8.9

BenQ M2700HD

Having recently reviewed the BenQ EW2430 (8.9/10), Impulse Gamer were given the chance to review one of BenQ's largest monitors, the M2700HD LCD monitor which at times felt like I was using a 32" or greater LCD TV while using my computer.

Display Specifications

For around $350AUD (online price), the  BenQ M2700HD definitely comes with all the bells and whistles that not only boasts a resolution of 1920x1080 (FULL HD) but comes with a variety of input connectors that include from D-sub, DVI-D, HDMI 1.3x2, Headphone Jack, SPDIF, Line in, Line out,  S-Video, Composite, Component, Audio1 & Audio2. In other words, you can virtually connect just about anything into this monitor.

The BenQ M2700HD even comes with a four port USB hub, speakers and a remote control that makes this the perfect entertainment monitor for not just your PC but also gaming and movies. Apart from the large size of the screen, one interesting feature for us was the inclusion of a built-in speaker bar (including optical) at the bottom of the screen which essence allows you to throw away the speakers for your computer and use the monitor only.

Power

Dimensions & Weight

This is also an idea for those users who want to connect a gaming console (e.g. PlayStation 3) or Blu-ray player to the monitor and use it as a standalone entertainment device. Considering the 4 2.5W speakers (10WATT total), it does the job well, however you still cannot beat a surround sound system but for a minimalistic approach, it works well.

The screen supports CCFL for its backlight and uses a TN panel with a viewing angle of 170/160 plus it boasts a matte surface. Like most LCD monitors, the viewing angle is acceptable and dare I say, a little better than most. Compared to some other monitors I have looked at from LG, Samsung and Sony, the viewing angle was perfect for its size.

Installation & Design

The first thing you notice about the BenQ M2700HD is the sheer size of the monitor which is made bigger by the inclusion of the speaker bar. The bevel around the screen is a glossy black and is quite a minimalistic yet stylish design. The bottom of the screen has the speaker bar and the bottom right corner has the LED power light. On the left hand side of the screen, there are two USB ports and a headphone jack with the right hand side of the screen supporting the buttons of the menu and the power button.  The screen even supports a 10 degree back tilt which we thought was quite ample.

The installation process was relatively straight forward and the monitor came with all the relevant cables to connect this to your computer and even a Phillips Head screw driver to attach the screen to its stand. Once I attached the stand to the monitor, I actually had to make room on my desk due to the size of the screen. It should be noted that if you do purchase this monitor, you need to be extremely careful while lifting it. Unfortunately you cannot lift the screen like a regular monitor because the bottom of the screen has the speaker bar which looks a little flimsy. There is a warning sticker on the monitor itself to alert the user but this should have been the first thing that users see when opening the box.

Special Features

Once connected to our Windows 7 machine, our operating system immediately detected the monitor and installed the correct drive for the LCD. The unit also comes with an instruction manual and driver CD. Initially I had the monitor on a Belkin stand but this was too high so I had to remove it and sit it on our computer desk. With the monitor sitting on the desk without any stands, it was the perfect height.

When Windows 7 booted, the first thing that you noticed about the screen was the amount of real estate available for viewing. There's plenty! In terms of colours and compared to the BenQ EW2430 LED monitor, the screen was not as vibrant when it came to colours but the clarity was definitely there. The settings out of the box, especially for contrast and brightness were quite high and with our monitor setup utility, we managed to reduce this considerably without hampering quality.

Considering the size of the screen, we were pleasantly surprised at the black levels on the BenQ M2700HD, especially when we reduced the brightness and contrast. There is some bleeding on the top and bottom of the screen but apart from that, the clarity was there which is needed for computing. The real test however would be gaming and movies which we'll get too a little later.

The menu system of the M2700HD is similar to other BenQ monitors which are quite easy to navigate, although it does feel a little strange to have it on the side, not that this makes a huge difference, you do become use to it. The onscreen display supports a variety of modes that include standard, movie, game, photo, sRGB and eco. Just like the settings on FULL HD TV's, these settings effect the amount of brightness/contrast and the warmth of the colours. However the best way to navigate the OSD was via the remote control which also features a volume control and on/off button. We must say that the remote control is perfect for turning the screen on and off, navigating the menus and adjusting audio levels.

Operating System, Movies & Gaming

Due to the size of the monitor, it did take us a day or two to get use to using it with Windows 7, including surfing the net and various office programs like Microsoft Word and Outlook. As we were generally use to 23" screens, your eyes have to adjust to the size of the screen. Alternatively, you can put you can put your keyboard further back of the screen but all in all, it done the job remarkably well.

In terms of text clarity, this screen boasts sharp images for its text with no eye strain whatsoever. We watched a variety of Blu-ray movies on the screen that included Tron, An Idiot Abroad, Cars and Sucker Punch. Movies performed exceptionally well on this screen and the clarity, quality and colours was definitely better than our Samsung 3DTV.

Gaming was as equally good and we tested a variety of titles that included Deus Ex human Evolution, Plants vs. Zombies, Need for Speed Unleashed and Starcraft II. Deus Ex Human Evolution looked amazing and definitely put our PlayStation 3 version to shame due to the grunt behind our AMD graphics card. Although for games to stand out even more, we do recommend the game preset which made the colours more vibrant and lifelike. Of course, this is due to personal preference.

In terms of audio, considering the quality of the overall build of this monitor, the in-built speakers did do a rather decent job, although you cannot beat standalone speakers or surround sound. They do sound a little tinny and there is a lack of Bass but if you have limited space, the screen is on par with midrange notebook speakers.

Conclusion

With a three year warranty, the BenQ M2700HD definitely offers the user some great bang for your buck, especially when it comes to inputs and more importantly, the size of the screen. Blu-rays and gaming looked spectacular on the screen and even using Windows 7, Microsoft Office, Adobe Photoshop and Internet Explorer, it performed extraordinarily well. It may not be as clear as some of the smaller LED or LCD screens but it is more than acceptable when it comes to a powerful and large all round monitor.

Highly Recommended!