BenQ EW2420
-I see a lot of LED-backlit monitors come past my desk, but what I don't see are a lot of LED-backlit monitors with AMVA panels.
That's kind of a new thing and the BenQ EW2420 is the first monitor I've seen to feature it.
Spec-wise, it offers larger viewing angles and better color reproduction than a TN panel.
Specs are one thing though and realization of those specs is something else entirely.
I'm Eric Franklin and today, we'll take a first look at the BenQ EW2420.
From a purely aesthetic point of view, the BenQ would have a tough time standing out in a room full of monitors.
It has a typical black chassis, a semi-glossy black bezel, and an oval-shaped foot stand.
Honestly, I could be describing about 90% of the monitors released in the last year, the takeaway being that the BenQ doesn't offer much in a way of visual flourishes.
The screen has a semi-glossy look, and while it doesn't provide
1 to 1 reflection of the environment, at off angles, reflections become much clearer.
Under the bottom of the bezel is a panel-wide thin, gray cylinder--one of the BenQ's few unique aesthetic flourishes.
Each connection option is denoted with a clear label carving on the back of the monitor.
On the left side of the panel are 2 USB downstream ports and a headphone jack.
On the bottom right of the bezel sits the on-screen display, or OSD, array.
The OSD includes several presets, color and color temperature options,
as well as motion acceleration support, which is great for gaming or fast-moving images.
Although we did see deep blacks in movies, there was a definite green push most noticeable in the faces of the actors.
Minimizing the green was a challenge, but with a little patience, it can be improved.
Characters in games were jaggy and colors were oversaturated in the game preset, but things improved when switching to the softer and smoother look of the sRGB preset.
Available for about $250, it's difficult to fault the BenQ.
Any imperfection that crops up could just be explained with a, "But hey, at least it's cheap." And with the number of features it has, you definitely get something for your money.
While the LED-backlight AMVA panel combo didn't deliver the kind of performance we were hoping for, we did see wider viewing angles than what TN panels deliver, and much higher contrast ratio than even IPS monitors.
Movie performance displayed deep blacks and games looked good if in the right preset, but color reproduction wasn't up to our standards out of the box.
If you're looking for a top performer, this isn't it.
However, with a surprising number of useful features and a low price, you'll have a hard time finding a better bargain than the BenQ EW2420.
Once again, I'm Eric Franklin, and this has been a first look at the BenQ EW2420.
Up Next
Brelyon's Monitor Can Project a Cinema-Like Display With Added Virtual Depth
Up Next
Brelyon's Monitor Can Project a Cinema-Like Display With Added Virtual Depth
ROG shows off new 32-inch Swift gaming monitor at CES 2021
ROG shows off new 32-inch Swift gaming monitor at CES 2021
Dell's 2021 UltraSharp 40 and siblings display some novel combos of features
Dell's 2021 UltraSharp 40 and siblings display some novel combos of features
You have to look good on a webcam today
You have to look good on a webcam today
Apple's $5K Pro Display XDR is a good deal for the right person
Apple's $5K Pro Display XDR is a good deal for the right person
Razer's Raptor 27-inch gaming monitor takes an imperfect first stab at the competition
Razer's Raptor 27-inch gaming monitor takes an imperfect first stab at the competition
Love the Alienware 55 OLED Gaming Monitor, hate the price
Love the Alienware 55 OLED Gaming Monitor, hate the price
Alienware's $4,000 55-inch OLED gaming monitor will land soon
Alienware's $4,000 55-inch OLED gaming monitor will land soon
Apple reveals new 6K display
Apple reveals new 6K display
Unboxing HP's gargantuan $5K Emperium 65 G-Sync gaming monitor
Unboxing HP's gargantuan $5K Emperium 65 G-Sync gaming monitor
Tech Shows
Latest News All latest news
Meta Expands Its Mixed Reality Beyond the Quest Headsets Explainer
Meta Expands Its Mixed Reality Beyond the Quest Headsets Explainer
What AirPods Rumors Tell Us About Apple's Health Ambitions
What AirPods Rumors Tell Us About Apple's Health Ambitions
Robosen's Megatron Transformer Is Too Much Fun for an Evil Robot
Robosen's Megatron Transformer Is Too Much Fun for an Evil Robot
Apple May Give FineWoven Accessories One More Season
Apple May Give FineWoven Accessories One More Season
US vs. TikTok: What Happens Next
US vs. TikTok: What Happens Next
Battle of the Humanoid Robots: MenteeBot Is Ready
Battle of the Humanoid Robots: MenteeBot Is Ready
Most Popular All most popular
First Look at TSA's Self-Screening Tech (in VR!)
First Look at TSA's Self-Screening Tech (in VR!)
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Review: More AI at a Higher Cost
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra Review: More AI at a Higher Cost
'Circle to Search' Lets Users Google From Any Screen
'Circle to Search' Lets Users Google From Any Screen
Asus Put Two 14-inch OLEDs in a Laptop, Unleashes First OLED ROG Gaming Laptop
Asus Put Two 14-inch OLEDs in a Laptop, Unleashes First OLED ROG Gaming Laptop
Samsung Galaxy Ring: First Impressions
Samsung Galaxy Ring: First Impressions
Best of Show: The Coolest Gadgets of CES 2024
Best of Show: The Coolest Gadgets of CES 2024
Latest Products All latest products
Robosen's Megatron Transformer Is Too Much Fun for an Evil Robot
Robosen's Megatron Transformer Is Too Much Fun for an Evil Robot
Battle of the Humanoid Robots: MenteeBot Is Ready
Battle of the Humanoid Robots: MenteeBot Is Ready
2025 Audi Q6, SQ6 E-Tron: Audi's Newest EV Is Its Most Compelling
2025 Audi Q6, SQ6 E-Tron: Audi's Newest EV Is Its Most Compelling
Hands-On with Ford's Free Tesla Charging Adapter
Hands-On with Ford's Free Tesla Charging Adapter
Nuro R3 is an Adorable Self-Driving Snack Bar
Nuro R3 is an Adorable Self-Driving Snack Bar
First Look: The $349 Nothing Phone 2A Aims to Brighten Your Day
First Look: The $349 Nothing Phone 2A Aims to Brighten Your Day
Latest How To All how to videos
Tips and Tricks for the AirPods Pro 2
Tips and Tricks for the AirPods Pro 2
How to Watch the Solar Eclipse Safely From Your Phone
How to Watch the Solar Eclipse Safely From Your Phone
Windows 11 Tips and Hidden Features
Windows 11 Tips and Hidden Features
Vision Pro App Walkthrough -- VisionOS 1.0.3
Vision Pro App Walkthrough -- VisionOS 1.0.3
Tips and Tricks for the Galaxy S24 Ultra
Tips and Tricks for the Galaxy S24 Ultra
TikTok Is Now on the Apple Vision Pro