BenQ GW2760S
MRP: Rs 20,000

A monitor is possibly one of the most important part of a PC primarily because it provides a visual communication link between the user and the computer. Of course, today it has assumed even more importance due to its multimedia capabilities that allow you to watch movies and play games. The technology has advanced from CRT to LED backlit LCD for the better, thus eliminating the harmful radiation associated with the older tube-based monitors. However, we still experience eye fatigue if we view the monitor for a long duration because it still has a subtle flicker, which eyes subliminally notice and eventually get tired.

The reason for this flicker is the method known as Pulse Width Modulation (PWM), used to control the brightness and dimming of the monitor. To address this issue, BenQ has introduced a new range of monitors in its "EyeCare" initiative that include flicker-free backlight and they come at the same price as the previous versions with PWM. The company claims that this should eliminate the root cause of eye fatigue. BenQ sent us the GW2760S, which is a 27" Full HD monitor with such flicker-free backlight, and here's what we think about it.

Features

The BenQ GW2760S certainly is huge at 27" because we generally do not use monitors that are so large. It's got a piano black finish on the front and that includes the bezels, stand, and the base, and this easily collects dust and fingerprints. The top, left, and right bezels are just 1 cm, while the bottom bezel is slightly thicker at 1.5 cm.

The panel is 27" diagonally and is of AMVA type with pixel dimensions of 1920x1080. It has a matte finish that doesn't reflect the surroundings. The oval base has a small footprint to make sure that the monitor stands firmly grounded. You can adjust the tilt of the monitor to suit your viewing angle, but there is no height, pivot, or swivel adjustment.

The buttons to access various functions of this monitor are situated at the rear. This peculiar placement of buttons makes it difficult for the users to access them. However, the menu system is good enough to navigate easily.

The rear of the monitor has a matte finish. There is a VESA mounting option to hang it on the wall.

Connectivity is present in the form of DVI-D, D-Sub, and HDMI, to connect various devices. There is also a 3.5 mm audio jack if you want to connect headphones, or you can simply use the built-in stereo speakers with audio output of 1 W each. A 3.5 mm audio input is also present.

The flicker of PWM-based backlight control becomes more conspicuous at lower brightness levels. People with sensitive eyes will feel fatigued even at normal brightness. BenQ has remedied this by replacing the PWM method altogether with a DC-based one, which effectively eliminates the flicker.

An Eco mode is present that reduces brightness and optimises the monitor for minimum power consumption. There is also a Reading mode, which basically changes the colour to something similar to sepia, which makes it easier to read text as it appears like you are reading it off actual paper. The monitor includes AMA – a feature found in the more expensive models from the company, which claims to improve the grey level response time.

Performance

The first thing we notice about the GW2760S is that it is really bright and the whites looks really white. The colour reproduction is also very faithful to the source out-of-the-box without you having to make any calibration.

Even with the edge backlight with white LEDs (W-LED), and despite its large size, the screen appears to be evenly lit throughout with good uniformity.

The viewing angles are good for an AMVA panel, though they are not as good as IPS. The matte finish allows good visibility even when the light source is present behind the user.

Ordinarily, the Full HD pixel dimensions would make anyone happy. However, considering the large size of this panel, you can sense its lower pixel density, and especially because we view the monitor from a shorter distance, as it is a PC monitor and not a TV. This tends to take away some of the fun while watching movies or playing games. Speaking of which, there is no visible streaking while watching fast-moving images on the screen due to the fast response time.

The main USP of this monitor is its flicker-free nature. We used it for over two weeks as our standard work monitor for around 8 hours a day and found that it results in less fatigue to the eyes than an ordinary monitor. We must mention here that the monitor is too bright in the Standard viewing mode, and we had to reduce the brightness to make it comfortable for the eyes. That being said, it is always a good thing for an LCD monitor to be as bright as possible because it tends to lose brightness as it ages.

Height and pivot adjustment as well as automatic brightness adjustment via sensors would have made life easier, but these features are available on more expensive models from the company, and given its price, we are not complaining. But the buttons could have been placed better to make them more accessible and less confusing.

Power Consumption

The monitor consumes 32 W at full brightness, which is good for a 27-incher. The Eco mode consumes just 16 W, which is half the maximum consumption. Most of the other modes linger around 22 W. Thus, you shouldn't worry too much about electricity bills while using this monitor and the Eco mode is fine when working in low ambient lighting.

Our Verdict

The BenQ GW2760S is an excellent monitor with a large 27" panel that is almost similar to a small TV. The design is simplistic, but the flicker-free feature really works and makes it easier to use the monitor over extended hours without eye fatigue. The non-glossy screen doesn't reflect surroundings, and has good visibility even in brightly lit rooms. The viewing angles are wide too and the fast response time eliminates ghosting. This makes it a really good monitor for working or even watching movies. It is a great monitor for gaming too. Possibly one of the negatives about this monitor is that its pixels are visible due to the lower pixel density, given its large size. The price tag of Rs 20,000 is actually very good considering that you get a huge 27" monitor, which also takes care of your eyes.

Features: 3.5/5
Performance: 4/5
Ergonomics: 4/5
Value For Money: 4.5/5
Mojo: 4.5/5

Overall Rating: 4/5

TAGS: Displays, BenQ