BenQ SW321C review

The BenQ SW321C is a pro-level monitor without the pro-level price.

The BenQ SW321C monitor on a desk
(Image: © Michelle Rae Uy)

Our Verdict

The BenQ SW321C is a pro-level display monitor crammed with photo and video editing features that can streamline a content creator’s creative workflow. Best of all, it delivers exceptional image quality with wide colour space coverage and superb colour accuracy, even if its contrast didn’t quite manage to reach the promised 1,000:1 ratio during our testing. Plus, its sub-$2,000/£2,000 price tag means that it's more accessible than other professional photography monitors on the market.

For

  • Great colour coverage and uniformity
  • Excellent colour accuracy
  • Lots of editing-specific features

Against

  • Built-in OSD controls annoying to use
  • Stand is a little wobbly
  • Contrast could be better

Why you can trust Creative Bloq Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

BenQ’s flagship display, the BenQ SW321C PhotoVue, takes most of the things you need from a professional photography monitor and delivers them in a much more affordable package. This 32-inch 4K panel come with fantastic features that are useful for photographers – like the included hood to minimise glare and the GamutDuo Mode so you can display the same photo in different colour spaces for a side-by-side comparison. It also boasts all the vital elements for editing such as impeccable image quality, high colour accuracy and wide colour gamut. 

All that while keeping the price at a reasonable $1,999 / £1,599 – that might seem high for a monitor but it's quite accessible compared to some rival professional monitors that retail at over $3,000/£3,000. With the BenQ SW321C PhotoVue, BenQ might have finally claimed the crown as king of affordable yet top-quality displays suitable for professional use, which is why it makes it into our guide to the best monitors for photo editing as well as the best USB-C monitors overall.

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The Verdict
9

out of 10

BenQ SW321C

The BenQ SW321C is a pro-level display monitor crammed with photo and video editing features that can streamline a content creator’s creative workflow. Best of all, it delivers exceptional image quality with wide colour space coverage and superb colour accuracy, even if its contrast didn’t quite manage to reach the promised 1,000:1 ratio during our testing. Plus, its sub-$2,000/£2,000 price tag means that it's more accessible than other professional photography monitors on the market.

Los Angeles-based Michelle is a writer and photographer. She regularly writes for TechRadar, Steve's Digicams and Techlicious, and is currently a freelance SEO and Production editor for TechRadar.
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