I’ll get this out of the way right now. The BenQ DesignVue PD3220U is either almost the perfect monitor for Mac users. Or it is the perfect monitor for Mac users. It depends on who you are and what you will use this monitor for. If you’re the average Mac user, you’re in the former camp. If you’re the target audience for this monitor, which are people who design content, you’re in the latter camp. Let me spend this review walking though the features of this monitor and pointing out the things that make it perfect for the latter camp, and slightly less so for the former camp.
It’s a 31.5-inch IPS panel with a resolution of 3840×2160 pixels which represents 140 ppi. While not Apple retina levels of ppi, fine detailing is still easy to see at a comfortable viewing distance. Given that I have a small standing desk from to place this monitor on, that’s something I did like. The monitor has a peak brightness of 300 nits which is the first issue that some might have with this monitor. Which is that you’ll either like the fact that this isn’t a super bright monitor that will sear your eyeballs, or you will wish that it was brighter. I personally, am ok with the brightness level that this monitor is capable of as this is aimed at people who don’t want super bright monitors. Designers and video editors for example. Though I will note that it pales in comparison to my MacBook Pro which can get to much higher brightness levels. Thus I can see some people being unimpressed at first glance and wanting it to be a bit brighter if they consume content as opposed to create it.
The display has 10-bit colour processing which delivers a palette of 1.07 billion colours, resulting in smoother shading, colour transitions and tonal gradations. On top of that, you get 100 percent of the sRGB colour space and its video equivalent, Rec.709. The display also covers 95 percent of the DCI-P3 colour space, and for video-makers, the PD3220U also handles HDR content via having HDR10 support. More on HDR in a bit. Oddly, BenQ doesn’t supply a specification for the Adobe RGB colour space. But there’s a calibration report in the box as it is a factory calibrated monitor. Finally, this is a 60Hz panel. And that brings me to the second issue that some will have with this monitor. For some, especially those who own newer MacBook Pros that are capable of ProMotion or the ability to ramp up the refresh rate up to 120Hz, the fact that this is a 60Hz monitor is pretty noticeable and may be a turn off to some. Others, again those who create content will likely not care. I say that because those who edit video for example are editing video at frame rates of 24 and 30 fps for example. And those who are doing photo editing for example will not care as they look at static images all day.
The monitor is mostly plastic. But it felt solid and the build quality looks good. The PD3220U has a matte anti-glare screen surface that BenQ doesn’t want you accidentally peeling off. In fact they have this sticker on the monitor telling you not to peel it off:
Consider yourself warned. This anti glare film does work though as it I noted no reflection in my home office which has a window on the left that even though it has blinds, it gets a lot of sunlight in the afternoon as it is facing west.
Let’s move on to connectivity. The PD3230U has lots of it:
The full list of connectivity for the back goes like this:
- Two USB-A 3.1 downstream ports
- One USB-B upstream port
- A USB-B mini Port for the hotkey puck
- Two HDMI 2.0 Ports
- Display Port 1.4
- Two USB Type C with Thunderbolt 3 connectivity. One is downstream and one is upstream.

Here you see the USB-C, USB-A and 3.5mm headphone jack that are located on the right side of the monitor. That way you can plug in a set of headphones or a USB stick.

All this connectivity gives you a one cable setup that delivers video, power (85W), and connectivity over a single Thunderbolt cable. For Mac users, especially portable ones, that’s the dream setup. This monitor also has support for a Keyboard Video Mouse (KVM) which allows for easier switching between two computers with a single keyboard and mouse. There’s also a ‘DualView’ mode for when you’re using one display with two inputs. Plus there’s all sorts of Picture in Picture modes that allow you to keep tabs on one of those computers. Finally, you can daisy chain two monitors together and still connect everything to your computer with one cable.

The PD3220U includes BenQ’s Hotkey Puck remote control dial. This plugs into the monitor via the mini USB port that I referenced earlier and is used to control monitor settings like brightness, colour modes and the volume of the built-in dual 2W speakers. Though I should mention that there are buttons on the back of the monitor if that’s your preference. In terms of the speakers, they are unremarkable as most monitor speakers tend to be.
Let’s get to the part that you care about. How does this monitor perform? Here’s the TL:DR on that:
- The Display P3 colour mode is impressive. It has vibrant colours and excellent colour and contrast consistency.
- BenQ has software called Display Pilot for the Mac that will help to make sure that my MacBook Pro Display matches the PD3220U as closely as possible is an excellent touch. I didn’t use that option when I reviewed this monitor. I simply put the monitor into “M-Book” mode and went to work. But content creators and control enthusiasts will appreciate that Display Pilot exists.
- This monitor has a low blue light filter which helps reduce the amount of harmful blue light emitted by the display. This is especially useful for those who work long hours in front of a screen, as it can help to reduce the risk of eye fatigue and other related issues.
- HDR-10 performance was a surprise for me. I typically don’t expect much from any monitor that has no local dimming ability, not to mention the brightness levels that this monitor has. But running some test HDR videos on this monitor revealed that you can view HDR with correct colours 100% of the time, which is very useful from a content creation perspective. But less useful for content consumption.
Another area that I want to touch on is the stand. It’s made of metal, features tool free assembly, and is solid. The monitor has a bit of shake to it if you shake the desk that it is on. But I didn’t notice any shaking while I was typing. The stand also has some basic cable management and is height adjustable as well as having the ability to tilt and swivel. Though in terms of height, it may not go high enough for those who are on the taller side. For those people, a good quality VESA mount (it supports 100×100 VESA mounts) may be your best option.
Finally, in the bonus points department, all cables are included in the box which makes life easy for anyone who buys this monitor as everything is there for you to set it up and use it.
The BenQ DesignVue PD3220U is going to be the perfect monitor, or almost perfect monitor depending on who you are. In my opinion if you’re a content creator of some sort, this monitor has to be on your shopping list. If you’re an average Mac user, this might not be the right monitor for you. Though given the connectivity options, it is still worth a look for that reason alone as there aren’t a lot of monitors outside of Apple’s own monitors that provide this level of connectivity. I found it on Amazon for $1500 CDN which isn’t exactly cheap. But I suspect for many, it will be at a price point that makes it worth considering.
Today Is Anti-Ransomware Day
Posted in Commentary with tags Security on May 12, 2023 by itnerdRansomware isn’t just a “thing” as the kiddies would say. It’s an insanely prevalent and dangerous threat. If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, I’ve illustrated the costs and effects of ransomware. Thus anything that highlights the need to be better protected against ransomware is a win in my books. Which is why I applaud the fact that Anti-Ransomware Day exists as it really brings this threat to light and reminds all of us to do whatever we can to make sure that this day is no longer required.
I got the thoughts of Nic Finn, Senior Threat Intelligence Consultant, Guidepoint Research and Intelligence Team (GRIT) at GuidePoint Security on Anti-Ransomware Day.
“As we step into the fourth Anti-Ransomware Day, it’s clear that ransomware is still a dominant threat for organizations across the globe. Looking at GRIT’s ransomware dataset, we’ve observed a steady increase in victims published by ransomware groups. In 2021, from January 1st – May 12th, GRIT observed just over 700 reported victims. In 2022, that number increased to just over 1,000. So far, in 2023, we’ve observed more than 1,300 reported victims. This increase of roughly 300 reports per year also correlates to a shift in active groups, with Lockbit bounding to the most active group in 2022 and increasing their lead in 2023.”
“What’s more important than the number of reported victims and targeting by ransomware groups is how organizations are prepared to defend against and respond to ransomware. The availability of CISA’s Stop Ransomware resources is a massive value add for proactive organizations looking to protect against these threat groups. Additionally, defenders need to understand how they should respond when faced with a successful ransomware attack. Many organizations today still jump to check the ransomware group’s chat and can often have a negative impact on successful negotiation or delayment strategies. These teams should set up playbooks to ensure a coordinated and calculated response to ransomware attacks, which includes a thorough evaluation of the environment, solid backup practices, and knowledge of critical information and systems utilized across the environment.”
Just to highlight the sorts of things that Nic is seeing, I have the latest GRIT Ransomware Report for you to review. Along with that, I’m going to give you some resources to use. Starting with The Ransomware Playbook that the Canadian Center For Cybersecurity put out. The CISA has done something similar with their Ransomware Guide. Both are great resources and I highly recommend reading both.
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