MSI MAG 272QP QD-OLED X50 Review (500Hz QD-OLED)

1. Introduction2. Design3. On-screen Display (OSD)4. Panel Analysis: SDR5. Panel Analysis: HDR6. Response Times & Motion Clarity7. Input Latency8. Closing Thoughts9. View All Pages

It's been a very fun week putting MSI's MAG 272QP QD-OLED X50 through its paces. As the fastest OLED monitor we've ever tested, this one is clearly geared towards gamers looking to extract every ounce of competitive advantage from their setups, but its appeal will be wider than just esports gamers.

For one, the factory calibration is solid, with accurate greyscale and gamma tracking. There's just a hint of warmth to the overall colour balance, but nothing that can't be fixed by a manual tweak to the RGB settings. MSI's sRGB mode continues to impress, delivering low average deltaEs, while the updated 3rd Gen Panel is the brightest OLED we've ever tested for SDR usage.

The actual gaming experience is incredible, too – 500Hz QD-OLED is every bit as fast and fluid as it sounds, and thanks to MSI's addition of black frame insertion (BFI), you don't need to hit 500Hz in every game to benefit from increased motion clarity. 500Hz itself does bring other latency benefits too, with this screen delivering one of the lowest lag results we've ever seen.

In terms of the negative points, there are some features missing – including a USB hub and KVM functionality – though that is deliberately done to keep the price down, given this is one of MSI's MAG series, rather than the more premium MPG or MEG ranges. That also likely explains the use of DP1.4 rather than DP2.1 and the USB-C power delivery being limited to just 15W. As with other MSI monitors, I also feel the build quality is a little on the plasticky side, but it's far from a deal-breaker.

I do think those points can be forgiven though, considering the sheer speed and overall fidelity on offer from the 272QP X50. It's currently retailing for £699, too, though MSRP is officially £799 so pricing may go back up. Either way, if you're in the market for possibly the fastest gaming experiences that the PC platform can currently deliver, this is well worth buying.

Pros

• Very wide gamut.
• Effectively infinite contrast ratio.
• Very fast response times.
• Blisteringly fast at 500Hz, with incredible motion clarity.
• Games just look so good.
• Very good factory calibration.
• HDR hits 1000 nits, with the new EOTF Boost mode making a positive difference.
• Very good sRGB emulation mode.
• 2x HDMI 2.1 ports.
• User-upgradable firmware.

Cons

• Lacks a USB hub and KVM functionality.
• DisplayPort is only 1.4 spec, not 2.1.
• USB-C charging limited to just 15W.
• Metal stand would have been nice.

KitGuru says: It's the fastest OLED we've ever tested, delivering insane motion clarity and very low latency.

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