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Is coming late to the party a bad thing? The best OLED gaming monitors have been available in many sizes and shapes for a few years, and you’d think by now that every major manufacturer would be offering them. But who has heard of a BenQ OLED gaming monitor? The answer is no one, until now.
For its first effort, BenQ introduces the Mobiuz EX271UZ. It features a QD-OLED panel with 4K (3840×2160) resolution, 240 Hz, Adaptive-Sync, blur reduction, HDR10, DisplayHDR 400 True Black, wide gamut color, and some unique features. Let’s take a look.
BenQ Mobiuz EX271UZ Specs
|
Panel Type / Backlight |
Quantum Dot Organic Light Emitting Diode (QD-OLED) |
|
Screen Size / Aspect Ratio |
27 inches / 16:9 |
|
Max Resolution and Refresh Rate |
3840×2160 @ 240 Hz |
| Row 3 – Cell 0 |
FreeSync and G-Sync Compatible |
|
Native Color Depth and Gamut |
10-bit / DCI-P3+ |
| Row 5 – Cell 0 |
HDR10 |
| Row 6 – Cell 0 |
DisplayHDR 400 True Black |
|
Response Time (GTG) |
0.03ms |
|
Brightness (mfr) |
250 nits SDR |
| Row 9 – Cell 0 |
1,000 nits HDR (3% window) |
|
Contrast |
Unmeasurable |
|
Speakers |
None |
|
Video Inputs |
1x DisplayPort 1.4 |
| Row 13 – Cell 0 |
2x HDMI 2.1, 1x USB-C |
|
Audio |
HDMI eARC |
| Row 15 – Cell 0 |
3.5mm headphone output |
|
USB 3.2 |
2x type C, 3x type A |
|
Power Consumption |
38w, brightness @ 200 nits |
|
Panel Dimensions WxHxD w/base |
21.2 x 17-21 x 8.8 inches (538 x 432-533 x 224mm) |
|
Panel Thickness |
3.3 inches (84mm) |
|
Bezel Width |
Top: 0.28 inch (7mm) |
| Row 21 – Cell 0 |
Sides: 0.43 inch (11mm) |
| Row 22 – Cell 0 |
Bottom: 0.75 inch (19mm) |
|
Weight |
16.38 pounds (7.45kg) |
|
Warranty |
3 years |
BenQ is the last major company to add OLED to available displays, but the EX271UZ is by no means a version 1.0 product. With 4K resolution, a 240 Hz refresh rate, and Quantum Dot color, it incorporates all the latest tech. It goes a bit further with an included handheld remote control, KVM, local contrast enhancement, easy-to-access settings memories, unique styling, and premium build quality.
That 240 Hz refresh rate comes with Adaptive-Sync, which works on both FreeSync and G-Sync platforms. It also includes blur reduction, which you don’t often see in OLED monitors. If you have enough graphics card horsepower to run 4K past 200fps, it isn’t necessary. But at lower frame rates, the black frame insertion eliminates blur. It works instead of Adaptive-Sync.
OLED’s deep contrast is fully represented, and BenQ does something I haven’t seen before outside the Full Array Local Dimming genre. It’s called local contrast, and it does something akin to zone dimming and it has a profound effect on the image.
Also in abundance is color volume. The EX271UZ is a Quantum Dot display and covers over 102% of the DCI-P3 gamut. That’s a bit below average in the QD category but more saturated than a non-QD monitor. There are accurate color modes as well for both Display P3 and sRGB specs, along with interpretive presets like Fantasy and Cinema, more on that later.
The feature list is a long one, with aiming points and a frame counter to enhance gaming. There are plenty of USB ports, including USB-A and USB-C, one of which delivers 90W for charging. One of the two HDMI 2.1 inputs supports Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC), which is rare on computer monitors. It’s very common with televisions and projectors, though. That lets you connect an external soundbar or system that keeps the audio signal entirely digital. You also get DisplayPort 1.4 and a USB-C video input.
Styling is unique, but if you’ve seen BenQ displays before, the EX271UZ will look familiar with its white and black aesthetic. BenQ always takes OSD control to another level, and here, it comes in the form of a handheld remote. While that may seem like overkill for a 27-inch monitor, it’s super handy and quick. The menu is also convenient with four settings memories, and a plethora of options.
The EX271UZ is a premium display in terms of build, performance, and price. $1,000 is required to put one on your desk at this writing, but that is about average for the category.
Assembly and Accessories
The EX271UZ box opens clamshell style to reveal spongy foam, not the annoying crumbly stuff, and the monitor is packed in three parts. The base screws onto the upright with a captive bolt, and the panel snaps on. If you’d rather use an arm, there’s a 100mm VESA mount with fasteners included. The cable bundle comes in its own box and has only HDMI and IEC power, no DisplayPort or USB. You also get a nice microfiber cleaning cloth for that beautiful, shiny screen.
Product 360
Image 1 of 6
BenQ leaves the EX271UZ’s white areas to the stand and back. The bezel surrounding the image is matte black with a thin flush design. Slightly protruding from the bottom is an OSD joystick and a large IR receiver for the remote control. This little handset has one-key access to brightness, color modes, aiming points, and the frame counter. You can also control volume and mute, and you get three IR channels in case the remote inadvertently controls another component.
The side view shows that the panel isn’t especially thin but uses the same design as others, with the OLED grafted onto a component bulge. Check out the label on the side of the stand that says “Pixsoul Engine.” I haven’t seen that one before!
The base is relatively shallow but still large and heavy enough to keep the EX271UZ from moving about. The stand includes a four-inch height adjustment, plus 5/15 degrees tilt and 15 degrees swivel. There is no portrait mode. Movements are smooth and firm with the feeling of high-end quality.
The video input panel is recessed but faces backward for easy access. You get two HDMI 2.1s, one of which has eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel), DisplayPort 1.4, and USB-C. eARC lets you connect a soundbar, AV receiver, or surround processor, which can be a considerable enhancement for gaming and entertainment. The EX271UZ makes an ideal personal TV. At the bottom of the panel is another jack pack with two USB-A ports, a USB-C port, and a headphone jack. In the same photo, you can also see the backlit power key, OSD joystick, and another button that opens the input selector.
OSD Features
The EX271UZ’s user interface is well-designed and super easy to operate with either the joystick or the remote. One button press brings up a quick menu, and a second opens the full OSD.
Image 1 of 11
The first button press opens an info tab at the top with a quick menu at the bottom. Pressing left or right selects the four settings memories named after the first four letters of the NATO alphabet: Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, and Delta. The memories are completely programmable by the user, with any four parameters of your choice appearing in the quick menu.
A second press opens the EX271UZ’s full menu, which has seven sections. The color modes include interpretive options such as Sci-fi and Fantasy, as well as color standards (Display P3 and sRGB). You also get Custom and three Game modes for a total of 12 choices. If you download BenQ’s Color Shuttle app, it offers another preset called Smart Game Art. Each mode has different options. You can calibrate the interpretive modes while keeping Display P3 and sRGB fixed for color and gamma. HDR signals also get four specific modes.
Calibration settings include gamma presets, three fixed color temps, and a set of RGB sliders. An additional luminance option, called Light Tuner, also adjusts gamma. I encountered some unique challenges when calibrating the EX271UZ, which I’ll detail in the next section.
Audio output can be either the headphone jack or HDMI eARC (HDMI 1). eARC keeps the signal digital until it reaches the audio output device, which can be a sound bar, AV receiver, or surround processor. This is something almost no computer monitor has, but it is a common feature on TVs.
The four settings memories can be assigned to specific inputs, which saves clicking around when changing sources. The EX271UZ also supports HDMI CEC, which lets you control compatible components with a single remote. You could control the monitor with a disc player remote, for example.
For OLED care, BenQ provides pixel refresh, a screen dimmer, logo dimming, and pixel shift. I have yet to observe burn-in on any OLED screen I’ve used or reviewed, which includes my five-year-old LG TV. In the Quick Menu, you can set up the four memories to store any three settings you need quick access to.
Finally, you’ll find the aiming points and frame counter in the System menu. There are dedicated remote buttons for these features, too. The EX271UZ also includes a KVM that binds USB ports to video inputs, allowing control of multiple sources with a single keyboard and mouse.
BenQ Mobiuz EX271UZ Calibration Settings
Calibrating the EX271UZ was challenging. The default mode, Fantasy, is color-accurate but has a very green grayscale and wonky gamma. You’ll see what I mean by wonky on page four. I could dial in grayscale using the RGB sliders, but no combination of gamma presets, and the Light Tuner would give me decent luminance tracking. Luckily, there are fixed modes for sRGB and Display P3, which are spot on. They match the factory calibration data sheet that comes with every EX271UZ. Below are my settings for Custom mode, but I recommend using Display P3 or sRGB for SDR content.
For HDR signals, there are four specific modes, of which Display HDR is the best and most accurate. I’ll talk more about that on page five.
|
Picture Mode |
Custom |
|
Brightness 200 nits |
81 |
|
Brightness 120 nits |
48 |
|
Brightness 100 nits |
39 |
|
Brightness 80 nits |
30 |
|
Brightness 50 nits |
18 (min. 10 nits) |
|
Contrast |
50 |
|
Light Tuner |
0 |
|
Gamma |
3 |
|
Color Temp User |
Red 93, Green 97, Blue 99 |
Gaming and Hands-on
One of the first things I look for when reviewing an OLED is whether it has a variable brightness option. The EX271UZ takes a different approach to this feature. I did not find a specific option for variable or constant brightness in the OSD, but it does have both settings. In the interpretive modes like Fantasy, variable brightness is on. In the accurate modes like Display P3 and sRGB, constant brightness is used. The Local Contrast option is something else altogether. It modulates specific areas to increase intra-image contrast, much like a zone dimming display. Whether this is a good thing or not is up to personal preference. I found it made the picture less vibrant for SDR and HDR content, so I left it off.
The EX271UZ is a great time consumer for gaming. It has that addictive quality that alters your perception of time, so hours seem like minutes. It’s super quick in all situations. I had no trouble keeping the frame rate above 200 fps, so there was no need for the blur reduction. But it works perfectly if you need it for a slower PC or console that’s limited to 120 Hz. Input lag was nonexistent, and motion resolution was perfect. Whether playing twitchy shooters or slow-moving adventures, the image was always rich with detail and texture.
Color and contrast were the best OLED has to offer in SDR and HDR content. I settled on Display P3 for SDR and Display HDR for HDR as the best modes. I noted that there was adjustable HDR brightness, which most monitors don’t offer. Experimenting with the Local Contrast option, I was not a fan of its effect on the image. It was brighter but also a little dull. I left it off when trying the interpretive modes like Fantasy and Sci-fi.
For productivity, the EX271UZ’s picture was a pleasure to look at. It’s super sharp thanks to its very high pixel density of 166 ppi. 27-inch 4K monitors are somewhat rare; 32-inch monitors are more common, but the extra sharpness is noticeable. Size doesn’t always matter.
Interacting with the EX271UZ was super easy thanks to the remote. Though it isn’t common to see remotes with 27-inch monitors, I quickly became spoiled by the excellent handheld remote. BenQ always ups the game when it comes to control, and this is a benchmark for others to aspire to. I noted the lack of internal speakers and LED lighting, but there is something special in the audio department, HDMI eARC. This feature lets you connect a sound bar, AV receive,r or surround processor and keep the signal in the digital domain. It also supports uncompressed formats like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. The EX271UZ is a fully capable entertainment solution for the desktop.
Takeaway: The EX271UZ delivers a stunningly sharp, bright, and colorful image while also being a great gaming monitor with instant control response and no visible motion blur at over 200 fps. It worked flawlessly in my hands-on tests and was a pleasure to look at and use. The included remote is a nice, unique touch, as is the inclusion of HDMI eARC and HDMI CEC for control. This is a seriously flexible and capable display.
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