The BenQ SW271 derives its genes from the success of its award-winning predecessors while adding HDR support to its already broad gamut coverage. BenQ’s push for market dominance in all niches always gives birth to exciting and competitive products, and their professional lines are some of the best we have seen. The BenQ SW271 comes in the brand’s battle-tested signature design packed with features, and it could be the next monitor you buy for your HDR content.
BenQ SW271 Specifications
- Screen Size: 27 Inches
- Resolution: 3840 x 2160 4K UHD
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Panel Technology: In Plane Switching (IPS)
- Refresh Rate: 60Hz
- Response Time: 5ms
- Contrast Ratio: 1000:1 (Estimated Static)
- Brightness: 350 cd/m²
- Stand: Height – Yes (5.9 Inches)
- Stand: Tilt – Yes
- Stand: Swivel – Yes
- Stand: Pivot – Yes
- VESA Compatibility: Yes
- Connectivity DisplayPort 1.4 x 1, HDMI 2.0 x 1, USB 3.0 x 2
- Dimensions (WxHxD): 24.166 x 24.05”x 8.40
- Weight: 23.15lbs
Design and Features
The BenQ SW271 looks professional and sophisticated in a matte black finish with a three-sided bezel-free design. Only the bottom strip stands out, but there are thin black borders which go unnoticed when the screen is powered down. The package includes a shading hood that helps to enrich the color and contrast of the display since it wards off ambient lighting and glare.
The cabinet is thin enough making it easy to wall mount this VESA compatible device, although we favor the included stand thanks to its functional design. For starters, the mechanism has a complete range of ergonomics including tilt, swivel, and pivot, plus you can raise the screen up to 5.9 inches. Getting a perfect and comfortable view is as easy as peas, plus the minimalist look makes it attractive on any desk.
The upright features a large hole for cable management, but the unique feature here is the S-Switch Arc which is a puck-shaped remote that sits on the articulation joint on the base. Users can use it to navigate the loaded OSD conveniently or hot-swap between imaging custom presets. This feature can also be found on the BenQ SW271’s gaming counterparts, and while it is a novelty at best, it certainly is nice to have for easy operation.
Since the BenQ SW271 is designed as a utilitarian monitor, it includes a fantastic I/O layout with every option enthusiasts would want in a premium screen. It includes DisplayPort 1.4, two HDMI 2.0 ports, USB 3.1 slots x 3, and USB-C port for data and displays signal transfer. BenQ’s specs say the latter does not support power delivery, so the BenQ SW271 cannot be used as a dock for your USB-C laptop. On the other hand, the lone USB 2.0 receptacle is only for the included remote.
BenQ SW271Display and Performance
The BenQ SW271 boasts a 27-inch IPS panel with a 3840 x 2160 resolution, 60Hz refresh rate, and 5ms response time. The module used has a 10-bit interface with a 14-bit LUT, enabling 100% sRGB/Rec.709 and 99% Adobe RGB or 93% DCI-P3 coverage. To top its color performance off, this model will also have HDR support up to some extent, although the screen isn’t Ultra HD Premium complaint, meaning its capabilities in this regard is limited.
The preliminary spec sheet for the BenQ SW271 also states that only has a brightness of 350cd/m2 and a contrast ratio of 1000:1, unlike the higher claims from other full HDR monitors. There is also no mention of a full array local dimming backlight (FALD), and we’re speculating that a form of edge light local dimming is instead used.
The company proudly states that the BenQ SW271 comes factory calibrated with a Delta E rating of less than 2.0 for both Adobe RGB and sRGB. This aspect promises users the most accurate representation of color in images and video, making your media as lifelike as possible. This claim needs testing when we get a review model, and we hope the product lives up to the company’s promise.
If in any case, the out of the box performance isn’t up to spec with your expectations, the BenQ SW271 can easily be calibrated for a more perfect output. This product supports full hardware calibration to adjust the processing chip in the monitor without affecting software or GPU output data. BenQ’s Pallet Master Element Calibration Software works seamlessly with most of the popular colorimeters such as the X-Rite i1 Display Pro and Datacolor Spyder devices.
The BenQ SW271 comes packed with useful features you won’t normally find on typical or gaming monitors. For your imaging needs, you can use filters like the Advanced Black and White mode to view your media in three different presets. Although our favorite tool is GamutDuo which splits the screen in two and shows your image in both sRGB and Adobe RGB for easy comparison, you will need to activate PIP mode and use two separate host devices for this function.
Thoughts
The BenQ SW271 is shaping up to be a worthy addition to the market’s increasing choices of HDR10 compliant monitors. Although the implementation is questionable due to the low backlight output and absence of FALD, having a color accurate monitor with HDR support is a must for meticulous professionals.
The overall design did not change much from the BenQ SW320, but we like that the BenQ SW271 now features a three-sided bezel free design. For premium monitors, this consideration is already a staple and expected by consumers. We hope BenQ prices this monitor competitively upon release, although we highly doubt that this product will go below $1,200.