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For simplicity we’ll just focus on a few titles in this section; Battlefield V and Shadow of the Tomb Raider. These are games we’ve tested on a broad range of monitors under HDR and we know they’re a good test for monitor HDR capability. The experience described here is largely dictated and limited by the screen itself. Although our testing here is focused on HDR PC gaming using DisplayPort, we made similar observations when viewing HDR video content on the Netflix app. There are some additional points to bear in mind if you wish to view such content. We also made observations using HDMI, which would be used when viewing HDR content on an HDR compatible games console for example, and things were very similar. Testing on both our Nvidia and AMD GPUs showed that the HDR implementation was similar in both cases, too. The monitor includes three ‘HDR Mode’ settings; ‘Game HDRi’, ‘Cinema HDRi’ and ‘Display HDR’. As noted earlier, these settings act as ‘emulation modes’ (quite a misnomer) under SDR but act as distinct HDR settings when an HDR signal is detected. ‘Game HDRi’ and ‘Cinema HDRi’ incorporate the light sensor, as used for ‘Brightness Intelligence +’ (B.I. +) under SDR. This adjusts the image based on the content being displayed as well as ambient lighting. As we covered earlier, it will adjust brightness such that unless the room is very bright it essentially acts as a limiter. That brings down brightness to distinctly ‘un HDR-like’ levels, whilst further adjustments are made to colour temperature gamma and other elements. The Audio menu includes five DSP modes that sound distinctly different. They manipulate phase and frequency balance to change the sound stage shape. My personal favorite for gaming was Cinema. BenQ Mobiuz EX2710Q Calibration Settings Towards the top of the screen you can see strong strobe crosstalk in front of the image, about as bold as the image itself and essentially creating a double image. This weakens a bit further down and transitions to behind rather than in front of the object. The central region of the screen shows some strobe crosstalk behind the object, but this is quite a bit fainter than the main object and therefore doesn’t detract too much from the main purpose of this setting. During competitive gameplay where this sort of setting is best suited, your eyes tend to focus mainly within this central region of the screen rather than further up or further down. Further down the screen the strobe crosstalk behind the object becomes strong and again creates a double image. The monitor includes a range of easily accessible Low Blue Light (LBL) settings, which can be set between ‘0’ (disabled) and ‘20’ (strongest effect). The stronger settings were particularly effective at reducing blue light output from the monitor, especially when coupled with reduced brightness. They significantly reduced the blue colour channel and hence blue light output from the monitor. They also strengthen the red channel whilst reducing the green channel somewhat, providing a better visual balance compared to some LBL settings which can introduce a green or yellow tint. This has an effect on contrast as we explore shortly. The image appeared warmer using these settings, which we found our eyes adjusted to quite readily over time – more so than when additional imbalances such as a green tint are introduced. Reducing blue light exposure is particularly important in the hours leading up to sleep as blue light is stimulating to the body and affects sleep hormones. It increases alertness and makes it more difficult to ‘shut off’. We used the strongest setting of ‘20’ over our ‘Test Settings’ for our own viewing comfort in the evenings. But not for any specific testing beyond that involving the setting itself.
The differences here only slight, which is not entirely unexpected given that the gamut doesn’t extent massively beyond sRGB to begin with. Some shades appear a bit more muted, including the shades we said appeared just slightly overdone before. Aquamarine (4) now verges a touch too much on aqua, although this is a subtle difference which isn’t captured clearly in the photograph. As usual, we’d recommend profiling the monitor with your own colorimeter or alternative calibrator using the native gamut if you require the highest level of colour accuracy.BenQ takes eye care seriously with a TUV Rheinland certification and adjustments for Low Blue Light and Color Weakness. You can employ variable filters for red and green deficiency if needed.
As illustrated above the standard RGB (Red, Green and Blue) stripe subpixel layout is used. This is the default expected by modern operating systems such as Microsoft Windows. Apple’s MacOS no longer uses subpixel rendering and therefore doesn’t optimise text for one particular subpixel layout to the detriment of another. You needn’t worry about text fringing from non-standard subpixel layouts and won’t need to change the defaults in the ‘ClearType Text Tuner’ as a Windows user. You may still wish to run through the ClearType wizard and adjust according to preferences, however. The subpixel layout and arrangement is normal and we had no subpixel-related concerns related to sharpness or text clarity on this model. As factory defaults but somewhat warmer look, a touch brighter and with a bit of a green bias. All colour channels are in their neutral position (‘100’), maximising contrast. BenQ gets special kudos for the EX2710Q’s audio quality. It is more than just a cut above the rest. With treVolo tuning and an extra driver providing bass, this monitor delivers the best sound I’ve heard from integrated computer display speakers. Dialog is crystal clear with a fullness you would normally need good headphones or external speakers to experience. You can truly do without extra audio gear when playing on the EX2710Q.
As an update to last year's Mobiuz EX2710, the "S" model boosts the refresh rate up to 165Hz for even smoother gameplay.
Finally, note that the refresh rate displayed in the OSD reflected the frame rate of the content when it was within the main VRR window (38 – 144Hz), updated when you first enter the section of the OSD where it’s displayed. And as with AMD FreeSync, HDR can be used at the same time as ‘G-SYNC Compatible Mode’. Shadow of Tomb Raider gave a similar look to things. Lara Croft’s skin looked quite appropriate with just a hint of extra tan to it, but she didn’t appear heavily tanned or potentially sunburnt. The natural environments showcased a good range of quite vivid but still natural-looking greens and rich earthy browns. Again, just a touch of extra yellowing for some yellowish green shades and a bit of an orange-red push to some reddish browns, but much less pronounced than on models with a colour gamut closer to DCI-P3. Vibrant elements such as bright orange berries, purple flowers and colourful painted artifacts appeared quite vivid, but again with saturation and a look that’s quite close to the developer’s intentions. The strong consistency again helped with the maintenance of this saturation throughout the screen. It’s important to note that strobe crosstalk varies at different areas of the screen. Not all areas refresh simultaneously, so its appearance can differ depending on how high up or low down on the screen movement is being observed. The images below show pursuit photographs running from the top to bottom regions of the screen, with the screen set to 144Hz and ‘AMA = 2’ with Blur Reduction active. Strobe crosstalk variation at different points was also observed at 120Hz and 100Hz and with different AMA settings, but the relative variability in strobe crosstalk at different sections of the screen remained the same. So we didn’t feel it was worthwhile documenting these observations.
The average contrast ratio with only brightness adjusted was 1078:1, just slightly above the specified 1000:1 and fairly typical for an IPS-type model. The peak contrast recorded was 1221:1, with ‘Color Temperature = User Define) – this puts all colour channels in their neutral position to maximise contrast. We recorded 1164:1 under our ‘Test Settings’, which is respectable and beyond what some some IPS-type models will achieve. The lowest contrast recorded was 761:1, with ‘Low Blue Light = 20’ which is the strongest setting. As we noted earlier this makes changes to the colour channels which come at the expense of contrast, but with better balance to the image than many settings of this sort. The highest white luminance recorded under SDR was 342 cd/m², whilst the minimum white luminance recorded on the table (Blur Reduction disabled) was 56 cd/m². This gives a luminance adjustment range of 286 cd/m², with a reasonably low minimum and fairly bright maximum luminance. AMD's FreeSync Premium is standard, but NVIDIA G-Sync compatibility means the display will work with any of the best graphics cards to prevent screen tearing. A 1ms MPRT and 2ms GtG response time is low enough for competitive gamers out there who rely on fast-twitch movements to succeed. As for color, I measured in the display's custom mode 96% sRGB, 77% AdobeRGB, and 80% DCI-P3. A look we like to describe as ‘rich and natural’, with a somewhat cool tint. A touch of extra depth and saturation for sRGB content due to the gamma handling and gamut, nothing dramatic.
The image below is a macro photograph taken on Notepad with ClearType disabled. The letters ‘PCM’ are typed out to help highlight any potential text rendering issues related to unusual subpixel structure, whilst the white space more clearly shows the actual subpixel layout alongside a rough indication of screen surface. This model uses a light matte anti-glare screen surface with a relatively smooth surface texture. This surface offers relatively good glare handling, avoiding the sort of distinct reflections you’d see on a glossy or much lighter screen surface. It also preserves clarity and vibrancy better than ‘stronger’ matte screen surfaces. It offers more direct emission of light with lower diffusion, giving it less of a layered appearance in comparison. When observing lighter shades there was a light misty graininess rather than a heavy or ‘smeary’ graininess. This surface is slightly lighter and has a somewhat smoother surface texture than the 24.5” models, such as the EX2510 and XB253Q GP. The BenQ EX2710 offers a range of ‘Color Mode’ presets; ‘HDR’, ‘Game HDRi’, ‘Cinema HDRi’, ‘FPS’, ‘RPG’, ‘Racing Game’, ‘Standard’, ‘M-Book’ and ‘ePaper’. The first three presets, with HDR in them, are the only presets selectable under HDR (High Dynamic Range). But can also be selected under SDR (Standard Dynamic Range) where various adjustments are made to the image – think of them as a sort of ‘filter’, but there’s nothing ‘HDR’ about the resulting image with an SDR signal. We touch upon these presets in the OSD video and explore some of them elsewhere in the review. For this section we’ll instead focus on manual adjustments that can be made in the OSD. The table below includes gamma and white point readings taken using a Datacolor SpyderX Elite colorimeter. General observations made by eye are also provided. There's no rotation available, so you can't use the monitor in a vertical position. The display is best employed as a primary gaming screen, so this isn't a huge deal. And as mentioned, it would be nice to have a higher possible height adjustment to avoid having to use a riser.
SDR games look just as rich and impactful thanks to that large color gamut. With solid accuracy, there is balance and smooth tonality with all the detail intended by the original material. Again, I wish contrast were better, but it is enough to provide a good gaming experience and reasonably satisfying video quality when streaming movies or YouTube. Our suggestions regarding use of VSync also apply, but you’re using Nvidia Control Panel rather than AMD Radeon Software to control this. The setting is found in ‘Manage 3D settings’ under ‘Vertical sync’, where the final option (‘Fast’) is equivalent to AMD’s ‘Enhanced Sync’ setting. You’ll also notice ‘G-SYNC Compatible’ listed under ‘Monitor Technology’ in this section, as shown below. Make sure this is selected (it should be if you’ve set everything up correctly in ‘Set up G-SYNC’).The monitor offers no local dimming and therefore there was no contrast benefit under HDR. The peak luminance recorded was 486 cd/m² using the ‘HDR’ setting – quite bright, although not particularly impressive by HDR standards. Similar brightness (485 cd/m²) was recorded using ‘Game HDRi’ and ‘Cinema HDRi’ in a very bright room – these settings respond to the content of the screen but also the ambient lighting when making adjustments. Under these conditions, sunlight was streaming into the room freely and some of this was striking both the screen surface and sensor unit directly. The monitor brightness is raised as much as possible to try to compete with this. A lower but still reasonably bright luminance was recorded in a moderately bright room (395 cd/m²). Here, there was a good amount of natural light in the room but no strong direct light hitting the screen and sensor unit. In a dark room we recorded a dimmer 295 – 296 cd/m², which is still pretty bright. This was quite similar to the basic ‘HDR’ setting with brightness set to ‘50%’. Impressive bright highlights and bright shades are an important part of HDR, so we didn’t particularly like the idea of brightness being eaten away based on ambient lighting. We didn’t agree with the other adjustments made with the ‘HDRi’ setting either, as we explore later. But some will like the image they present and the overall HDR implementation on this model, although limited in capability, is at least flexible. The video below shows the monitor in action. The camera, processing done and your own screen all affect the output – so it doesn’t accurately represent what you’d see when viewing the monitor in person. It still provides useful visual demonstrations and explanations which help reinforce some of the key points raised in the written piece. Decent static contrast for an IPS-type panel, whilst the light and relatively smooth screen surface kept the image free from obvious layering or graininess
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