MSI Optix MPG321UR-QD Review: Speed, Quality and Pro Aspirations

MSI's Optix MPG321UR-QD is a 32-inch Ultra HD gaming monitor with Esports cred and professional aspirations.

Reviews
By published

Why you can trust Tom's Hardware Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

If resolution is your top priority, only an Ultra HD gaming monitor will do. Though you can get smoother play from a faster QHD or FHD screen, UHD still offers the tightest pixel structure and the sharpest rendering of static and slow-moving images.

Now that consoles have added UHD, 120 Hz and FreeSync to their feature lists, we’re seeing a new surge of 4K monitors hitting the market. That surge is driving prices down and the MSI Optix MPG321UR-QD is a great example. It delivers a lot of features with high performance and a stunning picture for an attractive price.

(Image credit: MSI)

With its 715-nit capable backlight, massive color gamut that covers 117% of DCI-P3 and excellent HDR, it’s a great choice for playing the latest titles while enjoying realistic graphics and phenomenal contrast. Accurate color modes mean you can use it for any color standard from sRGB to Adobe RGB and DCI-P3, and the monitor even approaches Rec.2020.  This is one of the most colorful monitors we’ve tested to date, equaling premium screens like Asus’ PG32UQX. Our only wish is for gamma presets and a calibration mode that doesn't limit brightness and contrast.

Though it runs at the same 144 Hz as other Ultra HD gaming screens, MSI's monitor has one of the best overdrives we’ve seen. This ensures the smoothest possible play south of a 240 Hz panel. You will need a powerful PC to keep frame rates high, but if you can sustain over 100 fps, the experience is much closer to reality.

We also loved MSI’s well-thought-out features. The room light sensor is useful for those who play in changing light environments. The adaptive crosshair and sniper magnification are also a great enhancement to your favorite shooters.

The MSI Optix MPG321UR-QD currently sells for around $900. That’s a bargain when you consider that it performs on par with the top Ultra HD screens that cost anywhere from two to three times as much. Even professionals can consider it for post-production use. If you want to jump into Ultra HD gaming on a console or PC, the MPG321UR-QD is definitely worth checking out.

Christian Eberle
Christian Eberle
Contributing Editor

Christian Eberle is a Contributing Editor for Tom's Hardware US. He's a veteran reviewer of A/V equipment, specializing in monitors. Christian began his obsession with tech when he built his first PC in 1991, a 286 running DOS 3.0 at a blazing 12MHz. In 2006, he undertook training from the Imaging Science Foundation in video calibration and testing and thus started a passion for precise imaging that persists to this day. He is also a professional musician with a degree from the New England Conservatory as a classical bassoonist which he used to good effect as a performer with the West Point Army Band from 1987 to 2013. He enjoys watching movies and listening to high-end audio in his custom-built home theater and can be seen riding trails near his home on a race-ready ICE VTX recumbent trike. Christian enjoys the endless summer in Florida where he lives with his wife and Chihuahua and plays with orchestras around the state.