Looking for an IPS, WQHD monitor for under £300? Then read on...
Despite advances in monitor technology, trying to find a good IPS display that can hit WQHD resolutions for under £300 is still something of a gamble. There are a number of them available, but finding the right one, with decent connectivity and from a company you can trust can be fairly difficult.
BenQ, though, may have the answer in the form of the GW2765HT. This is a 27" IPS monitor with a resolution of 2560 x 1440, and using the Flicker-Free BenQ Eye-Care technology to deliver a stunning image that's easy on the eyes.
Other features include a dynamic contrast ratio of 20,000,000:1, 350cd/m2 brightness, and a response time of 4ms. Connectivity is good too, with HDMI, DVI, DisplayPort and VGA; there's even a pair of 2W speakers built into the frame.
It's surprisingly ergonomic as well, with height adjustment, swivel and tilt built into the monitor arm, which requires screwing into the rear of the monitor with the VESA mounts. It's a little ungainly to fit, and once everything is screwed into place, the movement is a tad stiff, especially for the tilt. But the design is secure enough, and there's no sign of wobble or a lack of build quality.
The aesthetics of the GW2765HT aren't the best we've ever seen, admittedly. The piano-black, glossy bezel is something of a fingerprint and dust magnet, and there's some reflection off it if the monitor is angled toward a light source.
However, where the GW2765HT may lack in its design it certainly makes up for in the image that's displayed on the screen. We found it to be one of the best we've seen from a 27” panel. The colours are crisp, and the brightness level is fantastic. There's also a reduction in eye strain, and you can tell the Flicker-Free technology makes a difference to how the image is presented and viewed. Viewing angles are good at 178° on the horizontal and vertical; there's just a slight drop in the colour tone when looking at the screen from the extremes of the viewing angles.
The preset Game, Photo and Movie modes are a little dark for our tastes. Thankfully, you can adjust nearly every aspect of the image through the OSD, which can be accessed through a set of six buttons around the back of the right-hand edge of the panel. The eye-care modes - Office, Reading, Multimedia and Surfing - are designed to lower the brightness and blue light levels and reduce the strain on your eyes. While they do indeed work, again we much preferred the levels we could customise over anything that was preset.
The BenQ GW2765HT is a good, high-resolution monitor. It's great for everyday tasks, as well is gaming and viewing HD content. We liked the ergonomics and the quality of the screen, as well as the connectivity on offer, and the price isn't too bad either. It would be better of course if there was a USB hub built into the monitor, and we'd prefer to see a matt-black finish throughout, but on the whole we're impressed. David Hayward
A good monitor, with excellent ergonomics and less eye strain.