MSI is rolling out its homebrewed "EOTF Boost" mode to more of its outgoing QD-OLED gaming monitors this month, according to WCCFTech. The feature helps improve the brightness of MSI's QD-OLED monitors and will be arriving through firmware updates.
EOTF Boost is already supported on several MSI models, including the MAG 322UP E16, MAG 272QP X50, MAG 271QP X28, and MAG 272QPW X28. MSI did not clarify which monitors or how many monitors will be getting the new proprietary HDR mode, but it is possible that we could see MSI's whole QD-OLED lineup receive the update.
We reached out to MSI for more details, but our U.S. contacts didn't have anything to offer other than to point us to a press release the company shared to Reddit last month. Perhaps the company is soft-launching the feature in specific markets before rolling it out globally.
EOTF Boost is a technology MSI developed that improves HDR performance on its QD-OLED displays. EOTF Boost delivers higher brightness under the same APL conditions compared to HDR 1000. As Monitor's Unboxed put it, the mode aims to deliver the best visual experience from the official HDR Peak 1000 and HDR True Black 500 modes simultaneously. EOTF Boost provides peak 1000 nit brightness while almost entirely neutralizing brightness dimming.
MSI's new mode is designed to address visual flaws found in some of the aforementioned official HDR modes. The official Peak HDR 1000 mode is known to have noticeable brightness dimming depending on the scene, which can impact the visual experience of HDR in a negative way. The official HDR True Black modes are far less susceptible to this issue, but don't provide the higher brightness functionality of the Peak HDR modes.
EOTF Boost is not an official mode endorsed by VESA, so don't expect this technology to make its way to other vendors. Still, we could see other vendors such as Asus and Gigabyte deliver their own interpretations of EOTF Boost in the future.
If you have one of the aforementioned supported MSI monitors, you can enable EOTF Boost in your monitor's menu options. But if you don't, expect the feature to pop up this month when MSI provides new firmware updates for your monitors.
