[glossymonitor]

Hello,

currently I own the EX2780Q thanks to reading your review.

I wonder how the new EX2710Q performs. I would prefer an even more glossy screen and a better CtC performance, maybe reaching LG’s Nano IPS performance at 1:1000 contrast (LG Nano IPS typically only reach 1:750 to 1:850). Of course, other features like DC dimming (which both BenQs have, LFC, LBL, Black eQualizer (not mentioned in your written review about the EX2780Q?), and others may matter too).

Differences so far:

BenQ EX2780Q   BenQ EX2710Q
144 Hz         165 Hz

Of course I’m still not going to buy the EX2710Q as my next upgrade would be a FreeSync >=144, 4k, 32″-40″ monitor. Hope BenQ releases something this year, as other manufacturers are releasing these type of monitors.

PS: no preview button when posting?

[PCM2]

Hi glossymonitor,

I can confirm that the EX2710Q won’t be ‘glossy’ and will certainly have a matte finish. As for how ‘matte’ and how it would compare to the EX2780Q, it’s simply too early to say. At this stage I have no feedback on the monitor to share, I don’t know what panel is used and in fact the colour gamut hasn’t been confirmed. Although I believe it could be 95% DCI-P3 (now confirmed), similar to the EX2780Q. I would assume it’s either using a newer Innolux panel than the ’80Q’ (M270KC7.K7E vs. M270KCJ-K7B) which has a similar screen surface, perhaps marginally ‘lighter’. Or a new AUO panel such as the M270DAN06.8 . Relevant discussion with respect to various models using both panels can be found in this thread. The screen surface of this is slightly lighter (or ‘less grainy’) than the EX2780Q, but is still a far cry from a glossy surface. You might want to look at the Gigabyte M27Q if you’re interested in a model with a particularly light matte screen surface.

We cover various features of monitors such as the EX2780Q in our OSD videos, which includes showcasing the Black eQualizer feature (see below). This isn’t something that’s really worth exploring in written format and that’s really what the OSD videos are for. As for previewing posts before submitting, that’s really not necessary on this forum. I carefully moderate everything that appears here and will ensure it is formatted correctly before posting. You can also edit posts for a short period after posting if necessary, although only after I’ve accepted for moderation. I can’t really control the forum software to change how things work in that respect without removing the moderation step, which I’m not prepared to do.

[glossymonitor]

Indeed, I don’t expect the EX2710Q be much different, but hopefully it reaches LG’s Nano IPS speeds at 1:1000 contrast. So far they only increased the Hz to 165, as other manufacturers have done so a while ago and called it a day (although BenQ took longer to do so, I consider their monitors on the quality side, and my old 1920*1200 BenQ monitor is over 7 years now, still no problems and has only 4ms input lag). I like my new EX2780Q and its light-matte is really not bad at all.

Regarding the Gigabyte M27Q, my next upgrade is going to be the mentioned 4k144hz freesync (preferably no gsync module) monitor. I hope to see more 4k144hz reviews from you as manufacturers are releasing many new models this year, price may come down, and it looks like it’s the new/upcoming thing to buy for not only gamers (4k screen real-estate).

TBH, I wouldn’t bother reviewing 1080 monitors, because I was amazed at the increased screen real-estate of my new 1440 monitor and 4K is going to be a nice upgrade once again.

[PCM2]

Ah yes, you did state that your own upgrade will be a 144Hz ‘4K’ model with FreeSync compatibility. That makes sense to me and I personally very much enjoy the experience they provide as well. I intend to review more of these, as long as the price and availability in key regions is agreeable and a sample can be provided. I agree they’re very versatile and provide a nice experience for capable systems. I really enjoyed using the Acer XV282K KV on my system, but the overdrive is definitely focused purely on high refresh rates.

Full HD models still have their place, some people simply don’t have the budget or GPU horsepower for higher resolutions. Or prefer relatively small screens (~24″) where the choices are severely limited outside of the Full HD resolution. I do agree that going to WQHD is a huge upgrade with ‘4K’ UHD providing another nice step up.

[PCM2]

Just a super-quick update on the EX2710Q. The gamut has now been confirmed as 95% DCI-P3, just like the EX2780Q. The official US product page is available which confirms this and a few further details – it’s linked to in our news piece.

[Bruizer]

I was really hoping BenQ would go with the newer panel used by the MSI Optix MAG274QRF-QD (I believe it’s a newer AU Optronics panel) but so far that does not look to be the case. Not knocking MSI, but I feel like BenQ, Gigabyte, Asus, etc could give us an even better implementation.

[PCM2]

Yeah, I think the MAG274QRF-QD is a really interesting product ‘on paper’ and I’d like to see wider employment of the panel. Some really love the vibrant colour output provided by its Quantum Dot backlight solution. And it’s certainly a fast monitor. But as discussed in this thread it misses the mark when it comes to things like gamma handling (wonky gamma and no settings for that in the OSD) and a lack of sRGB emulation mode (sRGB emulation added with new firmware). This sort of thing is usually provided by BenQ and various other manufacturers.

[glossymonitor]

I was praising BenQ too soon because my EX2780Q broke (first there was a blue vertical line in about the middle of the screen, then it started flickering). I sent it back a few weeks ago, and I am expecting a replacement unit next week.
The one thing that has been bothering me is how uncomfortably hot the screen would become, especially in the summer. Not necessarily in terms of technology, but in terms of how it would heat up ones face (it’s already hot in the summer here in south-west Germany). Setting the screen brightness to lowest is warmer than my current old LG Flatron IPS234 at its highest screen brightness. BenQ’s engineers be like: Let’s cool the monitor purely through its screen. This metric is not shown in reviews (it’s like all they do is advertising). Maybe the power consumption is a good indicator on how hot a screen can become. The BenQ is listed as consuming 70W. And maybe the heat was the reason for the breaking.

[PCM2]

I’m sorry to hear of your issues with the EX2780Q. Our review is far from “advertising” as we gain nothing whatsoever from presenting a misleading picture of what to expect from the monitor. And gain no direct monetary compensation whatsoever from BenQ. Our coverage is very balanced and points out important positive and negative aspects as applicable during our time using the monitor. I can’t speak for others, but you shouldn’t generalise when it comes to “reviews” – not all reviews are equal and the motivation of one reviewer is not the same for all others. Some really are barely more than a run-through of spec sheets with little unique insight, perhaps that’s what you were referring to.

I’d also like to make it clear that I’ve received a lot of positive long-term feedback on this model. Unfortunately some units of any model can and do develop faults. There is no fault with the design of the monitor and it’s perfectly typical for monitors to be free from an active or otherwise elaborate cooling solution. The typical power consumption of this model is, as per the review, 30W. That’s specified by the manufacturer. 70W is also specified – but that’s the maximum power consumption, with the monitor at full brightness and all ports plus speakers active. In reality the power consumption of the monitor most heavily depends on the brightness used. Larger monitors also require larger backlights and higher refresh rates and resolutions will also increase power consumption at a given luminance level. Increased heat output compared to a basic monitor that’s smaller, lower refresh rate and lower resolution is entirely normal.

The fact your old monitor has DC power input with external ‘power brick’ and the EX2780Q (but not EX2710Q, incidentally) uses AC with an internal power converter is a crucial difference, too. The power supply is responsible for a fair amount of heat generation from a monitor, so having it out of the way in a ‘power-brick’ rather than nearer your face can be a benefit. So that’s a relevant difference for this thread that should be pointed out when comparing the two BenQ models. But the EX2780Q is still designed to facilitate long-term operation at full brightness, so the heat generated is a side-effect but also something the monitor is designed to handle. The long and short of it is that you got unlucky in this case, hopefully your replacement is better. It’s unlikely to be different in terms of heat output. Sitting further from the screen, using a lower brightness and directing a fan towards your face or using air conditioning if the room is warm is really all you can do in that respect.

[glossymonitor]

I didn’t mean you particularly as a reviewer and I like how you show the screen in operation while you film and explain it, this is much more helpful than other reviewers I’ve seen (and is less advertising/more to the heart).

I was so surprised by the screen heat, that I wonder why it’s never mentioned, maybe because it’s a given. If all high refresh, DisplayHDR, screens are that hot, then adding it as a point to a review wouldn’t make sense, otherwise it would. To be honest, the screen’s temperature is just too hot for me and I have no choice but to look for a different monitor. Maybe in a room, where the temperature does not exceed like 15-20°C the monitor would be “ok” (highest brightness is, I think, still too hot for a 20°C room). My old LG Flatron IPS234 is so much more comfortable because basically no heat/cool to the touch, that I’d choose it over the BenQ.

In terms of speed, I’m looking to try out the next gen panels, like the LG 27GP850 (despite its lower contrast of approx 1:800) and hoping that the screen doesn’t put out so much heat, of course.

Edit: You are probably right that most of the units are ok and that I just had a faulty one. Indeed, maybe I should look for a monitor with an external power supply then, I’m going to try that if the LG 27GP850 has similarly hot screen surface, if I can find such a monitor.

[PCM2]

I thought that was the case. And also I do appreciate you posting this as it’s a good point of discussion and something for others to consider. 🙂

I certainly didn’t find the EX2780Q unusually warm when I used it. I typically sit 70-80cm from the screen and touch the monitor when operating the OSD. Or touch it and move my face closer to it when switching cables over or simply examing certain elements from closer up. So I would’ve reported if there was unusual in terms of heat output. That’s not to say it wasn’t higher than it could’ve been, though, just that it didn’t stand out to me as an issue during the review. The LG 27GP850 has DC power with an external ‘power brick’, like the EX2710Q. So I would expect it to produce less heat from the screen itself. Under HDR operation or at high brightness it will still warm up quite a bit, but the fact it doesn’t have an internal power converter should help in general.

[glossymonitor]

Ah, nice, so the LG 27GP850 has already an external power supply, this gives hope, thanks for the infos. Interesting that the kinda successor to my EX2780Q also has an external power supply now (maybe there were still too many problems with heat and an external power supply was the cheapest/quickest solution. I prefer it anyway, that’s why I once bought my Flatron IPS234).

[PCM2]

Thinking about the design of the EX2780Q compared to my own Gigabyte AORUS FI27Q-X, which also has AC power rather than a ‘power brick’, I can certainly see some potential pitfalls with the BenQ’s design. It has a small subwoofer grille at the rear but no ventilation slats. Seems they designed it to be as slender as possible, whilst still lumping it with an internal power converter. The AORUS has prominent ventilation slats at the rear of the screen, which allows more heat to escape upwards at the rear. No cooling fan or anything fancy, but a place for heat to dissipate better. Whilst I didn’t find the heat output problematic or particularly unusual on the EX2780Q in my situation, proper ventilation slats or certainly DC power would no doubt have reduced heat output from the front of the screen.

[glossymonitor]

I totally agree, while heat seems like it shouldn’t be a problem with all the design tools, simulation, experience and what not, better ventilation slots where the fins are vertical and the bottom is open so that air can come, cool and rise up and dissipate heat. External supply would be also helpful in case the supply breaks so that it can easily just be changed, but that is what manufacturers typically don’t want, of course (this is right to repair topic).

With higher DisplayHDR™ values like starting from 1000 or 1400, if there’s no way around it, I’m ok with it if there are active fans for cooling (like some monitors have them), they can be very quiet (those 140mm fans, if they would use them) (not necessarily speaking of current active fan monitors). Those fans could also be semi-passive and turn only on if necessary.

I asked if money back is possible since my monitor hasn’t been shipped yet, otherwise I’ll probably sell it, but we’ll see. Now I have the choice among 27GP850, also EX2710Q, since it also has an external power supply. My guess would be that the 27GP850 is faster but having lower contrast, which I’m probably ok with at this point, but only tests will show. Not sure If I’m going to wait because I don’t know when the EX2710Q is supposed to come out..nevermind, I see it’s already selling, but I haven’t searched for reviews yet, I will do that soon.

[PCM2]

Korean website Playwares has released a review of the BenQ EX2710Q. Be warned their data is sometimes a bit different to others in some respects so I’m still keen to see other data. But a few things I find striking:

– 206 cd/m² maximum brightness recorded in ‘Standard’ mode. Alright for most people anyway, too restrictively low for others. No preset went above 211 cd/m² in their testing, under SDR. For HDR, 417 cd/m² was achieved.

– Contrast ratio <900:1 in all settings tested. Not concerned about this, they also recorded <800:1 for the EX2710 (Full HD model) whereas I recorded ~1200:1 with some settings.

– ‘2.2’ gamma was not achieved with any setting. Factory default was closer to ‘2.3’ with an option for ‘2.1’ and some others that were further off-target. This sometimes happens and inter-unit variation will play a role. Most people would find ‘2.3’ average gamma fine but it can crush a bit of dark detail if the lower end of the curve has a high enough gamma. Very difficult to see if it does from their graphs.

– 135% sRGB gamut recorded, specified 95% DCI-P3 seems accurate.

– Pixel responsiveness seems very strong. Their numbers are usually very low, but relative to other screens they’ve tested it still looks strong.

– Input lag is quite low, but slightly higher than it could be. Based on SMTT 2.0 testing (same method we use) they recorded 4-5ms.

Based on this assessment and the specifications it’s possible this model is using the same panel as the Acer XV272U KV, the Innolux M270KCJ K7E. It also shares the relatively limited SDR brightness that the Acer had before a firmware update added the ‘Max Brightness’ setting. However; the colour gamut appears to be wider than would be produced by that panel so it may use an alternative from AUO or LG Display. Whichever panel is used, it’s clearly faster than the BenQ EX2780Q – though not everyone would appreciate or notice that difference. In other areas such as input lag and possibly contrast and factory calibration (will need more data) it could be weaker. For colour reproduction characteristics it’s largely the same. Either way, I don’t think it does enough to justify its current price of ~$600 at all. I’d either recommend the older BenQ model or something like the Gigabyte M27Q or MSI G273Q(P)F if you favour faster pixel responsiveness than on the EX2780Q. Further model exploration and comparisons can be found in this thread.

[PCM2]

Confirmation from the service menu that the EX2710Q is based on the LG Display LM270WQA-SSA2 Nano IPS panel (and poor gamma on that unit, so not just the Playwares sample). That’s the same panel used in the Dell S2721DGF, so it reinforces the fact this is a high speed panel with reduced contrast compared to the EX2780Q. And the colour gamut is just a bit more generous, too, and slightly beyond the specified 95% DCI-P3 (~97% DCI-P3 based on SpyderX measurement). I have seen some suggestion (this is hearsay, not sure of original source) that BenQ may use this LG Display panel and a new Innolux panel interchangeably with the EX2710Q, so a bit confusing if that’s the case.

[PCM2]

It has now been confirmed that the EX2710Q does indeed interchangeably use the LG Display LM270WQ-SSA2 and an Innolux panel. This was relayed to me via a user who contacted BenQ support about this:

“EX2710Q has two panel sources. As you already know, it’s LGD and Innolux.
Both of them are qualified and are randomly used in production by the chance of procurement. It’s not able to differentiate the panel source.

If you prefer the Innolux panel, you can select EX2780Q.“

[Author]

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