BenQ EW277HDR Review: Full HD HDR Monitor For Console Gaming & Video Enjoyment

The BenQ EW277HDR is an affordable 27″ 1080p monitor with entry-level HDR support, which will provide you with a recognizable boost in image quality for HDR (High Dynamic Range) content, making it perfect for watching films as well as playing PC and console games. 

Image Quality

First of all, the monitor is based on a VA panel with true 8-bit color depth, a wide 93% DCI-P3 color gamut and a high 3,000:1 static contrast ratio.

Further, the BenQ EW277HDR can boost its peak brightness up to 400-nits for HDR content, up from 300-nits for SDR (Standard Dynamic Range).

When all these things add up, you get a vibrant picture quality with vivid details in the shadows and highlights of the image with deep black colors.

Now, the 1080p resolution is fairly low for the 27″ screen of the BenQ EW277HDR monitor, which results in a mediocre pixel density of 81 PPI (pixels per inch).

While this causes text to be somewhat smudgy and blurry, it’s not particularly noticeable in video games and movies, which is why we don’t recommend the monitor if you use your display to read or type a lot.

Finally, the BenQ EW277HDR VA panel monitor has 178-degree wide viewing angles, which ensure no noticeable changes in brightness, contrast, and color when the image is viewed from skewed angles.

Performance

Moving on, the BenQ EW277HDR input lag performance is impressive, with only ~10ms of delay at 60Hz.

The response time speed amounts to 4ms, which is the time pixels take to change from one color (or shade of gray) to another.

Overall, there isn’t any particularly noticeable ghosting or trailing visible with fast-moving objects, though there’s some minor smearing when the dark pixels are dominating on the screen.

Regardless, the monitor is perfect for gaming on Xbox One, PS4, and PC, especially if you’re playing HDR-compatible video games.

Features

The BenQ EW277HDR has the same features that are present in some of the previous BenQ monitors, such as ‘Super Resolution’ and ‘Smart Focus’.

The former ups the pixel density of low-resolution content while the latter allows you to brighten up a selected area on the screen for better focus and fewer distractions.

Additionally, the monitor offers the exclusive Brightness Intelligence Plus technology that automatically detects ambient lighting via the integrated sensor and adjusts the screen brightness and color temperature accordingly (click on the image above for a demonstration).

There are several different sensitivity levels and working modes. For instance, the brightness can gradually increase or decrease as you work long into the night.

In addition to the flicker-free screen and four different low blue light levels (MultiMedia, Web-Surfing, Reading, Office), you can use the BenQ EW277HDR display for as long as you’d like without worrying about eye strain.

Lastly, clicking the monitor’s hotkey labeled as ‘HDR’ allows you to switch between four different HDR and B.I.+ presets. You can also use ‘HDR Mode’ to emulate HDR for non-HDR content.

Design & Connectivity

The BenQ EW277HDR features a sleek and elegant design with a metallic gray finish. However, the monitor is tilt-only by -5°/15° and it’s not VESA mount compatible.

Turning to the connectivity, there are two HDMI 2.0 ports, VGA, a headphone jack, and an audio line-in port for the two 2W built-in speakers.

Price & Similar Monitors

The BenQ EW277HDR price amounts to ~$200, which is reasonable if you’re looking for a monitor mainly for watching videos or playing graphically-intensive games.

Even though the EW277HDR doesn’t have VESA’s entry-level DisplayHDR 400 certification, it actually offers a better HDR image quality than most HDR-400 certified displays thanks to its high contrast ratio and wide color gamut (which is not even a requirement for DisplayHDR 400 yet it’s crucial for a good HDR image).

Of course, for the true HDR viewing experience, you’ll need to spend a lot more (~$2,000) for a monitor with a peak brightness of at least 1,000-nits, a higher screen resolution and full-array local dimming.

Check out our best HDR monitors buyer’s guide for more information.

Keep in mind that the newer version of this monitor, the BenQ EW2780, uses an IPS panel and doesn’t offer as good image quality.

If you’re mainly playing fast-paced games, we recommend getting a 144Hz monitor instead, such as the AOC 24G2.

Conclusion

Overall, the BenQ EW277HDR is the best budget HDR monitor for console gaming and watching movies. For purposes other than that, there are better alternatives.

Specifications

Screen Size	27-inch
Resolution	1920×1080 (Full HD)
Panel Type	VA
Aspect Ratio	16:9 (Widescreen)
Refresh Rate	60Hz
Response Time	4ms (GtG)
Speakers	2x2W
Ports	2x HDMI 2.0, VGA
Other Ports	Headphone Jack
Brightness	300 cd/m2
Brightness (HDR)	400 cd/m2
Contrast Ratio	3000:1 (static)
Colors	16.7 million (true 8-bit)