Sometimes the only drawback of technology is its cost, and MSI MPG 341CQPX QD-OLED is exactly the case. A luxurious monitor with a top-of-the-line OLED matrix, realistic colors, and high frequency cannot be affordable at the same time, but it gives a unique experience. In this review, we will try to answer the main question: «Is it worth the money?».
Pluses:
generous set of connectors; luxurious design; good viewing angles; realistic image with full color coverage; high refresh rate and low latency; computer control of parameters; good brightness margin; three-year warranty, including panel burn-in;
Minuses:
Radeon graphics cards consume a lot of power when idle with this monitor; high price;
Content
Specifications of MSI MPG 341CQPX QD-OLED
| Technical characteristics | |
| Diagonal | 34″ |
| Panel type | QD-OLED |
| Viewing angle | 178°/ 178° |
| Radius of curvature | 1800R |
| Resolution | 3440×1440 |
| Brightness (typical) | 250/400/1000 nits |
| Contrast | 1500000 to 1 |
| Color depth | 10 bit |
| Response time | 0.3 ms GtG |
| Update frequency | 240 Hz |
| HDR support | DisplayHDR True Black 400 |
| Audio system | No |
| Audio jack | 3.5 mm jack |
| Display Port | 1 x DP 1.4a |
| HDMI | 2 x HDMI 2.1 |
| USB | 2 x USB 2.0 Type-A |
| 1 x USB 2.0 Type-B | |
| 1 x Type-C (DP alt.) w/ PD 98W | |
| Other | Adaptive-Sync |
| Power supply | Internal |
| Energy consumption | 30-100 W |
| Dimensions | 812 x 130 x 361 mm |
| Weight (with stand) | 8.8 kg |
Package and packaging
The monitor arrived for review in two boxes, the device itself is densely packed with foam, as is everything else inside. There are no complaints about the quality of the packaging.
The colored cardboard box contains the MSI MPG 341CQPX QD-OLED, a stand, a leg, a 220V power cable, a USB Type B cable for connecting to a PC, an HDMI cable, and a Display Port cable. The power supply is built into the monitor case.
Design, interfaces
The monitor has a curved design with a 1800R roundness. This is quite common for models with an aspect ratio of 21:9 and a diagonal of more than 30 inches. The frame is thin, the case is elegant, neat, and stylish. Subjectively, the look of the hero of the review is luxurious.
The back panel has a mirrored panel on one side and mirrored strips on the other, which reflects daylight. Smart RGB backlighting on the back, like in MSI MEG 342C QD-OLED.
The leg allows you to adjust the monitor in height and tilt, but without rotation. It is installed without screws, exclusively on a plastic mount, which is very convenient, but when I first carried it, I was suspicious because MSI MPG 341CQPX QD-OLED is quite heavy. We have already seen a similar mount in Gigabyte GS27F, but it is half the weight.
The manufacturer has not spared interfaces and added a full-fledged USB Hub, which includes two USB Type A, USB Type C (with support for Display Port and Power Delivery up to 98W), USB Type B. There are also three dedicated video interfaces consisting of two HDMI 2.1 and one Display Port 1.4a. There are no built-in speakers, but there is a combined 3.5 mm jack.
MSI MPG 341CQPX QD-OLED display
The wide 34-inch screen has a glossy finish that reflects light well, but only on a black background. Surprisingly, the brightness is enough to work comfortably on a sunny day. The manufacturer claims 250 nits of basic brightness for SDR content and 450 nits for HDR, but this one goes up to 1000 nits at peaks.
The resolution of 3440×1440 pixels is the golden mean for such a diagonal. The pixel density is quite enough for comfortable work with small text at a short distance from the eyes. The manufacturer does not mention anything about Nvidia G-Sync, but there is support for Adaptive Sync.
Adobe RGB mode:
P3 mode:
Office mode:
Viewing angles are good, the image almost never loses saturation, and most importantly, it does not distort colors. Some available OLED matrices are guilty of slight «greening» or incorrect white display, etc., but there are no nuances here.
Software
Knowing that all MSI monitors have a slow navigation menu, it’s wiser to use a USB Type B cable, which, in addition to accessing the settings, also allows you to use the built-in USB Hub. When you first connect the monitor, it offers to install the proprietary MSI Gaming Intelligence utility.
This program immediately offers to install an antivirus from a partner. It’s quite an aggressive ad, especially for a premium monitor of the highest class. It feels like you’ve bought a Chinese smartphone at the price of an Apple iPhone, where ads in proprietary firmware are immediately in your face.
The MSI Gaming Intelligence utility itself is functional, convenient, and allows you to change parameters in a few mouse clicks. There is a whole carload of ready-made profiles that can be changed to suit your preferences. For example, for different genres of video games or working in professional software.
Energy consumption
The power consumption level of the MSI MPG 341CQPX QD-OLED strongly depends on what is happening on the screen. Since this is an OLED monitor, it is most economical with black themes, and changing the refresh rate has almost no effect on the power appetite of the review hero.
With the minimum backlight level on a dark background, the wattmeter shows 31 watts. Change the background to white and we get almost 50-60 watts. Increasing the brightness to 100% makes it consume up to 95 watts with a white theme, and on a black background, it does not exceed 40-45 watts. On average, with a moderate level of brightness, a dark theme in the system and during active use in various programs, we received 35 watts.
In games, this is all very situational because the image will never be static, especially in active games. Typical gamers can only count on 50 watts, no more. For office use, MSI MPG 341CQPX QD-OLED is strictly recommended to set dark themes in the system, as this will save up to 50% of energy.
Experience with MSI MPG 341CQPX QD-OLED
It is unusual to return to classic monitors after such a flagship because it has performed so well in all scenarios. You quickly get used to the curved screen, but for a few days afterwards, conventional displays seem curved, but outward (like old CRT monitors).
In general, the experience of using MSI MPG 341CQPX QD-OLED is pleasant, with one exception. And it’s not about the aforementioned antivirus ad, but about component compatibility. Regular readers know that I own the perfect video card AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX.
So, when idle with this monitor, the graphics adapter consumes an incredible 100 watts, keeping high frequencies on the memory/chip. Changing the cables (HDMI/DP) and refresh rate (up to 60 Hz) reduces this figure to 50 watts, which is still a lot. With a smaller and much cheaper monitor from another manufacturer, this RX 7900 XTX consumes 8-10 watts without load, as it should.
З AMD Radeon RX 6950 XT I had a similar problem when connecting a video card to a 144Hz 4K monitor. It’s unpleasant, but not everyone has this problem. Perhaps this is an isolated case, or perhaps a software bug. This bug is fixed by changing the refresh rate to a non-standard one, for example, 221 Hz.
Competitors and price of MSI MPG 341CQPX QD-OLED
MSI MPG 341CQPX QD-OLED is almost impossible to buy in Ukraine, but there is a younger version MSI MPG 341CQP QD-OLED which has a lower refresh rate of 175 Hz. You can buy it for 49000 hryvnias. Let’s look at several competitors with similar characteristics.
Samsung Odyssey OLED G85SB 34 is perhaps the best offer on the market. The cost-to-features ratio is impressive, as this model costs only 370000 hryvnias. In addition to monitor functions, it has Tizen OS, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth.
Dell Alienware AW3423DW – is an exemplary gaming monitor with Nvidia G-Sync Ultimate, a full-fledged USB hub, and low-power consumption.
GigaByte MO34WQC2 is interesting because it has built-in speakers and is a direct competitor to the MSI MPG 341CQP QD-OLED.
Acer Predator X34Xbmiiphuzx with a refresh rate of 240 Hz can compete with the hero of the review. The only caveat is the small radius of curvature of the 800R, which makes you put the monitor even closer.
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