MSI MPG341CQR Review: 3440×1440 144Hz UltraWide Curved Gaming Monitor

The MSI MPG341CQR is the first VA-panel 3440×1440 ultrawide gaming monitor with a native 144Hz refresh rate.

It offers an immersive image quality thanks to its high contrast ratio while its high refresh rate in addition to AMD FreeSync, 1ms MPRT, and low input lag ensure smooth gaming performance.

The MSI Optix MPG341CQR monitor also offers premium design quality with lots of awesome features such as a built-in webcam, GameSense RGB, and more!

Image Quality

Based on a VA (Vertical Alignment) panel, the MSI MPG341CQR offers a static contrast ratio of 3,000:1, which makes for deep blacks that really stand out in comparison to blacks on IPS and TN panels which have a contrast ratio of around 1,000:1.

The monitor also provides vibrant colors with 84% DCI-P3 color space coverage (105% sRGB), 10-bit color depth support, and excellent factory calibration.

However, as far as consistency and uniformity are concerned, IPS models are still better in this regard. So, for color-critical work, there are better options, but for just basic content creation, MSI’s ultrawide monitor is great.

The 21:9 ultrawide format provides you with extra horizontal screen space for better productivity, and it also increases your field of view in video games for a more immersive gaming experience – as long as the video game supports 21:9.

3440×1440 resolution results in a rich pixel density of roughly 110 PPI (pixels per inch), which means you’ll get plenty of screen real estate as well as clear and sharp details without having to use scaling.

Other panel-related specifications include a 400-nit peak brightness and 178-degree wide viewing angles. The MSI MPG341CQR display also supports HDR (High Dynamic Range), and carries VESA’ DisplayHDR 400 certification.

Just like with most DisplayHDR 400 monitors, the certification is misleading and basically useless. For a noteworthy HDR viewing experience, a display needs local dimming, at least 90% DCI-P3 color gamut, and much higher peak brightness.

So, don’t expect an amazing HDR picture quality. For that, you’ll need to spend a bit more on an HDR monitor such as the Acer X35 or the ASUS PG27UQ, which have localized dimming solutions.

As far as regular content goes, the MSI MPG341CQR offers an outstanding image quality for the price.

Performance

The MSI MPG341CQR input lag performance is excellent with only ~4ms of delay, which is imperceptible.

As expected from a VA panel display, pixel response time is its weakest point. While there’s no prominent trailing behind fast-moving objects, black smearing is visible in darker scenes.

Whether or not you’ll be bothered by the level of black smearing will depend on your sensitivity to it. Some might find it tolerable or even negligible, while others will be entirely repulsed by it.

The MPG341CQR ultrawide monitor is mainly suited for those who prefer better visuals and graphics in video games where the slow pixel transition speed won’t ruin your gaming experience.

In fast-paced games, you can use the Motion Blur Reduction (MBR), which MSI labeled as Anti Motion Blur in the OSD (On-Screen Display) menu of the monitor. When enabled, this feature strobes the backlight to reduce the perceived motion blur for better clarity.

However, when Anti Motion Blur is enabled, the screen’s maximum brightness gets decreased. Further, you cannot use Anti Motion Blur and AMD FreeSync at the same time.

FreeSync synchronizes the monitor’s refresh rate with GPU’s frame rate, which in turn eliminates screen tearing and stuttering with minimal effect on input lag (~1ms).

The MSI MPG341CQR FreeSync range is 48-144Hz/FPS (Frames Per Second), LFC (Low Framerate Compensation) is supported, and it works with compatible NVIDIA cards.

However, some users experience brightness flickering when FreeSync/G-SYNC is enabled.

This only affects some units of the monitor, and the brightness flickering is mostly present below 48FPS and/or when your frame rate fluctuates a lot. Sadly, this issue affects most monitors based on VA panels.

Also important to note is that the backlight of the monitor is flicker-free and that there’s an integrated low-blue light filter that eliminates eye strain and headaches caused by prolonged use of the screen.

Features

Moving on, the MSI MPG341CQR curved gaming monitor offers plenty of exclusive features.

First off, there’s the Night Vision feature (essentially Black Equalizer 2), which increases the visibility of objects in dark parts of games. The A.I. preset of this feature can increase visibility in the dark without overexposing the bright parts of the image.

There are also the Game Mode and Pro Mode picture presets (FPS, RTS, RPG, Racing, Reader, Cinema, Designer, and two customizable profiles) as well as Picture in Picture and Picture by Picture.

You can use the Gaming OSD desktop application to adjust all the OSD-related settings using your mouse and keyboard, or you can use the 5-way joystick, which is placed at the back of the monitor on the right side.

Beneath the bottom bezel of the monitor at the right side, there’s a macro hotkey that launches the Gaming OSD desktop application.

Other features include Screen Assistance (custom crosshairs), three response time overdrive modes (Normal, Fast, Fastest), Zero Latency for minimal input lag, refresh rate tracker, and Eye Saver Mode.

You will find RGB LEDs at the back of the monitor which use MSI’s Mystic Light technology as well as five LED strips at the front, which use SteelSeries’ GameSense technology that can be synchronized with in-game ammo, kill count, H.P., etc. of compatible games.

Finally, there’s a built-in 720p webcam with a sensor and A.I. that can adjust the screen’s brightness according to ambient lighting and change the display’s settings according to the user it detects in front of the monitor/camera.

Design & Connectivity

The MSI Optix MPG341CQR boasts a sturdy design with versatile ergonomics, including up to 100mm height adjustment, -5°/15° tilt, +/- 30° swivel, and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility.

Additionally, the design includes a headset hanger, a camera mounting bracket at the top of the monitor, a mouse bungee, and ultra-thin bezels. There’s an anti-glare matte screen coating, which eliminates reflections while the 1800R curvature further improves the viewing experience.

Connectivity options are rich as well and include two HDMI 2.0b ports (up to 100Hz at 3440×1440), DisplayPort 1.4, USB type C (with DP 1.4 Alt Mode), three downstream USB 3.0 ports and one upstream USB port as well as headphones, microphone, and combined audio jacks.

Price & Similar Monitors

The MSI MPG341CQR price ranges from $750 to $800, which is too expensive.

You can get a 34″ 3440×1440 144Hz curved VA gaming monitor with basically identical image quality and performance for ~$450, such as the AOC CU34G2X, just without the fancy RGB lighting and gimmicky features.

If you don’t want to deal with black smearing and VRR brightness flickering, you should invest ~$100 more for the LG 34GP83A or get the Gigabyte M34WQ for ~$500 instead; both models use IPS panels, the LG is more expensive as it has a bit wider color gamut, faster response time and a curved screen.

You may also want to visit our best ultrawide monitors buyer’s guide for more information.

Conclusion

All in all, the MSI MPG341CQR is an excellent gaming monitor, but its premium features quickly add up to the price, making it way too expensive.

Specifications

Screen Size	34-inch
Screen Curvature	1800R
Resolution	3440×1440 (UWQHD)
Panel Type	VA
Aspect Ratio	21:9 (UltraWide)
Refresh Rate	144Hz
Response Time (GtG)	Not specified
Response Time (MBR)	1ms (MPRT)
Adaptive Sync	FreeSync (48Hz-144Hz)
Ports	DisplayPort 1.4, 2x HDMI 2.0b, USB-C (DP 1.4 Alt Mode)
Other Ports	3x USB 3.0, Headphone, Microphone, Combined Audio
Brightness	400 cd/m2
Contrast Ratio	3000:1 (static)
Colors	1.07 billion (8-bit + FRC) 84% DCI-P3 (105% sRGB)
HDR	DisplayHDR 400
VESA	Yes (100x100mm)