When you’re a blogger/graphic designer/entrepreneur, you tend to work at your computer… a lot. Many of us diligently sit in front of our monitors, typing away, without giving a second thought to the actual monitor we’re looking at. If you thought the only difference between monitors was screen size and clarity, you were like me. When I was shopping for a new monitor a few years ago, all I really cared about was how big the monitor was. Since receiving and using the BenQ BL3201PH monitor, I’ve learned that there’s so much more to a quality monitor for graphic design and photography work.
The BenQ BL3201 CAD/CAM Professional Monitor is the first monitor built specifically for CAD/CAM work. Featuring a 32″ display with 4K2K ultra-high-def resolution, this monitor is packed with features for people who need pixel-level precision for film or photo editing. Even if you don’t work with graphics or video software on a regular basis, the BenQ BL3201PH can make your user-experience easier, and even more eco-friendly.
Like many monitors, the BenQ monitor ships with some assembly required. In addition to the monitor, there’s also the monitor stand that allows you to easily rotate, move, and re-position the monitor to suit your preferences. BenQ also provided that various monitor cables you might need to connect to your computer – HDMI, DVI, and USB. If you’ve ever bought a printer, only to discover that you needed to go buy a printer cable, you’ll really appreciate that BenQ considered all possible connection options. One question I did have was regarding the OSD Controller – a mysterious circular attachment with arrows, a center “OK” button, and 4 numbered sections.
I’ve never had a monitor with it’s own controller. What is this for? What does it do? I then discovered that it makes switching between different screen environments easy. In addition to allowing you to easily navigate the monitor menu, the OSD controller also makes it easy to switch between different screen modes – like sRGB, Low Light Blue Light, or CAD/CAM animation – with a click of a button. You can also customize each of the buttons on the OSD controller. Nno more pushing invisible buttons on the front or side of your monitor, although the BenQ monitor has those as well.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve used the BenQ BL3201PH monitor for regular internet browsing, gaming, graphic design and video editing. I immediately noticed a different in color quality. The colors seem more colorful, if that makes sense. With my old monitor, I often thought that the colors of the photos I was editing looked very different from how it looked in reality. With the BenQ monitor, images were clearer, colors were more vivid and more realistic. Being able to go up to 3840×2160 resolution is great for doing detailed photo editing. (For reference, that’s 4 times more detailed than typical Blu-ray and digital TV HD.) For you photogs, you’ll also appreciate the built-in SD card reader.
A couple of my favorite BenQ monitor features don’t have anything to do with the screen quality. First, the BenQ BL3201PH has an Ergonomics option that allows you to set a reminder to take a break from the monitor. Eye care professionals recommend you give your eyes a break every 20 minutes or so to help reduce eye strain. If you’re like me, you hardly ever do this. Fortunately, this monitor can set a reminder that will give you a small pop-up every 20-100 minutes, depending on your settings, telling you your eyes deserve a break. This, on top of the anti-glare display, can make working at your computer more comfortable for your eyes.
The BenQ monitor also has an eco-friendly feature that will automatically turn off the monitor if you aren’t at your desk. You can adjust the distance of the Eco sensor, based on how far you sit from the monitor. When you’re out of range, the monitor will turn off after 40 seconds. Move within proximity sensor range, and the monitor will turn on automatically. In addition to saving energy, it is simply a fun user experience to have the monitor power on or off based on whether you’re at your desk.
Overall, the BenQ monitor is a high-quality monitor designed with the consumer in mind. The large, vibrant screen, the ease of use, the clarity of images, the ergonomic and eco options, and the incredible resolution have a noticeable affect on the user experience. The monitor also has built in speakers and HDMI, USB, DVI, and various other ports to allow you to easily connect to the monitor.
If you’re interested in upgrading your monitor to experience superior color quality and a better user experience, you can purchase the BenQ BL3201PH monitor directy from the BenQ store for $799 or from Amazon.com for $791.49.
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Disclosure: No compensation was given for this review. I did receive a free product for testing purposes. All opinions are my own. This contains affiliate links.
The article "Upgrade Your Workspace with a BenQ Monitor" is written by Miriam Tirips, The WiC Project - Faith. Free Giveaways. Product Reviews. Recipes.. Visit The WiC Project - Faith. Free Giveaways. Product Reviews. Recipes. for more product reviews, great blog giveaways, delicious recipes, and more!