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MSI MPG 271QRX
After saving for what felt like ages, I finally had enough to justify a second monitor, something my family, friends and even partner urged me to get. While researching, I came across the MSI MPG 271QRX, which has numerous positive reviews signalling its great display and refresh rate. Given the positive feedback from users, I bit the bullet and purchased one for my enjoyment.
Specifications
Display
What immediately stood out to me on this display was its great features and the vibrant display colours. With the monitor being 27 inches and 2560 x 1440p (WQHD), it already had a great screen which supported 2k quality images. Colour coverage is 99% DCI-P3 providing very accurate colours, with the ability to go 1000 nits (HDR) for maximum brightness. Additionally, the DisplayHDR 400 Trueblack for a beautiful colour palette. The display also boasts a 360Mhz display with 0.03ms response times, making this a very punchy QD-OLED screen ideal to use for competitive gaming.
Display and Ports
The monitor offers a variety of connectivity options: 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 2x HDMI 2.1, and 1x USB-C with 90W PD charging, allowing you to connect multiple consoles and devices. It also features 2x USB 2.0 ports and 1x USB Type-B port for connecting peripherals and other devices, providing additional flexibility for your setup.
Warranty
The monitor comes with a three-year warranty, which includes panel burn-in protection. However, be sure to confirm this with the retailer you purchase from. I recommend buying from a trusted supplier like Currys, SCAN and Overclockers as they are more likely to honour the warranty.
VESA
This monitor supports the 100 x 100 VESA mount standard, meaning you will be able to mount this on a desk arm that supports it. VESA arms can be found all over Amazon but make sure it can support the 8.4 kg weight and do your research to find the best one for your needs.
First Impressions
Setting up the MSI MPG 271QRX was straightforward, and its 26.5-inch size fit seamlessly alongside my other 27-inch PG279QE 2K 165Hz Asus monitor without overwhelming my desk space.
OSI – MSI Gaming Intelligence
The monitor’s on-screen interface is user-friendly, with buttons located on the back of the monitor for easy access. These buttons allow you to change colour profiles and settings to maximise your monitor’s colours and experience using it. When you get this monitor, you should consider installing the MSI Gaming Intelligence as it’s easier to change settings this way. It also gives you the ability to update your monitor when new versions come out.
HDR
HDR can significantly enhance the sharpness and colour of your display with great success. My first impression of HDR on this monitor was amazing, with very punchy and colour accuracy.
However, I did notice one issue when using HDR. When I shared my screen with others, the display appeared very bright, like the sun, making it difficult for them to see what I was showing. This is something to keep in mind if you frequently share your screen during presentations or streaming. You may need to adjust the HDR settings or temporarily disable HDR to avoid this blinding effect for others.
Gaming
The main selling point of this monitor is its exceptional gaming performance. After I booted up my PC and launched my usual games, I immediately noticed the difference. The monitor’s responsiveness and how smoothly it handled movement with GSYNC enabled, stood out to me. This snappiness made it much easier to track and hit targets in games, giving me a slight edge over other players.
If your PC is powerful enough to fully utilise the 360Hz refresh rate, this monitor is an excellent choice, especially when combined with its realistic colours and HDR capabilities!
Before you Buy
Is Your GPU Powerful Enough?
While the monitor displays amazing colours and has a great set of features, make sure your GPU and CPU are powerful enough to push out consistent 360Hz frames. For this to be a worthwhile purchase, you must already have the required specs to support 360Hz or above, whether that’s on low or high settings.
HDMI/DisplayPorts
Unfortunately, this display doesn’t have DisplayPort 2 support meaning it will be reliant on other features to get maximum speeds. The 1.4a standard should be purchased if you want the maximum support using DSC technology. It’s worth considering since the current RTX series only supports the 1.4a standard. However, DisplayPort 2 and above is backwards compatible so consider a certified display port cable if you don’t want to worry about missing out on the speeds you want.
Price
If you’re on a tight budget for a QD-OLED monitor, then this monitor might not be for you. There are other monitors cheaper and just as fast as this one, so do your research and consider buying one cheaper, such as the MSI Oculux NXG253R which is a little older but still supports 360Hz and is almost half the price of this monitor.
Where to Buy?
If you would like to look at the monitor or grab one for yourself, you can find it on Amazon but at the time of writing this, there is a huge backlog of orders, which means you won’t be able to get it until August/September 2024.
Alternatively, you could buy it from your local Curry’s but you must order it online to get it: Buy MSI MPG 271QRX QD-OLED Quad HD 26.5″ OLED Gaming Monitor – Black | Currys. They don’t have the monitor in-store usually, so don’t just turn up in-store because they may not have one. Please make sure to pick up a 1.4a display port cable or HDMI 2.1 cable while you’re there too, so that your monitor can take advantage of the refresh rate.
Should I Buy?
The choice to buy depends on your budget and requirements for a new monitor. If you want a monitor with a great set of features for gaming, then this is perfect. However, if you’re looking for a monitor for anything other than competitive gaming, 4k and 8k monitors will be a better choice due to the better resolution.
This monitor is designed with gaming features in mind, so is best for those who use their monitors for competitive gaming and some work, learning and general usage. If these are your primary needs, this monitor will serve you well.