The BenQ EX2780Q is an impressive gaming monitor that delivers a smooth gaming experience thanks to its high refresh rate, low response time, and FreeSync support. It has an IPS panel with exceptionally low input lag, though its contrast ratio is rather mediocre, making it less ideal for dark rooms. It's also a great monitor for media consumption, as it has built-in speakers and comes with a remote control, so you can just sit back and enjoy a movie or a show. The monitor's size and resolution provide ample space for multitasking, and its wide viewing angles are great for sharing content or for co-op gaming.
Our Verdict
The BenQ EX2780Q is a good monitor for most uses. Its 1440p resolution delivers a detailed picture, and it has exceptionally low response time and input lag to provide a responsive gaming and desktop experience. Unfortunately, its bad ergonomics make it difficult to adjust to your optimal viewing position, and dark room viewing isn't ideal due to its mediocre contrast ratio.
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High refresh rate.
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FreeSync support.
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Great viewing angles.
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Bad ergonomics.
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Mediocre black uniformity.
The BenQ EX2780Q is a good office monitor. Its 27 inch screen lets you multitask comfortably, and text remains sharp and legible. It has an IPS panel that provides great viewing angles so you can share your work easily, but the monitor's lack of adjustability is disappointing for those who need to work in portrait mode. The monitor has good reflection handling and it can get bright enough to overcome glare in a well-lit room.
The BenQ EX2780Q is an impressive monitor for gaming. It has nearly everything that gamers ask for: low response time, low input lag, high refresh rate, and support for FreeSync. Its size and resolution provide great immersion in RPGs or atmospheric games, but sadly, it's not well-suited for dark room gaming, as it has a low contrast ratio and mediocre black uniformity.
The BenQ EX2780Q is good for media consumption. It has a great 1440p resolution that delivers a detailed image, and its 27 inch screen doesn't feel cramped. Viewing angles are good if you want to share content, and it has excellent gray uniformity with no visible dirty screen effect. However, its mediocre contrast ratio and black uniformity make it less suitable for viewing in a dark room.
The BenQ EX2780Q is a good monitor for media creation. It has a good size and resolution to let you work comfortably, and its viewing angles allow you to share your work easily. However, it has bad ergonomics, and the monitor can't display dark colors due to its mediocre contrast ratio.
The BenQ EX2780Q is decent for HDR gaming. Although it can get bright enough to provide a decent HDR gaming experience, it's limited by the monitor's mediocre contrast ratio. Its middling black uniformity can be distracting in dark scenes, and it doesn't have a local dimming feature. On the upside, it has a high refresh rate, low response time, and low input lag.
- 7.6 Mixed Usage
- 7.5 Office
- 8.0 Gaming
- 7.6 Multimedia
- 7.5 Media Creation
- 6.8 HDR Gaming
Changelog
- Updated Jan 20, 2021: For consistency, we've changed the height adjustment from N/A to '0.0'. The score has been adjusted accordingly.
- Updated Jan 15, 2021: The weight with stand was mistakenly set to 6 lbs instead of 6 kg. It has been fixed.
- Updated Feb 19, 2020: Review published.
- Updated Feb 17, 2020: Early access published.
- Updated Feb 14, 2020: Our testers have started testing this product.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the BenQ EX2780Q and it's only available in this size and resolution.
If someone comes across a different type of panel or if their BenQ EX2780Q doesn't correspond to our review, let us know and we'll update the review. Note that some tests, such as the gray uniformity, may vary between individual units.
Our unit of the BenQ EX2780Q was manufactured in November 2019, and you can see the label here.
Compared To Other Monitors
The BenQ EX2780Q is a great gaming monitor. Its performance is on-par with a lot of other 27 inch, 1440p, high refresh rate gaming monitors, but it doesn't have as many extra features as a monitor like the Gigabyte Aorus FI27Q. However, it's one of the very few that comes with a remote control.
You can also see our recommendations for the best gaming monitors, the best 144Hz monitors, and the best 27 inch monitors.
The BenQ EX2780Q and the Gigabyte M27Q (rev. 1.0) are both 27-inch 1440p gaming monitors. The Gigabyte performs better for the most part. It has a higher refresh rate of 170Hz, a faster response time, and more features, like a USB-C input, a Picture-in-Picture mode, and a KVM.
The BenQ EX2780Q is much better than the BenQ EL2870U. The EX2780Q's IPS panel has much better viewing angles, contrast ratio, and black uniformity. It also has a much higher refresh rate, as well as a lower input lag. On the other hand, the EL2870U has a 4k resolution, which is better for productivity, and better color accuracy out of the box.
The LG 27GL850-B/27GL83A-B is slightly better than the BenQ EX2780Q in mixed usage. Ergonomics are significantly better on the LG, as well as gradient performance. There's less color bleeding on the LG, but its black uniformity and contrast ratio are much worse than the BenQ.
The ASUS ROG Swift PG279Q is marginally better than the BenQ EX2780Q. The ASUS has a slightly higher refresh rate, and its ergonomics are significantly better. Build quality is better on the ASUS, and it has a more accurate color reproduction out-of-the-box. On the other hand, the BenQ supports HDR, but it doesn't have a black frame insertion feature, which the ASUS has.
The Gigabyte AORUS AD27QD is a bit better than the BenQ EX2780Q. The AORUS has significantly better ergonomics, out-of-box color accuracy, and gradient performance. The AORUS also has an optional black frame insertion feature to help reduce motion blur and a host of extra features for gaming and productivity. However, black uniformity is much worse on the AORUS, as there's noticeable clouding and backlight bleed through the screen.
The BenQ EX2780Q is marginally better than the Dell Alienware AW2720HF. The BenQ has a higher resolution, better contrast ratio, and significantly better black uniformity. Also, the BenQ supports HDR, but the Dell has a higher refresh rate, a faster response time, and its ergonomics are much better, as it can be adjusted however you like.
The BenQ EX2780Q is better than the Dell UltraSharp U2721DE. The BenQ has a much higher refresh rate, making it much better for gaming, although even desktop users will notice a difference. The BenQ also supports HDR, although this doesn't add much. The Dell has better ergonomics and a better stand, and it supports power delivery over its USB-C port.
The Dell S2721DGF is better than the BenQ EX2780Q overall. The Dell has a higher refresh rate and a faster response time, which results in a smoother and more responsive gaming experience. It also has significantly better ergonomics and USB ports.
The BenQ EX2780Q and the MSI Optix G27CQ4 are both very good gaming monitors with different panel types. The BenQ is a 144Hz monitor with an IPS panel with wider viewing angles, and the MSI has a 165Hz refresh rate and a VA panel with higher contrast. The BenQ supports HDR, which the MSI doesn't, and it has quicker response times, so motion looks better.
The BenQ EX2780Q is much better than the Dell S2421H. The BenQ has a larger, higher-resolution screen, better viewing angles, and supports HDR. The BenQ also has a faster refresh rate, and a much faster response time, resulting in clearer motion with less blur behind fast-moving objects.
Test Results
Update 01/15/2021: We mistakenly indicated the weight with stand as 6 lbs instead of 6 kg. It has been fixed.
The BenQ EX2780Q has a fairly simple design that fits into any office setting. It has thin borders and the bottom part of the screen houses the internal speakers. The stand doesn't take up too much space, and you can use the rectangular space created by the stand to put other things.
The stand is a mix of metal and plastic. It supports the monitor well, but it wobbles a bit.
Update 01/20/2021: For consistency, we've changed the height adjustment from N/A to '0.0'. The score has been adjusted accordingly.
The monitor has bad ergonomics, as it only allows for tilt adjustments. If you want a similar monitor with better ergonomics, check out the Lenovo Legion Y27q-20.
The back of the monitor is plain black plastic. There are controls located at the bottom left corner and there's cable management built into the stand.
The borders of the monitor are very thin, making it a good choice for multi-monitor setups.
The monitor has a fairly thin profile and doesn't take up a lot of space.
Build quality is decent. It has a mostly plastic construction and feels a little cheap where the stand connects to the monitor, but otherwise, there's nothing that stands out.
Like most IPS monitors, the BenQ EX2780Q has a mediocre contrast ratio, resulting in blacks that look more like gray when viewed in the dark.
This monitor doesn't have a local dimming feature. The video above is for reference only.
The EX2780Q has good peak brightness. There's very little variation between different content, and it should be bright enough to overcome glare in a well-lit room.
HDR peak brightness is decent and there's no brightness variation with different content. It's bright enough for HDR gaming, but it won't be able to bring out specular highlights in HDR movies.
The EX2780Q has impressive horizontal viewing angles. This is great for playing co-op games or to share work with colleagues.
The EX2780Q has acceptable vertical viewing angles. The top and bottom edges of the screen should remain accurate even if you sit up close.
Gray uniformity is excellent. There's a bit of vignetting at the top left corner and the right side of the screen; however, it's much better in dark scenes.
Black uniformity is mediocre. There's visible backlight bleed at the top right corner as well as some clouding throughout the screen.
Out-of-the-box color accuracy is decent. There are inaccuracies with several colors and with shades of gray. The gamma is too high, resulting in images looking darker than they should.
After calibration, color accuracy is outstanding. Any remaining inaccuracies shouldn't be noticeable to the naked eye.
You can download our ICC profile calibration here.This is provided for reference only and shouldn't be used, as the calibration values vary per individual unit even for the same model due to manufacturing tolerances.
The EX2780Q has an exceptional SDR color gamut. It covers all of the sRGB color space used in most content, and it has excellent coverage of the Adobe RGB color space, which is used for professional photo editing.
SDR color volume is outstanding. The monitor can display rich, saturated colors, but it can't display dark colors well due to its low contrast ratio.
The EX2780Q has an acceptable HDR color gamut. The commonly used DCI P3 coverage and the wider Rec. 2020 coverage are both decent.
HDR color volume is mediocre. Due to its low contrast ratio, this monitor can't display dark colors well.
There are no signs of image retention on this monitor.
Gradient performance is excellent, though there is some banding in dark gray, dark red, and dark blue.
The EX2780Q has some color bleed, particularly with red, blue, and magenta. It shouldn't be noticeable in regular content, but patterns such as the above photo can make it more visible.
This monitor has good reflection handling. It has a matte coating to diffuse light and its performance is very similar to the ASUS TUF VG27AQ.
Text clarity is decent. It's noticeably clearer when ClearType is enabled (top photo), especially for diagonal lines, as seen on the letters R and N.
| Mode | Response Time Chart | Motion Blur Photo | Response Time Table |
| Off | Chart | Photo | Table |
| High | Chart | Photo | Table |
| Premium | Chart | Photo | Table |
The BenQ EX2780Q has an outstanding response time, resulting in a clear picture with very little blur behind fast-moving objects.
Like most monitors, the overdrive level can be adjusted. On this monitor, we recommend the 'Premium' setting, as it provides the best performance. However, there's a little bit of overshoot, which can cause inverse ghosting.
| Mode | Response Time Chart | Motion Blur Photo | Response Time Table |
| Off | Chart | Photo | Table |
| High | Chart | Photo | Table |
| Premium | Chart | Photo | Table |
Response time is good when playing at 60Hz. It's slightly slower than when playing at max refresh rate, though it shouldn't be noticeable for most people. We recommend the 'High' setting, as the 'Premium' setting caused a significant amount of overshoot, resulting in the appearance of artifacts.
The EX2780Q has a flicker-free backlight to help reduce eye strain.
The BenQ EX2780Q doesn't have a black frame insertion feature.
The refresh rate is excellent. The monitor supports FreeSync and is compatible with NVIDIA's G-SYNC with a driver update. If you want a similar monitor with a higher refresh rate, check out the Acer Nitro XV272U KVbmiiprzx.
Input lag is outstanding. It's slightly higher when playing at 60Hz, but shouldn't be noticeable for most people.
The BenQ EX2780Q's size and resolution are great for both gaming and multitasking. There's a good amount of screen real estate to have multiple windows opened at the same time.
The EX2780Q has a few additional features:
- HDRi: Built-in sensor that detects ambient light and adjusts the image accordingly. This feature affects calibration and also emulates HDR effect in non-HDR content.
- Remote control
- EQ for internal speakers
- Eye reminder: Lets you set a timer to remind you to take breaks.
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Comments
BenQ EX2780Q: Main Discussion
Let us know why you want us to review the product here, or encourage others to vote for this product.
- 21010
hi! Watching S95D on YouTube, it felt a little bit like it wasn’t OLED. Looking forward to a solid review from RTINGS.
- 21010
Why was this model unreleased? was there no evaluation plan?
We’ve purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.
- 10-100
wonderful!
- 21010
waiting for solid Review from “RTINGS” am Confused between S95C Or s95D
The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
- 43230
Would be interested to hear about durability/care. Is it hard to clean the matte surface? Easy to scratch? Etc
- 32120
Having seen this S95D and the S90D side by side in a local Best Buy US store, I think I do like the matte finish on the S95D as it seemed to handle reflections a lot better than the S90D typical anti-reflective coatings. I’d also be curious how it holds up to cleaning/maintenance.
Our testers have started testing this product; is there anything specific you’re looking to see? Let us know in this thread.
- 21010
I would like to know if it suffers blackouts like the S95C. The cause was that the Samsung S95C’s HDMI 2.1 ports aren’t able to handle the full bandwidth that HDMI 2.1 is capable of. A full-fat HDMI 2.1 port is capable of 48Gbps, but the S95C’s ports only appear to be capable of 40Gbps. I hope they have addresed that problem in the S95D.
- 43230
I’d like to know if, when used in a dark room, the S95D has any disadvantages due of the matte finish: not as sharp as other OLED TVs? blooming around white text on black background like in credits or subtitles? Thanks!
- 21010
Eagerly waiting for this review. Must need to know the ‘PRO’ features included for 1st time and most importantly the difference between S90D vs S95D - Economics of Value!!! Please release this review sooooooooonnnnn
- 32120
I hope the HDR brightness follows the EOTF curve in game mode
Early access to our full test results is now available for Insiders! Become an insider to check it out here.
- 21010
Does the central cable box still have an issue with 40gbps speed or can it do 48 this year?
- 21010
When I saw S95D’s review, I thought about it for a while. Is the category of product I’m looking at TV? Or am I looking at the monitor? I’m confused.
- 54340
I think there is a data error in «Sustained 10% window», it says 193cd/m2, while i expect it to be closer to ~1100 cd/m2
- 32120
for rtings editor,please check s95d in hdr mode10% apl brightness，its should no be 191cd/m
- 32120
Hey all! I’d like to post a brief explanation on our early access results, as the sustained 10% HDR brightness measurements are considerably lower than the peak measurements, and considerably lower than we expected.
This will be fully explained in the written review, but this isn’t a mistake. The TV is thermal throttling 10% windows after about a minute, causing the brightness to decrease rapidly and considerably, and it can only sustain about 200 nits over time. These results have been double, triple, and quadruple-checked, even after factory resetting the TV, confirming all eco settings were disabled, and running it with fans on in the room to try to cool down the TV. I’ve also posted about this on AVS Forums and at least one other reviewer has confirmed our findings. The spot on the TV with the 10% slide reaches about 75°C, which is extremely hot for any display, so the TV is just protecting itself by dropping the brightness down.
- 32120
Hey all! I’d like to post a brief explanation on our early access results, as the sustained 10% HDR brightness measurements are considerably lower than the peak measurements, and considerably lower than we expected. This will be fully explained in the written review, but this isn’t a mistake. The TV is thermal throttling 10% windows after about a minute, causing the brightness to decrease rapidly and considerably, and it can only sustain about 200 nits over time. These results have been double, triple, and quadruple-checked, even after factory resetting the TV, confirming all eco settings were disabled, and running it with fans on in the room to try to cool down the TV. I’ve also posted about this on AVS Forums and at least one other reviewer has confirmed our findings. The spot on the TV with the 10% slide reaches about 75°C, which is extremely hot for any display, so the TV is just protecting itself by dropping the brightness down.
What’s the consequences of that in watching content outside of stress testing?
- 21010
Hey team, any reason why you’re testing the pre calibration colour in movie mode, not a more accurate one?
- 21010
Hey team, any reason why you’re testing the pre calibration colour in movie mode, not a more accurate one?
We check the accuracy of all picture modes before choosing the most accurate one for our pre calibration results. On most Samsung TVs, including this one, FMM and Movie mode are basically identical, but since some settings are locked in FMM we choose Movie mode.
- 21010
No impact at all, it’ll be extremely rare to encounter anything close to this with real content.
Great, I’ve had the S95D for almost a month now. And have a return window. I just picked up the G4 and have been comparing the two. So far I lean towards liking the S95D more for it’s brightness and color volume over the G4. Still trying to decide which I will return.
- 21010
In regards to the sustained 10 percent brightness in HDR, is this something that I should worry about? I want to get the best Samsung Oled and one would think the highest model would be the choice.
- 21010
I’ve got an unusual request - would you be able to measure what is the base overhang, i.e. what is the distance from the front edge of the base to the surface of the screen?
- 21010
1066 is the newest firmware for the S95D. Would be curious if this altered the 10 % sustained brightness measurement at all.
- +[-2] hidden content
- 10-13-3
for those wanting to know results: just buy an S90D, which was basically just a rebadged S90C. just save your money and buy an S90C.
- 32120
In regards to the sustained 10 percent brightness in HDR, is this something that I should worry about? I want to get the best Samsung Oled and one would think the highest model would be the choice.
Hey there! No, this isn’t something to worry about. Super bright highlights typically don’t stay on screen with real content for long enough to cause the issue we experienced. Keep in mind that the S90D and S95D have incredibly similar picture quality overall, and they only slightly outperform each other in a few different categories. The big difference with the S95D is the matte screen finish and the Slim One Connect Box (OCB). The OCB is the main reason the S95D is more expensive. I hope that helps!
- 10-11-1
Eagerly waiting for this review. Must need to know the ‘PRO’ features included for 1st time and most importantly the difference between S90D vs S95D - Economics of Value!!! Please release this review sooooooooonnnnn
After facing backlight flicker issues in both QN90A and QN90B in last 3 years, I Finally ditched NeoQLED tech and bought S95D today… Still excited for RTINGS review…I wish this gets higher rating than both - S90D and LG G4. Please do explain the usefulness/impact of exclusive ‘PRO’ features on S95D like HDR PRO, Adaptive sound pro etc.
Edited 1 year ago: additional info - 54340
Hey there! No, this isn’t something to worry about. Super bright highlights typically don’t stay on screen with real content for long enough to cause the issue we experienced. Keep in mind that the S90D and S95D have incredibly similar picture quality overall, and they only slightly outperform each other in a few different categories. The big difference with the S95D is the matte screen finish and the Slim One Connect Box (OCB). The OCB is the main reason the S95D is more expensive. I hope that helps!
Interesting that you found the S90d and S95d to be incredibly similar when most video comparisons show the s95d decently brighter with better tone mapping where the s90d looks incorrectly tone mapping mixed scenes at times and good amount dimmer.
- 21010
Can ASBL be turned off?
The full review has been posted here. Let us know what you think!
- 21010
Hi and thank you guys for the review!
Is there any detrimental effect from the matt screen on black levels when viewed in a relatively DARK room?
On the picture with blinds closed, S90D seems to have noticeably higher contrast. However, it seems like there is still quite a bit of ambient light even with blinds off.
- 3218-6
Thanks for the review team. I somewhat ‘disagree’ and disappointed from the review. It doesn’t covers the main distinguishing features of interest like HDR PRO added for the first time (not included on S90D). Highly disappointed that the flagship TV is given a rating of 8.9, while the S90D is given 9.0 –> This is Bizarre. Plus, you gave reflection handling rating of 8.9 to S95D and 9.5 to S90D –> Is it even correct??? Just like everywhere else in world, your pics themselves show S95D is better at reflection handling. It should be other way around. Your review sounds like S95D is nothing more than S90D or even S95C - unlike most other reviews on other platforms. You have rated S95D (FLAGSHIP) below S95C and S90D both - Is it intentional to create a buzz/attention :) ?? Something doesn’t feels right about this review RTINGS! Shouldn’t you re-consider reviewing it again?
Edited 12 months ago: reflections rating incorrect, overall review doubtful - 32120
Question: Do the blacks appear to be raised or are they actually emitting light? From the photos y'all showed, it seemed that the blacks were comparable to an LCD tv. Is it just camera trickery or is it actually that awful?
- 10-11-1
Can the TV run 10bit color at 144 hz? I was under the impression 48gbps HDMI was required for it.
- 76560
Thanks for the review team. I somewhat ‘disagree’ and disappointed from the review. It doesn’t covers the main distinguishing features of interest like HDR PRO added for the first time (not included on S90D). Highly disappointed that the flagship TV is given a rating of 8.9, while the S90D is given 9.0 –> This is Bizarre. Plus, you gave reflection handling rating of 8.9 to S95D and 9.5 to S90D –> Is it even correct??? Just like everywhere else in world, your pics themselves show S95D is better at reflection handling. It should be other way around. Your review sounds like S95D is nothing more than S90D or even S95C - unlike most other reviews on other platforms. You have rated S95D (FLAGSHIP) below S95C and S90D both - Is it intentional to create a buzz/attention :) ?? Something doesn’t feels right about this review RTINGS! Shouldn’t you re-consider reviewing it again?
Agreed. I find it especially strange how the HDR brightness scores are near identical yet the peak brightness values are drastically higher on the S95D per the values listed in the review itself.
- 4324-1
Thanks for the review team. I somewhat ‘disagree’ and disappointed from the review. It doesn’t covers the main distinguishing features of interest like HDR PRO added for the first time (not included on S90D). Highly disappointed that the flagship TV is given a rating of 8.9, while the S90D is given 9.0 –> This is Bizarre. Plus, you gave reflection handling rating of 8.9 to S95D and 9.5 to S90D –> Is it even correct??? Just like everywhere else in world, your pics themselves show S95D is better at reflection handling. It should be other way around. Your review sounds like S95D is nothing more than S90D or even S95C - unlike most other reviews on other platforms. You have rated S95D (FLAGSHIP) below S95C and S90D both - Is it intentional to create a buzz/attention :) ?? Something doesn’t feels right about this review RTINGS! Shouldn’t you re-consider reviewing it again?
So what i’m most baffled at is the photos of light blasted across the screen. At my local Bestbuy, they have the 65s95d at a 45° angle facing an 85q60c, which is also at 45°. You can have the s95d off, the 85q60c still on, and the s95d still looks like a black hole. Is this only something seen through the camera? Because it’s very lit up on the showroom floor, and there’s an 85" tv staring it in the face LOL and it’s still as black as space. I just don’t see it.
- 5435-1
Agreed. I find it especially strange how the HDR brightness scores are near identical yet the peak brightness values are drastically higher on the S95D per the values listed in the review itself.
It actually matched or beat the A95L in most areas they scored, except color accuracy, big dip (color booster on or off?). But they seem to be really talking down about the matte finish, but in real life, check it out if you can, i mean there’s no reflections, i feel like it’s the truest black there is.