BenQ BL2790T 27" Black

The BenQ BL2790T is a budget 27-inch 1080p IPS monitor with a 100Hz refresh rate and built-in speakers. It's fine for office work and casual use, but the dim 250 nit panel and weak color performance hold it back. At around $211 USD, it's acceptable but not a standout.

The BL2790T runs at 100Hz, which is a nice little upgrade over the 60Hz panels most offices still use. Scrolling feels smoother, and casual games benefit from the extra frames. The 5ms response time is fine for an IPS panel in this price range, though fast-paced esports players will notice some motion blur. Our performance score lands at 48th percentile, so it's middle of the pack overall.

Brightness tops out at 250 nits, which is on the dim side. In a bright room with windows behind you, you'll probably wish for more. Color coverage is listed at 16.7 million colors, which is standard, but the color score sits at just 16th percentile. That means it's not a great pick for photo editing or design work. For documents and web browsing, it's perfectly usable.

Stacked against the Samsung Odyssey G60SD or ASUS ROG Strix XG27AQDMG, the BL2790T looks like it's from a different era. Those are OLED gaming monitors with much higher refresh rates, far better color, and HDR that actually works. They also cost several times more, so it's not a fair fight. The BL2790T isn't trying to compete there.

Closer rivals would be budget 1080p IPS monitors from LG or Dell. The LG UltraGear 32GX850A-B is bigger and brighter, though it's also pricier. The MSI MAG 271QPX QD-OLED E2 and Gigabyte M Series OLED MO27Q28G are in a completely different performance class. If you're comparing the BL2790T to any of these, you're probably looking at the wrong monitor. This BenQ is for basic productivity, not high-end gaming or media.

At around $211 USD or $223 CAD, the BL2790T is cheap for a 27-inch IPS monitor with 100Hz. But cheap doesn't always mean good value. You can find 1440p panels or brighter 1080p options in the same ballpark if you shop around. The built-in speakers and BenQ brand name add a little peace of mind, but the dim panel and weak color performance hold it back. If your budget is tight and you just need a bigger screen for office work, it's acceptable. If you can stretch a bit, better options exist.

The BenQ BL2790T is a 27-inch 1080p IPS monitor aimed at office workers and casual users who want a bigger screen without spending much. It sits in the budget tier, usually around $211 USD or $223 CAD depending on where you shop. You get a 100Hz refresh rate, built-in speakers, and a fairly standard 16:9 panel. Nothing flashy, but for spreadsheets, email, and the occasional YouTube rabbit hole, it covers the basics.

Is the BenQ BL2790T good for gaming? Sort of. The 100Hz refresh rate is a step up from the old 60Hz office standard, and 5ms response time keeps things playable in lighter titles. But the color and brightness numbers are modest, and our database puts its gaming score at 29.9 out of 100. That's fine for casual play, not great for competitive shooters or anything where color accuracy matters.

For entertainment, the story is similar. A 250 nit brightness ceiling means HDR is basically a checkbox, not an experience. The 1080p resolution on a 27-inch panel also means text and video aren't as sharp as a 1440p display. If you mostly work in bright rooms or watch a lot of dark content, this monitor will feel limited.

Skip the BL2790T if you do any serious photo or video editing, since the color performance ranks near the bottom of our database. Gamers who play fast-paced competitive titles should also look elsewhere, as the 5ms response time and modest refresh rate won't keep up with dedicated gaming monitors. And if you work in a bright room, the 250 nit brightness will frustrate you daily. For those use cases, consider a brighter 1440p IPS panel or a budget gaming monitor with a higher refresh rate.

Should you buy the BenQ BL2790T? If you need a basic 27-inch monitor for office work, web browsing, and the occasional casual game, it does the job. The 100Hz refresh rate is a nice touch, and the IPS panel keeps viewing angles decent. But the dim 250 nit brightness and weak color performance make it a tough sell for anything beyond basic use.

For most people, we'd suggest saving a little more or hunting for a sale on a brighter 1440p panel. The BL2790T isn't bad, it's just unremarkable. And in a market full of affordable monitors, unremarkable is easy to pass up.