MSI MAG274QRF-QD Review, Setting New Performance Records at 1440p 165Hz

[@peterd.8653]

Just for info: MSI added sRGB, AdobeRGB and DCI-P3 space emulation to new Firmware 015 (can be flashed via Gaming OSD 2.0 app) ;-) Now its perfect 1440p display!

[@thirteenthgrade508]

What does the at mean?

[@apricotmadness4850]

What does that mean?

[@zax331]

Thank you!

[@Wojciech1000]

@@thirteenthgrade508 That means you can chose a profile that limited that crazy amount of colours to a specyfic colour space, like for example sRGB.

[@xayroMS]

For the no QD version is available this new frimeware? And sRGB mode?

[@Mayden_America]

The good news is, a few months ago MSI released a firmware update for this monitor to include sRGB, ARGB, and P3 color modes. So Even though this review is a year old now, its worth taking a look at this monitor again because of the ease of color accuracy.

[@eloquentparadox1950]

how do you update monitor firmware?

[@VetteGeleBanaan]

My ICC profile is fucked tho.

[@Boutz]

@@eloquentparadox1950 did you find the solution ? im interseted !

[@sjoerdtheemperor5229]

@@Boutz Gaming OSD 2.0 and a Type A to Type B USB cable (you got it in the box of the monitor). Search how to update your firmware with Gaming OSD 2.0 and you will find a few video's explaining the above. I did it a few days ago, it is really easy and the clamp is good.

[@InsaneRG4172]

How do you update the firmware anyone have youtube video link?

[@ProNerdy]

Thank you so much for the quality reviews, I purchased this monitor and have loved it for those speedy response times without much ghosting. I had previously purchased the ASUS VG27AQ1A and I was extremely disappointed with the 60hz ghosting. Made it pretty unusable in my opinion as a main display. But thanks to your testing and explanations I will go to you whenever I need a new display from now on.

[@theone5981]

hi broo im thorn between this one and LG UltraGear 27GP850-B Gaming 27" QHD Nano IPS/HDR Flat Monitor/2560x1440/HDMI+DP/165hz/320cd/1ms -1 which do you think is the best one? oir should i still go for this one

[@ProNerdy]

​@@theone5981 Depends on what you're planning on using the monitor for, but both are great options. If you mainly play at higher then 100fps and don't play consoles then I think the LG 27GP850-B will be the better option with it getting the 180hz when overclocked and slightly faster response and input lag at the those high refresh rates. However, if you do a mix of gaming on PC and console and want a monitor with full Adobe RGB & DCI P3 Support for creative editing/color work, then the MAG274QRF-QD will be a better option. With recent firmware updates the MSI monitor now clamps the Adobe RGB & DCI P3 & sRGB modes. I'm not quite sure what the quality of those modes are but MSI has fixed some of the color oversaturation with firmware updates it seems. The MSI also has better contrast, so playing games in a dark room should look better on the MAG then the LG monitor. Make sure you've seen Hardware Unboxed videos on both the LG 27GP850 and the MSI Optix MAG274QRD-QD

[@Kevangelo14]

Just bought this monitor few weeks ago. I should say I was very impressed by the upgrade, coming from an 1080p144hz (AOC 24G2). No dead pixels, no backlight bleed, and only very faint IPS glow at the top portion. Thanks hardware unboxed! Edit: the IPS glow has gone after some time and after calibrating settings to DCI P3 preset (V19 firmware)

[@jorix]

good to know, I was looking at this monitor today to upgrade from a similar aoc monitor.

[@galacticblaze11]

going back over my choices , good to know

[@user-ys4iu5rw8o]

How do you update the firmware?

[@Kevangelo14]

@@user-ys4iu5rw8o you use the USB upstream cord and connect it to PC

[@bartuc88]

I have the same AOC monitor and really thinking about getting this monitor. Especially it's on sale and az the same price as the LG monitor.

[@tasilium]

For anyone interested in this monitor, and concerned with the oversaturation-try this-(AMD) in Radeon settings go to Display-choose, Custom Color, enable it-then Disable "Color Temperature Control" it is an easy quick correction to the oversaturation issue

[@NostalgicMem0ries]

hi i read that msi updates firmware or drivers and now it has srgb mode, can you confirm?

[@tasilium]

@@NostalgicMem0ries I haven't sought out any firmware or driver updates, but I will look into this on my next scheduled day off. If I find anything useful I will update here.

[@NostalgicMem0ries]

@@tasilium actually i found that many people after update got new srgb mode, not sure how much it helps cause some say its amazing some say its minimal :)

[@tasilium]

@@NostalgicMem0ries cool, i will have to check that out. I have no complaints about this monitor at all, and would highly recommend it, especially if you find it on sale or with a discount.

[@NostalgicMem0ries]

@@tasilium in my country cheapest i found is 520 euros.. kinda too much for me for monitor ;\

[@joffrey13]

Love the effort how you repeatedly say the whole name of the monitor everytime instead of a nickname or referring to "this monitor".

[@ericmcclelland7151]

I feel like it's a Flex at this point Haha

[@techlessYT]

If Tim's moustache can't convince MSI to use shorter monitor names, I don't know what can.

[@lifeinthaboot]

I'm just tuning in hoping he cuts the moustache or shave the 12 o'clock shadow. You can't have both!

[@NaterBalls]

he reminds me of earl off my name is earl

[@Cinetyk]

That stern moustaching surely had an impact in some MSI employees' souls....

[@corwinwhitehorn7759]

It's a bit like Pinocchio... the longer the name, the longer the moustache

[@MSIGamingOfficial]

What are your suggestions?

[@CarthagoMike]

It is nice finally seeing an MSI monitor with a VESA mounting system again.

[@tommilu7378]

Awesome. Just got myself an "MSI MAG274QRF-QD" this week. The performance is superb. Flawless experience and nothing to complain so far. Good for playing games, enjoying movies and productivity. Great ergonomic design. Firmware's already being updated. So just toying a little bit with color settings, brightness and there you are good to go. Definitely one of the BEST 1440p monitor on the market. Had looked for several similar models but this one got the maximum ergonomics which i truly appreciate (adjustable stand height, huge range of tilt, swivel, rotation), sturdy base, and the Quantum Dot is a total plus. Worth every single penny that i spent.

[@Mant111]

How did you toy with the color settings and stuff, did you use an external program or what? I'm kinda trying to solve the oversaturation but have no idea where to start.

[@dubya85]

@@Mant111 update wtih the new firmware and you get a srgb mode which sets the color perfect imo

[@Mant111]

@@dubya85 I think that's only for windows 10 though, and I'm on 7

[@يامن-ه1ك]

did you find any dead pixels or stuck pixels ?

[@dubya85]

@@Mant111 it's a firmware for the monitor - has nothing to do with the OS

[@txmetalcobra]

After hours and hours of research I have decided on this MSI. I actually went with the non-QD variant (MAG27QRF). The oversaturation of colors don't seem to be as much of an issue on the non-Quantum Dot model. Crossing my fingers. Update: I got the MAG27QRF today and everything about it was perfect…except the backlight bleed on the left side of the panel was excessive so I’m exchanging it for another one. I’m not sure if anyone cares but I will update once the new one arrives. Update: New monitor arrived. The backlight bleed is not nearly as present on this one. However there still some at the bottom of the panel. Final Update: I walked into Best Buy today and picked up a Dell SG2721DGF for $329 and I’m very happy with it. I’m sending the second MSI back for a refund. The backlight bleed was just unacceptable on both MSI panels.

[@slipperybiscuits4864]

Helpful! I'm interested in this model as well

[@praba991ify]

super helpful

[@jandegroef3451]

Good information thanks !!!

[@omer-C]

crazy helpful amk

[@CreamySenpai31]

You just sealed my deal on getting another monitor instead of this one thank you 😁

[@Eleven2410]

Using this monitor right now. Yes, there are sRGB, ARGB and P3 color modes available, but colors are still weird in all of them. I managed to get the best results by using "User" settings: R100, G94, B96. I looked them up in the Tom's Hardware review

[@tryfergoodra552]

thats after firmware update? you still recommend it ? im between this one and lg 27qr83qb , this one is at 312$ and lg go sometimes for 350$

[@Eleven2410]

@@tryfergoodra552 still using this monitor. With the latest update everything is perfect, I enabled Display P3 profile

[@MP-vb1ik]

For a while I have been looking for a media creation monitor especially regarding photo editing. The pricing for such "media creation monitors" usually starts at around 600 to 700 EUR / EUR. Recently there have been marketed some cheaper alternatives as well. But even the above 1000 EUR / USD do often not exceed the color space of the MSI Optix. And even if you buy the expensive ones you have to cope with 60 to 75hz. I personally need at least 75hz to feel pleasant when sitting the whole day infront of a monitor working. Honestly, at least from this perspective this MSI Optix seems to deliver a lot of bang for a buck even for creative. Update: I have bought it. And, after calibrating the monitor, the gamut is as good or even slightly better than given in the datasheet. The thing is simply great, especially I this price range. For Srgb I use the Amd settings.

[@K20-n6y]

Can you tell which settings u use with details ,please.I have tried different settings but nothing works for me the image look kind blurry

[@deletedchanneI]

Waiting for MAG 274QRF-QD E2 review 🥲

[@iceicebaby8469]

Any idea when to expect this monitor to be available?

[@deletedchanneI]

@@iceicebaby8469 I have some ordering abilities available, but I don't know how long delivery will take. I know second edition uses BOE panel from MSI's support answer.

[@iceicebaby8469]

@@deletedchanneI I also looked a bit, and a dutch website has it uploaded and says "It's in stock within 14 days". So it looks to be about 14 days for europe. I really hope this is an improvement over the last version!

[@deletedchanneI]

@@iceicebaby8469 my local monitors store strongly advising against BOE panels, but strongly recommending LG 32un880 which is BOE

[@Hurr1can3_on_Copium]

@@iceicebaby8469 Im buying monitor soon. Is that E2 variant actually better? Do u know now?

[@natenate33]

so anyone looking to buy this monitor, i just got one and first impressions are good. colors seem decent right out of the box other than the over saturation but one thing no one has talked about that should be a big selling point, this monitor supports hdcp 2.2 so you can use it to stream 4k content from basically anywhere even with a chromecast and it looks damn good.

[@ChocolateMuffin308]

I just got it and colors are burning my eyes out, it also had 2 defective pixels out of the box, and today a THIRD pixel showed up randomly in the middle of the screen so now I'm scared to keep this thing.

[@natenate33]

@@ChocolateMuffin308 yeah the quality control is trash on these. Rma until you get one without dead pixels

[@pasi123567]

I will probably get this monitor. Personally I am a big fan of the increased color gamut and this one seems to do all thing right for me. Do you know perhaps how text clarity is on this model? I figured most IPS 144hz+ monitors seem to have a bad coating and make text a bit blurry and wondering how this one performs in that sense and how the sharpness option works.

[@natenate33]

@@pasi123567 it's definitely no 4k but I'd say it's on par with other top tier 1440p

[@pasi123567]

@@natenate33 resolution unequals clarity. My old 1080p monitor is ten times as sharp as my current 1440p

[@TheRealDlo]

Honestly, this looks like the BEST 1440p monitor on the market. Do see it released yet but I'd be tempted to roll with this for a few years.

[@TheTopMostDog]

Holy shit, this is an in-depth review. I didn't know you guys did this level of detail (or I forgot!), especially response time (more than just GTG). I'll definitely be sharing your videos when anyone asks for monitor advice.

[@iseeu-fp9po]

They are among my absolute favourites for PC-related reviews.

[@ushdhyxywb]

They always did this amount of details. I love their monitor reviews too.

[@kingofhogwarts9499]

This channel really shines when it comes to monitor reviews. They bought me here and they keep me staying.

[@The1Corsican]

The name of the monitor is more than nvidia's 3000 supply.

[@ptsg]

I exhaled through my nose a lot more than usual

[@joeruko6361]

[Destruction 100]

[@patri3x]

😂😂

[@JTCPingas]

rekt

[@thusedilshan11127]

Seriously. Imagine asking this code in a store LOL

[@AvalanchCXVII]

Monitor names have finally pushed Tim too far lmao, he's staging an intervention. So, about reasonable monitor names, how about the 34WQC?

[@MannitMiranda]

that would be stealing gigabytes names...

[@RahulTheGameSlayer]

If you wanna any improvement comment below kzbin.info/www/bejne/pJiXlqJjgd-Fa5I

[@Doyyumhwaji]

What about names like "Acer Predator XB273UGSBMIIPRZX" for example then?

[@sedraniM]

How about the Omen 27i?

[@realduox]

@@Doyyumhwaji acer is out of control

[@ShaneMcGrath.]

Thank you Tim, Finally after a year of constant changing my mind on a new panel, Got this to replace dead ASUS ROG Swift PG279Q based on your review. Never had so many decision changes in my life, Buying a new screen is tough. So many options and so many pro's and con's on each one. Went through looking at about 8 panels of all different sorts, From 4k 144hz to VA 240hz then back to IPS, Ultrawide options and so on. Looking at the state of 4k and lack of gpu's in stock(currently using an old back up Samsung UD590D I had laying around) and the price of gpu's, 4k isn't where I want it to be for gaming, I like having around 90fps at high/ultra in latest titles at whichever resolution I am playing at. So decided to just go back to 1440p 165hz and keep this 2080Ti for another generation. Amazing screen, Never had any MSI product and was a little worried trying a new brand as I am a bit of an ASUS ROG fanboy especially with motherboards. Don't know if I won the panel lottery but this is the best IPS screen I have had so far, Lowest backlight bleed ever it's way lower than previous ASUS ROG Swift, IPS glow is minimal, No dead or faulty pixels. Just getting used to this wide colour range though, Almost too vivid for me I may have to adjust a few setting here and there but very happy with this purchase.

[@Kaiser187]

How is it holding up? I bought the Dell over this.

[@punisher288]

Yeah how is it holding up

[@thegamingjackhammer6472]

We need the E2 version reviewed too...

[@Shokobear97]

Even if I wanted to buy a specific monitor, I wouldn't be able to remember its name to search for it lol

[@kaddasixseven3581]

There never is a perfect monitor damn. Everything except colors are perfect on this monitor.

[@Maanen1407]

Ikr it's really frustrating. I guess I'm sticking to my LG gl850 (with its bad contrast)

[@19daniboy91]

It seems perfect if you can afford the right tools for calibration

[@leoalex2001]

yeah we finally need oled monitors.. they’re the perfect Panel Technology except the burn in risk..

[@SaleStankov94]

Yes and max brightnes is bad

[@ryanwallace983]

@@leoalex2001 or you just get micro led and dodge even that-it’s just horribly expensive and you need active cooling for the panel

[@PCMonitors]

Nice to see you test one of the models with new AUO panel. Looks like MSI have taken a leaf out of Philips' playbook with their long model codes.

[@enzogg2355]

Love to see u around mate

[@PCMonitors]

@@enzogg2355 Nice to be appreciated. 😉

[@AverageGuy9722]

Two of my favorite monitor reviewers in one place?!! Cool.

[@thedude4964]

Which Models have the new AUO Panel too?

[@PCMonitors]

​@@thedude4964 Some other examples based on the new AUO panels include the ASUS XG279Q, Acer XB273U GS, Gigabyte G27Q and I believe the upcoming ViewSonic XG270Q (not to be confused with the XG270QG which is Nano IPS based).

[@MrTMP007]

Can you review the non QD version of this monitor?

[@El-Vic-]

Did you find a review of it? also interested in the no QD version

[@DaDoubleDee]

@@siddhantkamble9502 with less sRGB support, maybe it'll be less saturated? Although they really should of added the option to change the levels.. it doesn't make sense not to.

[@siddhantkamble9502]

@@DaDoubleDee it won't be less saturated, it will display less colors.

[@chrisp3085]

Yeah, also 131% is already awesome, plus most of its competitors at the moment are only around 100% (LG, Asus Tuf, etc.) at (about) the $350 dollar range. I also don't think 16% more on top of an already great gamut is worth the extra hundred or so dollars retailers want from what I can find.

[@karim1485]

Honestly, you need to do a 27 1440p 144Hz/165Hz showdown including the LG 27gn850, Dell 2721DGS, Pixio277, Viewsonic whatever, and this one... add in the comments, if I forgot one...

[@ShoulderDevil]

ASUS TUF VG27AQL1A

[@aliylmazturk4937]

Predator XB273UGS - ROG PG279QE - ROG XG 279QZ -

[@Decoy504]

Thisssssssssssss

[@emanuelbiazon8826]

battle ofnthe best 1440p monitors 2020 this would be nice..but seeing this review makes me know what to pick 😂

[@emanuelbiazon8826]

they havent reviewed tje VG27AQL1A just the old VG27AQ

[@FRSpartan]

12:20 WHAT SETTINGS FOR CALIBRATION OF THE COLORS PLEASE I BEG YOU TELL ME

[@neqaa1]

The same here

[@UltimateAlgorithm]

You can't really do that. Each system have it's own calibrations. Also each prpduction run differs slightly. You need to calibrate your self to have the desired result.

[@katakouzina]

you literally have to rent a callibrator for that

[@xXWarHeroesXx]

Like other have said, monitor calibration vary from each other. Your best bet is to either invest in a calibration tool or rent one. Do note that not all applications support ICC profiles created from these tools.

[@katakouzina]

@@xXWarHeroesXx calibration tool will create an icc profile right?

[@GameboySR]

I managed to find the monitor at around 340 €. Bought it 2 months back and so far it's been doing a wonderful job. It can sustain very good brightness and the colors look amazing, especially when callibrated. Plus, the high refresh rate is great for e-sport titles and the image looks always good, haven't noticed any ghosting or anything like that

[@denismartinini6754]

Where did you find it? i'm from europe

[@GameboySR]

@@denismartinini6754 CZC, it's a Czech electronics shop. To be fair, the piece I had was cheaper because it was tagged as "opened package", meaning someone bought it and returned it, and allegedly something was missing from the original packaging. But when I got it, everything was there, monitor hasn't been touched at all, pretty much new, just the box had been opened before.

[@denismartinini6754]

@@GameboySR ah, ok thank you

[@tryfergoodra552]

hows it so far bud? no qc issues and what esports you play?

[@RTINGSdotcom]

Hey Tim, great video as always. We just tested this unit, and we're definitely limited to DP 1.2 bandwidth (limited to 120Hz at 10-bit). Did you notice this same limitation in your testing? Were you able to confirm DP 1.2 or 1.4?

[@stoked9004]

I may add that MSI just recently (27/01) rolled out a 'gaming OSD' update. Could you confirm that it's still missing a sRGB profile/clamp?

[@subjecttochange9320]

Another important info (to quell confusion) might be that all evidence suggests that the MAG274QRFDE (with or without QD at the end) is the SAME monitor, but just for the German market. EAN of that just leads to results for the MAG274QRF-QD I ordered a ...QRFDE now since it was 100 bucks cheaper than the QRF-QD available, will update wether it's actually the one with the QD panel

[@stoked9004]

@@subjecttochange9320 awesome, looking forward to your findings. Could you also check if the latest OSD/monitor software brings sRGB mode option?

[@Dyntail]

I noticed same limitation, just got it yesterday

[@Dyntail]

Used with a 1.4 cable

[@09Fazal]

Could you please Review and Test MSI MAG274QRF-QD E2

[@Almost_Interesting]

should i consider this monitor's second edition MSI MAG274QRF-QD E2

[@rtyzxc]

There's sRGB aRGB and P3 clamp in the firmware, BUT those modes come with a different gamma curve with even more borked blacks, and disabled custom color temperature control (using it disables color space clamp). It would be really nice if we could get new calibration curves for these modes. For example, I'd like to use the P3 mode for some gaming, it's not as crazily saturated like the native gamut and has better balance between color primaries.

[@Boutz]

Did you find solution ?

[@ve2mrxB]

From the updated Rthings review which I confirmed, the best if you calibrate is to ignore the pre-programmed clamps and do a standard manual calibration. There's a bug with the clamps where changing some settings disables it but it doesn't show in the option. The colours just become over-saturated, but it still shows "sRGB"... Which it isn't!

[@rtyzxc]

@DaKrawnik420 Doing that removes the gamut clamp, even if it incorrectly still says sRGB in the menu.

[@InsaneRG4172]

Yall have youtube video link to update firmware and calibrate display on this monitor, I can barely understand what yall saying

[@Wistbacka]

So there is no custom profile where I can just adjust gamma and RGB separately?

[@segoleewed9423]

I bought this monitor last week, I came back just to thank you for introducing me to this monitor, this is absolute beast for productivity and gaming for sure.

[@hersinur6860]

I ordered mine and will come next week. I would like to know for a student doing a lot of reading & zoom recordings and a heavy gamer as well would you recommend? So most of my days I am on my computer and I am seeing reviews that the oversaturation makes the skintone orange is lowkey making me regret it haha

[@segoleewed9423]

@@hersinur6860 Been a week now using this monitor and I had no issues with it, especially with how comfortable I am using it. Im using 35 both for brightness and contrast, I didn't change the color temperature and saturation, yes it fits my eyes really well. Recommend? Absolutely, keep in mind that it's 1440p monitor, so if you just moving on from 1080p, everything will look a bit smaller. For reading, typing, editing, and online meeting, I set up my zoom level to 125% in windows setting. For gaming, sometimes I keep my resolution at 1080p. Sit back and relax is my motivation to buy this monitor. Good luck.

[@Dan-ox3rz]

@@segoleewed9423 where did you purchase this monitor from im tryna decide where to order it from

[@segoleewed9423]

@@Dan-ox3rz Hello. I bought it from an online marketplace. Apparently it has a physical store and it's near from my hometown, because of that, it's possible for me to get to the store myself if anything wrong happen (Hopefully not). In my opinion, buying an electronic thing online is not really that recommended, only buy it online when you don't get the chance to buy it in the store. Good Luck, Have a Nice Day.

[@Dan-ox3rz]

@@segoleewed9423 thank you for the reply much appreciated

[@selohcin]

"MSI, I mustache you to change your monitor names." --Tim

[@p00nski.gaming]

For anyone looking to buy this monitor or the non-QD variant: I just had to return the non-QD variant of the monitor because the backlight bleed and IPS glow was TOO much to handle on this monitor. I tried to play games that were set indoors, or at night and I could NOT see anything in the bottom or the corners of the monitor. My first impression of the monitor though was great. Also the matte reflection on the monitor seems nice AT FIRST, but if there is any semblance of light behind you (from a lamp, a window, etc) your monitor will just reflect that light and make it even harder to see. I even tried to change the viewing angle, the height of the monitor, my seating position etc, and no matter what the issue was always there. The combination of the backlight bleed, IPS glow, monitor reflection made it impossible to see all the amazing content on the screen... For bright content, this monitor is BEAUTIFUL. Great refresh rate and response time, colors and dark blacks, BUT I am returning it and buying another one to see if it is simply just a quality control issue. I REALLY hope I just got a faulty monitor because I want to love this monitor.

[@xiaoyuzhou4299]

Thank you for sharing your long helpful review! I really love it. Please update this comment after you exchange another one. Because I really want to have this monitor as well.

[@buh5995]

any updates ?

[@p00nski.gaming]

@@buh5995 I tried out 3 monitors and I chose the one that was the most playable. Turns out, that the "backlight bleed" I was experiencing is mostly just IPS glow. That is the main con to using an IPS monitor is that there's really no way to get rid of it. I have been using the monitor since then to game and I have been extremely happy with it. I do play with the "Nightvision" mode on strong, and it helps with the "glow" you get from an IPS monitor. If you play games that aren't very dark then you will be very happy with the monitor. I have been playing some games that are at night time and I think I just got used to it after awhile and I don't really seem to have any issues with it now. I do recommend the monitor. At the time of buying it, it was one of the cheaper IPS options at 165hz and 1440p so if it still is, then go for it.

[@gangigooga7710]

Why is Tim so cute, like not flirting cute but like cute like a little puppy

[@radi2007]

Please review the new Gigabyte M27Q IPS 170hz 1440p. I just got one and it's great, would like to see where it ends on the board.

[@tragicevans4157]

M27Q amazing monitor, colors are great very good specs for the price beside its boring looks.

[@somethinglikethat2176]

@@tragicevans4157 looks good. Still no hdmi 2.1

[@megapet777]

been asking for this. The specs look good and it's by far the cheapest.

[@0verkilla]

It's a BGR display, instead of RGB (text looks awful on it, but it has some workarounds). The Blacklight strobing mode is unusable, because of how bad it is. The rest of the panel is amazing, so for the price, I think it's a really good deal if you can't afford any better

[@megapet777]

@@0verkilla never heard of BRG. Would LG GL850 be much better?

[@class_a]

An sRGB mode has been added via a firmware update (19 August 2021). Gamma calibration might still be bad, though.

[@pfefferle74]

Perhaps, but the added sRGB and AdobeRGB modes at least fix that terrible red over-saturation that was crticized in this video at around 11:20. Way more realistic looking human skin.

[@RyoGrattius]

As someone considering an RX 6800XT in the future (pending reviews), I can't find anywhere that specifies if "gsync compatible" means actual gsync or freesync that is "gsync compatible" A clarification from someone would be nice. I plan on upgrading my monitor first and was originally looking at the Gigabyte FI27Q-P, but if this one is actually freesync instead of gsync, then this one becomes my first choice.

[@dimitrismakridis1170]

It means freesync that is "g-sync compatible". It works with both nvidia and amd gpus. There is no g-sync module inside. "

[@jonathanr4160]

I snagged this for $232 open box US dollars so feel like that's a killer deal considering it's normally in the $400ish range from most places..

[@UmVtCg]

Thatsthe older model

[@jonathanr4160]

@@UmVtCg I'm not sure what you mean by "older model"? I own the exact model in this video.

[@hardcorelevelingwarrior6324]

can you do a video on the non qd? Or a comparison video?

[@David-ks6bv]

Thanks for the insanely detailed review! Loved all of the data points and comparisons!

[@Centail]

Got the monitor based off this review and love it. Thanks Tom. Bonus: Mine has no issues with color accuracy at stock, using external tools to discover.

[@Dan-ox3rz]

on which site did you buy this monitor from i want to buy this monitor but have been seeing too many reviews of people having dead pixels upon arrival

[@Centail]

@@Dan-ox3rz Amazon. I would only buy an IPS from there or Best Buy (CA) because of their warranties being good enough - can return to either with no questions asked. I didn't want to risk buying an IPS panel anywhere else solely because I'm a perfectionist, and only those two places would let me return/replace if it had even just 1 dead/stuck pixel.

[@Dan-ox3rz]

@@Centail thank you for the reply Much appreciated i think ima go with Amazon because i don't think best buy has this monitor in yet

[@Centail]

@@Dan-ox3rz No problem. I forget if Amazon is still buggy, but when I bought it the actual title of the product did not have the -QD at the end. Luckily the product spec sheet showed that it was the QD model, and that's indeed the one I got. Something to look out for

[@Dan-ox3rz]

@@Centail Thanks again i just have 1 last question there are people on reddit saying this is a really good monitor & others saying the same but only downside is the oversaturation of the colors and that you would need tools to calibrate the monitor

[@emmanuell89]

will you review the non qd version anytime soon ? seems its less saturated which might make it " the perfect " monitor ?

[@xHeartzi]

I just bought this monitor, and I'm trying it now. The "skin gets orange" because it's oversaturated isn't that bad. It's fine for normal folks. Colors look amazing, and dropping gamma to like 0,95 in nvidia control panel actually makes it alright skin tone too - of course not color accurate, but i dont rly care, as long it looks good. Now to the uniformity that's mentioned on right and left side - this is noticeable watching youtube videos. It's so bad I can see it - even my old dad can see it looking straight on it. My unit has something stuck in upper right corner - looks like dirt stuck behind - or a cluster of dead pixels. Conclusion: Don't be afraid for buying this as a gaming monitor because of the oversaturated colors. But be afraid of the uniformity issues of the colors on the edges, if you watch youtube a lot, or use it for word/excel. I'm returning mine ( not only because of the issue in right corner), i cant take the color shift on right+left side, it's really annoying ( this is coming from a guy still using TN..)

[@Dan-ox3rz]

would you recommend any other monitors? instead of this one im thinking about buying this for my ps5 i have currently been using a asus vg245h 75hz tn panel do you think the uniformity or backlight bleed will bother me that much ? i mostly game & sometimes go on KZbin although i love the tn panel for its fast response

[@Feorri]

I ordered this monitor Nov 16 and I just got it today . Can't wait to test it out!

[@BLooDY3dd]

How it is? Im beetwen this one and the M27Q!

[@Feorri]

The backlight just died and it was outside the 2 year warranty. Good while it lasted

[@marcuschan6068]

I'm confused cause Tim says its a 1.4 display port but on MSI sight it says 1.2 displayport 🤨😳

[@Gluosnis9]

Please review this next: Gigabyte M27Q - it has some new interesting Sharp panel, also a very nice short name for a change :)

[@11blakex]

Please do!!!

[@davidz6576]

Yes Pls M27Q or G27Q. Should be the same Panel right? M27Q only with AKM Module or what its called:D

[@daweitao2668]

It's your lucky day :)

[@Gluosnis9]

@Garrus Vakarian They did review it, go watch.

[@megapet777]

@@Gluosnis9 I was really looking forward for m27q until I found out it has BGR display..

[@doma4947]

The new E2 version recently dropped and I think its the pinnacle of IPS, flawless for the price.

[@Hamno]

Just got this monitor today, and watching this video on it, the colors are dope!

[@NomadBale]

Update: new released firmware adds s-rgb, Adobe rgb and p3 modes 👍

[@TheArsenalgunner28]

Wow, the ps5 4K conversion is perfect for my setup. Strongly considering a purchase Edit: I’ve clicked the Amazon link to the monitor but nothing appears :(

[@wesleyhyun]

It's not released yet. The link is just a placeholder for now.

[@umbasa01]

What does it.do for consoles? Ps5 cant do 1440p?

[@TheArsenalgunner28]

@@umbasa01 didn’t you watch the video? He talked about its 4K conversion. Most 1440p monitors just have 4K gameplay and downscale it, or 1080p and upscale. Where as this monitor specifically converts 4K gameplay to 1440p in good quality...or so he says. Point being (if true) if you have a ps5 and pc on the same unit you can have on the same monitor and not have to suffer a drop visual quality which would be nice for me personally because I’m struggling for where to put my ps5+4k tv and PC+monitor (this way I could give up my 4K tv)

[@umbasa01]

So of they add 1440p for ps5 would this be a useless thing?

[@TheArsenalgunner28]

@@umbasa01 well yeah but the PS5 will likely never have 1440p, PS5 support 1080p, 4K and 8K. There are a lot of monitors than can covert 4K into 1440p but it’s not very crisp so if this is promising to sort that out I’m very interested.

[@SvDKILLSWITCH]

If the MSI alphabetsoup-QD is going to be an $800-$850 AUD monitor, I think the Dell S2721DGF is going to be the better price/performance option as it's regularly on sale for $510-$550 AUD - significantly less than the MSI model (though I suppose it remains to be seen if and when the alphabetsoup-QD goes on sale and how much it will cost at that time).

[@CursorNZ]

Just as an FYI. As of firmware version 14 there are now color profiles added for these monitors

[@NikodemSzusti]

Interesting fact. You can force 10-bit on 144Hz (it works on Nvda cards through DP 1.2a) . Just set custom resolution - 1440p with 144Hz and 10 bit will appear. The question is how this is impact response time and so one as this will set custom timings (GTF, CVT and so one). I could not find what are the downside of this.

[@NikodemSzusti]

@DaKrawnik420 "after you change refresh rate to 120Hz." 120Hz, that's the problem.

[@Tom-B-97]

Can you please review the MSI MAG 274QRF QD E2 27? It seems that this is the direct successor to this monitor (based on the name) and would love a review of it and how to compares to the one in this video. I went to purchase the one in this video as it's now only £335 where I am but then I saw there's a newer E2 model and now I don't know what to chose as newer isn't always better despite being the E2 version.

[@stts89]

I can confirm that they added an SRGB, ARGB and P3 mode with the last v015 firmware. Unfortunately the SRGB coverage of my unit is ~95% when calibrated (my old U2412M is way better in this case), and the custom color temp is basically unusable. Contrast setting is greyed out. Slight glowing on bottom corners and a stuck pixel, I'm going to buy a second unit hoping it will be better. Beside that it's a really good monitor, excellent colors and contrast (around 1150:1). Really smooth in gaming. An "official" update regards the new SRGB clamp would be appreciated, just to clear the situation. Update: just unboxed the new unit, no stuck or dead pixel this time. Still glow on bottom corners (bluish on the left and yellowish on the right) but it looks less evident. Just today came out a new firmware (v016) and can't see any obvious differences

[@Boutz]

Did you get a solution ?

[@season161]

How about the MSI MAG27QRF (non QD version) does it use the same panel?

[@traaage7782]

I have it. Same AUO 6.6 panel. Just doesn’t have the quantum dot layer. I had the QD version. I like the non QD version. Still saturated which I like but not so overboard

[@F1neW1ne]

Just bought this based on this review. I sold my ASUS TUF VG27AQ to a friend and the MSI MAG was on sale. White uniformity is HORRIBLE. Man was I spoilt. Trying to get used to it. But sitting here looking at KZbin, 1 inch of the right and left side has a blueish grey shadow that goes away as you approach the middle of the screen. Unnaceptable for this price point IMO. UPDATE: The effect lessened to an acceptable level after a about a week. I guess I had to let the monitor burn in. I am loving this screen now. I thought the days of burning in hardware were behind us. Just glad it worked out! Great review. Thanks!

[@wl7291]

As this is probably the best channel for monitor reviews and comparisons, the genuine annoyance at the monitor names with the mustache is the best

[@Mi2Lethal]

You could make a fire rap song from all the times Tim said the name of this monitor.

[@imopn]

Hope we see more 4k 120hz+ color acurate monitors with USBC/USB4/TB next year. With these CPUs that are so great at productivity and gaming and these monster GPUs that can push good framerates at 4k would be nice to have a monitor that can work and play

[@kalef1234]

75hz gang where you at? Seriously though, i'd like to upgrade but I literally can't drive frames that fast with a 1070 Ti. It's almost like I'm saving money by just sticking with my current monitor by not needing a unicorn 3000 series card 😅

[@WellsTraining]

Got this from New Egg on Sale $420, and bought the Spyder X Pro based on your calibration guide. The reds right now are VERY strong, so I hope with calibration it fixes that. Besides that one issue, it's a monster monitor and I appreciate your time and passion for what you do.

[@SteelGrayRider]

Please let us know if it fixes the red. I'm very interested but that is my only concern holding me back.

[@WellsTraining]

@@SteelGrayRider no problem buddy I'll be posting a reply if it fixes it. Should receive it Thursday or Friday

[@SteelGrayRider]

@@WellsTraining Thank you sir

[@adamkhair118]

hows game look with the wide gamut? is it unplayable? especially with red color?

[@WellsTraining]

@@SteelGrayRider Just wanted to let you know I did a calibration with the spyderxpro tool today. Definitely fixes the red colors without losing vibrancy (you can obviously play with the contract/brightness etc) but should be absolutely fine. Was able to get at least 98% in all color gamuts, got 100% SRGB and 100% Adobe with the calibration

[@bawen74]

Buying one after seeing the review, works great for my hybird usage in gaming and photo editing. definately a huge update from a 1080p 60hz crappy monitor. and also love the usb-c DP alt input, works nicely with MBP 13in. Thanks for the quality review.

[@iceicebaby8469]

There's a new E2 monitor coming out soon. Any idea of what to expect from that one?

[@Joker-no1fz]

i wish steve and tim were my friends irl i wanna chill with them.

[@user-rj1js3lx9l]

Omg noo joker omg nooo. 🤡 Pls dont kill me

[@Joker-no1fz]

@@user-rj1js3lx9l lol

[@user-rj1js3lx9l]

@@Joker-no1fz nooooooo

[@user-rj1js3lx9l]

Omg your pfp has scary animation 😱

[@Joker-no1fz]

@@user-rj1js3lx9l its joker smoking.

[@bonfingertip]

Hey Tim, one thing your splendid monitor reviews have been missing is the minimum brightness or "brightness at minimum Brightness values". Some reviews even do brightness scaling. These values are especially crucial for people who tend to use a monitor in a dark room.

[@worksmarter6418]

How many people do that? Are there enough for it to be worth including?

[@buh5995]

@@worksmarter6418 there are alot, for example if someone wants to watch animal po*n, he should turn off the lights right ?

[@Don_Fu]

It is there, at 12:40 in case anyone is wondering.

[@constantinanton8538]

I had the Odyssey G7 and I must say I was completely dissapointed. Got this instead for 100£ less and my smile came back. G7 had issues while waking up from sleep mode, never does it automatically. HDR is basically only on paper for G7. Panel is far superior on this MSI. I just love it. Had some issues with blurred and coloured text on MSI but all is well after firmware upgrade.

[@MaskedChieff]

SAAAME, I currently have the G7 and its killing my eyes slowly, how is it holding up with you so far? the MSI monitor I mean do you recommend?

[@constantinanton8538]

@@MaskedChieff I am not sure of what is the market at the moment but I checked amazon and MAG274QRF-QD is on a discount. I would put this on my list and then compare to others but yea, as far as using it for 2 years now almost, I got nothing to complain. The only real comparation I've done is against that G7 and yes I stand by my decision this MSI is way better.

[@MaskedChieff]

@@constantinanton8538 Well definitely check the discount out, and can you tell me about your complaints against G7 please?

[@leonardofreddd]

Hoping that you can get to the newer version of this monitor MSI MAG 274QRF QD E2. It’s relatively close to the price of the Asus ROG Strix XG27ACS that you just reviewed just recently. Always waits for your review before I buy any monitor 😅

[@andiyassiin2308]

Usually there's a recommended setting for contrast and brightness, did I miss it?

[@Gypsycamile]

I need this, at least an standard to follow since a have this monitor.

[@charleyweinhardt]

Review the non quantum dot version! Please! The qd version is awol!

[@irvingjuarbe2193]

It finally arrived last week after ordering it at the beginning of Dec. Must say am still learning about it but the screen looks fantastic with a bit of over saturation as described by the Reviewer here but not a biggie for me. Compared to my previous monitor this one is leaps and bounds better and for the prices I paid for ( $389) on sale back in Dec , this is very well worth it.

[@يامن-ه1ك]

did you find any dead pixels or stuck pixels ?

[@Terrabeast]

@@يامن-ه1ك 💀

[@yosifvidelov]

Finally a firmware update v016 which adds SRGB, P3 and Adobe RGB clamps. White point measured is way off, Gamma is 2.2 reported by my Spyder X Pro. After Calibration of sRGB mode improvement is there.

[@omarpabon5751]

These are on preorder at B&H for $389 as of 12/3/20 5:00pm est!!

[@jakelarntz]

Gonna review the "E2" version?

[@wiibrewlover5923]

All I can say is this: Shots fired.

[@SapiaNt0mata]

how the hell is it so hard to name the monitor MAG27?

[@MeerMusik]

Standard Stuff. Still waiting for a good Monitor with real 10-Bit Colors (this one has only 8-bit + FRC) and at least HD600 1440P Monitor to replace my old ASUS PB248 16:10 one. As 16:10 is dead these Days, I hope for the other Features to reach Market soon(TM) for a reasonable Price. If I want that now, I would have to buy a 4K Monitor or a professional Monitor for a couple thousand Euro. No way. Maybe 2024 or 2025 we see a real breakthrough in Monitor Quality and Feature Range. Who knows. I hope my 7 Year old Monitor will hold out until then. Good Video as always :)

[@spreencer]

Outstanding review! This will likely be my next monitor, if not the non qd. Subbed!!

[@SeaNNyTizzle]

Does the non-QD version provide the same response times and contrast? That way one could avoid the color saturation issues.

[@Shamsher308]

Did u get the answer to this??

[@SeaNNyTizzle]

@@Shamsher308 lol no

[@Shamsher308]

@@SeaNNyTizzle 6 months and still no answer then I am going with the xg279q

[@kerotomas1]

I bought the non QD version for 2/3 of its price and i can say it's a much better value. Literally the exact same monitor as this without quantum dot (basically a little less color - still oversaturated as this but a little less nuclear)

[@oscatMeow]

did the non QD version get the srgb firmware like others have said this monitor got? i really want this monitor but i dont want to spend the qd money

[@kerotomas1]

@@oscatMeow yes althogh i never tried the srgb mode as i use custom settings instead so i cant tell you how does it look like

[@oscatMeow]

@@kerotomas1 thanks so much! i’ve been tossing up this monitor for a long time as the non-qd version is all i can get, so i was hoping it got the same fixes!

[@kerotomas1]

@@oscatMeow Definitely go for it, i have the monitor for 4-5 months now or something like that and never had any issues with it and its an absolute beast of a gaming monitor at 1440p/165hz with Adaptive Sync and almost zero ghosting at the Fast response time setting, just dont forget to disable Vsync in games as it messes up the adaptive snyc. I just tested sRGB out of curiosity and it is very accurate, it also has Apple’s DCI-P3 which i do prefer with having around 25% wider gamut over sRGB, the only thing that is missing from the firmware compared to the QD version is Adobe RGB so keep that in mind if you would ever need to use that.

[@heldercosta1209]

Hardware Unboxed please review the new KVM monitor from Gigabyte more specificaly the M27Q that is also 1440p, IPS, 170Hz, 27 inches. I ordered it already because it costs 359 euros. It was kind of an impulse buy and i am still waiting for it, but i want to know how it compares to the LG 27GL850 and other popular 1440p high refresh rate monitors.

[@megapet777]

I was looking so much forward for M27Q until I learned it has BGR display.. eww

[@animaxxx4429]

@@megapet777 do you even know what a BGR display is ? Just check Tim's review of that monitor.

[@megapet777]

@@animaxxx4429 its the subpixel layout and it makes text look bad

[@animaxxx4429]

@@megapet777 Yes and No. I have used a BGR display in my office and it doesn't make text look bad. The videos which you are getting reference to are old videos bro. Check out other reviews of this monitor and you'll know what I'm talking about.

[@megapet777]

@@animaxxx4429 Can you link me some review in particular? Btw have you heard of the new lenovo g27q-20? It's even cheaper than the m27q.

[@dmegaa]

I watched this video 3 times and decided to buy this monitor. Thank you Tim.

[@mcunner]

Make naming simple size: 27 resolution: 3K refresh: 165 and maybe G for gaming. Something like G27 3K-165 so we understand the numbers and letters.

[@francescob.3019]

I think you need a new small section dedicated to viewing angles

[@sparkoceanic]

agreed. This is one of the most important factors to a monitor for me, and i find myself sourcing an extra unboxing video for this 1 detail that this channel doesn't usually cover. It's truly the best channel i've found for monitor reviews regardless though

[@hihiou0zabimaru]

I really hope we can see this panel in another monitor where they give you the option to properly clamp it to the different color spaces the panel is capable of displaying. With the price of monitors like this, I don't feel like there should be a compromise that seems so unnecessary. I don't know anything about monitor engineering and what companies like MSI can or can't do with the panels they buy from other companies, but it really does seem like the panel is great and could potentially be better used in a different monitor. Aside from the color issue it seems so good, but the way Tim described skin tones in KZbin-videos really didn't make me feel like buying this monitor. Maybe it isn't as bad as it sounded, but I just don't feel like compromising unnecessarily at this price point. I mean there are compromises I'll make. I don't expect for instance to find a monitor with these specs and price that also does true HDR, I understand that I need to have reasonable expectations. But the color gamut clamping seems like something that doesn't need to be a problem for the panel, unless I'm misunderstanding something about how this works.

[@pizzaface817]

Msi seems to have added sRGB and Adobe RGB modes which should fix those issues with the monitor

[@blaynesea8816]

MSI MAG 274QRF QD E2 ?

[@99konondrums]

Pre-ordered mine for $390 US. B&H is saying they expect it to be available Dec 28. Hope it lives up to the hype guys. Thanks for the great review.

[@CraigHarrison]

Like some kind of ancient soothsayer, I'm going to throw a load of scrabble tiles on the table. The result should match one of these monitor model names.

[@storiesold3270]

Can you please do a vs the normal non qd version, I'm torn between the two?

[@lucasalexander6298]

non qd is better value in my opinion

[@ritmo8391]

I got the non QD and it's really good, only difference is colors between the two monitors.

[@lucasalexander6298]

@@ritmo8391 I have non qd, and while I can’t compare it to the qd, it’s amazing @stories old

[@lucasalexander6298]

non qd is great

[@Czaakki]

@@ritmo8391 Hey! Can you check and confirm that non QD have the same specs with this review? www.rtings.com/monitor/reviews/msi/optix-mag274qrf-qd

[@insgr]

My passwords are less complicated than this name

[@iseeu-fp9po]

Excellent review as always! I had the gl850 but had to return it mostly because of the oversaturation. I couldn't stand the way it made certain colors look and the srgb mode didn't really fix it. The display's contrast ratio was also a problem for me. That's why it's dissapointing that this display might probably be even more oversaturated which is something that I find really annoying when watching videos. Any thoughts on this? Is there a better alternative out there in the coming future?

[@Maekiii]

You can fix the chrome youtube html player color over saturation issue with browser extensions such as "Video Color Enhancer". 80% saturation fixes the problem for me.

[@kafakoparan]

You read the script very well trying not to be noticed while looking at the camera. Nice review by the way.

[@Baorihs]

Can we finally get LG CX review? It blows all these overpriced LCD panels into stone age

[@dario1794]

Same , once you go OLED you never Go back 😅

[@DarkPhychic]

If LG made a CX @32inch 1440 i would get it

[@jason39709]

LG CX like expensive af??

[@Aryzon13]

@@jason39709 Compared to it's competitors on the monitor side (so like the BFGDs and some smaller 4k 120hz panels), it is often like 2-3 times cheaper and performs better.

[@houssamalucad753]

The best TV on the market, but it's still too big and has tbe risk of burning in so I wouldn't use it as a monitor yet...

[@wannaberobert]

Will you be reviewing the XB273U GX? Looks like a promising monitor as well! I

[@azriazwan1356]

Next is to review acer xb273u gs..ips 1440p 165hz and 0.5ms response time!

[@LB_Amerijuanican]

I have this monitor and it's really good for the price, my only quirk is the built into screen bezel on the sides, and top, those black zones are apart of the screen and it gives the false impression of the scaling not being right, but it is just how this monitor looks. Literally a 1/4inch of unused screen on the sides and top. They should have covered that with a thicker trim for aesthetic purposes. As when gaming it is definitely noticed.

[@ragtop63]

I have one of these monitors and it won't go into auto power save mode. It's a known issue and a firmware upgrade was supposed to fix it but it didn't. Turning off the monitor causes all of my windows to reset in size, making me have to resize them all every time I turn on the monitor. If that type of scenario bothers you, I'd hard pass on this monitor. UPDATE: This is a problem with the input auto-scan function in the monitor. Turning auto-scan feature off resolves the issue. NOTE: Updating the firmware will turn the auto-scan feature back on. You'll have to turn it off again after the update.

[@Inflatableorc]

I bought the MSI Optix MAG274qrf-qd alphabet soup. I'll post an update when I have it calibrated and tweaked.

[@davidoff2050]

Please let us know how it performed!

[@julian006_3]

How is it without calibrating ?

[@gbxd]

+1 Also can you share the file?

[@Inflatableorc]

its great, Rtings.com has an ICC profile for it, search the monitor on their website, scroll down, get their ICC profile, use it.

[@El-Vic-]

@@Inflatableorc just clicked on it, nothing happened, what i am supposed to do?