Last week BenQ introduced its new display with QHD resolution that has an integrated USB 3.0 Type-C dock. Aside from the dock, the 27” monitor's big selling point is support for 100% sRGB. This goes in tandem with additional modes specifically aimed at CAD/CAM, Animation and Darkroom environments. The new display is among the first monitors with a USB-C connector as well as docking capabilities.

The manufacturer does not disclose too many details about the unit, but given that the monitor belongs to the PD-series from BenQ for designers and engineers, it is logical to expect it to use an IPS or a VA panel with 178° viewing angles and a 60 Hz refresh rate. Meanwhile, covering 100% sRGB should suggest that the display supports 1.07 billion colors (8-bit + FRC), which is enough for typical office and web design workloads. To further appeal to the target audience, the monitor features CAD/CAM, Animation, and Darkroom modes calibrated for particular types of applications, but BenQ does not disclose how this affects color accuracy.

BenQ Display with USB-C Dock
  PD2710QC
Panel 27" IPS or VA
Native Resolution 2560 × 1440
Maximum Refresh Rate 60 Hz (?)
Response Time unknown
Brightness unknown
Contrast unknown
Viewing Angles 178°/178° horizontal/vertical (?)
Inputs 1 × USB Type-C (DisplayPort alt mode)
DP 1.2
HDMI 1.4
USB Hub USB 3.0 hub
'multiple audio, video, network, and USB ports' 
Audio Integrated speakers, audio in/out ports

The integrated USB-C docking station uses the same cable as the display, and BenQ's press release states that the dock is designed to charge a laptop or a mobile device up to 61W (that is compatible with DisplayPort alternate mode for USB-C) as well as expand its I/O capabilities over USB 3.0. This includes, 'multiple audio, video, network, USB ports and integrated speakers'. At present, the list of devices supporting DP alt mode for USB-C includes the Apple MacBook, the Dell XPS 12/13/15, the HP Elite X2 1012, the HP EliteBook Folio G1, the Microsoft Lumia 950/950 XL, the LG G5, the HTC 10 M10h and so on. In addition to the USB-C input, the display is also equipped with DisplayPort and HDMI input connectors.

BenQ did not announce exact pricing or availability timeframe for its PD2710QC. Currently BenQ sells the PD2700Q display for $359, which is not too much for a 27” QHD IPS monitor. While a USB-C hub is clearly a premium feature, it remains to be seen how much more BenQ will charge for it.

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Source: BenQ

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  • savagemike - Thursday, January 26, 2017 - link

    I don't understand why anything would be launching now with HDMI 1.4. Especially a 4k device. Maybe a more casual home user or student isn't their target market. But with that choice they've limited their market to definitely not include those consumers. At least not if they are paying attention.
    Meanwhile they probably upped their cost for returns because quite a few people not paying attention might buy this anyway and then discover their 4k source won't play through that HDMI port and return the monitor.
  • savagemike - Thursday, January 26, 2017 - link

    Just realized two things.
    1. This isn't a 4k monitor, the article in my other browser tab was about a 4k monitor.
    2. I can't delete comments here.
  • quiksilvr - Thursday, January 26, 2017 - link

    They really need to just use Disqus as their comment tool.
  • BrokenCrayons - Thursday, January 26, 2017 - link

    I'd rather AT stay away from Disqus. There's enough data mining going on already thanks.
  • Samus - Thursday, January 26, 2017 - link

    I love the AT commenting system. Disqus sucks. I prefer comments not be deleted, even if they are mistakes. Remember history - Winston Churchill
  • Murloc - Thursday, January 26, 2017 - link

    Disqus has spam bots because it's popular.
  • lmcd - Thursday, January 26, 2017 - link

    Is that what they call B*llwinkle M**se these days?
  • jsntech - Thursday, January 26, 2017 - link

    I'm starting to feel like the PPI of 1440p on 27" is too low (after spoiling my eyes on Apple Retina displays for the past few years). Would be better at 24" I think.
  • willis936 - Thursday, January 26, 2017 - link

    Sit further away from your monitors.

    I'm watching the CSGO Atlanta Majors right now and they're all like a foot away from their monitor. I swear having information in your periphery is a disadvantage. Especially since they're playing on 1080p screens and sitting that close offers virtually no benefit.
  • BrokenCrayons - Thursday, January 26, 2017 - link

    They're professional e-sports athletes and sitting very close to the screen is done for two reasons.

    -Reducing the distance between the monitor and the eye reduces the distance light has to travel to arrive at a person's retina. That increases that person's response time dramatically since they're not dealing with light transmission-induced lag.

    -Humans vision is naturally tunnelized to focus narrowly on a small circle of objects directly in front. The male hunter instinct is triggered by motion in the peripheral areas more acutely, resulting in a naturally aggressive response needed in the violently competitive environment of the e-sports arena. Think about how a human man responds to a tiger pouncing him from the front versus from the side while in a grassy field and put it into context of a video game in an air conditioned room where the sour taint of sweat is already triggering adrenaline and testosterone to flow just like it does in more physically active competitive sports.

    -e-Sports professionals play video games for the majority of their waking hours in order to be competitive. They move infrequently from their screens and often get meals delivered to them by their caregivers that live atop them on the above ground floors of their residence. The focal distance of their eyes has become attuned to a cozy, close monitor-to-face distance over the years. While optometrists incorrectly refer to this as near sightedness and try to correct it with glasses or contact lenses, it's actually an evolutionary trait of gaming professionals that helps them win championships that people who can see longer distances wouldn't because they'd get distracted by distant objects and/or hygiene concerns.

    So obviously, sitting that close to the screen is part of what makes you a professional.

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