BenQ PD3220U
An affordable and versatile 32-inch display with 4K resolution
The 4K resolution provides a crisp, sharp image
£869.99 FROM benq.com FEATURES 31.5-inch IPS panel; 4K (3840x2160) resolution, 60Hz refresh, 300cd/m2 (nits) brightness, HDR10, 2x Thunderbolt 3 ports (1x with 85W PD), 2x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort, USB hub (3x USB-A and 1x USB-C), 3.5mm headphone jack
Apple’s own displays are really expensive, but there are plenty of affordable alternatives if you need an external display to use with your Mac. Most monitors are Mac-compatible these days, especially if they have a USB-C or Thunderbolt interface that can handle video output from a Mac, but BenQ has a selection of monitors that are specifically designed with Macs in mind. Unlike many manufacturers it provides a Mac version of its Display Pilot software, which allows you to adjust many features and settings on the display. It even has a special section on its website aimed at Mac users, which covers details such as colour calibration, and the number of displays that can be connected to your Mac via Thunderbolt.
The company has three main displays designed for Macs, ranging from 27-inch to 34-inch screen sizes, but we tested the mid-range PD3220U, which provides a 32-inch IPS display with 4K resolution (3840x2160 and 60Hz) for a competitive £869.99. That price does involve some compromises, but it’s a lot less expensive than Apple’s Studio Display, and the PD3220U even throws in a few features that the Studio Display lacks.
Convention and colour
The design of the PD3220U is fairly conventional, and you’ll have to assemble it yourself as the screen panel, stand and base plate are all separate in the box. That only takes a couple of minutes, though, and the stand not only allows you to adjust the height of the display – a luxury for which Apple charges a shameless £400
– it also allows you to rotate the screen into the upright portrait mode as well. The slim bevels around the edge of the screen panel also help to make it look fairly streamlined, and reduce the overall size of the display as much as possible.
Image quality is very good, with the 4K resolution providing a crisp, sharp image, while its support for HDR10 produces bold, well-balanced colours. It’ll work well for general tasks such as web browsing, streaming video and running apps such as Microsoft Office. However, creative users will need to pay close attention to the monitor’s specifications to determine if it meets their needs.
The display supports 100% of the sRGB colour space, so it’s suitable for graphics and photo editing work. It also supports 95% of the DCI-P3 colour space used for professional video editing, which will be perfectly adequate for semi-pro podcasters and vloggers who want to edit their work for streaming, although pro video editors will probably prefer a more expensive display that offers full support for the P3 standard.
The brightness of the display might make some people think twice as well. Even with HDR content, the PD3220U only peaks at 300 nits, and the 500 nits display of an ageing MacBook Pro is noticeably brighter. We didn’t find this to be a problem for routine use for web browsing, streaming video and some simple photoediting, but some people may prefer a brighter display for graphics or video work.
And, if the display meets your needs, then it has quite a few additional features to offer as well. There are two Thunderbolt 3 ports, with one used to handle video input from your Mac – and also to provide 85W power to charge a laptop – while the other can be used to daisy chain a second display. There are also two HDMI ports and one DisplayPort interface, so you have plenty of options for connecting multiple computers to the display. There’s also a built-in USB hub, with three USB-A ports and
one USB-C for connecting additional peripherals. And, if you have two computers connected to the display, then you can use a single keyboard and mouse to control both computers and quickly switch between them as required. There’s a headphone socket on the side of the screen, and a pair of built-in speakers – which are fairly loud, although the bass is pretty weak, so it’s still worth using headphones or a set of external speakers for listening to music.
Making adjustments
Like most displays, the PD3220U has an on-screen menu for adjusting brightness, contrast and other settings, but BenQ also provides some interesting extra features here. The first is a ‘hockey puck’ – a circular dial that sits on your desk and provides instant access to brightness and other settings. And, as mentioned, BenQ also provides a Mac version of its Display Pilot software too. This includes several useful features, such as the ability to quickly switch between colour spaces, and you can even assign a particular colour space to individual apps – such as sRGB for Adobe Photoshop, or DCI-P3 for video work in Premiere. The app also has a number of preset viewing modes, including ‘M-Book’ mode, which is calibrated specifically for Macs, and a CAD/CAM mode that enhances contrast when viewing line drawings and blueprints.
That range of features ensures that the PD3220U is a versatile display that will be suitable for a wide range of tasks. It’s not a high-end professional display like Apple’s Studio and Pro offerings, and the modest brightness levels are a little disappointing, but the PD3220U is a good option for anyone looking for an affordable 4K display for use at home, or for semi-pro content creation. Cliff Joseph