Forget Apple Studio Display — I just tested the BenQ MA270S and its Nano-texture glass display is ‘one of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen’

I’ve always been envious of people who own the Apple Studio Display, but I’m also aware that it’s very much out of my budget. First-party products aren’t everything, though, and the BenQ MA270S proves that you don’t need to spend a fortune to get a Nano-texture glass display. Having spent a week with it, I’m finding it very hard to go back to my old monitor now.

The MA270S sports a gorgeous, bright 5K panel that’s easy on the eyes — no, really, it carries industry-leading certification that make it safe for prolonged use. Boasting outstanding color coverage and accuracy, the MA270S is perfect for creatives and photo editors, especially those who own MacBooks as the monitor features seamless Apple integration. There’s no shortage of ports and cable management is a delight.

Could this be the best monitor for you? It certainly is for me! Read my full BenQ MA270S review to find out more.

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BenQ MA270S review: Specs

BenQ MA270S review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A 5K monitor with a bright, detailed and colorful Nano Gloss panel
• Who is it for? MacBook users and Apple fans who don’t want to spend thousands on the Apple Studio Display
• How much does it cost? The BenQ MA270S is available for $999 / £884
• What do we like? The 5K panel, wide color coverage, accurate colors, plethora of ports, and Apple-like app for controls
• What don’t we like? The 70Hz refresh rate and high(ish) price… but that’s about it

BenQ MA270S review: The ups

From its beautiful, bright 5K Nano Gloss display and its wide range of ports, to its color coverage and accuracy, the BenQ MA270S doesn’t give you much to complain about.

Built for MacBook users

The BenQ MA270S is advertised as a monitor designed for MacBook users, and as someone who uses a MacBook Air M2 for work and a MacBook Pro M1 at home, I can confirm that this is an Apple-first display, through and through. Just like the Apple Studio Display ($1,599), the MA270S features a Nano-texture glass (or Nano Gloss), so that’s where the similarities start. I’ll talk about the panel shortly but before that, I want to talk about the MA270S’ Apple-first compatibility.

When you buy a monitor that isn’t made specifically for MacBooks or Mac minis — the MSI MAG 272QP QD-OLED X50 ($749), for instance — you may not get the right colors. The MA270S, however, boasts BenQ’s Mac color-tuning technology, which means that it shows the exact same colors sent by your MacBook (in short: color accuracy is spot on). This is backed up by my lab testing, which I’ll discuss in detail soon.

Adding to the MA270S’ appeal for MacBook users is the synchronized controls — if you have the companion app installed (more on that shortly). If you press the brightness or volume buttons on your MacBook, both your MacBook and the MA270S will be adjusted simultaneously. I love this feature as it means I don’t have to use the monitor’s joystick to adjust the brightness every time. It has simplified my workflow in a small but meaningful way.

Apple-esque app for controls

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To take full advantage of the BenQ MA270S and its many features, you’ll need to download the Display Pilot 2 app, available for free on Windows, macOS and Linux. I downloaded and tested it on my personal MacBook Pro M1. It runs in the background and you can access it via an icon in the primary Menu bar — akin to the MacBook’s Control Centre.

Display Pilot 2 essentially lets you control and customize the monitor directly from your connected source, and without having to fiddle with the physical joystick and buttons. You can use the app to quickly change resolution, adjust the monitor’s speakers’ volume, choose a layout, customize blue light settings, auto-match and synchronize color profiles when changing color modes, and even customize the speakers’ five-band equalizer.

I personally love having an app for changing monitor settings. That means I don’t have to physically move — call me lazy all you want, but at least it isn’t breaking my flow!

There's no remote control, though, which was something we loved on the BenQ PD3226G editing monitor — with its round hotkey puck. The physical desk puck let you switch functions without even having to change software window, making it a handy workflow addition.

Stunning 5K Nano Gloss display

I’ve used many monitors, and as a reviews writer, I’ve tested my fair share of displays. The BenQ MA270S is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful monitor I’ve ever seen. As I alluded to earlier, the MA270S features a Nano Gloss or Nano-texture glass, similar to the one you’ll find on the Apple Studio Display and the Apple Studio Display XDR ($3,599). The Nano Gloss panel delivers true blacks and refined highlights, and colors appear lifelike and exactly how they do on your MacBook — and I’ll discuss color coverage and accuracy shortly.

The MA270S’ Nano Gloss panel features flicker-free technology as well as Eye Comfort 3.0 certification mark from TÜV Rheinland and EyeSafe 2.0. These are industry-leading certifications which reaffirm that the monitor is designed to reduce visual fatigue and protect eye health. In theory, that’s fantastic, and in practice, it’s even better. The MA270S is a sheer delight to look at, and even after eight straight hours of use, my eyes haven’t felt tired or achy.

Another thing I love about the MA270S is how bright the monitor gets. Similar to the BenQ Creative Pro PD2730S ($1,199), the MA270S features a 27-inch 5K IPS panel with a resolution of 5120 x 2880, and it’s bright, colorful and easily readable under office lights.

My lab testing confirmed the same. As you can see from the table above, the MA270S reached a peak brightness of 387.4 nits in SDR mode, and it’s the brightest of any other third-party monitor I’ve tested so far. It’s dimmer than the Apple Studio Display and the Apple Studio Display XDR, but both monitors are far pricier than the MA270S.

While the MA270S’ HDR brightness is nothing to write home about at just 272 nits (10% window size), at least it has an HDR mode, which the Apple Studio Display doesn’t.

Superb color coverage

As someone who spends a lot of time editing photos and videos, I need a display that boasts great color coverage and accuracy — and the BenQ MA270S does just that. According to BenQ, its Nano Gloss panel “maintained contrast and color that stayed consistent with Mac colors” in side-by-side tests with the Apple Studio Display, so if you want Mac-like colors on a third-party monitor, this is the display to get.

I put the MA270S through its paces to see how it fared against other monitors. In my lab tests, the MA270S covered 158.7% of the sRGB color gamut and 112.4% of the wider DCI P3 color space. Anything over 100% is good, so the MA270S goes above and beyond.

As you can see from the table above, the MA270S outperforms its cousins, the BenQ Creative Pro PD2730S and the BenQ PD3226G ($1,099). It also upstages the the Apple Studio Display and the Apple Studio Display XDR, neither of which even come close to covering the entirety of the DCI P3 color gamut. The MSI MAG 272QP QD-OLED X50 covers even more of the spaces but you don’t get a Nano Gloss panel or as many productivity-focused features, as it’s a gaming monitor.

So, all of that sounds great on paper, but what about in real-world usage? I’ve thoroughly enjoyed testing the MA270S. The greens look vivid and rich, while reds appear deep and blues are intense and pure. None of the colors look oversaturated or fake, whether I was watching a 4K wildlife video on YouTube or playing a neon-bright game like Cyberpunk 2077. There was plenty of detail to enjoy in the shadows, and highlights didn’t appear blown out either.

I used the monitor to edit some photos I’d taken on the Canon EOS R6 Mark III, and I was able to color-grade accurately, as the fine color differences were more visible. The MA270S also features 10-bit color so it’s capable of displaying 1.07 billion individual hues — again, perfect for creatives who, like myself, use the best drones or best cameras.

Outstanding color accuracy

Alongside wide coverage, colors appear accurate on the BenQ MA270S too. We measure color accuracy as a Delta-E number, and this is a numerical representation of how much two colors differ. It gives you an idea of how close the color relayed on screen (i.e. the monitor) is to the color output from the source (i.e. the computer).

You ideally want the Delta-E score to be as close to zero as possible. As you can see from the table above, the MA270S achieved a Delta-E score of 0.09 in my lab tests, which is phenomenal. This means that the colors displayed on the monitor are near-identical to the ones being sent to it by the laptop.

The MA270S displays colors even more accurately than its closest competitors. Once again, it performs better than the Apple Studio Display and the Apple Studio Display XDR, as well as the BenQ Creative Pro PD2730S and the BenQ PD3226G. That isn’t to say that any of the monitors are bad — but when it comes down to on-paper specs, the MA270S just that little bit better.

My lab tests reassured me that the colors I was seeing on screen were as accurate as they could be, and this gave me more confidence when editing photos for my photography Instagram account.

A plethora of ports

BenQ rarely skimps on ports, and its MA270S isn’t any different. It hosts plenty and plenty of ports, all present to streamline your workflow and keep your devices powered — just like on the BenQ Creative Pro PD2730S. A selection of ports is located around the back and another at the bottom of the panel. These include a power port (duh) and two HDMI 2.1 ports for hooking up your MacBook, console or other laptop.

Now, allow me to word-vomit for a second. You get three Thunderbolt 4 ports: one with 96W of power delivery, another with 15W of power delivery, and a third for daisy-chaining. Then there’s a bunch of USB ports. You’ve got two USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 downstream ports with 10Gbps transfer speeds as well as 7.5W of power delivery. There’s a USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 downstream port too, with 15W power delivery and, again, 10Gbps transfer speeds.

And last but not least, there’s a USB-C DisplayPort Alt Mode port with 35W power delivery. I know you’re probably wondering, “What’s DisplayPort Alt Mode?” Essentially, it means the monitor's USB-C port can receive video signals using the DisplayPort protocol. This gives you extra connectivity options; can help you cut down on cables; and is also super handy if you're routing graphics through a docking station via USB-C, as you can still access the high resolutions and supported refresh rates of DisplayPort.

BenQ includes a handy cable holder which you can clip around the monitor stand. You can then bunch up your cables and run them through the holder to create a nice and tidy setup. It’s great and I wish all monitors came with one.

BenQ MA270S review: The downs

There isn’t a lot to dislike about the BenQ MA270S but it’s important to note that its refresh rate is limited to 70Hz, and it’s a little expensive (but still cheaper than the Apple Studio Display).

70Hz refresh rate only

The BenQ MA270S competes directly with the Apple Studio Display, and it serves as a cheaper alternative to Apple’s first-party monitor. In the same vein, the MA270S doesn’t have a very high refresh rate either, topping out at just 70Hz — that’s only 10Hz more than the Apple Studio Display’s 60Hz refresh rate. Because of this, I wouldn’t really recommend the MA270S for competitive or FPS gamers.

If you spend a lot of your time playing games, it might be worth checking out one of the best gaming monitors instead. There are plenty of options available around the $1,000 mark, like the MSI MAG 272QP QD-OLED X50 ($749) and the MSI MPG 272URX QD-OLED ($1,099). Of course, you’ll miss out on that lovely Nano-texture glass with either of those options, though.

Expensive… but cheaper than a Studio Display!

BenQ monitors don’t come cheap — it’s the price you pay for the premium build and features after all. The MA270S isn’t the cheapest monitor around, retailing for $999 at B&H Photo / £884 at Amazon U.K. This makes it pricier than some other monitors I’ve tested, like the MSI MAG 272QP QD-OLED X50 ($749) and the MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36 ($949), and it’s only slightly cheaper than the BenQ Creative Pro PD2730S ($1,199).

But none of those monitors have seamless Apple compatibility akin to a first-party monitor. And even though the MA270S sounds expensive as a standalone product, it really isn’t when you compare it to Apple’s monitors. It’s a lot cheaper than the Nano-texture glass variant of the Apple Studio Display XDR which costs a whopping $3,599. It’s also cheaper than the entry-level Apple Studio Display which retails for $1,599.

Given that, I’d say the MA270S’ premium price tag is less of a drawback and more of a pre-purchase consideration. You’re getting great MacBook compatibility and a stunning Nano Gloss display, as well as a wide array of ports, all for at least $600 less than the Apple Studio Display.

BenQ MA270S review: Verdict

You don’t need to spend thousands to get a Nano-texture glass monitor like the Apple Studio Display, and the BenQ MA270S proves that. Designed with MacBook users in mind, the MA270S combines a stunning Nano Gloss 5K panel, excellent color accuracy and coverage, and comes with a plethora of ports for efficient cable management.

The MA270S’ 5K display is the star of the show, delivering outstanding sharpness and vibrant yet accurate colors. It’s comfortable to use all day long, thanks to industry-recognized eyecare certifications, making it great for creatives and power users. Add in seamless Mac integration and a user-friendly companion app, and you forget that the monitor’s refresh rate is limited to just 70Hz.

If you’re a MacBook user looking for a cheap alternative to the Apple Studio Display, the MA270S should be your port of call. After using it, I’m dreading going back to using my old monitor.