BenQ MA270S review: After 166 days of testing, I'm confident creators will adore this 5K 27-inch Mac Studio Display alternative as much as I do
by https://www.techradar.com/author/collin-probst · TechRadarTechRadar Verdict
The BenQ MA270S is designed for Mac creators who want a studio display without the price tag Apple attaches to its own creative screen. It's got absolutely superb visual quality. It's got great brightness, a super clean panel, some phenomenal ports, and macOS integration. In short, it’s a dream 27-inch panel for most.
Pros
- +Gorgeous display for creators
- +Great specs
- +great ports
- +DisplayPilot 2 (macOS integration)
Cons
- -Speakers aren't great for music
- -Not all creators need 5K
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Over the past few years, I've become absolutely fascinated and have fallen in love with BenQ monitors. I love how they have become more Apple-esque, yet they include some features that most people wish Apple would add to their monitors. While I would love to have a studio display someday, I think that the quality would be amazing.
I am absolutely loving my MA series monitors across several of my workstations. I'm still loving my MA320U on my main desk in my home office studio, but the MA270S has made its home as the vertical monitor in my setup, where I currently have my RD monitor as well.
This panel is unbelievably crisp, integrates with everything in my DisplayPilot 2 app, and offers extra ports. It's got a halfway decent speaker for virtual meetings, though I wouldn't listen to music through it beyond background lo-fi. All around, this monitor has been an absolute treat for a ton of reasons.
BenQ MA270S: Price and availability
The BenQ MA270S retails for just under $1,000 on BenQ's website. It's also widely available from online retailers, including Amazon.
If that price doesn't scare you and you're looking for a 32-inch variant, they do have an MA320UG panel that is the same type of panel, just 32 inches. Make sure you check that one out if you're interested.
BenQ MA270S: Unboxing and First Impressions
The unboxing experience for this monitor is much like that of every other BenQ monitor I've tested. It comes in a simple brown box that's somehow still very well packed and secure. In the box is the monitor or panel, the stand, documentation, and every cable you could possibly need.
That is one thing I will always appreciate about BenQ: they include every single cable, regardless of how you use this monitor. If there's an HDMI option, they include an HDMI. If there's USB-C, they include USB-C, so you can get up and running right away.
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