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BenQSW271C PRICE: £1299
COLORCONFIDENCE.COM
Many image makers spend a lot on shiny, high-megapixel cameras and lenses, then view their shots on monitors only fit for word processing. To truly appreciate your kit – and maximise your talent – invest in a pro-quality monitor
AROUND THE BACK The SW271C has an SD card slot, which is very handy given some computers no longer have them built-in. Getting the card in can be a bit of a fiddly process, though is at arm’s length, to save you stretching. The Puck has three customisable controller keys, plus there are two more options the power level stayed at 100% once it was fully charged. Bigger laptops might need more wattage for full charging. While you will get some power, a laptop might run out of juice over a long session. Monitor set-up with the screen controls is simple enough, but you might be happier using the provided Hotkey Puck, which plugs into a USB port around the rear. This applies particularly if your monitor BENQ IS A leading supplier of monitors. Its new SW271C is a 4K option for photographers and videographers, with key features including 99% Adobe RGB colour gamut, BenQ’s third-generation Uniformity Technology and 60W USB-C power delivery. The BenQ SW271C comes in a big box weighing 18kg, but the monitor itself, without a base, is less than 9kg. Stand fitting is super quick, and secured with a single locking nut. It’s solid and height-adjustable, with 15cm range. The SW271C has standard Vesa fittings if you prefer the monitor on an arm mount. An array of interfaces is supplied, and include 60W USB-C. This is a handy single-cable option, to use a laptop with the connector and keep it powered up. I made the initial mistake of connecting my 13-inch MacBook Pro with the Apple charging lead. This gave power, but no image. Swapping to the lead supplied in the box resolved that issue. My laptop needs 61W for charging and that worked fine –
SPECS › Price £1299 › In the box Monitor, main lead, Hotkey Puck, shading hood, mDP to DP lead, USB 3.1 lead, signal cable › Screen size 27in, display area 59.7x33.5cm › Display colours 1.07 billion colours › Colour gamut 99% Adobe RGB, 90% P3, 100% sRGB › Panel type IPS with LED backlight › Resolution (max) 3840x2160 › Aspect ratio 16:9 › Connectivity 2x HDMI (v2.0), 1x DisplayPort (v1.4), 1x USB Type-C (PD 60W, DP Alt Mode, Data), SD card reader, audio headphone jack › Height adjustment 15cm › Swivel 45° (left/right) › Tilt -5°/-20° (down/up) › Power consumption 37W, <0.5W (sleep mode) › Dimensions Landscape 50.3x64.7x28.5cm (lowest, without hood) › Weight Without hood 10.9kg › Contact colorconfidence.com
on the control dial. Input, volume, brightness and colour mode are some of the adjustable features. I found the colour settings option useful because you can toggle through Adobe RGB, sRGB and black & white. The quality of images shown at the 271’s native 4K resolution looked brilliant. I use Adobe RGB, and this screen shows 99% of that colour space – and 100% of sRGB. Images appeared realistic and fine detail was excellent – that’s a help when editing at higher magnifications. I calibrated the monitor with an X-Rite i1Studio beforehand. Palette Master Element software is provided, so you just need a calibration device. Paper Color Sync technology simulates how a copy looks on screen before you print, too. With monitors, once they are set up – and with regular calibration – they just sit there and don’t add to the creative process, not in the same way a lens or even a filter does. But that doesn’t mean they are unimportant. They are very useful; and in the BenQ SW271C, I found a fine monitor. WC
SCREEN TEST There’s an on-screen display menu for monitor set-up. A Hotkey Puck is supplied in the box, which is a good alternative to the monitor’s controls
Verdict The BenQ SW271C costs £1299, so it is not a budget monitor, but is very good value for what you get. It’s a pro-level unit that should deliver sterling service for many years to come – a good investment.
PROS SD card slot, USB-C port really useful, easy set-up CONS 60W power delivery not enough for bigger laptops
36 Photography News | Issue 93
photographynews.co.uk
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