It would be helpful if these types of displays showed a variety of medias in action. Most only show a very high-res, colourful photo/image and/or maybe a shot of their Final Cut Pro work screen, which is fine but maybe consider showing text at different font sizes too and some graphics. Yes, it may not be 100% accurate depending on what res the vid is being shot in but it would definitely be useful.
Ordered one today, looking forward to receiving, I did look carefully at the PD but my own colour perception isn't great, according to my art teacher "Are you Colour Blind!" he shouted at me in class one day. so I'm saving some money and going for the MA instead. Who'd of thought a teacher could have saved you £550
Hey, thank you for the video. I'm the in the look for a Mac monitor and I agree this is the best value from BenQ so far. Could you also share the link of your monitor stand, please? Appreciate it :)
Thanks for the review! I am in doubt should I buy PD3205U (which is now 500e) or should I wait for MA32OU availability (as it's out of stock) for 600e? Regular wfh/office usage + some Lucid diagramming on MacBook Pro m1
I'd go with the MA, unless you're very picky about image, the PD will offer very marignal improvements that you probably won't notice for the line of work you do on your display
Great video thanks so much! I have a MacBook Air M2 and a Dell 2721QS 4K monitor that's half the price of the Benq, and to me (mac/monitor tech newbie) the specs look pretty close, and it's half the price. Do you think I would notice a big difference with the Benq? I know it has the built in "mac mode" the Dell doesn't . . . Reason I'm asking is I go to a store and look at a 4.5K iMac display and it (to my untrained eye) looks 1000 times better than my Dell at home. The studio display is lovely, but I might as well buy an iMac instead of that so wondering how big a difference I would see with the Benq?
Honestly there is quite a substantial difference, especially given you've already experienced it when looking at the iMac display in store (in terms of panel quality)
@@kirkmihelakos Thanks for that! Actually I did track one down after all, and looking at it right now :) It is quite a bit better, but one issue I'm having that I haven't been able to find any info on is the resolution won't scale to 1920 x 1080 (the max is correct at 3840 by 2160) but the closest option in Display Pilot 2 is 2048 x 1152, not 1920 x 1080. It does look great colour wise, but I'm assuming this resolution is wonky? Any suggestions would be super appreciated.
Thank you for your review. I realise it is not your primary area but if you could spend a minute or two on potential Mac Monitor reviews to consider text and DPI scaling it would be very useful for those like me whose work is text based. I am a translator and until recently a teacher so spend a lot of time reading and writing text on screen. I l bought a 5K 27in iMac ten years ago and realized that extra1 K is great for establishing a sweet spot in terms of text scaling (DPI) and 4K monitors often have problems in that regard. When I upgraded to an M1 MacBook I bought the Apple Studio Display. This month I have bought the new M4 Mac Mini Pro and was thinking of buying a second monitor but woondered if I can get away with saving some pennies which another Apple Display would involve. The M4 Mini entry model is so cheap there are going to be a lot of people interested in budget Mac Monitors (hello Apple?) but also for text-based activities. I live in Portugal and in the Iberian pensinsula the MA270U and MA320U are currently sold out so looking like another Apple Display as for me it is a false economy to save money but end up with inadequate DPI. Sorry to ramble on but interested to hear your thoughts on this.
Hey David, monitors outside of the typical Macos scaling. 5K at 27" or 4K at 21.5" won't be ideal for MacOS text but still usable. There's quite a few video resources out there detailing scaling and their impacts on usability, so best to have a look at those. If you've got the budget and scaling + text UI is ultra important for you, go with the ASD
@@kirkmihelakos My comment was really a suggestion to extend your reviews to consider those for whom text is the primary consideration. My doubt was whether I needed to buy a SECOND ASD for my second monitor. Your comment about "5K at 27" or 4K at 21.5" won't be ideal for MacOS text but still usable" is very strange. The whole point was the iMac 27 in 5K machine was wonderful for text. So is the ASD. After watching your review of this BenQ MA320U monitor, I am not sure whether it would be good for text work with a Mac Mini. I recounted past problems with standard 4K machines and their scaling issues. I guess I should save up for another ASD. Not sure what those buying the entry level Mac Mini primarily for text-based work should do who have more financial constraints.
The speakers on BenQ monitors can only be described as better than nothing. Otherwise, the monitors are exceptionally good for the price. I purchased my BenQ 32" monitor mainly because of the blue light filter mode that helps with reducing eye strain.
I am a designer, and my job involves designing for digital, graphic, and motion projects. Could I ask which monitor I should choose between the BenQ MA270U and PD2705U? My MacBook is 16 inches, and I need USB-C fast charging for it.
@@kirkmihelakos But it doesn't support fast charging with USB-C (only 65W). I checked the specs of the MA270U which has sRGB 99%, color profile with mac, the same as the PD2705U.
Looking to add this with a Mac Studio M2 Max (mid 2023) to replace my wife's 5 year old iMac 27" that's been plagued with failures as of late. Mainly using it for Photoshop/ Lightroom and DaVinci, for real estate photography. Would this be a good combination? I would love to get her a 5K Apple but we're trying to keep costs low until we free up more income.
I think it would be a great option! You'll notice a drop in resolution though versus the old iMac but I edited and graded a few projects just using this and didn't mind too much at all!
hope with 120hz in the future, still using dell u2716d to connected with my macbook air, no way to match the color from my MacBook, and i had another notebook for gaming, 120hz would match both of my needs
I’ve already pre-ordered one, but I still want to ask: Is the color of this monitor really close to that of the Studio Display or MacBook Display? It’s claimed that the brightness is 550 nits-can I assume the brightness is also similar to that of the Studio Display? Thanks a lot!
I’d say it’s fairly close but the panels on the MacBook and the studio display are definitely superior. This being a matte panel hurts contrast comparably a fair bit, plus the MacBook panel having Mini LED if you have the pros make a huge difference too. Brightness on the apple panels are definitely more too. I’d say you get 80% of the way there with this one, but it does miss the fines (and hence the cost savings)
@@kirkmihelakos Thank you very much for your detailed answer! 80% completeness is good enough for this price range. If the difference is mainly due to the matte finish, then the more expensive PD3225U likely has the same gap to Apple panels. In that case, I’m completely fine with the MA320U.
Any display these days can be pretty color accurate, even most gaming monitors. A monitor in this price range, will definitely be color accurate, after a calibration. And if you want to compare it with a Studio Display, then the ASD must also be calibrated. They should look more or less the same.
It looks like the BenQ PD3205U and this BenQ MA320U are quite similar. But the BenQ PD3205U is cheaper and has a better colour range, I guess I will go with that one.
Did you purchase it yet? I'm curious to hear your experience. I'm not sure where the trade of is, why is the PD3205U cheaper when it has better colour range?
@ Not yet I’m waiting for a black friday deal but I think the only différence I have seen is maybe the max brightness of the screen and there is only one usb c in the PD
You can try another affordable new monitor. ASUS PA27JCV that is native 27 inch with 5K. Which means it can reach 218ppi (retina level). If you can wait ASUS going to have 32 inch with 6K(218ppi) in Q2/Q3 2025.
@Kirk can you check that display can work using usb-c as 4K@60hz, because I saw information in different places that it can’t due to usage usb 3.2 gen1 and this version can show only 4K@30hz
I have a different Q please: 270u vs 320u vs pd3205u/any other 4k Dell in 27 . MBP M2max. Logic user/EDM music production and some general browsing. No idea what to get but yeah I would love 2 monitors. Not interested in games or movies as I have a qled tv anyway. Would you be kind and let me know your view on this please?
If you're going for Dual 2 monitors, I would recommend two 27" monitors, not a huge fan of the big 32" dual display, too much head turning. If you're just doing music production, id go with the MA27, won't need the extra colour features with the PD unless you want your display to be thunderbolt active
I prefer my 27” Dell monitor. One cable solution, 4k is better on a 27” monitor than on a 32” monitor, Ethernet port on the back, thunderbolt and USB-C ports at the back and bottom edge…
@ After watching your video I checked it again. According the German BenQ website the monitor does support Daisy Chaing. I couldn’t find this information on the English website. So I asked the German support which information is the correct one. Once I receive an answer I let you know.
If I have a mac mini when I connect an external monitor (e.g. a Benq) the color profile of the mac becomes that of the Bena so in that case how do I work on the P3? I have to select it as the color space of the monitor and leave the mac on the color profile of the Benq? Thanks in advance
if I connect my MacBook Air via usb C can I use the second USB C port on the monitor (15W) to connect a webcam to the monitor and will it work with my MacBook?
I've compared this one with the PD3225U, which I believe is the step up from the PD3205U you mentioned. Go with the MA if you want to save money and you aren't too concerned about colour accuracy, PD if your concerned about colour more-so
Just bought the 3205. I am coming from a late model 2015 imac to a mac mini 4. The 3205 just isn't that bright. Very disappointed. Supposedly 350 nits. The reviewer on this video breezed over the 500 nits of the MA. Need more research. If it gets to 500, then its a slam dunk.
Thank you for effort! IPS panels more even backlighting. Backlit can be somewhat uneven and inconcsistent. I guess that monitor is fine for most of users. Seems that for photography, video editing, graphical design etc, this monitor isn’t the best option. For other cases, I guess this is pretty useful.
Technically this video lacks any testing on the nano-coating as well as color accuracy measurement, but thanks for giving us a detailed overlook of this new monitor, I do have a calibrate plus and will be testing its accuracy since I don't want to spend over 600 dollars on a good monitor. If the price is higher then why not go for the c4 42 oled and use Calman calibration instead, or go for Asus's Pro Art mini-led that can do budget Dolby vision monitor and can be hardware calibrated by affordable methods. Since Eizo and Benq are SDR panels, even with hardware calibration included, I still believe that Pro Art min-led shares better value than both of these manufacture's offerings. Any other Apple monitors that require an industrial spectrometer for the calibration process.
Appreciate the feedback. Personally I don’t have the technical prowess to engage in such measurements, but more-so providing a general consumer perspective on the panel as that’s who it’s targeted for. Those monitors you mentioned like the C4 and Ezio are totally not in the price range of this panel
This monitor can't be designed for the Mac when it's a 4K 32" display. The Apple scaling requires a 218 dpi screen & a 32" screen would have to be 6K to run efficiently with Mac OS. Yes the software scaling can be applied but it makes text either fuzzy or tiny & forces the CPU to work extremely hard to scale the entire system OS. It's way more logical to simply buy either a 27" 5K monitor that matches the Studio Display's 218 dpi or a 6K 32" model dong the same thing. So far I can only find about 5 matches on the market that can natively run the MAC OS without scaling. BENQ's new PD2730S coming in a few more weeks will do it, though I don't at what cost. I'm guessing it comes in about $300 below the ridiculous ASD but with the additional features you have to pay out the nose for on the Apple monitor. That would put it at $1300. Purchasing the $1500 Apple display with nano-texture anti-reflection glass & a full tilt, raise & swivel stand pushes the Studio Display up to about $2300. That is literally the same that it costs to buy a new M4Pro Mac Mini & spec it out with 64GB of RAM & add the better processor in the pro lineup. No way Jose...I'm not about to spend $2300 for a monitor that isn't even adequate to cover enough of the RGB color gamut to ensure color accuracy for photographs that print. I'll wait for the BENQ in the Q1/2025 roll out.
This monitor is available in both 27-inch and 32-inch sizes. Could you please help me? If I use the 32-inch version with the M4 Mac Mini, will there be any pixel issues? Also, will the text appear slightly less sharp on the 32-inch version compared to the 27-inch one?
@@kirkmihelakosI was under the assumption that this ratio/resolution didn’t play nice with macOS scaling. Honestly was hoping for 5k considering the MacBook promotion the price isn’t that far from Samsungs and LGs
No still same. The retina resolution that matches the HIDPI scaling method of Mac OS is 27 inches 5k or 32 inches 6k. So, if you plan to use it at 2.5k(1440p) hidpi rather than at 2k(1080p) hidpi, it will be upscaled to 5k(2880p), which is twice the resolution of 2.5k(1440p), and displayed as 2.5k(1440p) HIDPI, which still puts a load on the CPU.
@@kirkmihelakos Thank you for the review - are you saying Apple Pro Display is the only 32" option, because any 32" monitor that isn't 5k will suffer fuzzy text with a Mac M1?
I far prefer Matte as opposed to having a sheet of glossy reflective glass on a monitor. I like to see whats on the screen, not a reflection of myself. Each to their own, I suppose.
@@kirkmihelakos If so, the title “Best value mac monitor for EVERYONE ” would be quite less objective. I'm not saying the product is bad, but It's not worth it just because it's cheaper than Studio Display or pd3225u. It's worth it if it has advantages compared to competing products in the same price range.
@@devJJUN there’s a “?” At the end of the title, it’s not an objective statement but rather a question to what else I compared too and have honestly used over the last 2 years :)
Hi! Would you say hp 732pk would be better choice? I am thinking about this Benq or HP. Unfortunatelly I am unable to find proper review for HP732pk.. Thanks
@@ondrejvaclavik795 HP's products include Thunderbolt Connectivity(40gbps) / LG's ips black panel (2000:1) / Much better connectivity (Dp,TB4,hdmi,DaisyChain,Ethernet,1 usbc , 4usb a) / 4 sides Bezel-less / Aluminum Stand / mac,win Software Support / Factory Color Calibration Benq's products are usbc(10gbps) connectivity support / BOE's low-cost ips panel (1000:1) / Poor connectivity (usbc, hdmi,2 usb a, 1 usb c) / Thick bottom bezel / Plastic coverd steel stand /mac,win software support The two products are in a similar price range. choice is up to you 732pk is the same product as z32k g3 except for the exterior color & back logo(Z or HP) so you can look for reviews of z32k g3.
@@akyhne Professionals who work with Mac computers generally use Apple monitors, which are either 5K (27") or 6K (32"). The reason is that macOS is designed around a target pixels per inch specification (around 220 ppi) and 4K monitors cannot achieve this in standard sizes (they can at 24", but there almost none of those left). People resort to scaling, which causes artifacts because the physical pixel grid is now out of alignment with the logical pixel grid. This is just the way Apple hardware and software works. You certainly can use a 4K monitor on a Mac, but with necessary compromises.
The biggest advantage of the BenQ PD3225U over this one is the much improved contrast of the IPS Black panel.
Absolutely!
It would be helpful if these types of displays showed a variety of medias in action. Most only show a very high-res, colourful photo/image and/or maybe a shot of their Final Cut Pro work screen, which is fine but maybe consider showing text at different font sizes too and some graphics. Yes, it may not be 100% accurate depending on what res the vid is being shot in but it would definitely be useful.
BenQ MA320U seems really really great. I'd love one. Shame you can't actually buy one anywhere. Been trying for 3 months.
Hopefully there's more availability!
Ordered one today, looking forward to receiving, I did look carefully at the PD but my own colour perception isn't great, according to my art teacher "Are you Colour Blind!" he shouted at me in class one day. so I'm saving some money and going for the MA instead. Who'd of thought a teacher could have saved you £550
Time to get a new teacher, or a new monitor!
How did you find it
Hey, thank you for the video. I'm the in the look for a Mac monitor and I agree this is the best value from BenQ so far. Could you also share the link of your monitor stand, please? Appreciate it :)
Of course. The stand is from Oakywood
Thanks for the review! I am in doubt should I buy PD3205U (which is now 500e) or should I wait for MA32OU availability (as it's out of stock) for 600e? Regular wfh/office usage + some Lucid diagramming on MacBook Pro m1
I'd go with the MA, unless you're very picky about image, the PD will offer very marignal improvements that you probably won't notice for the line of work you do on your display
How would you compare this monitor with the screen in the iMac
depending on the iMac but id say most iMacs are superior
About to preorder this beast, twice. (Hey Kirk, from California)!🙌🏽
Nice! You'll have a great time with it. and hello from Melbourne!
Great video thanks so much! I have a MacBook Air M2 and a Dell 2721QS 4K monitor that's half the price of the Benq, and to me (mac/monitor tech newbie) the specs look pretty close, and it's half the price. Do you think I would notice a big difference with the Benq? I know it has the built in "mac mode" the Dell doesn't . . . Reason I'm asking is I go to a store and look at a 4.5K iMac display and it (to my untrained eye) looks 1000 times better than my Dell at home. The studio display is lovely, but I might as well buy an iMac instead of that so wondering how big a difference I would see with the Benq?
Honestly there is quite a substantial difference, especially given you've already experienced it when looking at the iMac display in store (in terms of panel quality)
@@kirkmihelakos Thanks for that! Actually I did track one down after all, and looking at it right now :) It is quite a bit better, but one issue I'm having that I haven't been able to find any info on is the resolution won't scale to 1920 x 1080 (the max is correct at 3840 by 2160) but the closest option in Display Pilot 2 is 2048 x 1152, not 1920 x 1080. It does look great colour wise, but I'm assuming this resolution is wonky?
Any suggestions would be super appreciated.
Thank you for your review. I realise it is not your primary area but if you could spend a minute or two on potential Mac Monitor reviews to consider text and DPI scaling it would be very useful for those like me whose work is text based. I am a translator and until recently a teacher so spend a lot of time reading and writing text on screen. I l bought a 5K 27in iMac ten years ago and realized that extra1 K is great for establishing a sweet spot in terms of text scaling (DPI) and 4K monitors often have problems in that regard. When I upgraded to an M1 MacBook I bought the Apple Studio Display. This month I have bought the new M4 Mac Mini Pro and was thinking of buying a second monitor but woondered if I can get away with saving some pennies which another Apple Display would involve. The M4 Mini entry model is so cheap there are going to be a lot of people interested in budget Mac Monitors (hello Apple?) but also for text-based activities. I live in Portugal and in the Iberian pensinsula the MA270U and MA320U are currently sold out so looking like another Apple Display as for me it is a false economy to save money but end up with inadequate DPI. Sorry to ramble on but interested to hear your thoughts on this.
Hey David, monitors outside of the typical Macos scaling. 5K at 27" or 4K at 21.5" won't be ideal for MacOS text but still usable.
There's quite a few video resources out there detailing scaling and their impacts on usability, so best to have a look at those.
If you've got the budget and scaling + text UI is ultra important for you, go with the ASD
@@kirkmihelakos My comment was really a suggestion to extend your reviews to consider those for whom text is the primary consideration. My doubt was whether I needed to buy a SECOND ASD for my second monitor. Your comment about "5K at 27" or 4K at 21.5" won't be ideal for MacOS text but still usable" is very strange. The whole point was the iMac 27 in 5K machine was wonderful for text. So is the ASD. After watching your review of this BenQ MA320U monitor, I am not sure whether it would be good for text work with a Mac Mini. I recounted past problems with standard 4K machines and their scaling issues. I guess I should save up for another ASD. Not sure what those buying the entry level Mac Mini primarily for text-based work should do who have more financial constraints.
The speakers on BenQ monitors can only be described as better than nothing. Otherwise, the monitors are exceptionally good for the price. I purchased my BenQ 32" monitor mainly because of the blue light filter mode that helps with reducing eye strain.
It's harder to find a monitor without blue light reduction at this price point
@@dragon.6575 This wasn't true when I purchased it a few years ago.
Correct, barely usable, most other things are solid
Honestly, talking about speakers in this case nothing is better lol
@@Xandirishe Truly, the speakers are the only fault you can find with BenQ monitors.
I am a designer, and my job involves designing for digital, graphic, and motion projects. Could I ask which monitor I should choose between the BenQ MA270U and PD2705U? My MacBook is 16 inches, and I need USB-C fast charging for it.
Id go with the PD if it has better colour accuracy
@@kirkmihelakos But it doesn't support fast charging with USB-C (only 65W). I checked the specs of the MA270U which has sRGB 99%, color profile with mac, the same as the PD2705U.
Looking to add this with a Mac Studio M2 Max (mid 2023) to replace my wife's 5 year old iMac 27" that's been plagued with failures as of late. Mainly using it for Photoshop/ Lightroom and DaVinci, for real estate photography. Would this be a good combination? I would love to get her a 5K Apple but we're trying to keep costs low until we free up more income.
I think it would be a great option! You'll notice a drop in resolution though versus the old iMac but I edited and graded a few projects just using this and didn't mind too much at all!
hi! nice video.. does BenQ MA320U support split screen? I saw it has 2 hdmi port..
Not sure! I didn’t test it!
All monitors are backlight. Ma320u is also an IPS.
Is it possible to plug two of those monitors into a MacBook Pro in chain using usb C/TB cable?
I believe you would need two cables going to each monitor, from the macbook itself
@ lack of daisy chaining is really an issue with the mac environment :(
hope with 120hz in the future, still using dell u2716d to connected with my macbook air, no way to match the color from my MacBook, and i had another notebook for gaming, 120hz would match both of my needs
Long time till we get that
Hi - where did you buy your desk shelf from
Oakywood!
@DesignedbyKirk thanks looks great 👍🏻
I’ve already pre-ordered one, but I still want to ask: Is the color of this monitor really close to that of the Studio Display or MacBook Display? It’s claimed that the brightness is 550 nits-can I assume the brightness is also similar to that of the Studio Display? Thanks a lot!
I’d say it’s fairly close but the panels on the MacBook and the studio display are definitely superior. This being a matte panel hurts contrast comparably a fair bit, plus the MacBook panel having Mini LED if you have the pros make a huge difference too. Brightness on the apple panels are definitely more too. I’d say you get 80% of the way there with this one, but it does miss the fines (and hence the cost savings)
@@kirkmihelakos Thank you very much for your detailed answer! 80% completeness is good enough for this price range. If the difference is mainly due to the matte finish, then the more expensive PD3225U likely has the same gap to Apple panels. In that case, I’m completely fine with the MA320U.
Absolutely! You' should enjoy the panel plenty!
Any display these days can be pretty color accurate, even most gaming monitors. A monitor in this price range, will definitely be color accurate, after a calibration. And if you want to compare it with a Studio Display, then the ASD must also be calibrated. They should look more or less the same.
It looks like the BenQ PD3205U and this BenQ MA320U are quite similar. But the BenQ PD3205U is cheaper and has a better colour range, I guess I will go with that one.
Did you purchase it yet? I'm curious to hear your experience. I'm not sure where the trade of is, why is the PD3205U cheaper when it has better colour range?
@ Not yet I’m waiting for a black friday deal but I think the only différence I have seen is maybe the max brightness of the screen and there is only one usb c in the PD
Should I get benq ma270u or dell u2723qe 🧐
same question lol
Same here
I haven't used the dell, so I am a little bit biased here, but Display Pilot 2 works great with the Mac
You can try another affordable new monitor. ASUS PA27JCV that is native 27 inch with 5K. Which means it can reach 218ppi (retina level). If you can wait ASUS going to have 32 inch with 6K(218ppi) in Q2/Q3 2025.
@Kirk can you check that display can work using usb-c as 4K@60hz, because I saw information in different places that it can’t due to usage usb 3.2 gen1 and this version can show only 4K@30hz
Definitely is 4k@60 for me
@ Thanks for the fast response!
I have a different Q please: 270u vs 320u vs pd3205u/any other 4k Dell in 27 . MBP M2max. Logic user/EDM music production and some general browsing. No idea what to get but yeah I would love 2 monitors.
Not interested in games or movies as I have a qled tv anyway.
Would you be kind and let me know your view on this please?
If you're going for Dual 2 monitors, I would recommend two 27" monitors, not a huge fan of the big 32" dual display, too much head turning. If you're just doing music production, id go with the MA27, won't need the extra colour features with the PD unless you want your display to be thunderbolt active
@@kirkmihelakos Thanks. Appreciated.
I prefer my 27” Dell monitor. One cable solution, 4k is better on a 27” monitor than on a 32” monitor, Ethernet port on the back, thunderbolt and USB-C ports at the back and bottom edge…
Whats your dell monitor?
Would this monitor also work with the Mac mini?
Yes
According the BenQ Website Daisy chaining is possible with the monitor 🤷♂️.
Strange I’ve been led to believe you can’t given it’s not thunderbolt
@ After watching your video I checked it again. According the German BenQ website the monitor does support Daisy Chaing. I couldn’t find this information on the English website. So I asked the German support which information is the correct one. Once I receive an answer I let you know.
@ the BenQ support confirmed that the information on the German website is false. So in fact the monitor does not support Daisy Chain.
Hi is it just the text on software and web panes that is effected by the scaling - are images in Photoshop and videos in final cut still sharp
All text is affected by scaling, whatever is displayed on the panel in the end
If I have a mac mini when I connect an external monitor (e.g. a Benq) the color profile of the mac becomes that of the Bena so in that case how do I work on the P3? I have to select it as the color space of the monitor and leave the mac on the color profile of the
Benq? Thanks in advance
Yes, you'd be selecting the colour space on the monitor, as that's what is being displayed
is it any better than BENQ PD? To me it seems to be a simplified version of PD 05/06 series for the same money.
I spent the whole video comparing it to the PD :)
@@kirkmihelakoswhere to find this comparison?
For my working environment, 550 nits is not nearly bright enough sadly :(
Fair! Do you have a very bright room?
Maybe move seat then? No one needs 550 nits. No one even needs 400.
if I connect my MacBook Air via usb C can I use the second USB C port on the monitor (15W) to connect a webcam to the monitor and will it work with my MacBook?
Yes I believe so :)
Let’s see a review of the 27” 5k kuycon monitor.
Never heard of that one!
What would you recommend? MA320U and PD3205U. thanks
I've compared this one with the PD3225U, which I believe is the step up from the PD3205U you mentioned. Go with the MA if you want to save money and you aren't too concerned about colour accuracy, PD if your concerned about colour more-so
Just bought the 3205. I am coming from a late model 2015 imac to a mac mini 4. The 3205 just isn't that bright. Very disappointed. Supposedly 350 nits. The reviewer on this video breezed over the 500 nits of the MA. Need more research. If it gets to 500, then its a slam dunk.
@@swhmetta In your opinion, would you have rather have the 500 nits instead or the colour accuracy? I'm torn between these two.
Thank you for effort! IPS panels more even backlighting. Backlit can be somewhat uneven and inconcsistent. I guess that monitor is fine for most of users. Seems that for photography, video editing, graphical design etc, this monitor isn’t the best option. For other cases, I guess this is pretty useful.
Fair fair! Cheers
Technically this video lacks any testing on the nano-coating as well as color accuracy measurement, but thanks for giving us a detailed overlook of this new monitor, I do have a calibrate plus and will be testing its accuracy since I don't want to spend over 600 dollars on a good monitor. If the price is higher then why not go for the c4 42 oled and use Calman calibration instead, or go for Asus's Pro Art mini-led that can do budget Dolby vision monitor and can be hardware calibrated by affordable methods. Since Eizo and Benq are SDR panels, even with hardware calibration included, I still believe that Pro Art min-led shares better value than both of these manufacture's offerings. Any other Apple monitors that require an industrial spectrometer for the calibration process.
Appreciate the feedback. Personally I don’t have the technical prowess to engage in such measurements, but more-so providing a general consumer perspective on the panel as that’s who it’s targeted for. Those monitors you mentioned like the C4 and Ezio are totally not in the price range of this panel
For scaling concerns get a 1440 monitor, (half 5k), most folk will not even know 😊
Fair!
Doesn't that apply to 27 inch but not 32 inch which needs 5K for macs?
I wonder how this compares to the Dell U3223QE
That model is tempting it's just the scaling thing I'm not sure about, I find it all very confusing
Why do you say panel gets 300 to 400 nits, but the spec says 500?
I’ve seen inconsistent figures on various spec sheets for this panel, it definitely doesn’t get as bright as the ASD
@@kirkmihelakos I appreciate the reply, thanks.
This monitor can't be designed for the Mac when it's a 4K 32" display. The Apple scaling requires a 218 dpi screen & a 32" screen would have to be 6K to run efficiently with Mac OS. Yes the software scaling can be applied but it makes text either fuzzy or tiny & forces the CPU to work extremely hard to scale the entire system OS. It's way more logical to simply buy either a 27" 5K monitor that matches the Studio Display's 218 dpi or a 6K 32" model dong the same thing. So far I can only find about 5 matches on the market that can natively run the MAC OS without scaling. BENQ's new PD2730S coming in a few more weeks will do it, though I don't at what cost. I'm guessing it comes in about $300 below the ridiculous ASD but with the additional features you have to pay out the nose for on the Apple monitor. That would put it at $1300. Purchasing the $1500 Apple display with nano-texture anti-reflection glass & a full tilt, raise & swivel stand pushes the Studio Display up to about $2300. That is literally the same that it costs to buy a new M4Pro Mac Mini & spec it out with 64GB of RAM & add the better processor in the pro lineup. No way Jose...I'm not about to spend $2300 for a monitor that isn't even adequate to cover enough of the RGB color gamut to ensure color accuracy for photographs that print. I'll wait for the BENQ in the Q1/2025 roll out.
This monitor is available in both 27-inch and 32-inch sizes. Could you please help me? If I use the 32-inch version with the M4 Mac Mini, will there be any pixel issues? Also, will the text appear slightly less sharp on the 32-inch version compared to the 27-inch one?
Yes it will, 4K at 27" is more dense in terms of PPI
No DP input or Thunderbolt? DOA.
a must for many
wallpaper?
Available in MacOS
this doesn't work with windows laptop ?
It should
Does Mac support standard resolutions now? My 2018 mbp couldn't handle them very well. The CPU was stressed a lot by scaling the UI.
I would say so yes, if i'm interpreting your question correctly. Have no problems now with my M1 Max
@@kirkmihelakosI was under the assumption that this ratio/resolution didn’t play nice with macOS scaling. Honestly was hoping for 5k considering the MacBook promotion the price isn’t that far from Samsungs and LGs
No still same. The retina resolution that matches the HIDPI scaling method of Mac OS is 27 inches 5k or 32 inches 6k. So, if you plan to use it at 2.5k(1440p) hidpi rather than at 2k(1080p) hidpi, it will be upscaled to 5k(2880p), which is twice the resolution of 2.5k(1440p), and displayed as 2.5k(1440p) HIDPI, which still puts a load on the CPU.
General usability I’ve found it to be good. Does not play as perfect versus my 5K studio though. $2,200 price difference though
No
Backlit LED - no go for me... stick with my cheap BENQ IPS
it does perform quite well
32” 4k, no go for me. Bad ppi + matte screen will create fuzzy text and sharpness. 5k and up.
Only a pair of options for you then sir!
@@kirkmihelakos Thank you for the review - are you saying Apple Pro Display is the only 32" option, because any 32" monitor that isn't 5k will suffer fuzzy text with a Mac M1?
(I'm trying to fully understand your comment at 5:00.)
but it is only 4k, it is not 5k+
4k is fine
What about warranty?
2 years in Australia. Check your local reseller for details
@@kirkmihelakos Thank you so much. I purchased it and here in India, it is 3 years and 3 months extended warranty.
Nice!
Matte 😔
Glossy is preferred yep, but the panel is still good
I far prefer Matte as opposed to having a sheet of glossy reflective glass on a monitor.
I like to see whats on the screen, not a reflection of myself.
Each to their own, I suppose.
@@organismseven3700exactly. Personal preference in the end!
dell u3223qe? hp z32k?? hp 732pk??? LG 32UQ85R ???
ahh this video was sponsored 😂
This wasn't a cross-comparison video, I fairly compare it with the monitors I've properly used
@@kirkmihelakos If so, the title “Best value mac monitor for EVERYONE ” would be quite less objective.
I'm not saying the product is bad, but
It's not worth it just because it's cheaper than Studio Display or pd3225u.
It's worth it if it has advantages compared to competing products in the same price range.
@@devJJUN there’s a “?” At the end of the title, it’s not an objective statement but rather a question to what else I compared too and have honestly used over the last 2 years :)
Hi! Would you say hp 732pk would be better choice? I am thinking about this Benq or HP. Unfortunatelly I am unable to find proper review for HP732pk.. Thanks
@@ondrejvaclavik795 HP's products include Thunderbolt Connectivity(40gbps) / LG's ips black panel (2000:1) / Much better connectivity (Dp,TB4,hdmi,DaisyChain,Ethernet,1 usbc , 4usb a) / 4 sides Bezel-less / Aluminum Stand / mac,win Software Support / Factory Color Calibration
Benq's products are usbc(10gbps) connectivity support / BOE's low-cost ips panel (1000:1) / Poor connectivity (usbc, hdmi,2 usb a, 1 usb c) / Thick bottom bezel / Plastic coverd steel stand /mac,win software support
The two products are in a similar price range. choice is up to you
732pk is the same product as z32k g3 except for the exterior color & back logo(Z or HP) so you can look for reviews of z32k g3.
lost me at 60hz. even just 120Hz would have been enough. not even 144hz
Is 120 that necessary?
4K panels do not work well with Macs. Plenty of online info explaining why.
They’re perfectly adequate
I have been using a couple 4K monitors with Macs for years without any issues
I work with a 4k monitor and a MacBook Air m1. No problems at all.
So, why do professional photographers use 4K? Why do professional colorists use 4K?
@@akyhne Professionals who work with Mac computers generally use Apple monitors, which are either 5K (27") or 6K (32"). The reason is that macOS is designed around a target pixels per inch specification (around 220 ppi) and 4K monitors cannot achieve this in standard sizes (they can at 24", but there almost none of those left). People resort to scaling, which causes artifacts because the physical pixel grid is now out of alignment with the logical pixel grid.
This is just the way Apple hardware and software works. You certainly can use a 4K monitor on a Mac, but with necessary compromises.
Its not native 5k, only 4k. Stay away. Better choice is PD2730S.
F- that naming of monitor
Not the cleanest naming out there
Tbh, no 4k monitor is truly able to be called a Mac monitor, same with a non-TB monitor. This fails on both counts.
Hard disagree to be honest! Doesn’t need those things to be a good monitor for your Mac
Then you need to spend at least 1700 if you just want a “mac monitor” for even just bigger screen space？Pathetic😢
Hard agree!
So, why do professional photographers use 4K? Why do professional colorists use 4K?
Why do monitors have to have such ridiculous names?
A question that’ll never be answered
0:52 Where'd you get that wallpaper?
It’s a default landscape one in MacOS!
60 hz - was enough for me ... xD
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