Just a few years ago, 1080p at 60Hz changed into the mainstream general for pc monitors and everybody seemed to be glad. But as display technology truly took off with higher pixel density on cell monitors, human beings demanded the identical remedy on the high-end computing aspect. People desired better resolutions, lower reaction times and better refresh quotes for aggressive games, and curved monitors for greater immersive content material.

Earlier this 12 months, MSI launched the Optix MAG27CQ and MPG27CQ; monitors that test loads of boxes on the characteristic listing. They are both 27" curved video display units with 1440p resolutions, FreeSync help, 144Hz refresh costs, and 1ms response instances. They additionally come equipped with gaming centered display capabilities, and the MPG27CQ even has RGB lighting fixtures. These monitors appear to be similar on paper even though the MAG is considerably much less costly, so let's see how they perform and whether one in all them can be a good preference in your next gaming display upgrade.

Since this is a twin assessment, I'll be going over the differences and similarities between the 2 models as well as how they perform in video games and with colour accuracy.

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As shown above, at the left we've the Optix MAG27CQ ($380), and at the proper is the Optix MPG27CQ ($500). Moving ahead I'll check with them as the MAG and MPG since the names can get puzzling. They are nearly same from a technical angle, however have slight variations in terms of delivered functions.

The MAG has a matte black and gray commercial layout at the same time as the MPG is more glossy. The stand for the MAG is tons smaller than the MPG and it typically has a greater subdued aesthetic. The MPG then again has RGB lighting at the front and back and has an unapologetically "gamer" aesthetic.

Both video display units have an 1800R curve, something now not uncommon on large gaming displays. If you have never used a curved reveal earlier than, the effect isn't as mentioned as you could count on. Looking at them immediately on, the mild curve is designed to hold extra of the screen for your area of view.

MAG above -- MPG underneath

During actual utilization, I discovered the MAG's stand a bit too small or much less stable. The MPG's stand was pretty the other. I found that the two front legs were a chunk too big and took up an excessive amount of desk space for my liking.

Luckily, both video display units are VESA like minded so if that is an issue for you, you may usually buy an o.e.M stand. The blanketed stands circulate up and down to raise or lower the display, rotate left and right, and pivot horizontally. Neither stand can rotate into portrait mode which makes experience because those are curved monitors.

In terms of I/O, the MAG brings general ports that encompass DVI, one HDMI 2.zero, one DisplayPort 1.2, and one audio jack. No USB-C or more connections. Above the display connectors is the fast-launch reveal mount. This makes shifting the screen very easy and is lots preferrable to screws.

Moving over to the MPG, we find it has a piece extra to provide. There are two HDMI 2.zero ports, a unmarried DisplayPort 1.2, a USB three.0 uplink, and a headphone/microphone combo jack. On the aspect, there are additional USB 3.zero ports, a headphone out, and a microphone in port. Overall, that is a pleasing blend of I/O. Also specific to the MPG is an RGB stripe throughout the lower back of the monitor and on the decrease front bezel.

The pattern layout at the again is similar to the one observed at the Infinite X Gaming Desktop PC that we reviewed a while lower back. Putting RGB lights at the again have the goal of creating a colour wash behind the screen when it is on, but I discovered that they weren't brilliant enough to do that efficaciously.

The RGB lights on decrease bezel of the MPG is well matched with the SteelSeries Gamesense framework. While the lighting fixtures at the returned are in simple terms for display, the lights on the front could have a real use in games. The Gamesense software program can combine with certain video games to dynamically manage the lights.

For instance, you may software the lights to show your fitness, ammo, or any number of different parameters. This feature is unique to the MPG model.

Neither screen has seen buttons on the the front as they're each controlled through a small, purple joystick at the back proper side of the screen for the On-Screen-Display. It offers 4 directions as well as a center click. On the MAG, it feels a chunk cheap and flimsy, however it is able to be worse. The joystick on the MPG is greater strong and feels better. Both video display units share the same standard menu design and competencies, but the MPG has slightly greater capability. There are predefined viewing modes like Movie, FPS, RTS, and occasional-blue mild depending on your viewing possibilities. Specific to the MPG, MSI has delivered more options to modify black degrees, movement blur, latency, image-in-photograph, and the potential to remap the joystick buttons.

I like the joystick over traditional front dealing with buttons for navigating the menus, but it became a bit puzzling before everything. Nothing is categorised so it changed into difficult to figure out which series of guidelines to push to get to the menus I wanted. There is also a peculiar quirk on each monitors where you cannot access the display settings until there may be an energetic video enter coming in. If the monitor is asleep, I found it taking up to 30 seconds for the reveal to wake up on the way to be able to get entry to the menu. These can make troubleshooting and configuration more tough and truely are layout oversights. For people who cannot stand OSDs but, the MPG can be controlled remotely the use of a software app for Windows and Android.

Another issue that I couldn't figure out the way to put off turned into an annoying periodic message that seemed on the display screen telling me that not anything turned into related. If there is no input going to the reveal, inclusive of while you placed your computer to sleep, the reveal and its vivid backlight will turn on periodically. For those that sleep inside the equal room as their laptop or are a Box dorm, this can be extraordinarily demanding.

Gaming Performance

As expected, each of those are first-rate to recreation on. I in my opinion suppose 1440p at 144Hz is the cutting-edge candy spot for gaming. There are 240Hz video display units available at 1080p, however for non-aggressive game enthusiasts I assume the gain of increasing resolutia Chip:nd sharpness to 1440p is visually greater attractive than 240Hz refresh fees.

Likewise, going to 4K at 60Hz -- except you pay handsomely ($1500+) for the best panels available nowadays -- the drop from 144Hz all the way down to 60Hz is not well worth the greater decision advantage at 4K. This will necessarily exchange as destiny hardware and connection requirements pop out, however for now maximum gamers, as will I, stay with my 1440p 144Hz video display units.

Both Optix models advertise first-rate-low 1ms response times. For checking out, I targeted on each cinematic video games and fast-paced aggressive video games. I used two specific high-stop Intel and AMD PCs jogging Chip: AMD RTX 2070 GPU.

Barring any huge troubles, gaming overall performance is usually subjective. Playing Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, I liked the short 144Hz refresh fee and enter lag become no longer substantial in any respect that is critical in that recreation. I become glad with how the video display units completed out of the box and failed to feel the need to feature additional processing from the screen. On the MPG, you can, for instance, set the RGB LEDs to show your fitness or ammo, but I in my opinion discovered the gaming experience more exciting without it.

On the more cinematic side, I tried out Shadow of the Tomb Raider as nicely. The sport appears stunning at 1440p and was clearly exciting to play. The curve made the game slightly more immersive, however wasn't a huge aspect. If your rig is not beefy sufficient to power video games at 144Hz, both video display units include FreeSync to assist get rid of tearing (distinctive to Radeon GPUs, so we couldn't allow it on our faster GeForce GPU). Overall, nothing stood out to me as deficient while it comes to conventional gaming periods.

Color Accuracy

Moving directly to colour accuracy, the effects had been typically applicable, however now not wonderful. This shouldn't come as a surprise because gaming video display units are less focused AMD Ryzenccuracy and in the case of the Optix monitors, both characteristic VA panels. If you're seeking out a professional display, don't forget checking out the Asus ProArt PA32UC or Dell Ultrasharp UP2718Q.

For objective monitor checking out we use SpectraCal's CalMAN software suite and an X-Rite i1Display meter. We'll begin with manufacturing unit color accuracy consequences out of the container, and then study how they enhance after a calibration consultation.

Starting with the MAG27CQ... A short refresher that DeltaE values want to be kind of 1 or below for the monitor to be considered suitable for coloration-accurate paintings. Across all three of our general checks, the stock MAG performs quite poorly with DeltaE values above three. That's quite bad, however not as horrible as some different gaming monitors.

The grayscale test exhibits that the stock RGB values are way off. I'm now not certain if that is simply representative of my particular panel, however this is honestly something MSI can enhance. It should be just as simple as tweaking the default values at the factory to higher represent the panel they have chosen. There is also a peculiar dip in the gamma levels among 80% and one hundred%.

After the calibration, I was without a doubt thrilled with how the reveal ended up appearing for a gaming screen. While it surely wouldn't be my first desire for doing color paintings, you might be able to break out with some light picture or video editing in among gaming classes.

As with the MAG, display screen uniformity has a few room for improvement. One difference over the MAG is that the MPG can get lots brighter. The MAG has a rated max brightness of 250 nits while the MPG has a rated max brightness of four hundred nits. I examined this and actually measured a fee of 270 nits on the MAG and 433 nits at the MPG.

As a general precis for the colour overall performance of those two monitors, the MPG performs slightly better out of the box, however the MAG plays slightly better whilst calibrated. The panel used in the MAG has 85% coverage of the NTSC gamut and 110% coverage of the sRGB gamut. On the MAG, its panel covers ninety% of DCI-P3 and a hundred and fifteen% of sRGB. Each panel will behave slightly in a different way and no one is going to buy those monitors solely for content material advent, so the difference is negligible.

Bottom Line

Both MSI gaming video display units offer first rate specs, slender bezels and comparatively robust coloration overall performance for gaming video display units. The remaining huge query is what is the difference among the MAG27CQ and the MPG27CQ?

Both are 27" 1440p video display units walking at 144Hz, have 1ms response times, assist FreeSync, and feature an 1800R curve. Pricing is, in our opinion, the most important differentiator. We've seen fees for both monitors range, specially at some stage in the holiday season, but as of writing you can locate the MAG27CQ for round $350-$380, even as the MPG27CQ sells for $460-500. This is a extensive difference for what appear like very similar video display units.

Going with the latter, you get customizable RGB lights, a more robust stand, extra show manage options, an additional HDMI enter, and an integrated USB hub. However, in case you covered up any identifiable markings and handiest confirmed me the panels, I probably would not be able to inform the difference among the two in relation to every day use and gaming. That's how comparable these video display units appearance to me, and that performs to the MAG's benefit.

Putting MSI's Optix services in context, in our current gaming screen buying manual, for the great 1440p reveal we selected a better-quit $800 product. The venerable Asus PG279Q provides a combination of an AHVA IPS-type panel, G-Sync, and one hundred sixty five Hz refresh rate. Like maximum G-Sync video display units in its range, the Asus sells at a premium. It is a top notch product it really is been around for quite a while, however it has no longer dropped in rate and remains an steeply-priced proposition for plenty.

For approximately half the price, the MAG27CQ offers a compelling fee alternative.

Although GeForce GPUs dominate the high-end section, you may be unconcerned about G-Sync guide in case you are running a Radeon-based totally pictures card. In truth, in our December replace to the nice photographs playing cards buying manual, Radeons beat GeForces every single time if you're spending much less than $four hundred five 2500U GPU. So if you may do with FreeSync, there are substantial fee savings to be had and the MSI Optix MAG27CQ is one of the top 1440p / 144Hz refresh fee / FreeSync contenders.

While MSI is higher recognized for their motherboards and pics playing cards, their line of gaming video display units are truely worth contenders Box + crowded market. If you may snag one on sale for round $350, the MAG27CQ is a tremendous value gaming monitor with right specifications and overall performance that might not disappoint.

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