For anybody who edits videos and photos, a 5K monitor is a genuine asset. In simple terms, these displays pack in more pixels than standard monitors. With more of those building blocks to work with, the monitor can produce a far more detailed image — meaning even the smallest text looks sharp and crisp, with no fuzzy edges in sight. For Mac users, the Studio Display is the ultimate device to own, but it comes at a steep price. BenQ has spent years making monitors designed with Mac users in mind, and now they’ve finally delivered a 27-inch 5K Nano Gloss Monitor (MA270S) built squarely for the Mac workspace.
There’s another BenQ monitor worth mentioning here — the PD2730S. The “PD” prefix stands for professional, sitting within BenQ’s pro range rather than their consumer line. It’s obviously cheaper than the Studio Display, though it isn’t as affordable as this new one. It is, however, impressively colour accurate.
That said, many people simply prefer a glossy screen. All the Macs we use come with glossy displays, and there’s good reason for that — deeper blacks, and text that feels just a touch sharper compared to matte alternatives. This brings us to the new monitor. It’s one of the few options that gives you a glossy screen experience similar to the Studio Display, without the Studio Display price tag.
Plug in and get going
So what makes this monitor such a natural fit for Mac users? It features Mac colour tuning technology, which BenQ calls M-Book Mode. Connect a Mac, and the monitor automatically matches your Mac’s screen colour accuracy — almost perfectly. Rather than spending 10 minutes squinting at the screen and fiddling with calibrations, you simply plug it in and it works. The colours are right, straight out of the box, and it accommodates every Mac model you can throw at it. Very few monitor brands can claim the same.
There are moments when you might want a different look altogether. The monitor covers that too, with game mode, cinema mode, and blue light mode all available.
It’s an IPS panel with LED backlighting and a 5120x2880 resolution — that’s full 5K, scaling perfectly with your Mac at 218 dots per inch, exactly in line with the Studio Display. It also comes with a 70Hz refresh rate, compared to the Studio Display’s 60Hz — a 17 per cent bump that won’t change your life, but it’s a welcome bonus. Add to that a 2000:1 contrast ratio, a 5ms response time, and brightness up to 450 nits (we used it at around 50 per cent for everyday work), and the technical story is a strong one.
The “MA” in the monitor’s name signals its consumer-focused positioning, yet BenQ claims 99% P3 colour space coverage — and the way colours pop on screen makes that entirely believable.
Ports, features, and everyday practicality
Where this monitor really pulls ahead is connectivity. On the back, there are two Thunderbolt 4 ports — one connects directly to your Mac with 96W of charging, which will keep your Mac powered even when the monitor itself is switched off. The second supports daisy-chaining a second 5K monitor, with up to 15W charging as well. There’s also a USB-C port delivering up to 35W power delivery with DisplayPort Alt Mode, two HDMI 2.1 ports, two USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 ports, and a USB-C downstream port with 15W charging on the bottom.
Perhaps the most quietly impressive feature, though, is built-in KVM support. If you have two Macs connected simultaneously, you can switch the same keyboard and mouse between them seamlessly — no extra hardware, no clutter, no added cost. For anyone running a dual-Mac setup, that alone could seal the deal.
The stand is excellent too, offering 150mm of height adjustment along with swivel, tilt, and a full 90-degree pivot for portrait mode. The bezels are slim, the finish is clean, and two 3W speakers are built in — handy in a pinch, though you’ll likely want better audio for serious work. The one omission worth noting is a webcam, which would have been a thoughtful addition at this price point.
Using BenQ’s Display Pilot 2 software unlocks full on-screen and keyboard control of the monitor, which makes the day-to-day experience that much more seamless.
For those who like to go further, BenQ’s ScreenBar Halo 2 pairs brilliantly with this monitor. The ultra-wide light sits on top of the display, reduces eye fatigue during long editing sessions, and lets you dial in the colour temperature to suit your environment.
At the end of the day, this monitor delivers image quality that comes remarkably close to the Studio Display, at a fraction of the price. If you’re a Mac user who wants accurate colours, a gorgeous glossy screen, and a port selection that most dedicated docking stations would envy — this BenQ earns its place on your desk.
At a glance
Device: 27-inch 5K Nano Gloss Monitor (MA270S)
Price: ₹94,998
High notes
Glossy 5K display
M-Book Mode for Mac colour accuracy
99% P3 colour space
70Hz refresh rate
Good port selection
Daisy-chain support
Built-in KVM functionality
Excellent stand adjustability (height, tilt, swivel, portrait pivot)
ScreenBar Halo 2 compatibility
Muffled notes
No built-in webcam
Speakers are underwhelming
