BenQ PD2710QC: a 27-inch monitor with USB-C docking station

Presentation

The PD2710QC is the first BenQ monitor to have a USB-C docking station. It allows you to power a laptop, duplicate the USB ports and display the image using a single cable. It has a 27-inch IPS panel with a Quad HD definition of 2,560 x 1,440 px. The manufacturer announces a brightness of 350 cd / m², a contrast of 1000: 1, viewing angles of 178 °, a response time of 5 ms and 100% coverage of the sRGB color space. The screen is matt and the ergonomics well thought out (height adjustment on 18 cm, tilt -5 ° / + 20 ° and pivot). The screen has no flicker (Free) and also has a blue light filter.

The BenQ PD2710QC stands out from the competition thanks to its connectors. Behind the screen, there is an HDMI input, a DisplayPort input, a mini-DisplayPort input and even a DisplayPort output. Until then, nothing but very classic. But BenQ especially had the good idea to deport part of the connectivity on the base which offers four USB 3.0 ports, including two on the edge, an Ethernet port, another DisplayPort output, a headphone output and the famous USB-C port. The latter delivers up to 61 watts to charge a laptop and it also allows the video signal to pass through, duplicating the USB ports and the Ethernet port using a single cable. But as we will see later, the configuration is a bit special.

The BenQ PD2710QC that we tested is sold for around 800 €; a very high price for a 27 inch Quad HD monitor, but which is justified by its integrated connectors.

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Ergonomics

BenQ has opted for a fairly classic design skillfully mixing gray and a touch of black. The finishes are good and the different elements are well adjusted. The matt slab has a fairly effective anti-reflective treatment.

The design of the rear is just as sober as the front. The hole at the base of the foot is used to pass the cables by hiding them.

The foot is adjustable in height by 18 cm, in inclination between -5 ° and + 20 ° and the monitor can rotate to switch the panel to portrait orientation. The various adjustments are made smoothly and without squeaking. However, this monitor does not offer rotation.

The presence of USB 3.0 ports on the edge facilitates the use of removable USB devices such as USB keys or external hard drives. However, you must connect the base to the screen using a DisplayPort cable. We would have preferred a more elegant system hidden in the upright. The only advantage of this solution is to be able to connect the docking station to another screen, but the interest is limited. The screen also has two 2-watt speakers whose quality is just enough to watch a video; they cannot therefore replace a PC speaker kit. This monitor acts as a docking station for laptops with a USB-C port, ensuring recharging (up to 61 watts), video transmission and duplication of USB ports via a single cable (see box).

The six buttons allow you to turn on the screen and access the settings. This system is not the most practical and handling errors are common. Fortunately, the menus are clear and the proposed settings are numerous (brightness, contrast, blue light filter, temperature, gamma ...).

We measured consumption at around 17 watts with a white set at 150 cd / m². Relative consumption thus reaches 85 W / m². This is less than the average of the last screens tested (100 W / m²). For use 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, this represents a little more than € 5.5 per year. At maximum brightness (320 cd / m²), it consumes 30 W and at least 10 W (33 cd / m²). This is only the consumption of the screen. The docking station has a separate power supply. Connected to a MacBook Retina (12 inch), it consumes about 40 watts. In comparison, the Philips Brilliance 258B6QUEB model connected to the ZenBook 3 consumes 44 W (monitor and docking station), but it is a 25-inch model.

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Colors and contrast

Default: average gray temperature: 6.070 K

Default: gamma curve at 2.2

Default: Average Delta E at 1.4

By default, the BenQ BenQ PD2710QC is very well calibrated. The temperature curve is perfectly stable over the entire spectrum and the average recorded (6,070 K) is fairly close to the 6,500 K reference. The gamma curve is fairly regular on the reference value (2.2) with the exception of a small off-hook on the very light gray which does not really affect the final rendering. Finally, the average delta E is only 1.4; only green, red and pure blue are above 3 and only the drift of red is really noticeable. Overall, Delta E is therefore less than 3, a threshold below which the human eye no longer perceives colorimetric drifts.

Manual adjustment: average gray temperature: 6.040 K

Manual adjustment: gamma curve at 2.2

Manual setting: Delta E medium at 1.4

By lowering the brightness to 40, we obtain a white at 150 cd / m² on our test pattern. The decrease in brightness does not change the behavior of the screen, which offers a slightly better color rendering. The average Delta E goes to 1.4 and, above all, the blue and yellow go below 3. Only the drift of the red is always perceptible.

Calibrated: average gray temperature: 6,040 K

Calibrated: gamma curve at 2.2

Calibrated: Delta E medium at 1.4

Calibrating the monitor to the probe does not provide a better image. The gamma curve is slightly more stable, but the colors do not gain fidelity.

The contrast of this IPS panel is quite average (930: 1). Indeed, many IPS monitors exceed a contrast of 1000: 1 and the best, especially in PLS (Philips 276E7), sometimes do better (1300: 1). As with all IPS monitors, blacks lack depth. This has no impact when used in daylight, but in the dark, blacks appear gray. For better contrast, you should turn to monitors using a VA panel like the Eizo Foris FG2421 or the BenQ BL2410PT whose contrast exceeds a rate of 3000: 1.

We measured the average difference in brightness uniformity at only 8% over the entire 27-inch panel; good value for a 27 inch model. We did not see any clouding phenomenon on the model we tested. Finally, as always with IPS panels, the viewing angles are exemplary and there is very little variation in brightness when you are positioned at 45 ° from the display axis.

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Reactivity

The BenQ PD2710QC does not use Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) to adjust the brightness. So there is no flickering when the brightness is reduced and it does not cause headaches for people who are sensitive to it. However, this monitor also offers a mode to reduce the emission of blue light.

We measured the remanence time at 11.5 ms. The monitor does not offer overdrive adjustment, but the ghosting effect is not very present anyway. We measured the input lag at 10 ms, an excellent value. There is thus no lag between the action performed on the keyboard or the mouse and its repercussion on the screen.

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Conclusion

The BenQ PD2710QC is a very good monitor. It offers a perfectly calibrated image that sins simply by its lack of contrast. The ergonomics are also very good if we forget the lack of rotation on the foot. Finally, the USB-C docking station is a real plus, even if we would have liked better integration.

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