The BenQ EL2870U is a decent 4k monitor. It has great gaming features, including FreeSync support, a fast response time, and excellent low input lag. It also has great accuracy out of the box. Unfortunately, it has disappointing dark room performance due to the sub-par native contrast ratio and disappointing black uniformity. It supports HDR, but there's little benefit to this mode, as it can't get very bright and can't display a wide color gamut.
Our Verdict
The BenQ EL2870U is a decent monitor overall. It performs well as a casual gaming monitor since it supports FreeSync and has excellent low input lag. Unfortunately, it doesn't look as good in a dark room, and although it supports HDR, there's little benefit to enabling it, and the narrow viewing angles make it a bit less versatile.
- Great gaming features, including low input lag and FreeSync support
- Great accuracy out of the box
- Disappointing dark room performance
- HDR doesn't add much
The BenQ EL2870U is a decent monitor for office use. The 28 inch, 4k screen is great for multitasking, and it has a good selection of inputs. Unfortunately, it has disappointing viewing angles, and the stand has terrible ergonomics, making it difficult to place in an ideal viewing position.
The BenQ EL2870U is a decent gaming monitor for casual gamers. It has great motion handling, and it has excellent low input lag. It supports FreeSync, which is great, but it has a maximum 60Hz refresh rate, which may disappoint more serious gamers. It gets bright enough for even a well-lit room, but it isn't as well suited for dark rooms.
The BenQ EL2870U is decent for multimedia. The 4k, 28 inch screen is great for watching UHD movies, but unfortunately, HDR support is limited and it can't show movies the way the creator intended. Unfortunately, it isn't as well suited for watching movies at night due to the sub-par native contrast and disappointing black uniformity.
The BenQ EL2870U is a decent monitor for creating media. It has low input lag and a fast response time, giving the monitor a very responsive feel. It has an excellent SDR color gamut, but coverage of the wider Adobe RGB color space is less than ideal for professional photo or video editing.
The BenQ 2870U is a mediocre monitor for HDR gaming. It has good overall gaming performance, but HDR doesn't add much, as it can't get very bright and can't display a wide color gamut. For a better HDR gaming monitor, check out the Samsung CHG70.
Changelog
- Updated Jul 02, 2021: Changed height adjustment result from 'N/A' to '0' to match our methodology.
- Updated Jun 08, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.1.
- Updated Jan 15, 2019: We tested the monitor's compatibility with NVIDIA's new FreeSync driver. See our full investigation into NVIDIA's FreeSync Drivers here.
- Updated Dec 12, 2018: Review published.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the 28" EL2870U, which is the only size available in this model. There are other models in the same family of BenQ monitors, some of which are listed below, but we don't expect them to perform the same as the EL2870U that we've tested.
If someone comes across a different type of panel or if their BenQ EL2870U doesn't correspond to our review, let us know and we will update the review. Note that some tests such as the gray uniformity may vary between individual units.
| Model | Size | Resolution | Refresh Rate | Notes |
| EL2870U | 28" | 4k | 60Hz | FreeSync, HDR, B.I.+ Sensor |
| EW3270U | 32" | 4k | 60Hz | FreeSync, HDR, B.I.+ Sensor |
| EX3203R | 32" | 1440p | 144Hz | FreeSync, B.I.+ Sensor, Curved |
| EW2775ZH | 27" | 1080p | 60Hz | B.I. Sensor |
| EW2770QZ | 27" | 1440p | 60Hz | B.I.+ Sensor |
The EL2870U we reviewed was manufactured in August 2018.
Popular Monitor Comparisons
The BenQ EL2870U is a decent monitor, but there are better choices in the same price range.
See our recommendations for the best 32-inch monitors, the best 4k HDR monitors, and the best 4k monitors.
The BenQ EL2870U is much better than the Samsung UE590. The BenQ supports HDR, although this doesn't add much. The BenQ also has slightly better motion handling, as the backlight is completely flicker-free at all brightness settings. Although both monitors support FreeSync, the BenQ supports it over DisplayPort and HDMI, whereas the Samsung only supports FreeSync over DisplayPort.
The BenQ EW3270U is better than the BenQ EL2870U. The EW3270U has a much better native contrast ratio, and better black uniformity. The EW3270U also has better HDR performance, as it can display a wide color gamut.
The BenQ EL2870U and LG 29UM69G-B use different panels, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. The LG uses an IPS panel, which delivers wider viewing angles, and it has a higher native refresh rate. The BenQ has a TN panel, with a much higher resolution 4k screen that is better for multitasking, and it supports HDR, although this doesn't add much.
The LG 32UD59-B is better than the BenQ EL2870U. The LG has a larger screen, and the VA panel delivers better dark room performance. The LG also has a slightly more versatile stand, and the image remains accurate when viewed at an angle. The BenQ supports HDR, although this doesn't add much.
We buy and test more than 30 monitors each year, all of which we purchase ourselves, without cherry-picked units or samples. We put a lot into each unbiased, straight-to-the-point review, and there's a whole process from purchasing to publishing, involving multiple teams and people. We do more than just use the monitor for a week; we use specialized, custom tools to measure various aspects and deliver objective, data-driven results. We also consider multiple factors before making any recommendations, including the monitor's cost, its performance compared to the competition, and whether it's easy to find.
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