RWeisz

I could use some advice on my monitor selection. I am both a professional graphic designer and a photographer. When I get to retire in two years I hope to devote all my time to my photography. But my work as a magazine designer has me spending a lot of time in Photoshop editing my own images, or images provided by my clients. I just upgraded my computer to a 14 inch MacBook Pro with Monterey. I need a 27" secondary monitor to do my work on. In December, after extensive discussions with salesmen at B&H Photo, it was recommended to me to get the BenQ PD2720U which was on sale from $1,099 to $769.00. My goal was to able to have two profiles, one for design and the other for photography and to use Palette Master, the BenQ software with an i1display Pro to calibrate the monitor. BenQ has been good with support, they just told me my monitor doesn't work with Palette Master. And perhaps I should be in the SW series, which is more geared to photography. I need type to be very crisp since I design magazines.

Question: If you are using a BenQ monitor, do you like it? What model?
If you think another brand would be better for my specific need, what would you get. You can see I am not look looking for an inexpensive monitor, nor can I afford and Eizo. Thanks so much!

jeff1234 Loc: Kirkland, WA

I love my Ben Q SW 2700-B

BBurns Loc: South Bay, California

M Viewsonic VX2739wm died after 13 years 18 months ago.
My replacement choice, after some discussion here, was a BenQ EW3270U and I couldn't be happier.
Are there cheaper monitors? Yes. Are there more expensive ones? Of course.
To be happy and satisfied with your choice, find one that will meet your needs and technology trends looking about 5 years forward.

RWeisz

Thanks! I had my old NEC for 11 years. I would love this to last at least five or six years.

cactuspic Loc: Dallas, TX

I have the BenQ SW271C. It is sharp, crisp and calibrates well with Palette Master. I run it off my 14" MacBook Pro and love it. It is also capable of choosing between several calibrations, though I have not used that feature.

Irwin

NickGee Loc: Pacific Northwest

I have the BenQ SW270C PhotoVue 27" QHD 1440p (it's 2K), specialized for photo editing. I've had it for about five months and I'm very happy with it. It's a breeze to calibrate (I use the SpyderX Pro system) and delivers great results. As others have reported, tech support is awesome. (I had some setup issues and they held my hand to resolution.) It ran me around $800, a bit spendy for a monitor, but, as they say, you get what you pay for.

https://www.benq.com/en-us/monitor/photographer/sw270c.html

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

I use the BenQ PD 3200U, it replaced an ASUS 27" graphic arts monitor which had replaced an Acer 24" graphic arts monitor.

I really like my BenQ - I was born very near sighted and am a "readaholic" so my sight got worse until about age 30 and then in my late 40's I started getting "middle age far sighted" and my Optometrist and I joked about how I would be 20-20 for the first time in my life in my early 100's. The more real estate my images are on the happier I am.

Since you will be using it for business/job you might want to look at the BenQ SW321C which at $1999 is rated as the best photo/graphic arts monitor on the market now. And then you will have a really great monitor after you retire.

Why do you use a laptop for photo and graphic arts? Or do you also have a desktop? I have a good laptop and it has my Adobe PP apps on it but I can count the number of times I went to it for editing on my fingers. I use my desktop which is so much more powerful it is like a Corvette vs a Morris Mini.

Look here: https://www.ebaqdesign.com/blog/monitors-graphic-design

RWeisz

Thanks so much for your reply. Great information. I agree, I have always worked on a desktop. But since Covid I have had to spend 50% of my time on each coast. I live on one and my family on the other. So the laptop with my external drives move about with me. Plus my cloud back up. This monitor is just for one of my locations. My daughter has a 27 inch LG that I will calibrate when I visit. My 90 year old mom’s house will need a monitor upgrade too. It has an older NEC that is really past its days. Purchasing the 27 inch will allow me to have the money to upgrade hers too. One day I hope to settled again in one spot. For now, I spend more time in the air than I would like.

JohnSwanda Loc: San Francisco

A few years ago I replaced an Eizo monitor I paid $2500 for with a BenQ SW271 monitor for about $1000, and I felt it performed just as well as the Eizo. It is specifically a photography monitor.

cactuspic Loc: Dallas, TX

I recently purchased a new MacBook Pro with the M1 chip. It is more than powerful enough to run the Topaz AI programs quickly while compiling a 100+ image focus stack and exporting jpgs in Lightroom.

Irwin

OnDSnap Loc: NE New Jersey

I'll stick with my Eizo monitors

david vt Loc: Vermont

There is your answer from a user with your desired solution. Good luck

yssirk123 Loc: New Jersey

I have a BenQ SW240 and love it - wish I had bought it sooner. No room on my desktop for a 27" or larger. 99% Adobe RGB and hardware calibration with price points significantly below EIZO. Highly recommend.

tcthome Loc: NJ

You might be able to calibrate your monitor with just an i1Display calibrator that comes with it. That is what I do on an LG monitor. You already own the BenQ mentioned?
Any of these below in the first link should be good enough for you. Shop within your budget.
https://www.benq.com/en-us/monitor/photographer.html

https://www.benq.com/en-us/monitor.html

cactuspic Loc: Dallas, TX

When I was speaking with the tech from BenQ, he said that the hardware calibration is more accurate than the software calibration. I can't speak from personal experience on this as I have not printed from the BenQ with a software calibration and compared the two. As an aside, the tech support was great.