Review of BenQ DesignVue PD3226G 144Hz Gaming Monitor: A Professional 4K Display with Gaming Capabilities
Revamped Review:
BenQ PD3226G: A Performance Monster for Creatives and Gamers
The BenQ PD3226G is an absolute beast of a 32-inch 4K IPS panel monitor, offering stellar performance across various fronts. It's a versatile choice for both gaming enthusiasts and creative professionals.
Color and Brightness Compensations
During testing, I discovered a slight curveball with the PD3226G. The uniformity compensation is locked in the fixed color modes, causing contrast and peak brightness to effectively halve. However, fret not! The solution lies in the User modes requiring a few tweaks to deliver an optimal image.
Grayscale and Gamma Testing
With no adjustments made, the User 1 mode shows a 6500K temperature fairly well, with only slight red errors from 80-100% brightness. Red errors, being the least visible of primary colors, are relatively minor and barely noticeable. The gamma trace is a benchmark for the industry, ensuring maximum depth and texture to the picture.
Switching to sRGB introduces some green errors, but they can be resolved with ease by adjusting the RGB sliders in the user color temperature option.
Competing With the Best
In comparison to other gaming monitors, the PD3226G performs admirably, finishing just behind the HP and Asus screens in the out-of-box test. Despite this, it's always better to make a few adjustments to achieve the best results. Once calibrated, the PD3226G slides comfortably among its peers with an excellent score of 0.59dE.
The PD3226G's Gamma Tracking
The PD3226G boasts some of the best gamma tracking I've encountered, with a minuscule 0.04 range of values and minimal deviation from the 2.2 target. With a deviation of just 0.45%, it's hard to find a monitor with better gamma tracking.
Color Gamut Accuracy
Without adjustments, the initial color error is nearly undetectable by the eye, but secondary colors display slight deviation from the hue. This issue can be addressed with grayscale calibration, as demonstrated in the second chart. The gamut covers all sides fully, a very good sign.
Testing the PD3226G Against SRGB
In the SRGB test, no grayscale calibration has been performed, but an impressive 2.02dE error is achieved anyway. Alternatively, the fixed color modes offer equal accuracy, with errors around 2dE.
Comparisons and Conclusion
The PD3226G's error of 1.12dE is nearly as good as it gets in this category. While a few monitors have dipped below 1dE, when viewing these screens side by side, they're virtually indistinguishable. The PD3226G is a top-notch professional monitor with color accuracy to match.
In terms of color volume, the PD3226G performs exceptionally well, offering 102.44% coverage of DCI-P3 and 101.46% of sRGB, providing vibrant and accurate color representation. This balance ensures optimal imaging with no compromises when color grading or mastering content. Whether you're gaming, editing videos, or working on creative projects, the PD3226G delivers precision.
The Final Takeaway
The PD3226G is a professional monitor in every sense. My only gripe is the fixed color modes that force users into uniformity compensation, cutting contrast and peak brightness. However, its lack of choice in no way implies a lack of capability. It's extremely accurate and colorful.
For more, check out:
- Best Gaming Monitors
- How We Test PC Monitors
- How to Buy a PC Monitor
The BenQ PD3226G, housed within its 32-inch 4K frame, demonstrates exceptional technology, catering to the needs of both gamers and creative professionals. Impressively, this monitor showcases an array of cutting-edge gadgets, including a stellar color and brightness compensation system, boasting impressive gamma tracking, and delivering vibrant color representations with its DCI-P3 and sRGB coverage.
Regardless of the minor limitation of its fixed color modes affecting contrast and peak brightness, the BenQ PD3226G remains a top-tier choice, fueled by its advanced technological features and high-performance capabilities. Overall, this technological marvel uniquely positions it among the best gadgets in the market, earning it aspot as a professional monitor with unparalleled color accuracy.
