MSI MPG 321URX 240Hz 4K QD-OLED with USB-C
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases made using the “Buy” button at the bottom of this post. Where possible, you'll be redirected to your nearest store. Further information on supporting our work.Update: Our video review of this model has been published. News piece below initially published 6th January 2024.
OLED screens are highly sought after for their strong image performance and responsiveness. The MSI MPG 321URX offers this experience with a focus on keeping gamers happy, using a 240Hz UHD ‘gen 3’ QD-OLED panel. The monitor has a smart home-office appearance, square and quite unfussy. This includes a mixture of dark grey and black materials for the stand and bottom bezel, with broad low-profile base. The top and side bezels are dual-stage with slim panel border flush with the rest of the screen plus thin hard plastic outer part. An overprovisioning of pixels or ‘active area’ surrounds the image, used for pixel shifting which is one of several ‘OLED Care 2.0’ image retention mitigation measures. Another includes ‘taskbar detection’ which is designed to dim the taskbar – a prominent static element when you’re on the desktop. The OSD (On Screen Display) is controlled by a joystick beneath the central region of the bottom bezel.
A 31.5″ Samsung Display QD-OLED (Quantum Dot OLED) panel is used with glossy anti-reflective screen surface, 3840 x 2160 (‘4K’ UHD) resolution and 240Hz refresh rate. For games consoles such as the PS5 and Xbox Series X, up to 120Hz ‘4K’ UHD is supported alongside HDMI 2.1 VRR. Adaptive-Sync is also supported allowing Nvidia ‘G-SYNC Compatible’ and AMD FreeSync to be used with compatible PC and console hardware, with a 48 – 240Hz VRR range plus LFC. Other aspects to note include a 150,000:1 static contrast ratio, 178°/178° viewing angles and 10-bit colour support. Factory calibration with specified DeltaE <2 is included, with 'flicker-free' illumination offering a 250 d/m² (1000 cd/m² HDR peak) typical maximum luminance and 99% DCI-P3 (97% Adobe RGB, 138% sRGB) coverage. The monitor includes a TÜV Rheinland certified hardware solution for Low Blue Light (LBL), potentially aiding viewing comfort. A graphene film custom heatsink design is included for passive cooling, rather than a fan being used.
The monitor responds to HDR10 content with VESA DisplayHDR True Black 400 certification, with additional higher brightness HDR modes included. Under HDR the monitor can make good use of its per-pixel illumination, high brightness peaks, 10-bit colour support and generous gamut. A 0.03ms grey to grey response time is specified, which as usual you should put little weight on – though OLED technology is known for exceptional pixel responsiveness. A ‘Mystic Light’ RGB LED lighting feature is included towards the top, at the rear. The stand attaches centrally via a quick-release mechanism and can be removed to reveal provision for 100 x 100mm VESA mounting. The provided stand is includes height (110mm or 4.33 inches) adjustment, tilt, swivel with ‘slant’ (slight pivot adjustment but not into portrait). The ports face downwards and include; a 3.5mm headphone jack, 2 HDMI 2.1 ports (48Gbps), DP 1.4 (with DSC), USB-C (90W PD, DP Alt Mode, upstream data), 2 USB 2.0 ports (plus Type-B upstream) and AC power input (internal power converter). KVM is supported, allowing easy peripheral sharing and input switching between 2 systems. The 3-year warranty included with the monitor covers OLED burn-in for peace of mind.
Further details can be found on the manufacturer’s website. The monitor is listed for ~$950 USD. An alternative version with darker bottom bezel, lower USB-C PD (15W) and no additional USB ports or KVM functionality is also listed, the MAG 321UPX.
