

[@olirc]

@@Classical416 Hi there. Not to the point of being problematic. I suppose I sometimes lean towards one side or the other if I'm concentrating on something, but I think I'd do that on a 27". Just be sure to run your main screen straight in front of you, not to the side, which some people do. I'm on PC, and my NVIDIA card sorts out all the scaling, so no readability issues.

[@battlefieldguy5594]

the PD series is for Designers. not for photographers. but if you in a budget there is no problem that getting into a PD monitor. but if you really concern about the colors. you must move to the SW series or any other brand that covers over 95% of adobe rgb and lower delta e value

[@rubyredphoto]

I have been watching your videos for ages but didn't realise I wasn't subbed on this account (I have multiple google accounts haha), fixed it now but holy hell how did I not see that Superman statue before! That's EPIC!

[@funlightfactory6031]

I am the opposite, I can't stand matte screens. It always seems to mute the image. I love glossy screens. It's like there's no monitor there.

[@ericrobinson8078]

One year on and monitor purchase is still no easier. I bought the M2 Studio and went, after much head scratching, for the BenQ 321C. At 32 inch and 4K is way high enough resolution. The Apple studio display is way over priced and no where near as good as the BenQ 321C, in my opinion. I have to say I did not like the BenQ you went for as I thought the build quality was not slightly iffy. I did buy one but sent it back, plus the 321C came with a hood. Yes its more expensive but in my opinion its worth it.

[@SideshowBob44]

I use the M1 iMac and has a nice screen, not the biggest but 4.5k and great colours.

[@snailer06]

Anything except a 5K monitor is a serious compromise for the Mac Studio because that's the native resolution of the graphics, so it has to scale and re-scale every other resolution to get the UI the right size.

[@noway8233]

Yeah!!! Thats the thing and with that reescaling yuo lost gpu power , Deam Apple!!!

[@tomislavmatic4458]

not true, 1440p is also OK

[@sR1k]

@@tomislavmatic4458 true, except you don’t get the crisp text. Noticed this on my 27in 1440p and had to switch to a 4k.

[@tomislavmatic4458]

@@sR1k sure, I personally use 21:9 monitor and it is good for me. I sit adequately far so I can't actually see if the text is not crispy unless I come like 12 in close to my screen.

[@bojangbg]

3D LUT Uniformity Color accuracy Everything an apple doesnt have. And for serious professionals the Mac Monitors are not A solution. It's for hipsters

[@Lehpurdzzz]

I got the apple Pro Display XDR and it truly is the most incredible display. The blacks get so dark it’s comparable to my oled tv, and the thing just gets insanely bright. Of course the 6k is just the same pixel density goodness as the laptop displays. Worth it imo as I stare at the thing more than anything. Some people drive fancy cars, I drive a fancy monitor 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@cdavey7654]

I'd want the same (or better) pixels per inch as the 5k retina display, otherwise I would probably just go with the Apple Studio Display (which is probably what I'll end up with), I would not want larger AND less pixels. I wish apple would make a mid tier display, something like the 32 Pro Display XDR, but significantly cheaper.

[@georgesmith9178]

Thank you for the video. Thumbs-up. The monitor I am thinking of buying is Samsung M8. It is a 32" 4K monitor and it has a bunch of ports + can act as a smart TV, which is great.

[@damiengvideos4337]

I know this video is older but unfortunately this monitor is 4k. Once you get used to the PPI level that a 5k monitor has most people just can't go back to the "blurry" pictures of a 4k. lol. Never thought I'd call 4k blurry.

[@DanielRodriguez-fg5ll]

many thanks for sharing. I have a similar, well not that similar, set up, my ageing 2020 iMac 5k, and BenQ next to it (but mine is the older SW271). Something BenQ does right, is also color uniformity across the panel, which is great to have for photo editing. Yet, in your case I am looking forward to your 3 or 6-month review as in my personal experience 32" is just too big so that I struggle to see end-to-end of the screen without moving my neck, so I am afraid it is just a recipe for neck pain down the road. But I might be an isolated opinion.

[@dominikt5486]

@Omar - Love your reviews. Always a pleasure. I find my self in the unfun process of choosing a monitor. What's your feeling on Benq after 2 years? Regrets? Thoughts?

[@HoppiHopp]

How are the lines and letters behaving in scaled mode compared to native 5K? Especially while scrolling.

[@NickNoblePhotography]

Thanks. Studio doesn’t arrive to July. Plenty of time to get more confused!!

[@mathias2659]

Lenovo usually have the best build quality but the issue is using a 4k with a Mac, that is the headache everyone has been talking about since it scales badly

[@erikwestre7970]

Disappointed about the black level. It would be an issue. It can barely qualify as dark grey.

[@1khalyd]

I have the same monitor and it's worth it. For color mode, I use low blue light (reading) always and it easy on my eyes.

[@paularaja]

Its still 3840 x 2160 so its not Retina. It has to be 5120×2880 at a minimum. Therefore colours might seem nice but no match to the Studio Display. Period. If you are ok with that then its a cheap model else its definitely not fit to be compared to a Mac Studio

[@sithbk0075]

Couple things I didn’t like about this monitor is lack of brightness compared to Apple monitor. And matte screen made this monitor lack on color pops. Lastly I can’t seem to calibrate to match up with Pantone colors.

[@fernandomendez9679]

Hi Omar ! thank you for sharing your thoughts ! I find myself in the same situation (looking for a good monitor for Photography work). I wanted to know why you didn't go for a 10 Bit, 100% Adobe RGB monitor. Thank you ! greetings from Bolivia !

[@afterhours514]

"....Mira, Ben-Qoo, Ben-Qoo..." lol

[@PaulM_aka_4c21]

No point in getting 4K, get 5K or above or stick with 2K unless you like hardly any real estate and 1080p text !

[@leonbsl1228]

THIS IS MY DILEMMA!!! I love it! Thank u!

[@timbliss8777]

Nice review. Interesting that you prefer the matte for editing. I find the lack of deep blacks a big negative with the matte. I love the anti-reflection part as you mentioned but I can't give up my blacks. But I also do a lot more B/W. Can't wait to hear your long-term review of the Mac Studio.

[@fauxlimey]

Thanks for this video. I thought I should share this. I am a photographer who recently switched from an ancient 27" iMac (2011) to a Mac Mini. The performance is great but, using the 2015 Dell Ultrasharp U2715H monitor that I had been very happy with connected to my MacBook Pro, I noticed that there was quite a bit of gradient banding in the shadows. My work is often very dark, so this was unacceptable. After doing due diligence, I decided to buy the BenQ SW270C Photographer monitor, because of its great AdobeRGB specs. The result was virtually he same as the Dell, so I returned it. By chance, I was discussing this issue with a very good digital tech who works on set at photoshoots all the time, and he told me that I needed an Eizo monitor, and not only that... he had a bunch of them so he GAVE me one. It's 24" and the resolution is rather low, and the display crops a bit off of the top and bottom, but the color is absolutely perfect, with no gradient banding in the shadows whatsoever. I wonder what makes the Eizo compatible to Apple Silicon, and what makes Apple Silicon perform so badly with other monitors?

[@cruisingforone]

KZbin algorithm works great. I just bought this monitor. Thanks for the information.

[@billsimmons1753]

I'm curious if you are still using this monitor and if so what your experience has been with calibrating it. My old NEC monitor seems to be crapping out on me now. It was a workhorse for 10 years or so but now looks off and the calibration software for it won't work-it always produces an error message. Sharp bought NEC and stopped producing these kinds of monitors and has not responded to my query about what my options are, so they may have stopped supporting them, too. There's not a lot of photo-editing grade monitors out there to choose from. I do have a fairly high-end Mac Pro desktop and graphics card. I want to make sure whatever I get can be calibrated with my Mac. Thanks.

[@csotoperspective]

BenQs are great monitors for photography, I know few people that have used them for years and love them, I have one myself and even though is an older model I still love the picture quality. Great choice Omar!

[@RabeccaPrimeau]

this review was 2002 have you upgraded since?

[@ag2wardable]

I found the base and stand for the LG Ultrafine to be extremely stout. IT IS METAL. Not plastic. The up/down adjustment is SUPER smooth. No up/down adjustment in the Apple Studio unless you purchase extra stand options.

[@yannpoco]

4K for a Mac is bad, it effects the graphic performance.