27 msi optix mpg27cq: With RGB strip lights along the bezel and in the back, a broad tripod base, and a wickedly curved screen, the MSI Optix MPG27CQ is a serious gaming monitor. It supports AMD’s FreeSync adaptive-sync technology, has a 1ms pixel-response time, and features a maximum 144Hz refresh rate over its DisplayPort or HDMI interface. Its video-playback performance is so-so and lacks HDR, but MSI did well with one of its early gaming monitors. The Optix is suitable for PC gaming.
A Gaming Monitor With Flair
27-inch Optix MPG27CQ takes up a lot of desk space. 21.9 x 24.1 x 14.9 inches (HWD). The last number may seem wrong, but it includes the back leg of its tripod-like mount. It was 16.8 pounds.
The panel’s narrow (quarter-inch) bezels make it a good choice for a minimal-seam multi-monitor setup. The sturdy tripod stand swivels 40 degrees to either side, tilts 5 degrees down to 20 degrees up, and adjusts 4.7 inches in height.
The panel is 1800R curvy. In other words, if you lined up enough Optix MPG27CQ monitors to form a circle, its radius would be 1,800mm (1.8m). The curvature makes games more immersive.
The RGB bezel lighting pulses through colors by default and can be programmed with SteelSeries’ GameSense software. If you’re playing Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, DOTA 2, Gigantic, Minecraft, or Utopia 9, the lights can alert you to in-game stats or levels. Ammo, health, and spell status are examples. The Optix MPG27CQ has RGB backlighting. If you find the lights distracting, turn them off.
Pros &Cons
What’s Good
- 144Hz native refresh rate over either DisplayPort or HDMI connection.
- Support for AMD FreeSync.
- Good pixel response.
- Nifty RGB lighting.
What’s Bad
- Lacks support for HDR.
- Ho-hum video-playback performance.
A Panel at the Goldilocks Resolution
With a QHD (2,560-by-1,440-pixel) native resolution for its 27-inch vertical alignment (VA) screen, the Optix MPG27CQ strikes a happy balance between pixel density and frame rates.
It has 109 PPI, the same as the Editors’ Choice Samsung CHG70 and the Dell 27 Gaming Monitor (S2719DGF) ($249.99 at Dell). A similar MSI model, the Optix MPG27C, has a lower pixel density (82ppi) than the MPG27CQ, so its content may not be as sharp. A mainstream graphics card should be able to run 1080p games at high refresh rates.
The Acer Predator X27, our Editors’ Choice high-performance gaming monitor, has a 4K UHD (3,840-by-2,160-pixel) resolution and 163ppi. You need a powerful graphics card to run games at the high refresh rates the X27 ($3,061.80 at Amazon) demands. Check out our guide to 4K graphics cards.
Both side and top viewing angles are broad, typical of a VA panel, with little to no dimming or color shift at extreme off-center angles.
27 msi optix mpg27cq has two HDMI inputs, one DisplayPort, one USB 3.0 upstream port, two USB 3.0 downstream ports, and audio-out and microphone-in jacks. Port accessibility is an issue with Gaming and business monitors, and the MPG27CQ has mixed results. Like most monitors, the ports are in a recessed bay in the back, facing down.
But this monitor’s ports are near the back of the bay. I found it hard to insert a DisplayPort cable connector into the harbor. I had to turn the monitor upside down and squeeze it in. A plus? Optix MPG27CQ has two USB 3.0 ports and two audio jacks that face sideways.
The MPG27CQ has a 3-year warranty from MSI.
Controls and the OSD
The Optix has only two physical controls: a power button and a four-way mini-joystick with a center button. Pressing the controller straight in brings up the OSD main menu. If using the joystick is too much trouble, you can control monitor functions with an iOS or Android smartphone.
The resolution, refresh rate, game mode, Zero Latency setting, and signal source are on the OSD’s top. A column on the menu’s left lists the main menu categories (Gaming, Professional, Image, Input Source, PIP/PBP, Navi Key, Setting).
From these, submenus are accessible. In Gaming, you can set the Game Mode (User, FPS, Racing, RTS, or RPG), Zero Latency, Anti Motion Blur, response time, and refresh rate. Navigating the OSD’s menus and submenus is easy. Still, in one case, I had to enter a command several times for it to register.
The Zero Latency setting reduces input lag by turning off non-essential functions. Input lag is the time between a monitor’s signal and the rendered scene. If your system has high input lag and you’re shooting at an opponent, your enemy may have already moved on, so he may always be ahead of you. That’s frustrating.
In addition to Zero Latency, you can reduce input lag by turning off functions (like dynamic contrast) that increase processing time, which may affect image quality. Fortunately, the Optix MPG27CQ’s input lag (discussed below) is low enough that you may not need the Zero Latency setting.
Color and Luminance Testing
Our luminance, color-fidelity, and contrast-ratio tests use a Klein K10-A colorimeter and SpectraCal CalMAN 5 software. The Optix MPG27CQ’s default Gaming (User) mode luminance is 310.9 nits (candelas per meter squared), slightly below its 400-nit rated brightness. The measured contrast ratio is 3110:1, just above MSI’s 3000:1.
The above chromaticity chart was created in Gaming (User) mode on the Optix MPG27CQ. The triangle shows all the colors made by mixing red, green, and blue. Our measurements, represented by the circles outside the triangle, indicate an expanded color gamut typical of a gaming panel.
Gaming chops
Gray-to-gray pixel response is 1ms in fast mode, and input lag is a respectable 12ms. Both are very good; slow pixel response can cause ghosting and motion blur, and high input lag can disconnect where you’re shooting and where your opponent is. See my discussion in the Controls and OSD section.
144Hz is the maximum refresh rate with DisplayPort or HDMI. The Samsung CHG70 ($599.99 on Amazon) New window 27-inch monitor, 144Hz refresh rate only over DisplayPort; 100Hz over HDMI. Hitman 2016, Far Cry 5, and Rise of the Tomb Raider were played on the Optix MPG27CQ (and their associated benchmarks). Colors were bright, and the monitor rendered detail in bright and dark areas. I saw no tears or artifacts. The 27 msi optix mpg27cq lacks HDR, which the CHG70 has.
I watched YouTube videos we use for testing on the Optix MPG27CQ in Cinema mode, and while most looked good, colors were off in a few. Some motion and rendering artifacts were also present. The Optix MPG27CQ is fine for casual movie-watching, but video fans should look elsewhere.
conclusion
The 27 msi optix mpg27cq Review : A Best Gaming Monitor is built for high-performance Gaming with QHD resolution, 144Hz refresh rate over DisplayPort or HDMI, and AMD FreeSync. During testing, I had no significant issues with it. It lacks HDR, but its brightness and contrast were good in our tests. Its video performance is mediocre, unlike the Editors’ Choice Samsung CHG70 27-inch, which excelled at games and video. At this screen size, we like it.
