Today, we're looking at one of the most affordable HDR-capable monitors, the £329 EL2870U from BenQ. As well as having better looking pixels, this 28-inch monitor also promises more of them, thanks to its 4K Ultra HD resolution.

4K monitors have been around for a while now, but 4K monitors that also come with built-in HDR support are still few and far between, making BenQ's brand-new EL2780U something of a rarity.

BenQ is a known name when it comes to computer displays. They have been selling monitors for quite a while and their product portfolio includes options for gaming, work, and entertainment.

While 4K gaming on the PC is still a bit of a niche, the ever-increasing power of gaming graphics cards and the steady decline of display pricing makes jumping into the resolution of 3840x2160 easier than it's ever been.

Very sharp picture; Understated looks; Low input lag; FreeSync-compatible / G-Sync-compatible

Advertised HDR support is worthless; Poor contrast; Dark scene uniformity is unsatisfactory

REVIEW – Back in May I reviewed BenQ's PD2710QC DesignView 27-inch Designer Monitor and have been using it ever since because I like the built-in USB-C dock and the excellent picture quality. But, it's not 4K so I kept wondering what a 4K monitor would be like to use.

Crisp; vibrant image; Blue light blocking features; HDR features (if your video card supports them; Power supply is internal; so there's no ugly power brick; 3-year warranty

The BenQ EL2870U is ideally suited for movie watching and general computing tasks. It performs well when gaming with FreeSync , but hardcore players will want a faster monitor. HDR works fine, but low native contrast limits what the panel can do.

When it comes to monitors, the choices at disposal of buyers tend to bifurcate into two classes. One category is aimed at productivity where characteristics like high pixel density, bit depth, and colour accuracy are of prime importance, while the second class is for entertainment purpose like...

Affordably price for a 4K HDR monitor; Low response time; AMD FreeSync support; Good colour reproduction; Decent build quality

Limitations with HDR output; Sub-par viewing angles; Low brightness and contrast; Disappointing brightness uniformity; Poor sound output from speakers

The BenQ EL2870U may be a relatively cheap 4K monitor, but don't be fooled into thinking it's a bargainous entry into the wonderful, brightly coloured world of high dynamic range gaming. This is not the HDR screen we were looking for....