MSI MAG 271QP QD-OLED X24 monitor review: when price doesn’t spoil quality

Until recently, OLED monitors were considered expensive and out of reach for most users. But times are changing, and the technology is getting closer to the moment of its greatest spread. Today, we’re reviewing an affordable QD-OLED monitor for its class — MSI MAG 271QP QD-OLED X24, which offers interesting features for a wide range of consumers.

Technical characteristics

Diagonal	26,5″
Panel type	QD-OLED (Anti-reflective)
Aspect ratio	16:9
Viewing angle	178°/ 178°
Pixel pitch	0.2292 mm
Resolution	2560 ×1440 (WQHD)
Pixel density	≈111 ppi
Brightness (typical)	250 nits
Dynamic contrast	1.5M to 1 MAX (ACM)
Static contrast (based on test results)	3300+ to 1
Color depth	10 bits
Color coverage	138% sRGB, 98% Adobe RGB, 99% DCI-P3
Delta E	<1
Response time	up to 0.03 ms
Ports	2x HDMI™ 2.1 (WQHD@240Hz) 1x DisplayPort 1.4a (HBR3)
Regulation	Rotation to vertical orientation – 180° Horizontal rotation – 60° Tilt – 25°
Other	VESA DisplayHDR True Black 400, VESA ClearMR 13000, OLED Care 2.0, graphene film and original heat sink,  Adaptive-Sync technology, Anti-Flicker, Less Blue Light, Kensington
Power supply	Internal
Energy consumption	35-70 W
Dimensions	609 x 416 x 242 mm
VESA mounts	100 x 100 mm
Weight (with stand)	8 kg

Package and packaging

The monitor arrived for editorial review in a sturdy cardboard box with the monitor itself, a leg, a stand, documentation, a connection cable (DisplayPort), and a power cable between two molded cardboard sections. A separate envelope contains a sheet with the factory calibration results

It is worth noting that the manufacturer has taken care of the convenience of unpacking its device so that the whole process is as simple as possible for an ordinary user.

Assembling the monitor does not cause any problems. The leg is quite easily attached to the panel itself, without requiring any additional tools. The whole procedure can be done with your bare hands, without any bolts, screws or screwdrivers.

Design, ergonomics MSI MAG 271QP QD-OLED X24

The monitor case boasts a sleek design with a pleasant texture, advanced graphene film cooling with manual control, and tilt and swivel capabilities. Here we have tilt, swivel and, of course, height adjustment. In general, the monitor is made in a rather restrained style, although the back panel is realized with an angular design. Thus, it will fit perfectly into any interior.

On the rear wall we find the manufacturer’s logo with a dragon, plastic with a matte texture, and some glossy inserts. One of them bears the inscription — MSI, in the center of the rear wall above the mounting leg. There is no RGB backlighting in this model, which may be better, because, firstly, it is an extra cost, and secondly, not everyone needs it.

There are ventilation grilles on the top and bottom of the case. They contribute to better air circulation, because one of the main features of monitor cooling is the presence of a graphene film that effectively removes heat from the display and protects it from burnout. This gives us hope for a long service life of the device. There is a special cutout in the center of the leg for cable routing.

Interfaces and sound

The main connection interfaces are located in the lower part of the case, at the very edge of the monitor. A decorative cutout in the leg is designed to organize the cables. The disadvantage of this solution is that the connection cables will be peeking out from the bottom anyway, no matter how much we want to hide them. Of course, you can take them upstairs and secure them with ties, but that’s more like «folk art».

There are two HDMI 2.1 ports that support WQHD resolution at 240 Hz. There is also one DisplayPort 1.4a connector. In addition, there is one 3.5 mm headphone jack

I will say right away that some people will miss the additional USB Type-C for video transmission, as well as charging smartphones or other devices that can be found in older models. On the other hand, we have a 220V power connector. MSI MAG 271QP QD-OLED X24 is equipped with a built-in power supply.

MSI MAG 271QP QD-OLED X24 display

Nowadays, a 27-inch diagonal with a WQHD resolution (2560×1440 pixels) can be considered the gold standard for those gamers who are not going to pay «all the money in the world» for computer equipment, or even get a loan. Also, not all users need monitors with a curvature radius, because they have little practical use.

The WQHD resolution allows you to not worry about special requirements for a video card, unlike 4K, and at the same time fits diagonals of 27″ and smallerMSI MAG 271QP QD-OLED X24 boasts not only a high-quality QD-OLED matrix, but also a fast refresh rate. Here we have as much as 240 Hz and a response time of up to 0.03 ms (GtG), which will appeal to demanding gamers.

One of the main advantages we pay for in OLED is the perfect black color. Often, monitor manufacturers supply glossy models that negate the beauty of color reproduction and the benefits of deep black during daylight hours because everything is spoiled by the ubiquitous glare.

Fortunately, MSI MAG 271QP QD-OLED X24 does not have this problem. It has an excellent anti-reflective surface. Of course, it cannot be compared to the «glare immunity of» matte monitors, but it is a great alternative to conventional glossy panelsMoreover, this coating is easy to work with even when sitting with your back to the window. So the absence of parasitic glare is a huge plus for MSI MAG 271QP QD-OLED X24.

The pixels in the QD-OLED matrix are quite dense. The manufacturer emphasizes their optimized structure, which allows for a clearer image, which is noticeable when viewing photos and reading textsReturning to the reaction time (0.03 ms), it is worth noting that even fast gaming TN panels cannot boast such excellent results. This is a great bonus in dynamic scenes where many objects move at high speed at the same time.

In such scenarios, you can see some blurring on low-quality panels. In addition, the model came with WESA Clear MR 13000 certification, which standardizes blurring in dynamic scenes. The most pleasant sensations from using MSI MAG 271QP QD-OLED X24 can be obtained in the dark because unlike IPS or VA panels, we do not have any unnecessary glow and unpleasant glow effect, especially inherent in IPS. Not to mention the absence of such a phenomenon as uneven backlighting. The image does not lose its saturation and brightness when the viewing angle is increased

As mentioned earlier, MSI MAG 271QP QD-OLED X24 comes with a special sheet with the results of the factory calibration. So it’s time to check their veracity.

In general, when you turn on the monitor for the first time, we use the ECO mode. However, no one prevents you from switching to User mode and selecting the necessary settings related to brightness, saturation, contrast, etc. In addition, the HDR True Tone 400 and Peak HDR 1000 modes are waiting for us in the settings.The Datacolor SpyderX Elite calibrator shows us 95% coverage of Adobe RGB and 98% coverage of DCI-P3 mode. This is slightly lower than the factory calibration sheet. Brightness is adjustable from 30 to 253 cd/m², with a claimed 250 cd/m² in SDR mode.

If you select the HDR Peak 1000 mode, the peak brightness will be higher. The manufacturer promises us 1000 cd/m² at 3% white on the screen and 450 cd/m² at 12%. At a brightness level of — 50%, the contrast is 1 to 2860, and at 100% — 3330 to 1. The MSI MAG 271QP QD-OLED X24 doesn’t have the ability to adjust the gamut and temperature, so the monitor is not suitable for advanced creators. But for normal work with photos, watching videos, and playing games, everything is fine here. The default gamma is — 2.2. The color temperature, in turn, fluctuates almost at the reference values, especially at brightness levels from 45% to 90%. This is clearly visible on the graph.

The monitor boasts excellent color temperature uniformity across the entire screen area. The maximum deviation △E is observed in the upper left corner and is 1.6. The best result is in the lower right corner.

Unlike IPS and VA panels, OLED has no separate panel backlight and the white field uniformity is excellent. The difference between the darkest and lightest zones is a maximum of 3% (in the center of the monitor). The owners of IPS panels never dreamed of such a thing, because the difference there is more than 15%.

The calibration sheet states that the average △E (DCI-P3) is 0.36. According to the test colorimeter, the average △E is 0.75. The maximum value was recorded at 2.46, and the minimum value was 0.27. Nevertheless, the average user will not see a difference if the value is less than three units

The pixel density is enough for most multimedia scenarios and office tasks. Although for working with very small texts, of course, I prefer 4K. But you know that no one will buy an OLED panel for office work. At best, they’ll settle for some mid-range IPS

In 240 Hz mode, the matrix shows us quite good results. Objects do not blur in motion, the image remains stable and clear

User menu

Settings in MSI MAG 271QP QD-OLED X24 can be made using the five-way controller, which, as mentioned earlier, is located on the back of the monitor in the center. The menu contains all the necessary settings that satisfy not only basic multimedia needs, but also the whims of picky gamers.

Here we can flexibly customize the monitor in the sections available to us. You can additionally select the Less Blue Light mode to protect your eyes from eyestrain in the dark. Gamers may need additional centering sights, which turn a sniper rifle in Counter-Strike 2 into a cheat weapon at close range AI VISION technology is available, which increases the overall saturation and brightness to «bring out» additional details in darker rooms. A kind of «Predator mode to a certain extent.

Power consumption of MSI MAG 271QP QD-OLED X24

While in classic TN, IPS and VA panels, power consumption depends primarily on the backlight level, in OLED monitors, the amount of white on the screen is of great importance. You can find more details in the table.

	Power consumption, W
Brightness level, %	100% white	100% black
0	23	15
33	52	15
50	68	15
75	73	15
100	78	15

In the 33% brightness mode at 240 Hz, MSI MAG 271QP QD-OLED X24 consumed an average of 45 watts. In general, OLED panels are still far from leading the way in energy efficiency.The temperature near the ventilation grilles reached 45 ℃. So in winter, you can count on an additional heater for your work or play space.

Experience using MSI MAG 271QP QD-OLED X24

Having used MSI MAG 271QP QD-OLED X24 for several weeks, I managed to get used to it in a positive way. First of all, I liked the design and ergonomics: thin side bezels, solid look and easy operation

Monitors with a V-shaped stand do not always allow you to comfortably place a full-size keyboard. In the case of MSI MAG 271QP QD-OLED X24, we didn’t observe such a problem, because the base is made in a classic layout.

It is noticeable that in order to save money, the manufacturer had to abandon some features, such as KVM, USB Type-C or internal speakers. However, you can do without them if you don’t really need them and are focused solely on picture quality.

I especially liked the anti-reflective coating, which allowed me to work at the monitor during the day. The glossy OLED variants that were previously tested were almost completely unacceptable for such a scenario. And they were not helped by higher brightness. Therefore, even 500 cd/m² is no substitute for good coverage.

Price and competitors

MSI MAG 271QP QD-OLED X24 can be purchased at a price of 25,999 UAH. As we understand it, this is a fairly affordable price considering the image quality of the QD OLED panel.

At this price, it doesn’t have many competitors Samsung Odyssey OLED G61SD 27 costs 4000 hryvnias more. For this money, we get KVM, compatibility with AMD FreeSync and NVIDIA G-Sync.

Gigabyte MO27Q2 is similar in price to the hero of our review. In addition, it offers USB Type-C with 18-watt charging, a KVM switch, and built-in speakers.

Philips Evnia 27M2N8500 for a higher price promises 147.5% sRGB color gamut, 118% AdobeRGB and 98.5% DCI-P3. A USB hub and internal speakers are also available. But the V-shaped stand, as mentioned earlier, is not the most ergonomically convenient.