BenQ EX2710Q review

BenQ EX2710Q two-minute review

The BenQ EX2710Q is a gaming monitor that honors the healthy overlap of needs between gamers and creative professionals, and not just in terms of hardware. Both creatives and gamers will appreciate what the monitor has to offer when they work or play.

The EX2710Q has a 2560 x 1440p IPS display running up to 165Hz, so it's definitely a crisp, speedy-looking monitor (especially at 27 inches, which is really a sweet spot at this resolution). The 1ms response rate is a must-have for competitive gaming, and this monitor even supports 2K gaming on the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

Those specs are pretty standard for QHD gaming monitors these days, but the EX2710Q throws in some perks that help it stand apart from the crowd.

Extras include built-in, dual 2W speakers with a 5W woofer, which is a huge plus for those of us who haven't bought computer speakers in years but want to game with something other than a headset.

This monitor also features 95% coverage of the P3 color gamut, so creative pros can trust the color fidelity of the display while they work - at least more so than your typical gaming monitor.

EX2710Q also comes loaded with a bunch of gaming-oriented color presets. You can access these presets quickly through a pretty straightforward menu, which you control with a stick-switch by the power button.

The footprint of the monitor isn't tiny by any means, but the twin legs (with eye-catching accent coloring) leave room in the middle for a smartphone or USB docking hub, which is the kind of thing that you don't notice until you get to enjoy that extra space.

While the EX2710Q is definitely one of the best gaming monitors we've gotten our hands on recently, there are some considerable shortfalls that keep it from taking the gaming crown.

One particular flaw is quite big, considering that this "gaming" monitor should be an attractive display for creatives on a budget. 

The EX2710Q doesn't come with USB Type-C input, which rules it out as an external display for MacBook Pro users who might be looking for a display with better color fidelity.

That fidelity we spoke of earlier also only goes so far. While the monitor has HDR support, it's only HDR10 and VESA DisplayHDR 400, so while it's there, it's just not the best around. It's also a bit on the dim side, with a typical brightness of 250 nits, maxing out at 400 with HDR enabled. Again, not the worst, but not the best either.

The last thing to consider is the price. The BenQ EX2710Q sells for $499 / £349 / AU$629, so it's not exactly cheap. If you're just looking for a gaming monitor and don't care much about P3 color gamut coverage or integrated speakers, you can save yourself a good bit of money and still get a sharp 165Hz QHD 27-inch display.

We think that given the mix of features, the price is appropriate, but you really have to be a gamer who also uses Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator on the side for semi-professional work - like, say, a tech journalist at TechRadar dot com. 

We think the BenQ EX2710Q is an outstanding gaming monitor all-around and well worth the price – just understand what you are investing in.

Buy it if...

Don't buy if...

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