BenQ Freesync Gaming Monitor

Last updated: October 29, 2021


BenQ Freesync Gaming Monitor

We looked at the top Gaming Monitors and dug through the reviews from some of the most popular review sites. Through this analysis, we've determined the best Gaming Monitor you should buy.

Product Details

In our analysis of 54 expert reviews, the BenQ Freesync Gaming Monitor placed 11th when we looked at the top 11 products in the category. For the full ranking, see below.

From The Manufacturer

L2870U brings HDR together with Brightness Intelligence Plus Technology (B.I.+ Tech.) to gently soften bright areas while keeping dark details crystal clear. EL2870U’s simple hotkey switches between 4 levels of HDR and B.I.+ modes to balance maximum contrast and vibrancy and fully enjoy the splendid image performance of HDR while maintaining your viewing comfort. The image has a faulty coloration – Go to Picture and Reset Color, and then choose YES to reset the color settings to the factory defaults. If the image is still not correct and the OSD also has faulty coloration, this means one of the three primary colors is missing in the signal input. Now check the signal cable connectors. If any pin is bent or broken off, please contact your dealer to get necessary support. The image is distorted, flashes or flickers- Read the instructions on the link “Adjusting the Screen Resolution” on the CD, and then select the correct resolution, refresh rate and make adjustments based on these instructions. The image is blurred- read the instructions on the link “Adjusting the Screen Resolution “on the CD, and then select the correct resolution, refresh rate and make adjustments based on these instructions. If a VGA extension cable is used, remove the extension cable for the test. Is the image now in focus? If not, optimize the image by working through the instructions in the “Adjusting the refresh rate” section on the link “Adjusting the Screen Resolution”. It is normal for blurring to occur due to conduction losses in extension cables. You can minimize these losses by using an extension cable with better conduction quality or with a built-in booster.

Our Expert Consultant

Doug Brennan   
Tech writer for Digital Addicts, avid PC/console gamer

Doug Brennan is an avid PC/console gamer for the past 20+ years, and writer for Digital Addicts. In his spare time, he’s an active member on a number of computer peripheral forums (overclock.net, geekhack.org, head-fi.org), so he’s always up to date on the latest products.

Expert Reviews


What reviewers liked

The BenQ EL2870U has excellent low input lag in any mode, which is great. It has a large 28" screen, and the 4k native resolution is great for multitasking, although it doesn't provide as much screen real-estate as larger Ultrawide monitors.
The EL2870U features a prominently displayed HDR button on the front bezel. It toggles an HDR-emulation mode along with Brightness Intelligence + which varies color temperature based on your room’s lighting. That is detected by a small sensor hanging from the panel’s bottom edge.
The EL2870U allows you to disable and re-enable an HDR emulator with a physical button on the bezel, boosting the color and brightness of non-HDR content. HDR support is enabled automatically for all HDR10 content.
Supports HDR content
The monitor supports AMD FreeSync, providing a good V-Sync alternative if you can’t maintain a constant 60 FPS in 4K, which will likely be the case with many games.
The 1ms response rate smoothly links player action with gameplay reaction. Colors are crisp. and vivid, comparable to some higher priced models.
We checked out the BenQ EL2870U to see if it makes for a solid, entry-level 4K monitor. Outside of just the high screen resolution, this 27-inch monitor also includes some great features like support for HDR and BenQ’s helpful reduced blue light settings.
The super-fast 1ms response also eliminates motion smear for smoother video and gaming. Dynamic action and dramatic transitions are rendered perfectly without lag or ghosting, giving you vibrant, realistic, and precise images.
The main asset of the BenQ EL2870U 4K HDR10 monitor is actually its rapid 1ms response time speed which eliminates ghosting of fast-moving objects in video games and movies.
It’s surprising that BenQ packaged this model to be HDR compatible despite having a TN panel which is limited in terms of vibrancy and contrast. This is where the bigger BenQ EW3270U leads since it includes VA panel which has deeper and richer imaging characteristics than the latter.

What reviewers didn't like

The stand can only tilt, there are no height adjustments and it cannot swivel, which is disappointing
HDR works fine, but low native contrast limits what the panel can do. And without DCI-P3 color, it won’t offer a significantly better experience than SDR.
The monitor has no USB ports, and thus can't be used as a hub to plug in flash drives or other peripherals.
Mediocre color performance
HDR doesn’t shine due to low brightness and contrast
60 Hz refresh rate may occassionally cause some graphics lag compared to units with higher refresh rates
You won’t find USB ports, whether you’re looking for Type-A or Type-C. You can’t use the monitor as a hub for other devices or power your laptop.
However, one drawback of this monitor is its audio performance. Even at full volume, they sound thin and distant.
The stand offers only tilt adjustment but it can also be detached; if you wish to mount the monitor on a dedicated stand or the wall, you can use the 100x100mm VESA mount pattern.
The I/O layout in a down firing position lacks the usual extras such as USB slots and whatnot, but we think it suffices for the ideal purposes of the BenQ EL2870U.
View our Gaming Monitor buying guide for in-depth advice and recommendations.

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