Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

BenQ launches a new affordable, Technicolor-certified desktop display

benq pd2500q pro desktop panel soon
Image used with permission by copyright holder
On Monday, BenQ introduced the PD2500Q desktop monitor for professionals. It’s another Technicolor color-certified solution promising pure and accurate on-screen colors during the video post-production process. Technicolor first launched this certification program in June 2013, which pushes products through “a gauntlet of tests” to ensure that video editors see the actual colors they will get in the finished product.

“Certification testing includes measuring critical color parameters such as gamut, gamma, white point, and target color accuracy,” Technicolor states. “Once a device passes all of the test criteria, that model is awarded Technicolor Color Certification.”

Recommended Videos

BenQ’s latest certified monitor supports 100 percent of the sRGB and Rec. 709 color spaces. It also includes three specialized modes to meet the needs of architects (CAD/CAM), designers (Animation), and photo/video editors (Darkroom). For instance, the Darkroom Mode is optimized for image brightness and contrast while the CAD/CAM Mode sharpens lines and shapes.

Here are the hardware specs:

Please enable Javascript to view this content
Screen size: 25 inches
Panel type: IPS
Backlight type: LED
Resolution: 2,560 × 1,440
Brightness (typical): 350 nits
Contrast ratio (native): 1,000:1
Response time: 14ms, 4ms GtG
Display color amount: 16.7 million
Color depth: 8-bit
Color spaces: Rec. 709 100-percent
sRGB 100-percent
Viewing angles: 178 degrees
Audio: 2x two-watt speakers
Ports: 1 HDMI
1 DisplayPort
1 Mini DisplayPort
1 Headphone jack
1 Audio line in/out
1 USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-A

As the specs show, the monitor relies on a panel based on In-Plane Switching technology. This display tech is best known for its rich colors and wide viewing angles. Meanwhile, the older Twisted Nematic (TN) technology still used in many desktop monitors today provides faster response times and brighter screens. However, the specs of BenQ’s latest designer monitor shows that it has a very bright screen despite the color-focused technology.

What is surprising is that this panel is missing support for the Adobe RGB color space, indicating that users of Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator might want to look elsewhere. As the Technicolor certification implies, BenQ’s new monitor seems more in tune with video production and animation for high-resolution color-accurate results.

Of course, what is a BenQ display without proprietary features? The new panel comes packed with Flicker-Free Technology to smooth out the panel’s refresh rate and reduce flicker, Melatonin-preserving Low Blue Light technology, and Brightness Intelligence Technology. This latter feature does not make the user smarter, but simply monitors the surrounding ambient light and adjusts the brightness and contrast accordingly.

“Ideal for dual-monitor usage in creative environments, PD2500Q’s edge-to-edge ultra slim bezels maximize workspaces with minimal footprint, and its 90-degree pivoting, height-adjustable stand enhances display productivity and versatility,” the company said.

That dual-monitor environment is backed by the panel’s support for Multi-Stream Transport (MST) for daisy-chaining multiple PD2500Q panels together. The monitor’s base provides several unique ways to customize a multi-monitor setup too including a height adjustment of up to 130mm, and a panel rotation of 90 degrees to provide a viewing space 25-inches tall.

The pricing and availability of BenQ’s PD2500Q panel are unknown for now, but a larger 27-inch version (PD2700Q) is already available now for $399.

Kevin Parrish
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Kevin started taking PCs apart in the 90s when Quake was on the way and his PC lacked the required components. Since then…
I’m a Steam Deck apologist. Here’s why I’ve been using the ROG Ally instead
Elden Ring running on the Asus ROG Ally X.

Since its launch, I'm a bit of a Steam Deck apologist. It doesn't need the advocacy, as the Steam Deck is easily the best handheld gaming PC you can buy, but even in the face of competition from the ROG Ally, Lenovo Legion Go, and MSI Claw, I still use my Steam Deck for gaming on the go. A couple of apps have been slowly changing that story, however.

I like playing on my Steam Deck OLED due to the convenience. SteamOS isn't perfect, no, but it allows me to pick up and play my games quickly, which I value more than the higher performance available on Windows handhelds. A couple of key tweaks to the Windows experience can unlock that pick-up-and-play experience, and ever since configuring the ROG Ally X properly, I've been gravitating toward it more and more for my handheld gaming.
A proper sleep

Read more
Surfshark vs. Windscribe: Which unlimited device VPN is best?
Surfshark and Windscribe prices appear in a split-screen on a PC monitor.

You use more than one device, so it makes sense to use a VPN to protect privacy on all your computers, laptops, tablets, and phones. If you’re like me, that’s a lot of devices, making Surfshark and Windscribe top candidates.

While the best VPNs offer solid cybersecurity with excellent speed, some limit the number of simultaneous connections. That means you might need to disconnect your phone before using the VPN on your laptop. That can be frustrating if you've left your phone upstairs or in another room to charge, so I compared both Surfshark and Windscribe to see which is the better solution.
Specs

Read more
The 10 announcements that made 2024 a landmark year for AI
ChatGPT and Siri integration on iPhone.

We've officially passed the second anniversary of the start of the AI boom, and things haven't slowed down. Just the opposite. Generative AI is ramping up at a pace that feels nearly overwhelming, expanding into new platforms, mediums, and even devices at a relentless pace.

Here are the 10 announcements that made 2024 a monumental year in the world of AI.
OpenAI releases GPT-4o

Read more