BenQ M2700HD review

The moment you lay eyes on BenQ’s M2700HD monitor, it’s clear it’s different to most. The Full HD resolution is par for the course at this price, as is the TN panel, but the sheer number of features has to be seen to be believed.

In fact, it looks more like a TV than a PC monitor. The speakers along the bottom edge mimic the popular sound-bar design found on HDTVs, while the dash of black gloss, silver and transparent plastic make more of a visual impact than you’d expect at the price. There’s even a remote control thrown in.

At the rear, there’s a wide range of ports and connectors: DVI, VGA, composite, component and two HDMI sockets cover most video standards, and three analogue audio inputs sit next to an optical S/PDIF input. If that isn’t enough, there’s a four-port USB hub and a 3.5mm headphone socket.

Image quality is strikingly similar to the Iiyama ProLite E2710HDSD, and that’s no bad thing. We measured brightness at an almost identical 369cd/m2, and contrast at a similar 821:1.

Black levels and even backlighting make for a decent amount of shadow detail, and colour reproduction is as good as you’ll see from a TN panel. It achieved an average Delta E of 3.4, which is slightly better than its closest rival, but with the pair side by side it’s almost impossible to tell the two apart.

The BenQ’s real issue is input lag. An average of 58ms via the DVI connection means gamers will find this panel more laggy than the Iiyama ProLite E2710HDSD. Its four 2.5W speakers are no better than average, either. They’re loud, but sound quality is harsh and lacking in bass.

It’s certainly feature-packed, but the BenQ M2700HD ultimately tries too hard. Iiyama’s ProLite E2710HDSD can’t match it for versatility, but it offers almost identical image quality, much lower input lag and a lower price. You’ll have to really want all those video inputs to pay the premium for the M2700HD.

Author: Sasha Muller