MSI MPG 271QR QD-OLED X50 overview: Two-fer monitor pairs 500Hz with USB-C

Greatest Costs As we speak: MSI MPG 271QR QD-OLED X50

An unprecedented wave of high-refresh gaming displays has hit the market over the previous few years, together with a number of OLED and LCD shows with a most refresh price of at the least 500Hz. The MSI MPG 271QR delivers this alongside nice colour accuracy, however probably the most enticing cause to purchase the MSI over one other OLED competitor is the inclusion of USB-C with a lot of Energy Supply.

Learn on to be taught extra, then see our roundup of the perfect displays for comparability.

MSI MPG 271QR QD-OLED X50 specs and options

The MSI MPG 271QR QD-OLED X50 is a part of a brand new wave of OLED displays with a decision of 2560×1440 and a refresh price of 500Hz (or in some circumstances, barely extra). The MSI’s specs are largely much like opponents, such because the Samsung Odyssey OLED G6 G60SD.

Nonetheless, the MSI provides one specification that’s uncommon, and that’s a USB-C port with as much as 98 watts of energy supply. Many direct opponents don’t provide USB-C in any respect, and most that do have USB-C, ship much less energy by way of it.

• Show measurement: 26.5-inch 16:9 side ratio
• Native decision: 2560×1440
• Panel kind: QD-OLED
• Refresh price: As much as 500Hz
• Adaptive sync: Sure, Adaptive Sync, G-Sync Suitable
• HDR: Sure, VESA DisplayHDR 500 True Black
• Ports: 2x HDMI 2.1, 1x DisplayPort 2.1, 1x USB Kind-C with DisplayPort and 98 watts of Energy Supply, 1x 3.5mm audio out
• Audio: None
• Additional options: Ergonomic stand, proximity sensor
• Worth: $899 MSRP, approx. $700 typical retail

MSI introduced the MPG 271QR at $899 MSRP, nevertheless it has shortly dropped in value as a result of vacation offers and might now be discovered for $650 to $700. That’s an enormous drop, although one which aggressive displays have matched.

The MPG 271QR shouldn’t be confused with the MSI MAG 272QP QD-OLED X50, although the 2 are comparable. Essentially the most notable distinction is the USB-C port; the MPG mannequin has USB-C with as much as 98 watts of energy supply, whereas the MAG 272QP has simply 15 watts. The MPG additionally has a proximity sensor not discovered on the MAG.

MSI MPG 271QR QD-OLED X50 design

The MSI MPG 271QR QD-OLED X50 opts for a reserved design with an all-black chassis and stand. Up entrance the bezels are deep, matte black on all sides, whereas round again you’ll discover delicate black gloss MSI branding. A small, delicate MSI badge simply above the stand’s neck gives a touch of RGB-LED customization, and is suitable with MSI’s Mystic Mild for software program management of the lighting, nevertheless it’s too small and dim to face out.

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I usually like easy design, however I can also’t deny that MSI’s design has slipped a bit relative to the competitors. Asus packs extra aptitude and Samsung gives extra luxurious. The MSI appears to be like superb however doesn’t stand out subsequent to design leaders.

Functionally, although, the MPG 271QR QD-OLED checks off the packing containers. It has an ergonomic stand with a flat, unobtrusive base. The stand is strong and gives adjustment for top, tilt, swivel, and might pivot 90 levels to be used in portrait orientation. The monitor additionally has a 100x100mm VESA mount to be used with third-party monitor stands and arms.

MSI MPG 271QR QD-OLED X50 connectivity

Connectivity is an enormous a part of the MSI MPG 271QR QD-OLED X50’s story and, for some, will change into the explanation to purchase it over a competitor.

That’s as a result of the MPG 271QR has a USB-C port with DisplayPort and as much as 98 watts of Energy Supply. Many opponents don’t even have USB-C, so this can be a notable function. The USB-C port can deal with the monitor’s full refresh price and backbone. It additionally connects to 2 downstream USB-A ports with 5Gbps of information bandwidth.

Alternatively to USB-C upstream enter, the USB-A ports could be pushed by a USB-B upstream port. KVM change performance is included for simple switching between two related PCs. This implies you’ll be able to simply join each a laptop computer and desktop (utilizing the USB-A ports to attach your mouse and keyboard), then change between them as wanted.

Whereas I do just like the USB-C port, I’ll admit it feels a tad much less related right here than with 4K/240Hz QD-OLED displays, such because the MSI MPG 272URX. A 1440p/500Hz OLED, such because the MPG 271QR, is extra possible for use as a devoted gaming show related to solely a desktop. Nonetheless, for those who want USB-C, the MPG 271QR delivers.

The MPG 271QR additionally has one DisplayPort 2.1 and two HDMI 2.1 for a complete of 4 video inputs. All 4 video inputs can deal with the monitor’s 1440p decision at its most refresh price of 500Hz.

The MSI MPG 271QR QD-OLED X50 has a sexy and easy-to-use menu system managed by a joystick centered behind the decrease bezel.

Menu choices are nicely labeled and the vary of adjustment is intensive. You’ll discover preset modes for a number of colour gamuts together with sRGB, AdobeRGB, and Show P3. Extra changes embrace six-axis colour calibration and exact changes for colour temperature and gamma. On the entire, the vary of picture high quality adjustment right here is on par with Asus, and higher than typical gaming displays from Alienware, Acer, and Samsung.

A proximity sensor is included and gives choices for automated brightness adjustment, or to show the monitor off fully once you’re away. Although pitched primarily as a method to cut back OLED burn-in, the worth of automated brightness adjustment shouldn’t be ignored. It’s far more handy than handbook adjustment all through the day.

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There’s a wholesome dose of gaming options together with timers, body price counters, on-screen cross hair, plus black stabilizer and AI imaginative and prescient modes to disclose enemies in darkish areas of a scene. The monitor additionally consists of constrained side ratio modes to emulate a 24.5-inch monitor or 4:3 monitor. All of that is pretty typical for a OLED gaming monitor, however nonetheless good to see.

MSI gives Home windows software program referred to as MSI Gaming Intelligence. It may management monitor options inside Home windows, which is usually simpler than utilizing the on-screen menus. The Gaming Intelligence app doesn’t look as slick as Asus’ DisplayWidget or Dell’s Show Supervisor, nevertheless it does the job. MacOS customers and Linux customers are out of luck, although, because the Gaming Intelligence app is barely obtainable for Home windows 10 and Home windows 11.

MSI MPG 271QR QD-OLED X50 audio

The MSI MPG 271QR QD-OLED X50 doesn’t have built-in audio system, which is typical for an OLED monitor. A 3.5mm audio pass-through jack is offered to make connecting a headset simpler.

MSI MPG 271QR QD-OLED X50 SDR picture high quality

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The MSI MPG 271QR QD-OLED X50 has a Samsung QD-OLED panel with 2560×1440 decision and a most refresh price of 500Hz. QD-OLED panels are the commonest kind of OLED panel for laptop displays and universally carry out nicely—the MPG 271QR included.

First up is SDR brightness, the place the MPG 271QR is available in at roughly 300 nits. That’s a decent consequence. Whereas some opponents have managed to climb above 300 nits, this has solely occurred lately. And 300 nits is usually vibrant sufficient for many conditions, although it could nonetheless show inadequate when you have a room with giant, sunlit home windows that lack shades.

It’s additionally price point out that the MPG 271QR has a shiny coat. Although the end does try to mitigate glare, reflections shall be apparent. Consumers who despise glare (like me!) ought to have a look at the Samsung Odyssey OLED G60SD, which has a matte end.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Distinction is a spotlight for all OLED displays, and the MPG 271QR is not any exception. The monitor achieves an ideal black degree of zero nits, which suggests it could actually present an successfully infinite distinction ratio.

Perceived distinction can also be glorious because of the shiny end. A shiny end will usually look extra contrast-rich than a matte end as a result of how mild interacts with the show’s floor.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Samsung QD-OLED panels are well-known for his or her glorious colour saturation. The MPG 271QR lives as much as that fame with colour protection that spans one hundred pc of sRGB, 98 % of DCI-P3, and 95 % of AdobeRGB.

That is near nearly as good because it will get for a monitor in 2025. Remember, nevertheless, that different QD-OLED displays present the identical efficiency. Asus’ ROG Swift PG27AQWP-W, which has a tandem LG WOLED panel, can also be on this league.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

The MPG 271QR scores nicely in colour accuracy even by the requirements of OLED displays, that are usually glorious. It additionally managed to attain this with nice colour accuracy throughout all measured colours. No colour had an error worth above one, which is a spectacular consequence. This implies the picture is real looking and true to the intent of the content material you’re viewing.

MSI additionally delivers in gamma and colour temperature. The gamma curve was proper heading in the right direction with a worth of two.2. That is notable as a result of many OLED displays have a default gamma curve of two.3, which suggests the picture seems only a hair darker than it ought to. Colour temperature, in the meantime, got here in at 6400K—a really slight miss off the 6500K goal. Technically this implies the picture is a tad hotter than it ought to be, however this result’s shut sufficient that you simply’re unlikely to note it.

Additionally, as talked about, MSI gives picture high quality changes for each gamma and colour temperature, so you’ll be able to alter these values in case your wants or preferences fluctuate.

Sharpness is one potential weak spot, although in a relative sense. 2560×1440 decision works out to roughly 110 pixels per inch (ppi) throughout the 26.5-inch panel, and appears sharp in lots of conditions. Nonetheless, 4K OLED displays ship about 163 ppi, which is a noticeable enchancment. You’ll discover the sharpness drawback most when studying very small textual content, which might look a bit ragged if in comparison with a 4K show.

On the entire, the MPG 271QR’s SDR picture high quality is excellent. The monitor scores nicely throughout the board. Whereas most QD-OLED displays will look extraordinarily comparable, the MPG 271QR has a small benefit over most opponents in colour accuracy and gamma efficiency. It’s additionally vibrant for an OLED show.

MSI MPG 271QR QD-OLED X50 HDR picture high quality

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The MSI MPG 271QR QD-OLED X50 helps HDR and is VESA DisplayHDR True Black 500 licensed. It additionally helps a comparatively new HDR mode referred to as Electro-Optical Switch Operate Enhance, or EOTF Enhance, which tweaks HDR luminance mapping for a brighter consequence.

This leads to nice, although anticipated, HDR brightness and efficiency. The MSI MPG 271QR QD-OLED achieves as much as 895 nits of brightness in EOTF Enhance mode when 3 % of the show was lit (and was solely barely dimmer in HDR 1000 mode, at 855 nits). This implies the MPG 271QR can present glorious brightness when small, vibrant objects are displayed.

Increasing the realm of the show that’s lit drastically reduces peak HDR brightness, which is typical for OLED shows. Nonetheless, the MPG 271QR’s sustained HDR efficiency stays aggressive throughout the board. I’ve examined brighter OLED displays, such because the Asus ROG Swift PG27AQWP-W with tandem WOLED show, however they’re uncommon.

The MPG 271QR’s take a look at outcomes translated properly to real-world efficiency. The monitor regarded electrical whereas viewing the “Into the Storm” scene from Mad Max: Fury Street, which sees lighting arc round and throughout gigantic mud devils. The “Gargantuan” scene from Interstellar, in the meantime, confirmed good element within the bands of the black gap’s accretion disk. These particulars have a tendency to scrub out in SDR.

Whereas the MPG 271QR has strong HDR efficiency, it lacks person HDR brightness management. This can be a function I desire to see all OLED displays present. Whereas giving the person HDR brightness management technically makes content material much less correct, it makes utilizing HDR in Home windows far simpler. With out it some HDR content material (notably static photographs) can at occasions change into annoyingly vibrant. This can be a function that Asus’ OLED displays normally embrace.

MSI MPG 271QR QD-OLED X50 movement efficiency

Avid gamers who need excellent movement readability shall be happy by the MSI MPG 271QR QD-OLED X50. It’s considered one of a number of new QD-OLED displays with a refresh price that may attain as excessive as 500Hz—greater than twice the 240Hz refresh price offered by widespread 4K QD-OLED displays.

That’s an enormous increase, and it reveals. Whereas 240Hz OLED displays already look clear in movement, the MPG 271QR is clearly higher at 500Hz. Small objects in movement look extraordinarily crisp with particulars just some pixels extensive seen. High-quality interface parts, like HP bars, character names, and floating textual content, are simple to learn even when zooming throughout the show.

And keep in mind: There’s extra to it than simply the refresh price. OLED additionally advantages from low pixel response occasions, which may also cut back blur. Due to this, an OLED monitor just like the MPG 271QR may have higher movement readability than LCD alternate options even at decrease refresh charges, similar to 60Hz or 120Hz.

The monitor lists assist for Adaptive Sync and Nvidia G-Sync Suitable to supply clean body pacing in video games. AMD FreeSync isn’t listed (which is uncommon), however FreeSync labored after I related the MPG 271QR to my AMD Radeon 7800 XT video card.

MSI has a black body insertion function referred to as MPRT. This inserts clean, black frames between commonplace frames, a trick which reduces movement blur. Nonetheless, I didn’t discover the advance as noticeable as with comparable options offered by opponents, similar to Asus.

Must you purchase the MSI MPG 271QR QD-OLED X50?

The MSI MPG 271QR QD-OLED X50 is yet one more nice OLED monitor. It serves up 2560×1440 decision with a 500Hz refresh price that delivers really spectacular movement readability that can attraction to extremely aggressive avid gamers, although some gamers could be disenchanted by the lackluster design and subdued RGB-LED lighting.

The MPG 271QR pairs its movement readability with nice colour efficiency and a variety of picture high quality options. It additionally has USB-C, which is uncommon amongst OLED displays and helps the MSI stand out from its friends. These options make the MPG 271QR an apparent selection if you need a aggressive gaming monitor that’s additionally good for house workplace use.