BenQ EW3280U Review: this 32-inch 4K monitor is an all-rounder for leisure and work

When looking for a PC monitor we can choose specialized models in a specific facet such as design, gaming or multimedia, or choose a versatile monitor that gives us the best of many areas in a solvent way.

The BenQ EW3280U monitor is one of the best multipurpose options on the market if you want a well-designed 32-inch large screen suitable for many usage scenarios, from working to reading content, playing games, or playing videos in HDR.

BenQ EW3280U Monitor Data Sheet

The BenQ monitor requires a screwdriver to fit the base to the screen, which is done without complications. You just have to take precautions due to the large size of the monitor , which weighs only 8 kg the screen.

In the box we find all the necessary elements and hardware well stored, as well as the power cable, a USB-C and another HDMI 2.0 .

Read Also: Lenovo ThinkVision P44w-10 review: a giant monitor for professionals… almost flawless?

Great design but upgradeable ergonomics

The BenQ EW3280U is a versatile monitor that has been well thought out in terms of appearance. Turned off conveys the idea that it does not have frames although it actually has them, but less than a cm thick. Even online continuity is excellent, allowing that, being a 32-inch screen, it does not take up more space either physically or visually.

That good detail of the frames is complemented by a sober aluminum base and the same tone as the rest of the screen. Its placement is simple and we hardly need to screw a couple of elements.

What gives the BenQ EW3280U monitor more personality is the lower frame, which is the basis for one of the strengths of this screen: the sound. The full length of that bottom frame is left for a grid design as an integrated soundbar. As we will see, this design is a success, complemented by a subwoofer element that is integrated into the back of the monitor.

Less mobility than desired

The excellent starting point of the BenQ screen at the level of frame design and bottom is somewhat tarnished by the limitations of the base . Although it is a great diagonal for a desk, we miss that in addition to the vertical inclination, this monitor could be managed both in height and in laterality. The first is important when we use the screen as a PC monitor and the second when we use it more as a television for a small room, for example.

The base is fairly stable and includes a cable routing system that allows you to keep a clean view of the monitor’s design. If we add that we only need a single cable for power, this BenQ EW3280U supports a very collected and pleasant work and leisure environment.

Other details at the design level that are very well thought out are the volume control wheel , located in the lower left corner and above all, the remote control. It may seem a superficial external element but I think that on a monitor as versatile as this one from BenQ, it is a good idea because it allows you to manage screen control options comfortably and without having to move from the site in case you are using more than entertainment on the monitor, such as watching video content remotely or playing with a console or PC connected to the screen.

In my case, the control was always at hand next to the base of the BenQ EW3280U because, despite the fact that the physical controls are based on a good joystick control and three more buttons, it is much faster, intuitive and comfortable to change options (it offers, among others, dedicated buttons to change input, HDRi mode or screen modes, sound and BI + system) using the remote control. I would only have liked a direct place to comfortably store the remote for example in the back of the screen.

BenQ EW3280U monitor connectivity

All the connectivity part of the BenQ EW3280U is placed on the back of the monitor. There we find grouped the two HDMI 2.0 ports, the DisplayPort 1.2 and the USB-C port also compatible with Displayport (but not Thunderbolt) and that supports Power Delivery of up to 60 W, so we can connect and keep charging a compatible laptop. There are no USB ports that can act as a hub, but there is one for 3.5mm headphones / speakers that could have been better if something more accessible.

As we have indicated, the base includes a cable guide system that is easily organized and hidden and that are details that are greatly appreciated.

BenQ EW3280U image quality

Although there is a version with a VA-type panel at half the price, the model we have Reveiwed in NUpgrade is the most ambitious, with IPS technology with LED backlighting and anti-reflective treatment. As we will see, a very valid authentic off-road vehicle.

The diagonal is 32 inches, with 60Hz refresh rate and 16: 9 aspect ratio. It offers a resolution of 3840×2160 pixels, a response time of 5 ms, a contrast of 1000: 1 and a brightness of 350 cd / m2 that can even reach 400 cd / m2 with HDR mode activated.

That HDR mode , which includes an automatic mode that adapts this mode to the type of content automatically (even if it is SDR), is one of the highlights of the monitor and which gives it great versatility and good behavior in many areas of use. (Comes with VESA DisplayHDR 400 certification). It also has 95% coverage of the DCI-P3 color space and 10 bit color depth. We can also adjust the screen to space Rec.709 (100% coverage), being able to change the color temperature or gamma correction with the manual mode.

In our tests, the results that we have measured at the image quality level have been very satisfactory. To begin with, it is necessary to highlight the color reproduction , accurate and sufficient for even image professionals who are not looking for a specific or dedicated model. Despite the somewhat short contrast, the image it offers us as standard is of high quality and very well calibrated at the factory .

There are ways to adapt the quality and specifications of the panel according to the type of content, we even have a 24 Hz mode for cinematographic video content coming from, for example, a Blu-Ray drive. In our tests, we have not measured or appreciated banding or bleeding problems. We have not had ghosting problems either and the viewing angles are close to what the manufacturer indicated.

At the level of defects, which could be attributed to the fact that we are analyzing a sample unit, we have seen a very slight difference in the level of brightness in the corners with respect to the center, but it is barely noticeable and does not stain the excellent level of brightness with which this monitor is capable of offering us HDR content .

In fact, HDR mode is one of its successes, improving video and game content especially, two scenarios where it has great value even with titles that are SDR and that HDRi mode optimizes correctly.

The BenQ EW3280U monitor includes numerous customization options, with modes for multimedia, office, or gaming, among others, as well as technology with a brightness sensor to automatically adapt brightness to ambient light or technology-based fatigue reduction systems without Flicker-Free blink and Low Blue Light, certified by TÜV Rheinland. We even have ebook-reading modes that simulate electronic ink and warnings to rest your eyes for a while with the help of the infrared sensor and eye detection in front of the screen.

Sound comparable to that of a television

Throughout the entire review, we are highlighting the quality versatility of this BenQ EW3280U for many usage scenarios. One of the most outstanding is multimedia thanks to the combination of HDR mode, high brightness, resolution, and especially the printing sound, with which you will not miss that of television in case you want to use it (no It has DTT tuner).

This sound aspect is handled by the combination of two front speakers of 2 W each and a woofer for bass reinforcement of 5W, located at the rear of the monitor. We are talking about a 2.1 system with treVolo technology, the sound brand of BenQ itself.

Although it is not a pure monitor for gaming due to the 60 Hz refresh rate, the integrated FreeSync technology is an extra point to consider if we want to play, a situation that will not disappoint us at all with both SDR and HDR. The response time of 5 ms is somewhat made up by AMA technology (Advanced Motion Accelerator), well used when we play with this monitor.

BenQ EW3280U, NUpgrade opinion

Making a large investment in a large diagonal monitor is a difficult decision. This BenQ EW3280U is not an affordable display but it offers level performance for different areas of use. In addition, its behavior in all these scenarios is of a very high-level thanks to the quality of the IPS panel and assistive technologies such as AMA or FreeSync. And that a monitor with such a diagonal (and 4K) is so versatile in a very correct way in all those tasks is not usual.

There are pending improvements that must be taken into account, the main one is to see the ergonomics of its base, but for panel quality, diagonal, resolution and the extra functional HDR, it is one of the most recommended 32-inch options on the market Currently if we are looking for a monitor for all kinds of uses at home.