Review: BenQ PD2730S 5K Designer Monitor – A Studio Display Alternative That Doesn't Break the Bank

[throAU]

You bring up an interesting point...how many nits are most people running their displays at?

The capability to do 600+ at least (in HDR - HDR600 is the bare minimum to qualify for "HDR") is the minimum I would expect in a display of this price range.

Yes, I'm aware the studio display doesn't achieve that (it does 600 but not HDR content mode) for similar price but it also includes a centre stage webcam.

 

[ErneX]

$1200 for 400 nits and 60hz.

Is this 2019?


For 100 dollars less you’re dropping a centre stage webcam, decent speakers, enclosure build quality and about 200 nits?

I’d get an Apple Display if it supported multiple inputs and KVM. I can live without the camera and the nice speakers and brightness, but not without being able to use the monitor with a MBP and my Mac Studio without hooking all that up to an expensive external KVM or plugging/unplugging cables. It’s a chore.

 

[throAU]

I’d get an Apple Display if it supported multiple inputs and KVM. I can live without the camera and the nice speakers and brightness, but not without being able to use the monitor with a MBP and my Mac Studio without hooking all that up to an expensive external KVM or plugging/unplugging cables. It’s a chore.

Yeah don’t get me wrong. Not saying the studio display is great value either.

But it’s an Apple product in a premium market closure.

This alternative isn’t. And it simply isn’t cheap enough for what it does. Sure it’s 5k but I recently picked up a 32” 4k hdr600 ips 160hz display for $999. Australian. Not US dollars. With inbuilt kvm

 

[rehkram]

It's hard to take a monitor review seriously when the accompanying photographs are not even sharp.

 

[MacLoveMacHate]

Looks like a really good monitor for creative professionals, at last. Aside from not being as bright as the ASD, this would be a slam dunk purchase for someone in the market at this price point. BenQ has a solid reputation among photographers I've spoken with.

It's not as bright and it lacks decent speakers. Speaking only for myself and what the lighting is like where I work, those wouldn't be deal breakers. Plus it's height adjustable and has a matte coating, both of which are extra charges from Apple. Though being matte AND not as bright is a strange combination.

So it could be a solid competitor for the ASD in this space, which is much needed. And at that price, a shopper wouldn't need to wait for the ASD to go on sale.

I have the ASD and while the speakers are good, they can't compete with the -$100 speakers I have sitting alongside my monitor as they're downfiring from the panel. Why they put "great speakers" in a more pro display when pros will have separate rather than the all-in-one imac, I do not know (it's thinness—it's always thinness)

 

[Tagbert]

I have the ASD and while the speakers are good, they can't compete with the -$100 speakers I have sitting alongside my monitor as they're downfiring from the panel. Why they put "great speakers" in a more pro display when pros will have separate rather than the all-in-one imac, I do not know (it's thinness—it's always thinness)

There will always be limits to the speakers that will fit within a thin monitor casing. They can’t match the larger cones of stand alone speakers.

 

[drrich2]

There will always be limits to the speakers that will fit within a thin monitor casing. They can’t match the larger cones of stand alone speakers.

Sherlock Holmes once described a couple of Scotland Yard investigators as 'the best of a bad lot.' That's the impression I get when people discuss Apple Studio Display spatial audio - other display reviews paint a lackluster picture of their sound with terms like 'tinny' seeming common, but the ASD is night and day superior - and I've heard this demonstrated on YouTube reviews.

So just how good is this 'best of a bad lot?' Is there an external speaker set that people who've used ASDs could affirm has roughly the same sound quality? At least we could see how it's reviewed and priced (e.g.: on Amazon), to get some sense of quality. Do external speakers alone (e.g.: a portable Bluetooth speaker) match or beat it, or is a subwoofer necessary?

And beyond that, and maybe more importantly, how many Apple Studio Display users rely on their display's built-in spatial audio for all or nearly all of their Mac system sound needs? Maybe whether it's good enough as-is or gets routinely replaced with external speakers is the real bottom line.

Some might accept a modest tradeoff in sound quality for a spartan, minimalist desktop aesthetic.

 

[turbineseaplane]

That's the impression I get when people discuss Apple Studio Display spatial audio - other display reviews paint a lackluster picture of their sound with terms like 'tinny' seeming common, but the ASD is night and day superior - and I've heard this demonstrated on YouTube reviews.

You can't judge much of anything useful about speakers from hearing them demonstrated on a YT video

 

[drrich2]

You can't judge much of anything useful about speakers from hearing them demonstrated on a YT video

Not with precision, and it depends on your own speaker system to some extent.

But in the cases I heard, the difference was glaring. I can't say how the ASD would stack up against a quality external speaker setup, but I could tell it was better than the competitor.

Here, everyone can hear for themselves. Jerry Schulze's YouTube video, Samsung ViewFinity S9 5K vs Apple Studio Display, at the 6:58 point. I'm no audiophile nor picky about sound, and the ViewFinity S9 doesn't sound bad to me. Despite that...the ASD's sound is clearly better.

 

[Jumpthesnark]

I have the ASD and while the speakers are good, they can't compete with the -$100 speakers I have sitting alongside my monitor as they're downfiring from the panel. Why they put "great speakers" in a more pro display when pros will have separate rather than the all-in-one imac, I do not know (it's thinness—it's always thinness)

Not all pros want separate speakers. Source: I am one (a pro, not a speaker ). Real speakers for music are not on my desk at all. The ASD's built-in speakers are great for what I use them for.

 

[Enlightened Doggo]

Agreed. I have a feeling I'd be sitting in front of this dim, plasticky monitor a year down the road and wishing I could had upgraded to the ASD for a few hundred bucks ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I've been rocking a 27" 4k IPS dell monitor for ten years now and the black plastic bezels never once bothered me. You won't even notice the difference in case material after a week. Also 400 nits matte is not going to be dim unless you plan to sit with sunlight directly behind you.

 

[ignatius345]

I've been rocking a 27" 4k IPS dell monitor for ten years now and the black plastic bezels never once bothered me. You won't even notice the difference in case material after a week.

If you'll notice I was stating a personal preference. The plastic build would annoy me and I'd rather spend a little more money on brighter/better constructed/higher resolution display. And you cannot possibly tell me what I would or wouldn't notice after a week, my brother.

Also 400 nits matte is not going to be dim unless you plan to sit with sunlight directly behind you.

As it turns out I do sit right next to a window, and it's bright as hell for a good part of the day. But on busy days that's all the sunlight I'm likely to get so I need a display that can keep up. Again: different people, different needs, different devices.

 

[drrich2]

The plastic build would annoy me and I'd rather spend a little more money on brighter/better constructed/higher resolution display.

Depending on how 'little' the amount was, a number of others would, too. But here's the problem...how much 'a little' extra one's willing to part with varies widely.

So let's say a new ASD came out in 2 versions; one with the case and stand build quality of, oh, say, a Dell or other brand name display, and one with the current ASD approach.

How much extra money would you pay to get the latter? At what point would it cease being worth it to you?

 

[ignatius345]

Depending on how 'little' the amount was, a number of others would, too. But here's the problem...how much 'a little' extra one's willing to part with varies widely.

So let's say a new ASD came out in 2 versions; one with the case and stand build quality of, oh, say, a Dell or other brand name display, and one with the current ASD approach.

How much extra money would you pay to get the latter? At what point would it cease being worth it to you?

You're right. I was super wrong about what I thought I preferred or how much money I thought I would spend on extras like resolution, brightness or build quality. After reading your very logical post, I've concluded that I was wrong. I DO want a 400 nit Dell monitor with a plastic housing after all. I don't know how I got so confused but -- again -- thank you so much for setting me straight! I owe you one. Is it OK if I DM you next time I'm considering buying something? I could really use a reality check because apparently I have no idea what I actually want.

 

[drrich2]

I was super wrong about what I thought I preferred or how much money I thought I would spend on extras like resolution, brightness or build quality. After reading your very logical post, I've concluded that I was wrong. I DO want a 400 nit Dell monitor with a plastic housing after all. I don't know how I got so confused but -- again -- thank you so much for setting me straight!

Ignatius345, I think you misinterpreted the spirit of my post. In no way, shape or form did I have any intent to demean your choice of display, label it 'wrong,' etc...

My point is that the value of high end build quality in a computer display that sits stationary in a pretty safe position, for many users is seldom touched, and whose function for a great many isn't compromised by those plastic bodies, is very subjective.

For that reason, I think it's valuable to at least try to put a dollar cost number on that value, though such a number varies by individual. Apple's aluminum body ASD build quality is lauded in reviews, but seems unnecessary. On the other hand, unnecessary doesn't mean undesirable. A Porsche isn't necessary over a Toyota Corolla, but some people drive one or the other.

I'm asking you (and anyone else who cares to share their personal opinion) how much extra you'd be willing to pay for an otherwise identically spec.d ASD with the current ASD build quality, vs. one with the plastic housing associated with other brand name display makers like Dell?

I would think Apple needs to put numbers of qualities like this, in considering whatever they view their target demographic to be.

The issue is not whether the Apple body style or Dell body style is the right choice; the issue is how much extra people are willing to pay for just that feature. What's its market value?

 

[jakey rolling]

You're right. I was super wrong about what I thought I preferred or how much money I thought I would spend on extras like resolution, brightness or build quality. After reading your very logical post, I've concluded that I was wrong. I DO want a 400 nit Dell monitor with a plastic housing after all. I don't know how I got so confused but -- again -- thank you so much for setting me straight! I owe you one. Is it OK if I DM you next time I'm considering buying something? I could really use a reality check because apparently I have no idea what I actually want.

I think you're getting a tad defensive about a pretty straightforward and reasonable question.

Speaking of the ever enigmatic definition of "build quality". As much as I know a certain population of users consider "metallic shell" to be analogous to "build quality", it may also be useful to point out that many otherwise good quality plastic monitors are backed by at least a three-year warranty. The metallic one only comes with a single year.

So the question must be asked: why would the manufacturer with the supposedly better "build quality" back their product for only a third of the time as those manufacturers using "cheap/flimsy" plastic?

 

[monkey6]

For what its worth, and this is just my personal experiences, not to criticize others:

I've never once used a desktop's speakers, even in my Microsoft days. They are all some degree of terrible to my ears. If you have musical inclinations, you are probably going to have an amp and much better speakers hooked up to your computer. So strike one against the Apple Studio Display, as these are an unnecessary expense for a sub par experience.

Now the so called "studio-quality three-mic array" - no one comments on this, like ever! I could actually see this to be useful to me. It would be great to be able to pick up a guitar if I want to spontaneously record something, without using my RME interface and actual studio mics, and have a decent recording with video.

Anyone care to let me know their experience with the mics? I don't know if the mics are a strike, a home run, or a swing and a miss.

The camera. By all accounts, it's best described as adequate, and worst described as bad. So another strike against the ASD.

Build quality: a home run. But I agree with those who say it's rather meaningless. Once set up, I never notice it at all.

The ports and its use as a hub: For my M4 Mac Mini Pro with Thunderbolt 5 to hook up to a monitor with Thunderbolt 3 and a dearth of useful ports is an an insult. Strike!

And what we are all here for, the display: Even though its 60 hz (I'm not a gamer, so fine for me), and years old, it's still sharp and amazing. And the only reason I would consider buying one. A home run!

But the price? $1600 plus the astronomical sales tax here in 'progressive' Seattle at one of the the most 'regressive' tax rates in the country at 10.35% puts this monitor puts this monitor over $1800!! Ridiculous! Absurd! Rip Off!

Strike Out!

I actually boxed up my mac mini pro, which I tried to use with an old Apple Thnderbolt Display and another old Dell (along with BetterDisplay). Then I dug out my 2017 imac, and I'm using that again.

I'm waiting for the hopefully improved ASD coming...when?

 

[drrich2]

I've never once used a desktop's speakers, even in my Microsoft days. They are all some degree of terrible to my ears. If you have musical inclinations, you are probably going to have an amp and much better speakers hooked up to your computer. So strike one against the Apple Studio Display, as these are an unnecessary expense for a sub par experience.

The camera. By all accounts, it's best described as adequate, and worst described as bad. So another strike against the ASD.

Build quality: a home run. But I agree with those who say it's rather meaningless. Once set up, I never notice it at all.

The ports and its use as a hub: For my M4 Mac Mini Pro with Thunderbolt 5 to hook up to a monitor with Thunderbolt 3 and a dearth of useful ports is an an insult. Strike!

I actually boxed up my mac mini pro, which I tried to use with an old Apple Thnderbolt Display and another old Dell (along with BetterDisplay). Then I dug out my 2017 imac, and I'm using that again.

I'm waiting for the hopefully improved ASD coming...when?

In theory a next edition ASD might have a substantially improved webcam, but since you're not likely to use the built-in speakers, the build quality isn't likely to be an issue of you and Apple is unlikely to change the port situation up a lot (in my estimation), I have to wonder...is the next generation ASD likely to be the best choice for you? As you indicated, it's very expensive and has some features you don't value.

ASUS and Viewsonic have less expensive 5K 27" displays out. I take it you found them unsatisfactory in some way?

Out of curiosity, what Mac Mini Pro did you 'box up' - an M4 series?

I had an old 2017 27" 5K iMac; loved the display, but the computer itself has gotten rather dated.

 

[chucker23n1]

Anyone care to let me know their experience with the mics? I don't know if the mics are a strike, a home run, or a swing and a miss.

Jason Snell:

Stealing a trick from recent versions of the MacBook Pro, Apple has integrated a three-microphone array that’s designed to help keep your voice clear on those same conference calls. Based on what I recorded from the display, that’s about right: My voice, when I sat at conference-call distance, was clearer and less echoey than it was when recording to my iMac Pro at a similar distance. Unfortunately, Apple still insists on calling these microphones “studio quality,” and I can tell you that as a podcaster, I won’t be disconnecting my dedicated microphone.

Similarly, Apple says the Studio Display “delivers the highest-fidelity speakers ever created for the Mac,” with a six-speaker sound system that supports spatial audio. (This is strangely reminiscent of how Apple described the audio system in the 2021 MacBook Pro.)

After all that hype, I considered the speakers a letdown. To my ears, at least, they sounded worse than the built-in speakers in my iMac Pro.

 

[Sylvan]

It might help to update the price on the article. It actually sells for $1499 now.