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Note that there is always some disparity between how emissive objects (monitor) and non-emissive objects (printed sheet) appear. The representation of shades in this image depends on the camera and your own screen, it’s not designed to show exactly how the shades appear in person. It still helps demonstrate some of the relative differences between the original intended sRGB shade and what the monitor outputs, however. Full profiling and appropriate colour management on the application would provide a tighter match, our intention here is to show what can be expected in a non colour-managed environment. The monitor includes a range of easily accessible Low Blue Light (LBL) settings, which can be set between ‘0’ (disabled) and ‘20’ (strongest effect). The stronger settings were particularly effective at reducing blue light output from the monitor, especially when coupled with reduced brightness. They significantly reduced the blue colour channel and hence blue light output from the monitor. They also strengthen the red channel whilst reducing the green channel somewhat, providing a better visual balance compared to some LBL settings which can introduce a green or yellow tint. This has an effect on contrast as we explore shortly. The image appeared warmer using these settings, which we found our eyes adjusted to quite readily over time – more so than when additional imbalances such as a green tint are introduced. Reducing blue light exposure is particularly important in the hours leading up to sleep as blue light is stimulating to the body and affects sleep hormones. It increases alertness and makes it more difficult to ‘shut off’. We used the strongest setting of ‘20’ over our ‘Test Settings’ for our own viewing comfort in the evenings. But not for any specific testing beyond that involving the setting itself. SDR games look just as rich and impactful thanks to that large color gamut. With solid accuracy, there is balance and smooth tonality with all the detail intended by the original material. Again, I wish contrast were better, but it is enough to provide a good gaming experience and reasonably satisfying video quality when streaming movies or YouTube. The ‘S’ variant also includes a ‘Sharpness’ control as illustrated in the manual (PDF), whereas the original variant shown in the video doesn’t include this.
Build quality is excellent, and the thin bezel around three sides gives a modern look. I don't like the orange strip on the stand, and the port selection isn't that impressive, but otherwise there's not really anything that stands out from a design aspect. The BenQ EX2710 offers a range of ‘Color Mode’ presets; ‘HDR’, ‘Game HDRi’, ‘Cinema HDRi’, ‘FPS’, ‘RPG’, ‘Racing Game’, ‘Standard’, ‘M-Book’ and ‘ePaper’. The first three presets, with HDR in them, are the only presets selectable under HDR (High Dynamic Range). But can also be selected under SDR (Standard Dynamic Range) where various adjustments are made to the image – think of them as a sort of ‘filter’, but there’s nothing ‘HDR’ about the resulting image with an SDR signal. We touch upon these presets in the OSD video and explore some of them elsewhere in the review. For this section we’ll instead focus on manual adjustments that can be made in the OSD. The table below includes gamma and white point readings taken using a Datacolor SpyderX Elite colorimeter. General observations made by eye are also provided. A small utility called SMTT 2.0 was used alongside a sensitive camera to analyse the latency of the EX2710, with over 30 repeat readings taken to help maximise accuracy. Using this method, we calculated 3.41ms (~1/2 a frame at 144Hz) of input lag. We measured a slightly higher but still low latency at 60Hz, 4.50ms. The input lag measured here is influenced by both the element you ‘see’ (pixel responsiveness) and the main element you ‘feel’ (signal delay). It indicates a low signal delay which most users should find acceptable. Note that we don’t have the means to accurately measure input lag with Adaptive-Sync active in a variable refresh rate environment or with HDR active in an HDR environment.
A 27-inch QHD gaming monitor with 165 Hz, Adaptive-Sync, HDR and extended color.
Our suggestions regarding use of VSync also apply, but you’re using Nvidia Control Panel rather than AMD Radeon Software to control this. The setting is found in ‘Manage 3D settings’ under ‘Vertical sync’, where the final option (‘Fast’) is equivalent to AMD’s ‘Enhanced Sync’ setting. You’ll also notice ‘G-SYNC Compatible’ listed under ‘Monitor Technology’ in this section, as shown below. Make sure this is selected (it should be if you’ve set everything up correctly in ‘Set up G-SYNC’).
I couldn’t help but begin with a Doom Eternal fragfest. The horde mode affords ample opportunity for fast-moving action. There was no hint of delay in any of my control inputs, either with the mouse or keyboard. Movement remained smooth and jitter-free with AMA (overdrive) on level 2. Higher settings produced a bit of ghosting. I also tried the Blur Reduction, which keeps Adaptive-Sync in play. It made a very subtle improvement in smoothness without any apparent artifacts. We made further observations using various episodes of the animated TV series Futurama. This series has large areas of individual shade and is therefore a particularly brutal test for colour consistency. The monitor performed well in that respect. There were some slight shifts for some shades, such as the red of Dr Zoidberg, but only minor and towards the very extreme edges. This isn’t unusual to see for IPS-type panels, with this one performing better than some IPS-types in that respect. There were no clear saturation shifts as you’d see on VA and moreover TN models. A good range of subtly different pastel shades were displayed, with an appropriately muted appearance overall. Bright and neon shades such as bright pink and green appeared fairly eye-catching, although not to the extent observed on models with a more generous gamut. Deep oranges, purples and dark greens were also represented well. If you’re intending to use the monitor with the PS5 or Xbox Series X/S, be aware that a small settings tweak may be required to ensure 120Hz is selectable for the Full HD resolution. Details can be found in this article. The video below shows the monitor in action. The camera, processing done and your own screen all affect the output – so it doesn’t accurately represent what you’d see when viewing the monitor in person. It still provides useful visual demonstrations and explanations which help reinforce some of the key points raised in the written piece.BenQ gets special kudos for the EX2710Q’s audio quality. It is more than just a cut above the rest. With treVolo tuning and an extra driver providing bass, this monitor delivers the best sound I’ve heard from integrated computer display speakers. Dialog is crystal clear with a fullness you would normally need good headphones or external speakers to experience. You can truly do without extra audio gear when playing on the EX2710Q.
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