MSI Optix MAG274R2 review | PCMag

What should a gaming monitor do? First and foremost, there should be a “duh, obviously” alert for most buyers!game Good. But many buyers want the total package in their purchase: good games and media playback, all in a single panel at a price that does not require a large surcharge compared to a mainstream entertainment display. Unfortunately, MSI’s $ 299.99 Optix MAG274R2, a new 27-inch panel with a gaming arch, stumbles in both departments by trying to please multiple parties. We noticed a washed-out, choppy image during our gaming tests. The price is aggressive for a gaming panel given its size, and the input lag is excellent, which keeps it on the three-star line. It’s a fair choice for a budget gaming panel, but at this size (and cheaper!)

Highly adjustable, inside and outside

With a 27-inch display with a native resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 pixels and a maximum refresh rate of 165 Hz, the Optix MAG274R2 offers a simple, straightforward design that corresponds to its price (in relative terms – more on that in a minute).

The monitor sits on a completely black post that ends in a flat, rectangular and stable base. The stand allows the screen to slide up and down a little more than 6 inches, tilt back and forth (from -5 to 20 degrees), and swivel left and right (75 degrees in either direction). The entire unit weighs 19.2 pounds assembled, while the display portion itself weighs 13.4 pounds, making it a great choice for anyone who has a VESA mount for lighter weight.

(Photo: Chris Stobing)

The monitor can also be rotated 90 degrees between landscape and portrait, which is unusual for a cheaper gaming panel. Overall, the MAG274R2 is a very ergonomic monitor that easily fits on almost any desk or wall.

(Photo: Chris Stobing)

Each of the lights lining a diagonal strip along the back of the monitor housing is RGB capable and can either be accessed via the responsive onscreen display (OSD) menu (controlled via a five-way joystick on the back) or via the MSI Gaming. OSD software suite can be customized. In order to be able to use the software, the display must be connected to your PC via an upstream USB 2.0 port on the back of the device.

(Photo: Chris Stobing)

MSI’s onboard menu is extensive with customization options and pre-built profiles to choose from. This includes three different gaming modes (RTS, FPS, Racing) as well as both a professional mode for color work and a movie mode for viewing content.

(Photo: Chris Stobing)

While the power button is located directly under the OSD joystick, most of the connections are located in the rear left corner of the monitor. These include two HDMI 2.0 ports, a DisplayPort 1.4b input, an upstream USB 2.0 Type-B port, two downstream USB 2.0 Type-A ports, a USB-C port (display- ready), a 3.5 mm headphone connection for audio passthrough via HDMI and the connection for the power brick.

Testing the Optix MAG247R2: May not be for everyone

The 1080p display is based on a standard IPS panel (note the lack of “Fast” or “Rapid” there) with a native refresh rate of 165 Hz. It is billed as “HDR-ready”, which is basically means it can accept an HDR signal and then scale down to SDR, and it is G-Sync compatible and supports AMD FreeSync (no “Premium” or “2” at the end of the latter qualification).

We test monitors with a Datacolor SpyderX Elite colorimeter, a Murideo SIX-G signal generator and the CalMAN 5 software from Portrait Displays. Here’s what we saw …

In standard picture mode with an SDR signal, the MAG274R2 showed a surprisingly high peak brightness of 374.2 nits (the display is rated for only 300 nits) and a black level of 0.33 nit, which corresponds to a contrast ratio of 1,150: 1, clearly over his rated 1,000: 1. Those numbers haven’t changed much in other picture modes like FPS, Race Mode, or Cinema. (Learn more about how we test monitors.)

However, turning on the HDR setting (remember, this is simulated HDR) did the opposite of what you’d expect, bringing the nits measurement down to just 223.4. (Because HDR is simulated, it is not shown in the table above.) Do not use this mode if you can avoid it. It is for a marketing purpose rather than improving the picture quality of your games, movies, or TV shows.

In terms of color results, the Optix covered 100% of the sRGB color space and also achieved some good marks in DCI-P3 with 93% coverage, which makes it a solid choice for both gamers and content lovers from a color coverage perspective. AdobeRGB gamut returns were also above average (84% coverage), which is more than most gaming panels, but still below what a professional content creator should look for on their next monitor.

Finally, the MSI Optix MAG247R2 surprised us again with strong results in our color accuracy tests and only achieved a Delta-E rating of 0.91 in our short edition with the standard settings …

Many gaming monitors can hit below 2.0, but below 1.0 is an achievement. If you are working with color-sensitive materials, a calibration session with the six-axis adjustment under the OSD can lower this value even further.

Now for the media and gaming benchmarks. This is an area where display technologies like IPS both shine and struggle, with superior image quality but also slower response times and the potential for ghosting and artifacts in high frame rate scenarios.

In HDR, our 4K Costa Rica test footage (output at 1080p to match the monitor’s native resolution) was basically a non-starter as this isn’t a true HDR monitor and the scaled down signal couldn’t hold a candle to the most basic HDR400 implementations . Red Dead Redemption 2, meanwhile, looked with HDR turned on or off OKbut not as good as what I expect from IPS panels in 2021.

(Photo: Chris Stobing)

As for testing traditional input lag (the length of time between a monitor receiving a signal and screen updates), we’re testing it with an HDFury 4K Diva HDMI matrix. With a 60Hz test signal, the Optix really is expired our lag tester because it was so fast that the LED diode couldn’t even pick up a signal. The fastest model we tested so far was MSI’s ultrawide esports option, the Optix MPG341CQR, with an input lag result of 1.4 ms. When testing the MAG274R2, our tool returned the error message “Result under 1ms, please check sensor position”.

After running the test again on a different monitor besides the MAG274R2, we saw an expected result of around 5ms, which leads to the conclusion that MSI’s latest Optix posts at least less than 1 ms input lag. However, how much will remain a mystery until our testing technology catches up.

Speaking of gaming performance, with G-Sync compatibility on board and input lag numbers like the ones above, I expected good things from the MAG274R2 when it was time to see it do it with quick options like counter Strike: Global Offensive bypasses. But I was disappointed to see serious ghosting issues throughout my time in this game, as well as several rounds of Overwatch.

The problem was bad enough that I regularly missed critical lashes that could make or break a round of competitive play. (It’s good that I only competed against a few bots.) But even with this perk, ghosting was still such a big problem that this monitor, despite its strengths as a gaming display, ultimately suffers defeat in terms of input lag . (Just like you could if you trusted it to help you climb online leaderboards.)

Verdict: Exorcise your spirits

The Optix MAG274R2 is an affordable entry into the IPS gaming area, with incredibly low input lag and a generous range of functions for the money. But its problems with ghosting in high frame rate games make it difficult to recommend to serious gamers on a budget. Anyone interested in esports gaming – and who wouldn’t be if you were considering a display like this – shouldn’t go for the MAG274R2 as its ghosting issues are actually significant enough hurt Your gameplay instead of helping him.

(Photo: Chris Stobing)

However, if you’re looking for an HDR-lite IPS panel that’s good enough to watch movies or play AAA titles at 60 fps, the MAG274R2 is fine. The limited HDR implementation results in a muddy, washed-out viewing experience when enabled, and the content has otherwise been muted. If an IPS panel can’t look great next to the speed, then why use one at all?

If you need an IPS panel for visual quality instead, but you also need the speed to match, you can find slightly more expensive options with Nano, Rapid, or Fast IPS displays (like the MSI Optix MAG274QRF-QD) that don’t compromise enter. Otherwise, stick with a TN or VA panel that can keep up with the speeds of games like Counter-Strike or Valorant. It may not look how It’s good, but at least you can get a clean shot every time without worrying about previous frames flipping over the current image.