The high-end PC monitor market has been all about OLED for the final 18 months or so. It has been one big-money OLED after one other. However this BenQ Mobiuz EX321UX has simply landed to remind us that, sure, there’s really an alternate. This can be a typical 4K 32-inch LCD panel however with a mini-LED backlight enabling OLED-baiting HDR visible sizzle.It is a full-array affair with 1,152 zones. On paper, it permits HDR1000 help, which suggests a peak brightness of 1,000 nits. This panel can even do totally 700 nits full-screen, one thing that no present OLED monitor may even method. Even the most recent era large-screen OLED tech tops out at about 250 nits full display screen.Certainly, with a typical worth of round $1,200, this BenQ actually does have to do one thing a bit particular to justify its existence. At the moment, 4k 32-inch OLED panels may be had from round $800. An LCD panel for 50% extra cash is a severe ask.Anyway, what with all the eye on OLED of late, it is price briefly recapping what this mini-LED, full-array shizzle is all about. The thought is to make use of an energetic backlight to compensate for the truth that LCD panels permit mild to leak by means of even when a given pixel is meant to be switched off or exhibiting a really darkish color.BenQ Mobiuz EX321UX specs(Picture credit score: Future)Display screen measurement: 32-inchResolution: 3,840 x 2,160Brightness: 1000 nits HDR, 700 nits typicalColour protection: 99% DCI-P3Response time: 1 msRefresh charge: 144 HzHDR: HDR1000Features: IPS panel, 1,152 dimming zones, HDMI 2.1 x3, DisplayPort 1.4, USB-C, KVM switchPrice: $1,199 | £1,108To repair that, theoretically no less than, you utilize a backlight cut up into zones. That enables the backlight depth to fluctuate throughout the panel based on the picture being proven. For brighter areas of the picture, you crank up these zones, for darker areas, the other.If that seems like a neat trick and a good suggestion, it comes with downsides. We’ll dig into the small print momentarily, however the fundamentals contain weirdnesses arising from the algorithms used to manage the zones and the decision of the backlight itself. 1,152 zones would possibly sound like loads, but it surely really means every zone is lighting up 7,200 pixels. That is not precisely exact.Full-array backlighting apart, the BenQ Mobiuz EX321UX has a lot extra going for it. It is a 144 Hz 4K panel, for starters. On this age of 480 Hz-plus panels, that is a comparatively modest refresh. However it really is smart with the 4K native decision. Even with upscaling, realistically, you are not going to be taking part in the most recent video games at 4K and 200 Hz-plus, particularly if you do not have an RTX 4090.Picture 1 of two(Picture credit score: Future)(Picture credit score: Future)This can be a very shiny, clear, punchy IPS panel. It’s going to do its 4K60 factor over each HDMI and DisplayPort. Oh, it will do it over USB-C, too, which incorporates 65 W of energy supply. That is not going to be sufficient to maintain a correct gaming laptop computer juiced. However it does make this monitor very best to share between a gaming desktop and laptop computer or, whisper it, a console. Talking of connecting a number of PCs, there’s full KVM change help, too. By the way, the HDMI interfaces have eARC 7.1 help and there is a built-in audio DAC.If the characteristic set is fairly robust, BenQ has additionally leaned into the aesthetics just a little, too. There’s white plastic for the stand and the rear of the display screen that provides an analogous general vibe to Samsung’s high-end Odyssey gaming screens and helps to justify no less than a few of the worth premium. It is a fairly handsome monitor, then, simply not something really distinctive.In fact, it is the picture high quality the place the BenQ Mobiuz EX321UX actually wants to face out and first impressions are good. This can be a very shiny, clear, punchy IPS panel. Notably, BenQ has gone for a matte relatively than a shiny anti-glare coating, the latter being borderline obligatory on OLED screens of late.Picture 1 of 6(Picture credit score: Future)(Picture credit score: Future)(Picture credit score: Future)(Picture credit score: Future)(Picture credit score: Future)(Picture credit score: Future)Matte versus shiny is a fairly subjective factor. However one factor is for certain, this panel is definitely shiny sufficient to offset any perceived dullness that may include matte anti-glare coatings. It appears to be like good for each a type of 1,000 nits in HDR mode and SDR content material may be set nearly uncomfortably shiny.With reference to SDR versus HDR, SDR content material appears to be like completely bob-on in HDR mode, with good color calibration. So, that is very a lot a show you possibly can set to HDR and simply depart it, no matter content material sort.(Picture credit score: Future)One other brightness-related foible is that this show means that you can modify the general brightness ranges in HDR mode. That is uncommon and considerably counter-intuitive on condition that brightness information is inherent to an HDR sign. However it’s really a welcome characteristic and one we want extra screens would come with.No matter, the HDR expertise is usually spectacular. This can be a actually zingy, impactful show. It is also extra liable to mild up a backlight zone for a small picture component than many full-array LCD screens.Ultimately, there are unavoidable compromises that should be made when the backlighting decision is so low.On the plus aspect, meaning you do not lose small particulars on darkish backgrounds. Much less welcome is the extra obvious popping on and off of backlight zones as a small shiny object strikes throughout a darkish background, plus the inevitably shiny halo that entails.Ultimately, there are unavoidable compromises that should be made when the backlighting decision is so low. So low, that’s, in comparison with the decision of the panel itself. And thus additionally very low in comparison with the right per-pixel lighting of an OLED panel, which successfully has eight million zones to this panel’s 7,200. All that mentioned, this factor nonetheless appears to be like fairly bloody marvellous in, say, Cyberpunk 2077 with all of the HDR bells and whistles fired up.(Picture credit score: Future)Arguably the opposite main rivalry in terms of LCD versus OLED is the idea that the latter is way sooner for pixel response. And it’s. However additionally it is debatable how a lot that issues.As IPS panels go, the BenQ Mobiuz EX321UX could be very fast certainly. There’s little or no blur or smear and, simply as essential, no apparent overshoot or inverse ghosting. For many avid gamers, more often than not, the response and readability might be simply nice. However an OLED panel is unquestionably that little bit higher, and a a lot greater refresh OLED is healthier nonetheless.Purchase if…✅ You need a severely punchy 4K panel: At 1000 nits HDR and 700 nits full display screen, this factor packs a severe visible punch.Do not buy if…❌ You have seen how a lot OLED screens price: For a full $400 much less, you might have a 32-inch 4K OLED panel.Now, had been this monitor considerably cheaper than an OLED various, it will be simple to rationalise away the response deficit. You can acknowledge OLED’s benefit, be aware how far more it prices and conclude this monitor nonetheless appears to be like fairly good for the cash.However at $1,200, it is a lot trickier. Together with the comparatively clunky HDR rendering, this panel is clearly slower and barely blurrier than an OLED monitor. And but it is priced up with the costliest OLED choices. In return, you do get superior full-screen brightness. However that actually is about it.Ultimately, the BenQ Mobiuz EX321UX is an excellent instance of its breed. As LCD gaming screens with mini-LED, full-array backlights go, we prefer it loads. It is acquired one of many higher backlight algorithms we have seen. However at this worth level, it is simply so exhausting to suggest. Mini-LED panels like this might be far more interesting as a finances various to OLED, priced barely above a traditional LCD monitor.At, say, $600 to $700 and roughly $100 to $200 greater than a fundamental 144 Hz 4K 32 incher whereas nonetheless undercutting all of the OLED choices, this monitor could be intriguing. However at principally double that worth level, it actually would not make a lot sense.
