Bottom Line
The BenQ EL2870U is an excellent 4K monitor for console gaming and home entertainment. However, there are cheaper alternatives if you want an equally good or even better monitor for gaming or for watching movies, office work, etc.
Equipped with HDR10 support, AMD FreeSync, 4K Ultra HD resolution and a quick 1ms response time speed, the BenQ EL2870U is mainly aimed at console gamers and video home entertainment.
However, due to its TN panel limitations in terms of color quality and viewing angles, we conclude there are better alternatives for the money out there, and here’s the reason why.
Image Quality
The BenQ EL2870U is a unique monitor as it offers HDR (High Dynamic Range) support, yet it’s based on a TN panel with inferior colors and contrast to other panel technologies.
Covering just the basic sRGB color space with a peak luminance of mere 300-nits and a mediocre contrast ratio of 1,000:1, HDR on this monitor is just software emulated.
This means that while the monitor can accept the HDR10 signal, it lacks display capabilities such as a wider color gamut and local dimming to actually enhance the viewing experience.
You will get a slightly brighter image with either over-saturated or washed out colors depending on the content; in most HDR content, the picture won’t be any better.
For a TN panel, though, the picture quality is decent, but any similarly-priced 4K IPS monitor will provide you with a better image quality overall, HDR or not.
Performance
The main asset of the BenQ EL2870U 4K HDR10 monitor is actually its rapid 1ms response time speed, which eliminates ghosting of fast-moving objects in video games and movies.
In first-person shooters and racing games, in particular, you will be able to enjoy a smooth performance with minimal motion blur.
Furthermore, the BenQ EL2870U input lag amounts to ~10ms at 60Hz, which is imperceptible.
The display is also flicker-free and has four different low blue light levels (Multimedia, Web-surfing, Office, and Reading), which guarantee no eye strain/fatigue, even after long-playing or working hours.
AMD FreeSync technology can synchronize the refresh rate of the BenQ EL2870U display to the frame rate of a compatible GPU (most AMD graphics cards, GTX 10-series or newer NVIDIA cards, and Xbox One consoles).
This will eliminate screen tearing and stuttering as long as your FPS (Frames Per Second) is within 40-60Hz/FPS. Once your FPS dips below 40, FreeSync won’t work as the monitor doesn’t support LFC.
FreeSync also works without any issues when using a compatible NVIDIA G-SYNC graphics card.
Features
Just like many BenQ’s monitors, the EL2870U offers the Brightness Intelligence Plus technology consisting of integrated sensors that automatically adjust screen brightness and color temperature according to ambient lighting.
Clicking the monitor’s ‘HDR’ hotkey simultaneously enables both HDR and the B.I+ technology with four different modes available to choose from.
In addition, the BenQ EL2870U FreeSync monitor supports HDCP 2.2, which allows you to stream from Amazon Video, Netflix, and other streaming services in native 4K Ultra HD resolution.
In the OSD (On-Screen Display) menu, you will find the standard contrast, brightness, sharpness, gamma, color temperature, hue, and saturation settings.
You can also adjust the sensitivity of the sensors and the speed of the response time via overdrive (AMA – Advanced Motion Acceleration option).
There are several picture modes available as well, including Standard, HDR, Cinema HDR, Game, Photo, sRGB, Rec709, ECO, M-Book, etc.
You can emulate HDR for non-HDR content too.
Design & Connectivity
The BenQ EL2870U connectivity consists of two HDMI 2.0 ports, DisplayPort 1.4, a headphone jack and two 2W built-in speakers. FreeSync works over both HDMI and DisplayPort connectors.
Moving on, the stand offers only tilt adjustment, but it can also be detached. If you wish to mount the monitor on a dedicated third-party stand or the wall, you can use the 100x100mm VESA mount pattern.
Price & Similar Monitors
The BenQ EL2870U price is usually around $300.
We highly recommend checking out the ASUS VG289Q with an IPS panel instead. Thanks to its IPS panel, it offers much better image quality and wider viewing angles while its response time is basically just as fast.
Visit our best 4K monitor buyer’s guide for more deals and information.
Conclusion
All in all, the BenQ EL2870U offers a good image quality for a TN panel display with excellent performance and some exclusive features. However, there are better alternatives out there for less money.
| Screen Size | 28-inch |
| Resolution | 3840×2160 (UHD) |
| Panel Type | TN |
| Aspect Ratio | 16:9 (Widescreen) |
| Refresh Rate | 60Hz |
| Response Time | 1ms (GtG) |
| Adaptive Sync | FreeSync (40Hz-60Hz) |
| Speakers | 2x2W |
| Ports | DisplayPort 1.4, 2x HDMI 2.0 |
| Other Ports | Headphone Jack |
| Brightness | 300 cd/m2 |
| Contrast Ratio | 1000:1 (static) |
| Colors | 1.07 billion (8-bit + FRC) |
| VESA | Yes (100x100mm) |
| HDR | Software-enabled only |
The Pros:
- Quick response time, low input lag
- FreeSync over HDMI & DP
- Innovative B.I+ technology
The Cons:
- Expensive, there are better alternatives for less money
- Tilt-only design
- HDR is software-enabled only
- Narrow viewing angles
