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

Price When Reviewed

$899

Best Prices Today: MSI MPG 271QR QD-OLED X50

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

Read on to be taught extra, then see our roundup of the best monitors 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 screens with a decision of 2560×1440 and a refresh fee of 500Hz (or in some circumstances, barely extra). The MSI’s specs are largely just like rivals, such because the Samsung Odyssey OLED G6 G60SD.

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

• Display dimension: 26.5-inch 16:9 facet ratio
• Native decision: 2560×1440
• Panel kind: QD-OLED
• Refresh fee: Up to 500Hz
• Adaptive sync: Yes, Adaptive Sync, G-Sync Compatible
• HDR: Yes, VESA DisplayHDR 500 True Black
• Ports: 2x HDMI 2.1, 1x DisplayPort 2.1, 1x USB Type-C with DisplayPort and 98 watts of Power Delivery, 1x 3.5mm audio out
• Audio: None
• Extra options: Ergonomic stand, proximity sensor
• Price: $899 MSRP, approx. $700 typical retail

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

The MPG 271QR shouldn’t be confused with the MSI MAG 272QP QD-OLED X50, although the 2 are comparable. 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 Light for software program management of the lighting, nevertheless it’s too small and dim to face out.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

I typically 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 advantageous however doesn’t stand out subsequent to design leaders.

Functionally, although, the MPG 271QR QD-OLED checks off the bins. It has an ergonomic stand with a flat, unobtrusive base. The stand is stable 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 a giant a part of the MSI MPG 271QR QD-OLED X50’s story and, for some, will turn out to be 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 Power Delivery. Many rivals don’t even have USB-C, so it is a notable function. The USB-C port can deal with the monitor’s full refresh fee and determination. It additionally connects to 2 downstream USB-A ports with 5Gbps of information bandwidth.

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

While 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 screens, such because the MSI MPG 272URX. A 1440p/500Hz OLED, such because the MPG 271QR, is extra seemingly for use as a devoted gaming show related to solely a desktop. Still, should you 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 fee of 500Hz.

MSI MPG 271QR QD-OLED X50 menus

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

Menu choices are effectively labeled and the vary of adjustment is in depth. You’ll discover preset modes for a number of shade gamuts together with sRGB, AdobeRGB, and Display P3. Additional changes embody six-axis shade calibration and exact changes for shade 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 screens from Alienware, Acer, and Samsung.

A proximity sensor is included and gives choices for computerized brightness adjustment, or to show the monitor off solely while you’re away. Though pitched primarily as a option to scale back OLED burn-in, the worth of computerized brightness adjustment shouldn’t be neglected. It’s rather more handy than guide adjustment all through the day.

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There’s a wholesome dose of gaming options together with timers, body fee 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 contains constrained facet 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 Windows software program known as MSI Gaming Intelligence. It can management monitor options inside 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 Display Manager, nevertheless it does the job. MacOS customers and Linux customers are out of luck, although, because the Gaming Intelligence app is just accessible for Windows 10 and 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 supplied 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 fee of 500Hz. QD-OLED panels are the commonest kind of OLED panel for laptop screens and universally carry out effectively—the MPG 271QR included.

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

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

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Contrast is a spotlight for all OLED screens, and the MPG 271QR is not any exception. The monitor achieves an ideal black stage of zero nits, which implies it could possibly present an successfully infinite distinction ratio.

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

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Samsung QD-OLED panels are well-known for his or her glorious shade saturation. The MPG 271QR lives as much as that popularity with shade protection that spans 100 p.c of sRGB, 98 p.c of DCI-P3, and 95 p.c of AdobeRGB.

This is near pretty much as good because it will get for a monitor in 2025. Keep in thoughts, nevertheless, that different QD-OLED screens 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 effectively in shade accuracy even by the requirements of OLED screens, that are typically glorious. It additionally managed to attain this with nice shade accuracy throughout all measured colours. No shade had an error worth above one, which is a spectacular consequence. This means the picture is real looking and true to the intent of the content material you’re viewing.

MSI additionally delivers in gamma and shade temperature. The gamma curve was proper on track with a price of two.2. This is notable as a result of many OLED screens have a default gamma curve of two.3, which implies the picture seems only a hair darker than it ought to. Color temperature, in the meantime, got here in at 6400Ok—a really slight miss off the 6500Ok goal. Technically this implies the picture is a tad hotter than it needs to be, however this result’s shut sufficient that you just’re unlikely to note it.

Also, as talked about, MSI gives picture high quality changes for each gamma and shade temperature, so you possibly can 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. However, 4K OLED screens 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 great. The monitor scores effectively throughout the board. While most QD-OLED screens will look extraordinarily comparable, the MPG 271QR has a small benefit over most rivals in shade accuracy and gamma efficiency. It’s additionally vivid 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 known as Electro-Optical Transfer Function Boost, or EOTF Boost, 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 Boost mode when 3 p.c of the show was lit (and was solely barely dimmer in HDR 1000 mode, at 855 nits). This means the MPG 271QR can present glorious brightness when small, vivid objects are displayed.

Expanding the world of the show that’s lit drastically reduces peak HDR brightness, which is typical for OLED shows. However, the MPG 271QR’s sustained HDR efficiency stays aggressive throughout the board. I’ve examined brighter OLED screens, 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 Road, 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.

While the MPG 271QR has stable HDR efficiency, it lacks person HDR brightness management. This is a function I want to see all OLED screens present. While giving the person HDR brightness management technically makes content material much less correct, it makes utilizing HDR in Windows far simpler. Without it some HDR content material (notably static photos) can at occasions turn out to be annoyingly vivid. This is a function that Asus’ OLED screens often embody.

MSI MPG 271QR QD-OLED X50 movement efficiency

Gamers who need excellent movement readability shall be happy by the MSI MPG 271QR QD-OLED X50. It’s one among a number of new QD-OLED screens with a refresh fee that may attain as excessive as 500Hz—greater than twice the 240Hz refresh fee supplied by frequent 4K QD-OLED screens.

That’s a giant increase, and it reveals. While 240Hz OLED screens 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 large seen. Fine interface parts, like HP bars, character names, and floating textual content, are straightforward to learn even when zooming throughout the show.

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

The monitor lists help for Adaptive Sync and Nvidia G-Sync Compatible to offer easy body pacing in video games. AMD FreeSync shouldn’t be 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 known as MPRT. This inserts clean, black frames between normal frames, a trick which reduces movement blur. However, I didn’t discover the advance as noticeable as with comparable options supplied by rivals, equivalent to Asus.

Should 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 fee that delivers really spectacular movement readability that may attraction to extremely aggressive avid gamers, although some gamers is perhaps disenchanted by the lackluster design and subdued RGB-LED lighting.

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