This monitor stands apart from the 4K QD-OLED pack in one very useful way

Price When Reviewed

$999.99

Best Prices Today: MSI MPG 321URXW QD-OLED

The MSI MPG 321URXW QD-OLED is yet one more 32-inch 4K QD-OLED monitor that delivers glorious sharpness, vibrant shade, and excellent movement readability. While it supplies just a few much less frequent options, like a USB-C port with 90 watts of Power Delivery, it struggles to face out from the competitors. Even so, it stays a stable decide if you need a 32-inch 4K OLED monitor. 

Read on to study extra, after which see our roundup of the best USB-C monitors for comparability.

MSI MPG 321URXW QD-OLED specs and options

The MSI MPG 321URXW has a 31.5-inch Samsung QD-OLED panel with a most refresh charge of 240Hz. It’s not a brand new panel (many fashions had been launched by way of 2024), however it usually scores nicely in our testing.

• Display measurement: 31.5-inch 16:9 widescreen
• Native decision: 3840×2160
• Panel sort: QD-OLED
• Refresh charge: 240Hz
• Adaptive sync: Yes, Nvidia G-Sync Compatible
• HDR: Yes, VESA DisplayHDR True Black 400 Certified
• Ports: 2x HDMI 2.1, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 1x USB-C with DisplayPort and 90 watts of Power Delivery, 1x USB-B 2.0 upstream, 2x USB-A 2.0 downstream, 1x 3.5mm headphone jack
• VESA mount: 100x100mm
• Audio: None
• OLED Panel guarantee: 3-year guarantee together with panel burn-in
• Price: $999.99 MSRP

There are just a few options that make the MSI stand out, nevertheless. First, it supplies a USB-C port with DisplayPort and as much as 90 watts of Power Delivery. Although it’s turning into extra frequent, USB-C continues to be not discovered on some competing 32-inch OLEDs. MSI additionally supplies a robust 3-year guarantee, which is healthier than the 2-year guarantee supplied by some manufacturers, reminiscent of LG.

MSI lists the monitor with an MSRP of $999.99, and it’s at the moment promoting at that worth on-line. The worth is mid-pack for a 32-inch 4K QD-OLED monitor. Slightly older designs, just like the Alienware AW3225QF, can be found for $899.99. But some new fashions, just like the HP Omen Transcend 32, are a number of hundred {dollars} greater than the MSI.

MSI MPG 321URXW QD-OLED design

You’ll instantly discover the MSI MPG 321URXW’s most distinctive trait: It makes use of brilliant white plastics alongside silver metallic accents for a particular, but nonetheless skilled, look. It’s a gorgeous monitor, although I favor the look of Samsung’s Odyssey OLED monitors, which have a extra cohesive and splendid all-silver end.

The rear of the panel is etched with MSI’s distinctive dragon brand and supplies RGB-LED accent lighting for a contact of aptitude. MSI additionally sells the MPG 32URX, which is an identical to the MPG 321URXW however has a stealthy ultra-black look.

MSI ships the monitor with an ergonomic stand that adjusts for peak, tilt, and swivel. Pivot is restricted to 10 levels both manner, which means it’s not attainable to place the monitor in portrait mode with the included stand. A 100x100mm VESA mount is offered to be used with third-party monitor stands and arms.

MSI MPG 321URXW QD-OLED connectivity

The MSI MPG 321URXW has two HDMI 2.1 ports, one DisplayPort 1.4a, and one USB-C port with DisplayPort, for a complete of 4 video inputs, all of which help the monitor’s most decision and refresh charge. That’s vary of video enter, although frequent for a high-end monitor.

Less frequent is the USB-C port which, along with DisplayPort, also can deal with as much as 90 watts of USB Power Delivery. That’s sufficient to energy and cost most mid-range Windows laptops and 2-in-1s. The availability of USB-C is a bonus for the MPG 321URXW  as many 32-inch 4K OLEDs, just like the Alienware AW3225QF and Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 (2024), don’t present it. However, the costlier HP Omen Transcend 32 has USB-C with 140 watts of energy supply, and its increased wattage pairs higher with high-end laptops.    

The Alienware AW3225QF, in the meantime, gives eARC, a characteristic extra generally discovered on HDTVs that makes it simpler to make use of with some dwelling theater gear. I’d take USB-C over eARC any day of the week, so I favor MSI’s strategy, however eARC is likely to be preferable if you wish to use a monitor as a part of a compact gaming and residential theater setup.

The MSI additionally has an inner energy board. That’s notable, as many displays with USB-C energy supply use an exterior energy brick that takes up additional house beneath your desk.

MSI MPG 321URXW QD-OLED options

Owners can entry the MSI MPG 321URXW’s options with a joystick centered behind the monitor’s bottom-right bezel. It supplies fast, easy accessibility to most monitor options. MSI’s menus are typically nicely organized and readable, as nicely. I did discover one factor I need to nitpick: Some choices, like brightness, modified fairly slowly. It’s a minor level, however one MSI ought to take into account fixing in a firmware replace.

The menus present a typical vary of choices for a high-end monitor. There are a number of picture high quality presets, however the vary of exact picture high quality adjustment is restricted. The monitor doesn’t have a number of gamma presets, which is odd for this worth tier, and shade temperature settings provide obscure presets (like “Warm”) as an alternative of presets that concentrate on particular shade temperature values. KVM change performance is included, as nicely.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

MSI additionally helps the standard vary of gamer-centric options like an on-screen cross hair, a black equalizer (which boosts darkish areas of the display to disclose extra element), and side ratio modes that simulate a 24.5-inch or 27-inch monitor (which might be helpful for aggressive avid gamers).

Monitor options may also be accessed with the MSI Gaming Intelligence app. It’s not probably the most engaging app I’ve seen, however it does the job and is even designed to look much like the monitor’s on-screen menu, which is a pleasant contact.

Speakers aren’t included. That’s at all times a bit disappointing, however it’s not unusual for high-end gaming displays. Most determine to ditch audio and assume house owners will use a headset. The MPG 321URXW contains an easy-to-access headphone jack for audio pass-through, no less than.

MSI MPG 321URXW QD-OLED SDR picture high quality

As talked about, the MSI MPG 321URXW has a 31.5-inch Samsung QD-OLED panel with a most decision of 3840×2160. This panel has appeared in a number of earlier displays and has at all times scored high marks. The MPG 321URXW is not any exception.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Brightness is normally a weak point for OLED displays, and the identical is true of the MSI MPG 321URXW. Still, its most sustained SDR brightness of 254 nits is often for a QD-OLED monitor and, extra importantly, is brilliant sufficient to be used in most rooms.

The monitor’s gloss end might be a difficulty if in case you have a light-weight positioned reverse the monitor, nevertheless, and the monitor will appear dim if utilized in a brilliant, sunlit room with no shades or different mild management.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Contrast is at all times a power for OLED displays. The MSI MPG 321URXW, like its friends, can hit a minimal brightness of zero nits in darkish scenes. As a outcome, it has an successfully infinite distinction ratio and supplies excellent depth and immersion. The profit actually stands out when watching HDR movies or a recreation with a cinematic look, like Cyberpunk 2077.

The solely downside? All of MSI’s opponents provide the identical perk. This is a power, however not a bonus over the competitors.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

It’s the same story with the monitor’s shade gamut. QD-OLED displays provide an unimaginable, extremely saturated shade gamut that rank among the many greatest out there in any client show. The MSI MPG 321URXW’s shade gamut spans 97 % of DCI-P3 and 94 % of AdobeRGB, which makes it nice for each leisure {and professional} content material creation. But, once more, opponents with QD-OLED panels have related strengths.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

The MPG 321URXW’s shade accuracy is fairly good. Although it doesn’t match the perfect performers in its class, the extent of shade accuracy it supplies is way over enough to ship a sensible, lifelike picture.

With that stated, the MPG 321URXW has two minor downsides typical of QD-OLED panels. The default gamma curve got here in at 2.3 as an alternative of the goal of two.2, which implies content material tends to look a bit darker than supposed. It additionally has a shade temperature of 6200Okay, which is noticeably hotter than the goal of 6500Okay. While the variance is noticeable, it’s not an issue for video games and leisure.

However, you’ll have to calibrate the monitor if you happen to’re making an attempt to dwelling in on a gamma curve of two.2 and shade temperature of 6500Okay, that are typical expectations for a pc monitor. The monitor’s lack of fine-grain gamma and shade temperature adjustment doesn’t assist issues.

Sharpness is a giant benefit, as you would possibly count on. The 32-inch 4K appears unimaginable when fed high-quality 4K content material like AAA video games or flippantly compressed 4K video. Small fonts and high-contrast edges present minimal pixelation or aliasing.

Overall, the MSI MPG 321URXW supplies excellent, but not distinctive SDR picture high quality. Like many QD-OLED displays, it sits in an odd spot. On the one hand, it’s objectively among the many easiest SDR laptop displays ever made. But, however, its direct opponents all present nice SDR picture high quality. The MSI MPG 321URXW’s SDR picture is for certain to impress you, however it’s not a purpose to purchase it over one other 4K QD-OLED show.

MSI MPG 321URXW QD-OLED HDR picture high quality

The monitor’s HDR picture, however, simply would possibly get you off the fence.

Matthew Smith / Foundry

Although the MSI MPG 321URXW is barely VESA DisplayHDR True Black licensed, it additionally has a “peak brightness 1000” mode which, in reality, did ship a most HDR brightness of 1,025 nits in a 10 % window (which means simply 10 % of the show was lit).

HDR brightness was extra typical for an OLED monitor when giant parts of the panel had been lit. Still, these outcomes present the MSI MPG 321URXW can ship punchy, vivid, and detailed HDR highlights, like explosions. Watching my private favourite HDR take a look at clip, the “Into the Storm” scene from Mad Max: Fury Road, confirmed the measurements. The scene’s lightning strikes and explosions really feel appropriately cinematic.

That’s to not say it’s excellent. As the graph exhibits, HDR brightness continues to be very low when giant parts of the show are lit. So, if you happen to’re viewing a really brilliant scene—like a snowy degree in an HDR recreation—the monitor can look much less impactful. Still, the MPG 321URXW’s total HDR efficiency is nice for a PC monitor and higher than common for QD-OLED.

MSI MPG 321URXW QD-OLED movement efficiency

Though it gives a tack-sharp 4K picture, the MPG 321URXW also can hit a most refresh charge of 240Hz. That’s common for a 32-inch 4K QD-OLED, however it’s nonetheless unbelievable.

Fast-moving objects are clearly outlined, scrolling textual content is normally legible, and fast digital camera pans in 3D video games protect good element. All of that is excellent news for avid gamers, in fact, but additionally makes the monitor look crisp when scrolling by way of net pages or paperwork.

The MPG 321URXW additionally helps adaptive sync, however it solely lists official help for Nvidia G-Sync. That doesn’t imply it received’t work with different adaptive sync options, as I had no issues utilizing AMD FreeSync with the monitor linked to an AMD Radeon 7800 XT video card. I at all times favor to see monitor makers listing broad help for all flavors of adaptive sync, because it’s much less complicated for customers. 

Should you purchase the MSI MPG 321URXW QD-OLED?

The MSI MPG 321URXW is yet one more glorious 32-inch 4K QD-OLED monitor. Its SDR picture high quality and movement efficiency, although glorious, are much like competing displays. The MPG 321URXW scores small wins in most HDR brightness and connectivity, because it supplies a USB-C port with 90 watts of Power Delivery, however its design isn’t fairly as engaging as opponents just like the Samsung Odyssey G8 OLED.