Expert’s Rating
Pros
- Attractive and purposeful design
- Google TV OS is nice for streaming
- Includes a distant management
- Bright, sharp picture
Cons
- Mediocre shade gamut and efficiency
- HDR is supported, however not good
- Ethernet port doesn’t prolong connectivity to related PC
Our Verdict
It’s not for everybody, however the MSI Modern MD272UPSW is a strong sensible monitor powered by Google TV OS—and it’s cheaper than many alternate options.
Price When Reviewed
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Best Pricing Today
Price When Reviewed
$349.99
Best Prices Today: MSI Modern MD272UPSW
Smart displays are very a lot a factor in 2025. These displays bundle a sensible TV working system (often Google TV OS) to offer a lot of the advantages of a tv in a pc monitor. This flexibility makes the Modern MD272UPSW interesting when you usually end up utilizing a monitor like a tv, although the monitor’s picture high quality is simply so-so. MSI’s aggressive worth additionally improves the monitor’s enchantment.
Read on to be taught extra, then see our roundup of the best monitors for comparability.
Modern MD272UPSW specs and options
The MSI Modern MD272UPSW’s primary specs are typical for a reasonable 4K monitor. It has a 27-inch 16:9 side ratio display with, after all, 3840×2160 decision. The refresh charge is simply 60Hz and the panel makes use of IPS LCD expertise with out a fancy Mini-LED backlight.
- Display measurement: 27-inch 16:9 side ratio
- Native decision: 3840×2160
- Panel kind: IPS LCD 8-bit + FRC
- Refresh charge: 60Hz
- Adaptive sync: Yes, Adaptive Sync
- HDR: HDR 10
- Ports: 1x HDMI 2.0b, 1x DisplayPort 1.4a, 1x USB Type-C with 65 watts of Power Delivery, 2x USB-A 2.0, 1x Ethernet, 1x 3.5mm audio-out jack
- Additional options: Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5, Remote management, Google TV OS
- Audio: 2x 3-watt audio system
- Warranty: 3-year guarantee
- Price: $349.99 MSRP
However, there’s one thing within the field that instantly units the monitor aside: a TV-style distant management. This is used to manage Google TV OS, which is pre-installed on the monitor. The distant also can modify monitor options together with the monitor’s profile preset and brightness. Also, as a result of the monitor is supposed for use as an internet-connected sensible TV, it contains each an Ethernet port and Wi-Fi 5.
Matthew Smith / Foundry
Modern MD272UPSW design
The MSI Modern MD272UPSW makes an excellent first impression. It offers a glossy, crisp white colorway that may slot in with most lounge and residential workplace setups, and the plastics used throughout the rear of the panel, in addition to the stand, really feel sturdy.
MSI ships the monitor with an ergonomic stand that adjusts for top, tilt, swivel, and pivots 90 levels to be used in portrait orientation. This is the standard vary of adjustment for a contemporary monitor, however it’s additionally good to see. The stand isn’t giant and has a flat base, which minimizes the area that it takes up on a desk.
The Modern MD272UPSW additionally has a 75x75mm VESA mount to be used with a third-party monitor stand or arm.
Matthew Smith / Foundry
Modern MD272UPSW connectivity
Although cheap, the Modern MD272UPSW has an excellent vary of connectivity, a few of which is required to make use of the monitor’s sensible TV options.
The monitor’s video inputs embrace one HDMI 2.0 port, one DisplayPort 1.4, and one USB Type-C with DisplayPort alternate mode. The USB-C port additionally offers 65 watts of USB Power Delivery.
A pair of USB-A ports provide extra USB connectivity, which might be accessed by the USB-C port. However, the USB-A ports are solely rated on the USB 2.0 specs, so that they’ll show slightly gradual for information transfers. A 3.5mm headphone-out jack is included, too.
The monitor’s sensible TV options require an web connection, so it has an Ethernet port and Wi-Fi 5, plus Bluetooth. However, the Ethernet port doesn’t prolong connectivity to a related laptop computer. That’s a bummer.
On a ultimate however necessary word, buyers ought to remember that the MSI Modern MD272UPSW doesn’t have a TV tuner. That means it could possibly’t settle for a coaxial TV sign and gained’t work with most cable set-top packing containers, and definitely not with over-the-air TV alerts. It’s all about TV delivered over the web.
Modern MD272UPSW menus and options
Because the MSI Modern MD272UPSW has Google TV OS, setting it up is a bit completely different from a typical monitor.
Turning it on will direct you to Google TV’s setup course of. Users have to activate and pair the distant and join a Google account. If all goes nicely, this could take about 5 minutes; I bumped into a couple of points with correct detection of the monitor however, after a couple of tries, it will definitely labored.
Once arrange, you’ll be greeted by a Google TV OS interface that appears very like every other show that makes use of the working system. Google TV OS affords a clear, trendy person interface with fast entry to frequent streaming apps like Netflix and YouTube. Technically, this implies you don’t want an enter system in any respect. You can use the MSI Modern MD272UPSW as stand-alone sensible TV.
Matthew Smith / Foundry
I anticipate most customers will need to connect with a PC, nevertheless. Smart displays might be finicky about detecting and switching to new units, however this wasn’t an issue I had with the Modern MD272UPSW. My desktop and laptop computer had been detected inside seconds and the monitor switched to those new enter sources with out handbook adjustment.
In addition, the Modern MD272UPSW’s pricing provides it a powerful aggressive benefit towards different sensible displays. As I’ll focus on in a second, the monitor’s picture high quality is mediocre. But if Google TV OS is a key characteristic you need in a monitor, the Modern MD272UPSW is an reasonably priced technique to get it—and it really works as nicely right here because it does on dearer alternate options, just like the Asus ZenScreen Smart Monitor MS27UC.
It’s not all sunshine and roses, nevertheless. While enter units labored nicely, navigating Google TV OS to vary monitor settings can really feel cumbersome. If you need to modify brightness, for instance, you’ll have to navigate by a few settings sub-menus to take action. Google TV OS also can really feel gradual when flipping by menu choices. It’s a minor hesitation—only a fraction of a second normally—however noticeable.
What about audio? The Modern MD272UPSW contains built-in audio system with first rate audio high quality. They’re not that loud at most quantity and have hassle with extra demanding content material, like music. However, they’re effective for YouTube and plenty of streaming exhibits. Due to their average quantity, the audio system are finest suited to smaller rooms.
The MSI Modern MD272UPSW doesn’t have a TV tuner….It’s all about TV delivered over the web.
Modern MD272UPSW picture high quality
The MSI Modern MD272UPSW is a tried-and-true IPS LCD show with an edge-lit LED backlight. This kind of panel expertise stays the commonest, and reasonably priced, choice for laptop displays, and little question contributes to the Modern MD272UPSW’s low worth. However, it delivers so-so picture high quality.
Matthew Smith / Foundry
First up is brightness which, it seems, is among the many Modern MD272UPSW’s finest traits. It reached a sustained SDR brightness of 440 nits, which is quite a bit for a pc monitor. It’s overwhelmed solely by the Asus ZenScreen Smart Monitor MS27UC.
A brightness of 440 nits is, in fact, way over required for typical use in a house workplace or PC den. However, a monitor just like the MD272UPSW could be roped into use as a sensible TV for a visitor room, trip house, or perhaps a kitchen. The monitor’s brightness provides some flexibility in the place the monitor is used.
Matthew Smith / Foundry
Next up is distinction, and right here issues get a bit dicey for the MSI Modern MD272UPSW. It achieved a distinction ratio of 1170:1 at 50 p.c of most brightness. That’s not dangerous, however it’s a firmly mid-pack outcome for a monitor on this class.
As frequent for IPS-LCD displays, distinction is restricted by the monitor’s lack of ability to achieve deep, convincing black ranges in darkish scenes. This generally is a downside when the monitor is used to play video games or watch TV, particularly in a darkish room. You could discover the dreaded “IPS glow,” which might trigger darker scenes to look hazy and grey.
Matthew Smith / Foundry
The Modern MD272UPSW’s shade gamut can also be a bit restricted. It can obtain as much as 99 p.c of sRGB, 75 p.c of DCI-P3, and 76 p.c of AdobeRGB. These outcomes would’ve appeared nice a couple of years in the past, however they’re mid-pack in 2025.
Still, the MD272UPSW’s shade gamut is okay for the value and have set. Movies, video games, and different content material gained’t look as vivid as on some equally priced displays, just like the Gigabyte M27QA ICE. But it’s adequate to fulfill much less crucial viewers.
If you need to deal with content material creation, I’d take a cross on the MD272UPSW. The monitor’s restricted shade gamut can turn out to be an impediment when creating or modifying digital pictures and video, as it could possibly’t show as many colours as some aggressive displays.
Matthew Smith / Foundry
Next up is shade accuracy, which seems to be among the many Modern MD272UPSW’s much less spectacular outcomes. The monitor’s shade error common was close to 2.0, and a few colours had been nicely over that mark. Subjectively, the monitor’s picture nonetheless appears to be like real looking, however crucial viewers could discover that greens and cyan appear a bit light and push in the direction of blue greater than is good.
While the monitor’s shade accuracy wasn’t a powerful level, the monitor did nicely in gamma and shade temperature. It achieved a default gamma curve of two.2, which is our goal and signifies that content material will usually look as vibrant because it ought to. Also, the monitor had a spot-on shade temperature of 6500Ok at 50 p.c of most brightness, which implies the picture doesn’t look too cool or too heat.
Sharpness is a perk, after all. The monitor’s 3840×2160 decision ends in a pixel density of about 163 pixels per inch throughout the 27-inch panel. That’s a superb pixel density for a monitor. Small fonts are comparatively readable and 4K video appears to be like crisp.
The MSI Modern MD272UPSW’s SDR picture high quality gained’t knock your socks off, however it covers the fundamentals and appears adequate for watching a present on Netflix or YouTube. Shoppers who need higher picture high quality on a finances may take into account a monitor just like the Gigabyte M27Q ICE. It’s not a sensible monitor, nevertheless, so that you’ll want to attach a media streaming system if you’d like entry to streaming apps.
Modern MD272UPSW HDR picture high quality
HDR is on the market on the MSI Modern MD272UPSW, however it’s unremarkable. The monitor isn’t VESA DisplayHDR licensed and is marketed as merely “HDR Ready.” That means it could possibly settle for an HDR sign however doesn’t make any particular claims about HDR efficiency. HDR content material might be seen, however it gained’t look significantly better than SDR.
While that’s disappointing, it’s additionally typical for a monitor on this worth bracket. You’ll want at the very least $500 to snag a monitor with first rate HDR efficiency. Right now, older OLED displays bought at a reduction are your finest guess if you’d like good HDR on a finances—however none of them have sensible TV connectivity.
Modern MD272UPSW movement efficiency
The MSI Modern MD272UPSW isn’t bought as a gaming monitor and doesn’t promise nice movement efficiency. It has a 60Hz refresh charge and a minimal gray-to-gray pixel response time of 4 milliseconds, which is typical for a monitor on this class. Fast-moving objects will present noticeable blur and scrolling textual content might be laborious to learn.
However, the monitor does at the very least assist Adaptive Sync for easy body pacing in PC video games. MSI doesn’t quote official AMD FreeSync or Nvidia G-Sync assist, however my desktop PC (with an AMD Radeon 7800 XT) detected it as a FreeSync suitable monitor.
Should you purchase a Modern MD272UPSW?
The MSI Modern MD272UPSW is a modest finances 4K monitor with one large benefit. It helps Google TV OS.
While that gained’t make it interesting to individuals who want a monitor for a house workplace or PC gaming den, the Modern MD272UPSW is cheaper than most 4K sensible displays. The lower cost doesn’t result in any main trade-offs, both. While the Modern MD272UPSW’s picture high quality is simply so-so, it’s on par with the alternate options. If you simply need a monitor, you’ll be higher served by extra conventional laptop displays just like the Dell S2722QC or Gigabyte M27Q ICE.
Ultimately, I believe the Modern MD272UPSW is finest understood as a 27-inch sensible tv disguised as a pc monitor. It’s a good selection if you’d like a sensible TV for a studio condominium, visitor room, kitchen, or every other state of affairs the place you would possibly use a show as each a monitor and a tv.