- Soon Kai Hong
BenQ GW3290QT Balances Programming and Hybrid Working Superbly
Updated: Dec 19, 2023
If you’ve ever wanted a properly good monitor that can help raise your efficiency at work, especially when it comes to programming or software development, the BenQ GW3290QT is one such monitor that has been specifically designed to cater to those needs.
Not only will it be able to provide a superb viewing experience, it can also help you along your journey with regards to eye and body health. And if you’re a fan of a clean and minimal design with white as the theme, you’re in for a treat!.
Design
As mentioned, the BenQ GW3290QT sports a really clean and minimalistic design that will fit right in just about any environment but perhaps especially more so in a home office setup.
The white provides a clean aesthetic and is easy on the eyes while also being a great companion to your laptop of choice.
Despite the large nature, the bezels are minimal and you get a really sturdy and clean looking stand. Which also means you get full support for all the usual adjustments. You can swivel 20° ~ 20°, tilt from -5° ~ +20°, a full height adjustment of 110mm and pivot 90°.
Combined with a standing desk, you get comfortable really easily and set up your desk exactly how you want it to be. When all is set up, this is one of the best monitor out there that’s really focused on providing the best experience for programming, software development, coding and the such.
I/O
This is one portion where you really don’t have to worry about because the GW3290QT has pretty much everything you would need.
Located on the rear of the monitor, facing downwards, this monitor comes equipped with one HDMI 1.4, one DisplayPort 1.2, one DisplayPort Out with support for Multi-Stream Transport (MST), one USB-C with support for 65W Power Delivery, DisplayPort Alt Mode and Data as well as two USB 3.2 Type-A ports. In addition, you’ll also find another USB 3.2 Type-A port, a USB-C port and a 3.5mm headphone jack on the bottom left corner for ease of access.
No matter which connection you prefer, you’ll be able to power the full resolution and refresh rate of this display with ease and thanks to MST, you can even daisy chain another monitor such as the GW3290QT while just having a single cable connected to your device of choice. (Do note however that this capability is only possible if you’re in the Windows camp as with Mac devices, Apple has locked that feature behind Thunderbolt.)
You’ll also be glad to know that the monitor features a built-in power supply, which means you only need to connect a single c13 power cable to power the monitor. No more of those pesky power adapters or bricks, which helps even cable management!
But the best feature might perhaps be that single USB-C port which allows you to have a single cable to power your entire setup. Essentially, one USB-C cable connectivity. Not only does that frees up more space on your desk but trust us, it seriously improves your efficiency at work with all those pesky codes. So be it a desktop or a laptop, you’ll be able to enjoy a clutter free desk without sacrificing any specific feature.
31.5” Of 2K Glory
Evident from the name, this is a monitor that sports a 31.5” display with the use of an IPS panel. It supports a maximum resolution of 2,560 x 1,440 at 75Hz, a max brightness of 350 nits and covers 99% sRGB with support for 1.07b colours. The display also uses an anti-glare coating to reduce glare and increase comfort.
To keep it really short and simple, this is one amazing display. The QHD resolution provides more space for content on screen while also delivering stunning detail and increased clarity even with smaller fonts or icons.
We could easily work with multiple documents and windows open with room to spare and we felt little to no fatigue at all working with the monitor for extended periods at a time.
And when it came to sit back and relax, this monitor performed just as admirably. Watching our favourite shows or content on Netflix or YouTube proved to be a joy with vibrant and vivid colours. Heck, we even did a little bit of gaming with this very monitor and it proved to be a great experience all around. Seriously, it’s pretty impressive and extremely well balanced.
Controls & Modes
But there are more things that you can do with the GW3290QT.
In the bottom right corner of the display is where you’ll find the main controls for the On-Screen Display (OSD). You get your standard Power button, a 5-Way Controller nub, and three separate buttons for Low Blue Light+, Noise Filter Speaker and the Microphone respectively.
If you’re looking to get productive for really long hours, especially if you’re burning the midnight oil, we would definitely recommend using the Low Blue Light+ feature which significantly reduces blue light emissions and increases comfort for your eyes. Or you can also choose to go with the specific colour modes which BenQ has outfitted the GW3290QT with. Using the 5-Way Controller, you’ll be able to easily navigate through the OSD and go to every setting you would possibly need and of course, the colour modes which includes the following.
User, Standard, Care Mode, Coding, ePaper, Game, M-Book, Movie.
Coding and M-Book is of particular note here for they really provide an enhanced experience for the situation and environment that they were designed to be used for.
Coding Mode
With Coding mode, the panel optimises the contrast and saturation of dark mode for better readability and visual comfort during programming work.
This will allow you to work for longer periods of time without feeling fatigued, increasing your efficiency and output.
M-Book Mode
The other to talk about is M-Book mode and this is something that you’ll use more often than not if you’re a Mac user. Essentially, enabling this mode changes the settings of the BenQ GW3290QT to match that of your MacBook’s display.
If colour is of utmost importance to your work, this is one mode that’ll ensure the least discrepancies between various panels and more.
But let’s say you just want a fuss-free experience, the Brightness Intelligence sensor will take care of that. By detecting light changes in your environment, it can actively adjust the screen brightness on the fly for a tailored viewing experience.
Eye-Care U
On top of all that, BenQ has Eye-Care U with a whole new user interface. This nifty little software allows you to adjust colour modes and brightness while also providing you with a new Timer Mode, Distance Reminder, Sound Notification and even a new Dark Mode theme.
While the GW3290QT can increase your productivity, taking a break every now and then is still very much as important too.
A Touch of Personalisation
BenQ has also kindly provided us with an accompanying product, the GC01, which are functional monitor base covers for BenQ’s GW90QT series of monitors.
With the white base cover in particular, it provides you with a few points for cable management and even transforms the cutout to accommodate your trinkets or even a smartphone, as we’ve done so.
Pricing & Availability
As we've shared thus far, the BenQ GW3290QT is one impressive monitor that somehow manages to balance all the right features in one neat package. And yes, that includes the price.
The BenQ GW3290QT is currently available at most e-commerce platforms for S$639 and the GC01 Accessory will cost S$29. If that's not your fancy, you can also check out other BenQ Eye-Care Monitors as well.
If you’re looking for a great all around monitor that’s going to serve you well for both productivity and leisure, the BenQ GW3290QT strikes a nice balance on all fronts.
This content is brought to you in collaboration with BenQ.