How Does 2.1 Sound Improve Gaming and Video?

The roar of an engine. A bullet slicing through the air. Birds chirping. Nothing draws you into a scene the way sound does. Many advancements in monitors these days focus on color, resolution, and speed. BenQ, already an industry-leader in color accuracy and eye-care™ technology, has turned its attention to sound.

Sound and video are a storytelling team. Combined, they accomplish vastly more than either can by itself. Test it yourself. Turn the sound completely down next time you watch a movie or play a game. Nothing against subtitles, but “[troops march in your direction]” has a lot less impact than thundering footsteps building in intensity and volume.

Let’s try another experiment. Odds are, your current monitor has 2.0 sound. This means you have a left and right channel sending signals your way. The speakers might be integrated into your monitor, or they might be external and taking up valuable space on your desk. The sound coming from those speakers is responsible for your entire auditory experience. That’s a lot of responsibility for two speakers. They would appreciate a boost—and so would your ears. After all, a little bass never hurt anyone.

2.1 sound. We covered 2.0, so what’s the big deal about “.1”? Bass. That seemingly inconsequential decimal point equals a subwoofer and all that comes with it. Games and movies are built to be mesmerizing on every level. Your monitor audio has to keep up with the content it’s displaying. It is pretty disappointing when the on-screen hero defeats the villain and sends them crashing to the ground with a resounding “plink.”

Games are an incredible platform to discuss the importance of sound. Sound is not only valuable in terms of adding realism and a full experience. It delivers crucial cues about what’s coming next. Notice how your shoulders go up a bit in anticipation when music starts to build. See how your fingers hover at the ready when you hear enemies approaching. Audio doesn’t only expand your experience, it can expand your abilities, as well. The more attention you pay to sound, the easier it is to get obsessed.

BenQ’s slogan is “Because it Matters.” Those three words are the driving force behind the pioneering eye-care™ and color accuracy technologies BenQ is famous for. The only way to approach audio is with commitment to excellence. The Video Enjoyment monitors debuting 2.1 sound are equipped to deliver customizable audio experiences suited to your use and your content.

Different audiences have different auditory needs. You might watch action movies, listen to music, and stream your favorite shows on the same screen. If your settings are optimized for the movies, subtle notes and whispered voices can become indistinguishable. There is no single best optimization for all content with audio. The solution we came up with is to offer multiple modes.

First, we broke it down by content type. Movies require balanced sound that enriches the viewing experience and lets you hear every plot-advancing word. Music can only be fully experienced when you hear every subtle note and nuanced rise and fall. If you’re watching programming that is dialog-intense you can’t afford to miss whispered secrets or unclear plot reveals. Having established those different sound experiences, we needed a way to improve the way they are delivered.

It all comes down to a tiny microchip. The DSP does exactly what it sounds like—it processes your audio. It can also be a secret weapon. Easily navigated through your On Screen Display (OSD), a stellar audio experience is as simple as pressing a button.

You’re in charge. Settling in for an extended gaming session? Select the DSP “Game” setting and get the intense, bass-driven effect that keeps you in the game and on the edge of your seat. Time for a movie? Choose “Cinema” for balanced background effects and dialog with a theatrical feel. When watching content with lots of speech and conversation the “Dialog” setting lowers the bass and brings out the high-end clarity needed to catch every word.

Once you experience this custom audio-delivery system you’ll realize it’s what’s been missing from your setup all this time. Fortunately, your wait is over now.

Just like you, we get excited about shiny new features like customizable 2.1 channel sound. We also did exactly what you hoped. We took the sound to a new level, adding DSP settings for gaming and music types. Then, we put it in an incredible entertainment monitor, equipped with HDRi, FreeSync, 144Hz refresh rate, and AQCOLOR accurate color technology. We call it EX2780Q. You’ll call it your favorite monitor.

Most of us are fortunate to turn to a display for enjoyable pursuits as well as professional purpose. That’s the sweet spot for BenQ’s 2.1 channel audio options. They have the goods to get you through your work day and carry you into evening and weekend fun.

Are you in the market for a new monitor? Does audio quality matter to you? Would you enjoy incredible, customizable sound integrated into your monitor? If you answered yes to these questions, BenQ 2.1 channel sound with a DSP chip is certain to be music to your ears.