MSI Optix MAG27CQ Curved Gaming Monitor Review

I’ve been using my trusted old 24-inch Dell monitor for the past 5 years. It’s been great, but now I think it’s time for an upgrade. I’ve been stubbornly holding back, from getting a new monitor because I didn’t see a real need to … until now.

I’m doing a lot of video editing and content creation lately, with some occasional gaming. And I notice my 24-inch monitor is at its limit. I need larger a monitor that can do all things I mentioned earlier. So finally, I decided to buy my first gaming monitor, and here are my list of criteria …

27-inch or larger
Curve screen
144Hz refresh rate
1ms response time
1440p (2.5k resolution – 2560×1440)
Thin bezel
3 types of connections: DVI, HDMI and DisplayPort
Under USD $399

Only one monitor came to mind and matched all of the above criteria … the MSI Optix MAG27CQ Curved Gaming Monitor.

Last month we looked at the MSI Optix MAG241C Curved Gaming Monitor, which though was a pretty decent and affordable curved gaming monitor. Today, we will be taking a quick look at its bigger and higher spec’d brother the MSI Optix MAG27CQ Curved Gaming Monitor. This monitor has a curved 1800R screen (VA panel) and offers a fast refresh rate of 144Hz, 1ms response time, a wide 178° viewing angle with a super high-res QHD resolution of 2560×1440 (or 1440p). It also comes of course, with an OSD menu which you can control via a small joystick located at the rear of the monitor, or via MSI’s app.

Not familiar with curve monitors or why you need them?… Well here’s a quick one liner.

A curved screen has a more natural shape to our round eyes’ peripheral vision, which apparently makes it more comfortable for our eyes, this means curved monitors and TVs should give you a more immersive experience, filling more of our field of vision.

Overview

Bring you’re A-game with the Optix MAG27CQ curved gaming monitor. Equipped with a 2560×1440 resolution, 144Hz refresh rate, 1ms response time VA panel, the Optix MAG27CQ will help you see your opponents and aim with ease. Built with Adaptive Sync technology, the MAG27CQ can match the display’s refresh rate with your GPU for ultra-smooth gameplay. Make sure you can hit your mark with all the latest technologies built-in the MSI Curved Gaming monitors for competitive play.

With the super narrow bezels, the images simply extend through monitors without harsh breaks in between, making the best immersive experience possible in a multi-monitor setup.MSI gaming monitors use a curved display panel that has a curvature rate of 1800R, which is the most comfortable and suitable for a wide range of applications from general computing to gaming. Curved panels also help with gameplay immersion, making you feel more connected to the entire experience.

144HZ REFRESH RATE + 1MS RESPONSE TIME

MSI gaming monitors are equipped with a 144hz refresh rate + 1ms response time VA LED panel which has the most benefit in fast moving game genres such as first person shooters, fighters, racing sims, real-time strategy, and sports. These type of games require very fast and precise movements, which an ultra-high refresh rate and fast response time monitor will put you ahead of your competition.

THE BEAUTY IS IN THE DETAILS

The MSI Optix series Gaming monitor features a 27” WQHD 2560×1440 resolution that allows for even finer details while playing the latest games or watching movies or videos. The Optix series Gaming monitor will bring your game textures, characters, and environments to the next level for a more realistic experience.

178 DEGREES OF WIDE VIEWING ANGLE

By having a large viewing angle, MSI gaming monitors has more leeway for placing your monitor in your setup without giving up the optimal viewing experience. Colors and details will stay sharp at more angles compared to other monitors with less viewing angles.

TRUE COLOR

The Optix Series Gaming Monitor has at least 20% more gamut coverage compared to general monitors. Gameplay colors and details will look more realistic and refined, to push immersion to its limits.*NTSC and sRGB are based on CIE1976 test standards.

MSI GAMING DESKTOP INTEGRATION

The MSI Optix series is optimized with all of MSI’s latest gaming desktop systems. Through the MSI gaming center that is pre-loaded with MSI gaming desktops, you can choose between 7 different visual modes to enhance gameplay, media viewing, or even general computing.

For more information, please MSI’s website.

Features

Curved Gaming display (1800R) – The best gameplay immersion.
1440p resolution – More pixels, sharper image.
144Hz Refresh Rate – Real smooth gaming.
1ms response time to eliminate screen tearing and choppy frame rates.
Gaming OSD App – Create the ultimate viewing settings for your game.
True colors – NTSC 85% & sRGB 110%.
Adaptive Sync – prevent screen tearing.
Anti-Flicker and Less Blue Light – game even longer and prevent eye strain and fatique.
Frameless design – Ultimate gameplay experience.
178° wide view angle.
Optimized for MSI Systems and components – Making sure you have the best game experience.
RED LED – The ultimate gaming finish.

Specifications

The Monitor Itself

I absolutely love this monitor. The size is just right. I think 27-inch is the perfect size for both gaming and content creation, a 24-inch is just too small, while a 32-inch is little too large for my desk. While some may like the 1700R curve (more curvier), I think the 1800R curve on this monitor is the right balance. I don’t have to turn my head too much 😛

The build quality is excellent, with smooth edges and a sleek looking, dark grey and red design. BTW, the red strips on the back of the monitor are actual red LED strips that light up when you power the monitor … how cool is that!

A Closer Look

The monitor stand is easy to install and the There’s a nice MSI dragon logo on the monitor stand. The monitor stand allows you to adjust the height of the LED panel, as well as swivel left/right and tilt up/down. Notice the air vents/slots on the back of the monitor … yes it’s for cooling!

The joystick allows you to control the OSD menu for adjusting various settings including gaming modes, image, contrast, brightness and more. See below for more.

Notice how thin the monitor bezel is on the MAG27CQ. I love it. For connectivity, you get 1 x DVI, 1 x HDMI 2.0, 1 x DisplayPort 1.2, a 3.5mm audio out jack and a DC-Power input.

OSD Menu

On the top of the OSD Menu, there is a quick glance status of the monitor, including the current resolution, refresh rate, current mode, FreeSync status and input source.

Page 1 – Game. This page allows you to select various options for gaming. These include Game modes, response tome, FreeSync, DCR, Crosshair and more.
Page 2 – Image. On this page, you can select various options including Brightness, Contrast, Color temps and Gamma.
Page 3 – Input Source. You can select between HDMI 1, HDMI 2 and DisplayPort.
Page 4 – Setup. This page allows you to change language, Power Off, LED and Reset.

In our tests, we used a Radeon RX 580 graphics card, and so after install the AMD Adrenalin software (download here), we went straight over to https://www.testufo.com/refreshrate to test the real refresh rate of the monitor. And lo and behold … it’s reporting the refresh rate as described at 144Hz.

Verdict and Conclusion

You know what they say … once you go large, there’s no turning back! And this is true with the 27-inch MSI Optix MAG27CQ Curved Gaming Monitor. The larger screen and desktop area makes all the difference, especially with a higher resolution of 2560×1440 (2.5K or 1440p). I’m able to open more windows at once, and the larger screen allows me to view more during video editing.

As MSI described, the MAG27CQ is designed and marketed for gaming, and indeed this is what I got … an immersive gaming experience with super smooth gameplay, no screen tearing or stuttering. So well done MSI. Image quality is good, with nice blacks and bright whites, however they could improve on the sharpness and color production,

The monitor also offer a lot of features for the price. Such as the support for AMD FreeSync, a flicker free refresh rate of 144Hz and a super fast response rate of 1ms, and of course a nice large 1440p resolution. All of this, makes the MSI Optix MAG27CQ a great curved monitor for both gaming and content creation.

All-in-all, I’m hugely impressed with the MSI Optix MAG27CQ. It matches my criteria and ticks all the right boxes for me (see pros below). You can buy the MSI Optix MAG27CQ Curved Gaming Monitor for around USD $399 from Amazon – https://amzn.to/2KyIxOb. At this price, you won’t get a better monitor that offers so many features.

Pros:

27-inch
1800R Curve screen
144Hz refresh rate
1ms response time
1440p (2.5k resolution – 2560×1440)
Thin bezel
3 types of connections: DVI, HDMI and DisplayPort
Under USD $399

Cons:

Absolutely none I can think of

Final words:

If you want a decent size curved gaming monitor, then you have to check out the MSI Optix MAG27CQ. It offers a wealth of great features designed for gaming, and has a larger 17-inch screen with 1440p resolution which is perfect for content creators.

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