Following hot on the heals of the 4K BenQ PD3225U “Design Monitor” and the uber Mac friendly 4K MA270U, BenQ recently released yet another alternative to Apple’s Studio Display, the 5K PD2730S.
The BenQ PD2730S has entered the 5K monitor space at around $1,199 which undercuts the Apple Studio Display by around $400 which currently retails for $1,599 (although refurbished models are cheaper).
That’s a pretty decent saving – almost enough to get yourself an M4 Mac Mini to go with it.
But is this $400 saving worth it considering the unbelievable specs of Apple’s display?
Here I take a look at them head-to-head to help paint a clearer picture.
Table of Contents
Overview
In a nutshell, the BenQ PD2730S is a 27-inch 5K (5120×2880) monitor designed for creatives and professionals. It’s known for precise color calibration, ergonomic adjustments, and like many of BenQ’s recent monitors, macOS compatibility.
In terms of looks, it’s black, white and silver plastic with a slim bezel around the front. It definitely looks cheaper and flimsier than Apple’s display (although most monitors do). The stand however, feels sturdy just like the ones that come with the excellent BenQ PD3225U and BenQ MA270U.
The Apple Studio Display on the other hand is Apple’s premium 27-inch 5K Retina display built with close integration with macOS, True Tone, a 12MP camera, spatial audio, and an unrivaled aluminum build quality with a glass screen, to name just a few features.
It looks and feels a class above the BenQ, as it does with pretty much any other display on the market right now.
Specification Comparison
Here’s how the two monitors compare technically head-to-head:
| Feature | BenQ PD2730S | Apple Studio Display |
|---|
| Screen Size | 27 inches | 27 inches |
| Resolution | 5120 x 2880 (W-LED) | 5120 x 2880 (5K Retina) |
| PPI | 218 | 218 |
| Panel Type | IPS Nano Matte (not glossy) | IPS (Retina) glossy, glass panel. Matte finish costs extra. |
| Color Coverage | 100% sRGB, Rec. 709, 98% P3 wide color coverage | 100% sRGB, 98% P3 wide color coverage |
| Color Accuracy | Delta E < 2 (pre-calibrated) | Delta E < 1 |
| Brightness | 400 nits | 600 nits |
| Contrast Ratio | 2000:1 | 1200:1 |
| Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz |
| Response Time | 5ms | 8ms |
| Ports | 2x Thunderbolt 4 (90W & 15W), 2x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort, 2x USB-A | 1x Thunderbolt 3, 3x USB-C |
| Built-in Speakers | Yes (3W x 2) | Yes (6-speaker system with spatial audio) |
| Camera & Mic | No | 12MP Ultra Wide camera, 3-mic array |
| Stand Adjustability | Height, tilt, swivel, pivot | Tilt (Height optional with extra cost stand) |
| VESA Mount Compatible | Yes | Optional (with VESA mount adapter but costs extra) |
| HDR Support | VESA DisplayHDR 400 | No official HDR support |
| Accessories | Hotkey Puck G3 wireless controller | – |
| Price (Full Retail) | $1,199 USD | $1,599 USD |
The key differences we can see from this are:
- Brightness is where the Apple Studio Display clearly leads with 600 nits of brightness compared to just 400 enabling much better visibility in highly lit environments. However, the PD2730S has a higher contrast ratio almost twice that of the Studio Display.
- PD2730S offers better port flexibility including some on the bottom of the monitor for easier access than reaching around the back. Like the Studio Display, this includes Thunderbolt ports which also charge MacBooks. It also has the edge on Apple’s display in terms of HDR support (although only up to HDR 400) and full ergonomic VESA mount adjustability. Although you can tilt the Apple Studio Display, a fully adjustable stand with pivot and height adjustment costs around $400 extra.
- The Apple Studio Display has premium extras (webcam, spatial audio and much better macOS integration) but comes at a higher cost. The aluminum build quality on the Apple Studio display is superior to any monitor I’ve seen, including the BenQ PD2730S.
- The PD2730S has a handy hotkey puck to control things like input, contrast, brightness and other settings. There isn’t one with the Apple Studio Display although you can control more of the monitor’s settings from macOS. That said, the BenQ uses the same excellent Display Pilot 2 software as in BenQ’s other Mac oriented display that allow you to control brightness and volume from macOS.
User Reviews
Scouring around for positive reviews of both models, there’s generally a lot of praise for both.
Typical positive reviews for the BenQ PD2730S are:
“Color accuracy is on point for video editing. Love the KVM support. Great value if you don’t need built-in speakers.” — Amazon Verified Buyer
“macOS support is flawless. Scaling looks just like Apple’s display, and the USB-C connection works without hiccups.” — Reddit user r/macsetup
There was lots of praise for the Apple Studio Display too:
“Build quality and display clarity are unmatched. But I wish it had HDR for the price.” — MacRumors Forum Member
“Plug and play with my MacBook Pro. The webcam and speakers are excellent for Zoom meetings.” — Trustpilot Review
However, I also found some negative reviews for the BenQ PD2730S such as:
“Great specs on paper, but I had constant issues with USB-C connection dropping intermittently on my M2 MacBook.” — Amazon Buyer
“Colors were decent but the limited brightness made it less ideal for video work than I’d hoped.” — CreativePro Forums
There were also some complaints about the Apple Studio Display mainly about the lack of HDR and price.
“Expected a premium experience for the price, but the lack of HDR and no height adjustability without an upgrade is frustrating.” — Reddit user r/macsetup
“Sound and camera are good, but it’s wildly overpriced. There are better 5K monitors out there now.” — MacRumors Forum Member
Final Verdict
If you want better macOS integration, a built-in webcam, better brightness, and studio-grade speakers, the Apple Studio Display is still unbeatable in my mind – even for $400 more than the BenQ. It also looks and feels a lot sturdier with an aluminum chassis and glass screen that’s better than any monitor out there.
However, the BenQ PD2730S runs it close in many areas with 5K resolution, excellent color fidelity, and much better ergonomics included in the price. I’d say it’s ideal for creatives such as graphic designers and video editors who use a lot of external peripherals and want high visual quality without paying the Apple premium.
If it’s a case of saving $400, I’d go for the Apple Studio Display every time.
However, when you consider that the PD2730S comes with both a Matte finish and adjustable stand – add those “extras” to the Apple Studio Display and it comes to around $2,299 – I’d say go with the PD2730S as it’s almost half the price.
Alternatively, you might also want to consider the Asus Pro Art PA27JCV which has a similar spec to the BenQ PD2730S (minus Thunderbolt ports) but retails much cheaper for around $799.
For other options, check out our guides to the best Studio Display Alternatives and best 5K monitors for Macs too.