BenQ BenQ 27" Full HD 1080P 100Hz IPS HDMI, Review
The BenQ GW2791 nails eye comfort but stumbles on pixel density. It's a great secondary screen on sale, but think twice before making it your main display.
The 30-Second Version
A one-trick pony for comfortable, multi-screen office work. Good as a secondary screen on sale, underwhelming as your main display.
Overview
The BenQ GW2791 is a basic office monitor that gets one thing right: it's easy on the eyes. That's the whole pitch. You're getting a 27-inch 1080p IPS panel with a slightly boosted 100Hz refresh rate, wrapped in a slim bezel. It's designed for long workdays, not for blowing your mind with color or speed. If you need a no-fuss second screen or a dual-monitor setup that won't give you a headache, this is a solid pick. But if you're looking for a primary display for anything visual, you'll want to look elsewhere.
Performance
The performance is exactly what you'd expect from a monitor in this price bracket: fine. The 100Hz refresh is a nice step up from the standard 60Hz for smoother scrolling, but it's not a gaming monitor. Our database shows its performance lands right in the 50th percentile—perfectly average. The 5ms response time is okay for office work, but you'll notice some ghosting if you try to play anything fast-paced. The real story is the 250-nit brightness; it's just bright enough for a well-lit room, but you'll struggle with glare in a sunny spot.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Excellent eye comfort features are the real star of the show. 100th
- Slim bezels make it a good candidate for a clean multi-monitor setup. 81th
- 100Hz refresh rate is a nice, smooth upgrade over basic 60Hz office panels. 75th
- Simple connectivity with HDMI and DisplayPort covers the essentials. 73th
Cons
- 27 inches at 1080p looks pixelated if you sit close. Text isn't as sharp as it should be. 28th
- Color performance is weak, landing in the 30th percentile. Don't even think about photo editing. 31th
- No height adjustment on the stand is a major ergonomic miss for a 'comfort' monitor.
- Built-in speakers are basically a checkbox feature. They sound tinny and weak.
The Word on the Street
Specifications
Full Specifications
Display
| Size | 27" |
| Resolution | 1920 (Full HD) |
| Panel Type | IPS |
| Aspect Ratio | 16:9 |
| Curved | No |
Performance
| Refresh Rate | 100 Hz |
| Response Time | 5 |
Color & HDR
| Brightness | 250 nits |
| Color Gamut | 16.7 Million Colors |
Connectivity
| Thunderbolt | N/A |
| Speakers | No |
| Headphone Jack | Yes |
Ergonomics
| Height Adjustable | No |
| Tilt | Yes |
| Swivel | No |
| Pivot | No |
| VESA Mount | 100x100 |
Features
| Touchscreen | No |
| Power | 25 |
| Weight | 4.1 kg / 9.0 lbs |
Value & Pricing
At its typical street price of around $150, it's a fair deal for a dedicated office screen with good comfort tech. But here's the kicker: we've seen this monitor dip as low as $90 on sale, and at that price, it's an absolute steal for a secondary display. At the high end of its $220 spread, it's harder to recommend when you can get better 1440p panels for similar money. Shop around.
vs Competition
Stack this up against something like a basic Dell or LG 27-inch 1080p office monitor, and the BenQ wins on refresh rate and bezel design. But if you're considering this as a main monitor, look at a 27-inch 1440p IPS panel instead—the pixel density is massively better for productivity. Compared to the gaming-focused competitors listed (like the Samsung Odyssey or MSI MPG), it's not even the same conversation. Those are for high-performance; this is for spreadsheets and emails.
| Spec | BenQ BenQ 27" Full HD 1080P 100Hz IPS HDMI, | Samsung Odyssey Samsung - 57" Odyssey Neo G9 Dual 4K UHD Quantum | LG UltraGear LG UltraGear 45" WUHD DUAL MODE 4K 165Hz FHD 330Hz | ASUS ROG Swift ASUS Republic of Gamers Swift OLED PG27UCDM 26.5" | MSI MPG MSI 27 inch WQHD 2K 1440P 360Hz with AMD FreeSync | Dell UltraSharp Dell UltraSharp 27" 4K HDR 120 Hz Monitor (2-Pack) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen Size | 27 | 57 | 45 | 27 | 27 | 27 |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 7680 x 2160 | 5120 x 2160 | 3840 x 2160 | 2560 x 1440 | 3840 x 2160 |
| Panel Type | IPS | VA | OLED | OLED | OLED | IPS |
| Refresh Rate | 100 | 240 | 165 | 240 | 360 | 120 |
| Response Time Ms | 5 | 1 | - | - | 0 | 5 |
| Adaptive Sync | - | FreeSync Premium Pro | G-Sync Compatible | G-Sync Compatible | FreeSync Premium Pro | - |
| Hdr | - | HDR10+ | HDR10 | HDR400 | HDR400 | HDR |
Common Questions
Q: Is the pixel density really that bad on a 27-inch 1080p screen?
Yes. If you're coming from a laptop or a smaller 1080p screen, you'll notice the pixels. It's fine for side tasks, but we wouldn't make it our main driver.
Q: Can you adjust the height of the monitor?
Nope. The stand only lets you tilt it back and forth. If you want proper ergonomics, you'll need to mount it on a VESA arm (it has the 100x100 holes).
Q: Is the 100Hz refresh rate good for gaming?
It's better than 60Hz, but the 5ms response time and lack of adaptive sync mean it's not built for it. Get a proper gaming monitor if that's your goal.
Who Should Skip This
If you're a designer, video editor, or anyone who cares about color accuracy, skip this. The color performance is in the bottom third of all monitors. Go get an ASUS ProArt or a Dell UltraSharp instead. Also, hardcore gamers should look at the MSI or LG options with faster refresh rates.
Verdict
We recommend the BenQ GW2791 for one specific buyer: someone building a budget dual-monitor office setup who values eye comfort above all else. It's a competent, if unspectacular, workhorse. For anyone using it as a primary display, the low pixel density is a real drawback, and the lack of adjustability is frustrating. Buy it on sale, use it as a side screen, and you'll be happy.