[nighthink]

Turned out I’ve got the PD3220U sooner than expected :), it’s already with me for 2 days.
Overall I’m impressed. Picture quality seems to be on different level with comparison to anything I have seen so far (including the MacBook Pro 16 and older iMac 27” I have at home).

I like the clean setup with minimum of cables around and the KVM. The built in HUB is something I will use for sure. The build quality of both monitor and stand looks great – with small exception of the bottom edge of the screen where the bezel between the screen itself and the plastic cover is not even over the full width of the screen – at some places the bezel is about 1mm wider or so.. When inspecting in details this can be seen, m but otherwise from normal distance it is not noticeable and particularly in my setup the botton of the screen is further darkened in shadow so I don’t notice it at all – for sure quality issue but nothing I would be worried about. I can imagine the EW3280U will not have this issue at all due to the fact how the bottom of the screen is resolved there.

I tried Shadow of Tomb Raider in 4k and I would say for games like this the 60Hz is really sufficient (not to speak about my graphic card 2070 Super, which is probably on the edge for this). The game looks beautiful and I didn’t notice lag that would distract me. Maybe very occasionally I see something like picture is cut for very short moment (I’m not sure what is the official name for that) but it is very rare and at least for me this does not represents a problem. I don’t play too often and for what I plan to game, this is totally fine. In fact, I really like to colours of the game and the resolution. This is fantastic, also the ability to change the colour profiles during the game and to immediately see the difference, and there is plenty options to choose from. I like this really a lot. The visual experience is great. The immersive ness likewise – I’m really happy I did not opt for ultra wide 34”, because I don’t know what I would do with such wide monitor :), already this one is so wide for me that I have to get used to this wideness.

I also like the extras I think only Benq currently provides – and that is the hotkey puck and Display Pilot software. The hotkey puck is build from quality materials, I expected this to be just some additional low quality accessory used for marketing purposes mainly, but it is not and this is great idea how to control the monitor in very convenient way. Again EW3280U has something very similar, but the puck looks kind of more professional, I like it more (also the fact I don’t need to put there batteries 🙂 ).
And as for the Display Pilot – this is again nice unique feature, also the fact it is available for both Mac and Windows, it has many features I will definitely use for productivity. This increases the compatibility level with Mac, alongside with the M-Book colour mode (at least for intel Macs for sure).

The factory calibration report provided with the monitor states the delta E to be 1.0115, which I believe can be considered as excellent.

I still ned to dig deeper with this, but I hope this monitor will stay like this for long time. I was considering still the EW3280U, waiting if it will become available eventually, mainly because it was 500 Euro cheaper and I guess for me most of the display quality parameters would suffice. I would just need to find suitable monitor arm and solution for KVM between my personal PC and working Mac. Maybe the monitor would be better suited for gaming, but I think for me the productivity advantages of PD3220U are more important and whether it is worth extra 500 Euro- really don’t know, but if this monitor will stay with me for 8+ years, then it is not really something to talk about too long. The photos of family here looks absolutely stunning and who knows, over time as a hobby I might start to profit from the colour modes the monitor provides for photo editing (once my kids get bigger and I will get more time for it, that is).

I was performing also various monitor tests I found on web (although I don’t have much info here and don’t know which one is to be trusted more) and seems like the display copes well with it – uniformity seems to be for me totally great – I didn’t spot any differences really, backlight bleed I don’t see as well, which surprised me, I was expecting at least something in some corners, some light spots, but it is really good – if there is something I’m not able to recognise it.

However, there is one thing, or better say two 🙂 – I noticed 2 dead pixels. Or I’m not sure if they are stuck pixels, or there is just some piece of dirty object, but I guest it will be dead pixels. They are still black – so they are dark pixels. And as I just learned from the Benq warranty for dead pixels – this warranty does not cover black pixels, only white (which lights always in some colour) and there must be at least 5 of them or it must be located in very centre of the display. Mine are located one in upper left corner and the other in lower left corner. I’m now trying to decide if it is problem for me or not. I lean towards the later.. It will probably irritate me somewhere on the background, but during the work I don’t really notice it unless I totally concentrate on that. Also I work mostly in dark theme so 2 black pixels in the corners shall be ok. But still, it is a bit disappointed that this happens – especially if the monitor is even calibrated in factory, people in Benq definitely had to spot this. Seems like they consider this to be fine.

I could return the monitor, but I’m deciding if this is worth the effort. Now I finally have the monitor I like, uniformity is great, backlight bleed unnoticeable for me, and the 2 dead pixels no big issue for my usage. Probably this is compromise I can accept, even if it still is a pain and I can just hope over time I will get over it 100% 🙂 – but probably I will, just like with new car first hit by a stone, after some time I don’t really care anymore.
If I would return it, there is no guarantee when I will get another one and if that one will be actually better. This one was at least never opened and I can see I was the first one who started to generate running time on that monitor from the OSD. So it is truly brand new.
On the other side, nobody knows if over time there will be developed more dead pixels, and then it could start to be a problem.

Maybe just a question – do you experience often during your testing that provided monitors have 1-2 dead pixels? Is this a normal state of today’s displays production or those 2 dead pixels are something that is actually very rare for new monitors? Are the black pixels really considered as acceptable for new monitors of this 1000+ euro category? I will probably still keep it, I’m just not sure if I’m too benevolent here 🙂 or I should ask for more.

Thanks.

[PCM2]

I’m glad you’re enjoying the PD3220U overall, including some of its unique features like the OSD control system. I’m afraid that even paying that much (or more) for a monitor will not guarantee it is free from pixel defects, including outright dead pixels. There are ~8.3 million pixels so unfortunately the chance of some of those being defective is reasonably high. BenQ and other manufacturers receive volume shipments of panels and it isn’t economical or environmentally conscious of them or the panel manufacturers to reject a large portion of them due to pixel defects. Unless there are large enough number of such defects, particularly clustered centrally, that the chance of rejection by the consumer is extremely high. Or that they fail specific ISO standards set out for such things. A few dead pixels here and there is normal and something most users will simply accept – as you say, any replacement is not guaranteed to be free from them. And a replacement unit could potentially have issues with uniformity that your current unit doesn’t suffer from, so it’s not always worth the gamble.

I like your analogy with having your first damage done to your shiny new car. I’m kind of obsessive about my cars and guilty of having strong emotional feelings when that sort of thing happens to them for the first time. After some time and perhaps a few further small imperfections later, you’re quite right that it becomes much less of an issue. It stops catching the eye and occupying ‘brain space’. 😉

[nighthink]

Thanks for the quick answer. This is exactly that objective professional view I needed to hear 🙂 . This just reassures me the monitor unit I have is good enough and I will keep it as I like it a lot.

[gergely999]

Hello everyone,
Glad I found that forum :).
I’m searching my monitor for weeks…
And I’m ended with these two monitors.

LG 32UN650-W
Philips 328E1CA

What do you guys think, which one should I buy? For general purpose, 70% work (coding) 20% game 10% movie
The price is very similar in my country.

[PCM2]

Both are models I’d recommend for your uses. It really depends on your own personal preferences based on panel type, curve or lack of curve, strong contrast vs. more consistent colour reproduction and responsiveness. Apples and oranges really, they’re both suitable but have different strengths and weaknesses. The Philips may give you a more enjoyable experience if you prefer sitting in dimmer room lighting due to its stronger contrast and lack of ‘IPS glow’, for example. Some people enjoy the curve, other people are indifferent or prefer flat screens. Colour output on the LG is more consistent and vibrant, which some would enjoy and its pixel responsiveness is better.

[S@S_gr]

Hi everyone, i am looking to replace a tv screen that i am using the last 3 years at the home-office with a more appropriate monitor; i among those 3:

a. LG 32UN650-W [32″ UHD (3840 x 2160) IPS; (GTG): 4ms ]
b. HP U32 4K HDR [31.5” UHD (3840 x 2160) IPS; (GTG): 4ms with overdrive]
c. BenQ EW3280U [32″ UHD (3840 x 2160) IPS; (GTG): 5ms]

All three are listed as 4K, having IPS panels and 60Hz; would you happen to own any of those or have any comments/suggestions or favor one out of those?

Thank you in advance for your very valuable assistance

[PCM2]

Hi S@S_gr

As covered earlier and in more detail in this thread, it’s the BenQ EW3280U that offers the superior panel out of those options. It has an AUO panel with lighter screen surface texture and superior colour consistency to the HP and LG with their BOE panel. The other options can still be appealing based on price and ergonomics, but for pure panel quality the BenQ is best option.

[S@S_gr]

Thank you very much @pcm2; very valuable assistance.
now i only have to source it! Surprisingly all 32 4K monitors are in extra-high demand lately

[pannkrat]

Hello!
I’m considering buying a monitor for professional design/3d work so I would prefer going for wider color gamut. Sometimes I also do prints, so I can find a use for aRGB also.

After reading some topics here and looking for reviews I made a short-list:
_BENQ EW3280U (600usd)
_AOC U32U1 (1035usd)
_BENQ PD3220U (1265usd)
_LG 32UL950-W (1135usd)
_DELL ULTRASHARP U3219Q (1235usd)

First two models totally fit into my budget according to stores into my area. For the others I’ll have to get some more savings but the main question is: are they worth the additional paying? I was reading about different panels here but it’s still not that clear of a topic for me as I want to get a bang for the back and get rid of doubts/uncertainty if the cheaper EW3280U can be better/worth than the more expensive choices I’ve listed.
The price really makes you think that the higher it is the better the model will be.
I also found MSI Prestige PS341WU which uses Nano-IPS LM340RW1. It’s a different format and I found only 1 review with tests, here it costs 1300usd.

Thanks in advance!

[PCM2]

Hi pannkrat,

Your post simply highlights what an excellent bargain the EW3280U really is. Pricing in your region is even more favourable than others, including the US where the vast majority of our supporting users come from and naturally where our recommendations are weighted towards. Our recommendation for that model for colour critical work and a range of other uses is made clear in the dedicated section of the website, this thread that your posting in and also a thread which draws comparisons with some of the other models you’ve mentioned. That one is linked to from the recommendations section, for good reason. Paying more doesn’t guarantee you a better quality monitor in this case. By thinking otherwise and paying more, people can often set themselves up for disappointment.

Having said that, the EW3280U does have some limitations. Such as the ergonomic flexibility and compared to something like the PD3220U the build quality isn’t really as solid. Furthermore, it doesn’t offer the same tight factory calibration with its sRGB emulation mode. Though the GPU-level alternatives mentioned in that article provide an alternative. I specifically recommend it for work or content consumption within the sRGB and DCI-P3 colour spaces and for colour-critical usage, though a full profiling and calibration (and ideally re-calibration) with your own colorimeter or similar device is advised for sRGB work. Ideally you’d be doing that regardless of how good the factory calibration may be, however. The PD3220U is also a very capable monitor in my view, though the extra cost might be difficult for some people to justify and it doesn’t reflect its image quality characteristics.

If you really value Adobe RGB coverage, which certainly makes sense for printing, you’d ideally consider something that offers more complete coverage of that than the options you’re consider. ~86% Adobe RGB is still decent and if you’re calibrating and profiling the monitor it’s definitely workable for print-matching purposes. You’d have to pay a significant premium for more complete Adobe RGB – there are some options to consider in this thread and in the recommendations section, but you’d have to sacrifice screen space or resolution to keep within budget.

[pannkrat]

Thanks for your reply!
So I think I will order EW3280U right away. Build and ergonomics is not that critical for me, I just need a color accurate screen for now to support my laptop. After working in the office I don’t want to stick to a small screen anymore. Anyway, I can always later get an upgrade.
I have one more question: I don’t own a calibrator yet but the shop offers a calibration for free, but they will do it in their own space. Will it be critical cos my light setup at the workdesk is definitely different?

[PCM2]

If it’s free it’s probably worth it as it would help straighten out kinks in the gamma curve and give you a profile with the correct gamut information for your own EW3280U on it. That can be read and used by your editing programs to good effect. If you’re being strict you would ideally calibrate to your lighting environment and also re-calibrate periodically. Things like colour temperature drifts over time as phosphors and other backlight elements degrade slightly. I’d definitely recommend investing in your own colorimeter at some point in the future, sounds like you were intending to anyway. 🙂

[pannkrat]

I’ll surely get one some day.
Monitor is ordered so it’s a matter of time when it arrives. Thank you again!

[oronar]

Hi all,
I’m a bit out of the loop for monitors news.

I’m looking to upgrade my 24″ monitor to a 31.5″ or 32″ as I think that 34″ is too big for mine purposes.
I am not a gamer but spend about 12-15 hours a day in font of screen.
It mostly used for coding, text, web surfing and movies (mostly at dark room), some CAD works.

As for models am trying to choose out of 3 models :
1. Philips 328E1CA
2. Gigabyte G32QC
3. Dell S3222DGM

I know that Philips has lowest frequency, 60Hz but it has highest PPI value.
So I would be glad if you can help to choose between those 3.
I saw your review on Philips and Gigabyte. But in my country, Philips price is higher than Gigabyte while it has poor characteristics (correct me if I’m wrong).
On dell I saw only a review on Toms hardware, its quite similar to Gigabyte, but Gigabyte has 4 stars and Dell has 4.5 stars. Also may be I should choose M32Q from Gigabyte but it has an IPS panel.
Which monitor is better, Dell or Gigabyte? I know its only 93ppi, but could not found any information about Dell’s panel.

Need your advice / opinion about quality of the panel in those models. Which one will better suit my needs.

[PCM2]

Hi oronar and welcome,

My recommendation for your uses is clear and that’s the 328E1CA. The extra pixel density is far more useful for your uses than an increase in refresh rate would be. It unlocks greater ‘desktop real estate’ potential and even if you end up using scaling you benefit from the extra clarity and sharpness from the pixel density, as described in the review. It’s also a better match for movie content, which is never 2560 x 1440 but can be 3840 x 2160 or 1920 x 1080 – movie content of both resolutions looks superior on the ‘4K’ screens. That’s not to say it will look ‘bad’ on the other screens and I appreciate it’s not your primary use, but this coupled with productivity tasks gives a clear nod to the Philips.

I’d also agree with sticking with the VA route for your uses, including dark room viewing, and with budget-friendly options in mind. As for the S3222DGM, it’s not a model I have a strong opinion of. The new variant of the G32QC (G32QC A) is really very similar in many respects, from what I can see. The Gigabyte (and Philips) have a more pronounced curve at 1500R vs. 1800R for the Dell, but in my experience and from my communication with others you should really find it easy enough to adapt to either option in that respect. The Gigabyte (‘A’ variant – certainly not the original) is perhaps slightly faster than the Dell, but I haven’t really seen sufficient technical data on both models to draw an accurate comparison there. The Dell certainly offers superior build quality, though it has a much less feature-rich OSD. So the differences will come with things like that rather than dramatic differences in core performance.

[otsukarci]

Hello, I’m new. I’m a software developer and need some bigger screen (using 24″). I’m considering to buy 328E1CA but some comment on amazon says it only works on 30hz on 4k. Is there such an issue?

[PCM2]

Nope, as you can see from our review it works just fine at 60Hz via both DP and HDMI. It would only be limited to 30Hz if using an old version of HDMI or DP on the system which doesn’t support 3840 x 2160 @60Hz, but that’s got nothing to do with the monitor.

[otsukarci]

I have searched the forum about Philips 328B1 but found no results. It looks very similar to 328E1CA but seemingly flat and with features such as USB hub, height adjustment, pivot. Does anyone have experience with it?

[PCM2]

The 328B1 isn’t a model we focus on as it isn’t available in the US where the vast majority of our supporting visitors are based. I don’t have any experience with it or user feedback to share, but you’re correct to think it should be quite similar to the 328E1CA in many respects. It uses the same ‘panel recipe’ but is flat, so colour and contrast characteristics should be largely similar. I’m not sure if responsiveness will be quite the same as that can vary even between models using the same panel, but if you liked the sound of the 328E1CA but would prefer a flat alternative it should be a decent shout.

[chris719]

If you order the EW3280U, make sure you are able to return it if needed. I bought one in 2020 and that unit is great. I bought 2 more, one in November of 2021 and one in January 2022 and both of these units had bad rotary encoders for the volume control and a distinct yellow push to the left 1/3rd of the screen. I’m not sure if they changed panels, but the tint was seriously bad on the 3rd unit I received.

[Author]

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