The revamped BenQ GW2790 offers a stylish design paired with a faster panel and better pricing for the masses. This affordable monitor now goes up to 100Hz, giving it a sizable boost over the long-standing predecessor, which was limited to 60Hz. Let’s take a closer look at the latest version to know if it’s a must-buy essentials monitor for 2025.
BenQ GW2790 Specif
ications
- Screen Size: 27 Inches
- Resolution: 1920 x 1080
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Panel Technology: In-Plane Switching (IPS)
- Refresh Rate: 100Hz
- Response Time: 5ms
- Contrast Ratio: 1300:1 (Static)
- Brightness: 250 cd/m²
- Built-in Speakers: Yes (2 x 2 Watts)
- Stand: Height – No
- Stand: Tilt – Yes
- Stand: Swivel – No
- Stand: Pivot– No
- VESA Compatibility: Yes (100 x 100)
- Connectivity: DisplayPort 1.2 x 1, HDMI 1.4 x 2, 3.5mm Jack x 1
- Dimensions (W x H x D): 24.1” x 17.7” x 7.2”
- Weight: 11.02 lbs
Design and Features
The BenQ GW2790’s design didn’t change, but it makes sense to not try and fix something that’s not broken. The monitor has a sleek matte black finish all over, so it won’t overpower your workstation or even a gaming setup. The screen doesn’t have bezels, but it still has inner borders like most modern displays.
It’s not larger than typical 27-inch monitors, but it may still overwhelm a heavily equipped but small desktop. The screen needs 24 inches of width and 7.2 inches of depth, so we think it is still very manageable. The whole thing only weighs 11.02 pounds, so it should be easy to move around whenever needed.
Its build quality is great and comparable with most of BenQ’s brilliant display products. The plastic panels are thick and sturdy, and there were no cosmetic defects on any parts. Its stand can be wobbly if you nudge it, but it can hold the screen upright reliably.
The BenQ GW2790 has an OSD joystick for easy access to its settings and features. The gadget is located at the bottom bezel on the right side, so it is easy to reach and visible while viewing the screen from the front. Some of BenQ’s prosumer models have remotes, but that’s not necessary in this case since it already has a good solution for it.
The first downside to this monitor is a tilt-limited stand, which makes getting a comfortable view almost impossible. Taller users might need to use a monitor stand or a stack of books to prop it up since it sits low. You can use VESA mounts, but the added cost will put you in range of a better option.
The BenQ GW2790’s connectivity layout is also downgraded compared to the GW2790QT. It only has two HDMI slots and DisplayPort 1.2, along with a 3.5mm jack for headphones. It would be a great business monitor if it had a USB-C hub, but its lack of it is understandable since it’s a budget model.
It also has a pair of 2-watt speakers for basic audio purposes such as voice comms or even background music. They don’t sound great and are incapable of crisp details and booming base, but that’s always the case with most built-ins. BenQ makes better audio solutions for their monitors, but they are understandably installed in the higher-end variants.
Display and Performance
The BenQ GW2790 sports a 27-inch IPS panel with a 1920 x 1080 resolution, a 100Hz refresh rate, and a 5ms response time. The backlight has a 250 cd/m2 output, while the contrast is listed at 1300:1. This model doesn’t have HDR properties, but that’s reasonable since it is designed for other things instead of high-end entertainment.
1080p at 27 inches isn’t the most desirable simply because its pixel density is lower than what most are used to. However, this makes it great for visibility and legibility, so it is quite ideal for office and business use on a larger scale. It doesn’t take much to run games at 1080p 100Hz, so most will get by with a budget build to play popular titles decently.
The BenQ GW2790 covered 99% sRGB and 82% of DCI-P3 for great color in games and movies. Its default accuracy had a deltaE average of 2.14, so it looks decently balanced out of the box. Most users wont need to do anything to the screen, so good to go as soon as you plug it into a PC or laptop.
Calibrating the BenQ GW2790 reduced its dE average to 1.09, making it usable for editing and content creation. The downside is that you will need a colorimeter to get it to this point since manual calibration has limited capabilities. The gadget is two or three times as expensive as this monitor, so it is not worth it.
The backlight on this monitor reached 251 cd/m2, so it can’t fight too much glare in well-lit rooms. Its contrast peaked at 1133:1 at 50% brightness, so it’s slightly better than other IPS panels in this regard. It’s incapable of deep blacks, but that’s a widely accepted limitation of IPS panels.
Panel uniformity for the test sample was great since it did not have major backlight bleeding issues. There is some variance in the backlight’s spread, but it is only noticeable during dark scenes or when the screen has a black background. Note that this can vary with every monitor made due to tolerances, so there are worse units out there.
The BenQ GW2790’s pixel response time isn’t the fastest, but it does quite well with casual games. The extra refresh headroom provides a big boost, so the screen is practically blur-free in most instances. Persistence and trailing can still happen during contrasting transitions, but it will not be a big deal in most instances.
One thing the BenQ GW2790 doesn’t have for gaming is VRR functionality like FreeSync or G-Sync. It’s a must-have for gaming, but it’s not an issue for monitors like this since it doesn’t take a lot to run games on it, and they are meant to be more for mixed use. Its input lag is 7ms at 100Hz, so it’s faster than your average business or school display.
Thoughts on the BenQ GW2790
The BenQ GW2790 is an excellent pick if you need a budget monitor that can do almost everything decently. It offers good inmage quality and great gaming performance, all while staying affordable to be considered as an economical purchase for a business. It’s built quite well, so it should last a while and be a good investment for long-term use.
However, that lower price means that there are penalties in the spec sheet, such as the limited stand. You also don’t get excellent performance for editing or gaming, but that’s because it’s designed to slot in between. It’s perfect for budget builds or as a secondary display, thanks to its very low price.
Pros:
- Great Color
- Responsive
- Excellent Build Quality
Cons:
- Limited Features
- Tilt Stand
- No VRR
About the Author: Paolo has been a gaming veteran since the golden days of Doom and Warcraft and has been building gaming systems for family, friends, and colleagues since junior high. High-performance monitors are one of his fixations; he believes that every citizen’s right to enjoy one. He has gone through several pieces of hardware in pursuit of every bit of performance gain, much to the dismay of his wallet. He now works with Monitornerds to scrutinize the latest gear to create reviews that accentuate the seldom explained aspects of a PC monitor.
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