Correction October 4. 2021: A earlier model of this text incorrectly said that this monitor didn’t have FreeSync certification or DCI-P3 and sRGB show modes. The monitor has AMD FreeSync Premium Pro certification and each DCI-P3 and sRGB viewing profiles and the rating has been adjusted due to this.
High decision, excessive refresh gaming has been a little bit of a pipe dream till now, however because of a handful of 4K 144Hz displays arriving on the finish of 2021 it appears this dream gaming monitor featureset is lastly right here to remain.
The Optix MPG321UR is considered one of MSI’s new flagship displays and primarily based on the lengthy checklist of high finish specs it appears like a fairly spectacular providing. It’s a bit costlier than Asus’ TUF Gaming Monitor VG28UQL1A or the Eve Spectrum, nevertheless it’s additionally larger, brighter and has a extra spectacular color gamut, which fits a protracted solution to justifying the worth bounce.
MSI Optix MPG321UR specs
Panel dimension: 32-inch
Panel expertise: IPS
Native decision: 3,840 x 2,160
Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Refresh price: 144 Hz
Response time: 1 ms GtG
HDR: Vesa HDR 600
Contrast: 1000:1
Color: 97 p.c DCI-P3
Brightness: 600 cd/m2
Video Inputs: DisplayPort 1.4 x1, HDMI 2.1 x2, USB-C 2.0 x1
Other: Nvidia G-Sync suitable
MSRP: $999 | AU$1,599
At 32-inches, the Optix MPG321UR is big, so it will not have any points displaying two, and even three, home windows side-by-side. The 3,840 by 2,160 pixel decision is sufficient to stop any pixelation throughout this beneficiant display, making it simple to work on and delivering nice readability when gaming.
This is concerning the greatest 16:9 monitor that you simply’d actually think about having in your desk, however the surplus dimension means it is a viable system for front room use for those who’d desire to do some armchair gaming. Also, for those who personal a next-gen console the HDMI 2.1 inputs will allow you to run present console video games at their peak 4K 120Hz output settings with no need to nab a brand new TV.
In addition to with the ability to run this monitor at its full 144Hz refresh price over a DisplayPort 1.4 or HDMI 2.1 inputs, PC players can even get the good thing about G-Sync compatibility to remove display tearing and different undesirable artifacts for anybody with a Nvidia GPU.
Despite the worth level this monitor doesn’t have a bodily G-Sync chip, as an alternative deferring to adaptive sync for G-Sync compatibility. This means it’s going to miss out on variable overdrive expertise designed to forestall ghosting and trailing on fast paced objects. There’s additionally been no effort to construct in any customized variable overdrive options both, so that you’ll should count on you will get these artifacts on fast paced objects.
While MSI would not promote it publicly, the Optix MPG321UR additionally options assist for AMD’s highest tier of variable refresh price compatibility: FreeSync Premium Pro. This certification means you possibly can assure video games like Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and Borderlands 3 will be capable of run in 4K HDR at no matter refresh price your GPU is able to. AMD’s present finest GPU nonetheless doesn’t fairly have the grunt to push these titles a lot over 60fps, so there’s loads of overhead to get further efficiency advantages for those who improve to extra highly effective GPUs sooner or later.
The show does provide a professional-level, sub 1ms grey-to-grey (GTG) response price, which mixes with the excessive decision display to make gaming really feel snappy and responsive, with out shedding an excellent excessive decision picture. GTG is likely to be a neater benchmark to attain than some checks, however this degree continues to be up there with the quickest response charges doable for gaming shows, so this display is greater than sufficient for essentially the most elite rigs.
The Optics MPG321UR takes the display brightness to the subsequent degree by providing a display with a 600nit peak brightness permitting it to attain Vesa HDR 600 certification. While this is not fairly the 1000nit minimal wanted on a TV to attain HDR certification, it does go a great distance in the direction of making it an amazing wanting choice whenever you’re on the sofa, and it is means brighter than most displays. Combine this with the 97% DCI-P3 color copy capabilities and you’ve got an amazingly vibrant display that is virtually correct sufficient for use for skilled color grading functions.
Some of the gaming viewing presets (significantly the racing mode) weren’t effectively calibrated out of the field, and made the colours look far more cartoonish than they wanted to be. But there are not less than colour correct DCI-P3 and sRGB viewing modes which you could swap to for a extra lifelike viewing expertise. I really couldn’t discover these presets within the menu system initially, however they’re there, and MSI has mentioned it’ll make them extra outstanding in future software program updates.
While it is bought a number of on display gaming enhancements, together with crosshairs and scope filters, it is a bit lighter than some rivals displays on this division. As famous earlier it doesn’t have genuinely helpful gaming applied sciences like variable overdrive or movement blur syncing, as an alternative the Optix MPG321UR has opted for applied sciences like ‘Smart Brightness’ which is simply adaptive brightness by one other identify, however required the inclusion of a devoted webcam-looking gentle sensor on the backside of the display.
MSI suggests this function will stop you from blinding your self whenever you activate the monitor in a darkish room, and certain some folks would possibly discover this convenient, nevertheless it’s the sort of factor that might additionally backfire massively by making undesirable modifications to your display brightness mid-game.
I’ll take dumb brightness, thanks.
The one ‘Gaming Intelligence’ function that does seem to be a worthy bonus is Sound Tune, which supposedly makes use of AI skilled software program to take away undesirable background noise from incoming and outgoing comms. This function is doubtlessly massively useful if you cannot keep away from background noise otherwise you wish to uninteresting another person’s obnoxiously loud Blue switches.
Another rad function of the Optix MPG321UR for any energy customers out there may be the inclusion of 4 KVM USB 3.0 ports that permit you to plug in a number of computer systems or consoles and management them with a single controller or peripheral. This KVM compatibility will save heaps of time in order for you a single button to change between PCs, consoles and all of the peripherals they’re linked to seamlessly.
It’s refreshing to see that MSI is able to delivering a premium gaming system that appears barely extra subdued than the standard full-throttle crimson gaming unit. There is a strip of RGB lighting alongside the again of the monitor making certain which you could nonetheless present folks you’re a gamer if you’ll want to, however total MSI has virtually overcorrected to the purpose that you simply’d lose this one in a enterprise monitor roundup.
Considering the market it is aimed toward, I would not essentially think about it a downfall that the Optix MPG321UR doesn’t embrace audio system, however I do marvel why a pair of practical 2W drivers wouldn’t simply be tacked on for these instances when nothing else is working.
The solely different limitation is that the enormous sq. base is not significantly trendy and even overly secure on the entrance edge. It’s not going to fall over by itself or something, however simply don’t put it anyplace it could possibly be bumped simply from behind.
It’s undoubtedly bought a excessive price ticket, however the MSI Optics MPG321UR makes essentially the most of its bigger and extra correct colour gamut. HDR continues to be a little bit of a horrorshow on PC, however not less than the 600cd/m2 peak luminance figures give HDR video games a combating probability of wanting extra vibrant than their SDR counterparts.
It’s a bit onerous to make a broad assertion on worth because it varies a lot between areas. We didn’t have UK pricing on the time of writing however, within the US the MSI Optix MPG321UR lands at $999 placing it solely a few hundred {dollars} extra (20%) than Asus’ TUF Gaming Monitor VG28UQL1A. In Australia nevertheless, the recommended retail worth is AU$1599 which is AU$634 (40%) greater than its TUF competitors. So principally, it is okay worth within the states, nevertheless it is likely to be value reconsidering for anybody Down Under.
Add Comment