We’re in the midst of a monitor revolution that happens every few years, as new panel types catch on and wow people. That’s certainly going to happen in 2024, when there will be a slew of new displays based on Samsung’s third-generation QD-OLED panels.
We’ve been focusing on 32-inch 4K 240Hz products, including the excellent Asus ROG Swift PG32UCDM, which we praised as the best gaming monitor we’ve ever tested, and the Alienware AW3225QF, the best value option for UK buyers.
Since then, I’ve been testing MSI’s competitors, two products with catchy names MPG 321URX, and it’s a great gaming monitor, too – and for Americans, it looks like the best option since entry prices are lower on the other side of the Atlantic. But how does it compare to the Dell and Asus models we’ve already tested?
As someone who stubbornly stuck with an older 27-inch AOC 1080p 144Hz panel for years, I was certainly looking forward to a big jump in every possible way to upgrade to 4K 240Hz QD-OLED. However, I couldn’t imagine how big of a jump it would be; using the MPG 321URX was a wonderful experience.
Initially, I thought the 32-inch screen size would make the MPG 321URX very bulky when placed on my desk. However, it may be the ideal size for 4K, delivering high resolution on a larger screen, and with a 16:9 aspect ratio, it’s better suited to a variety of content than equivalent ultrawide screens at different sizes. The 140PPI pixel density keeps images sharp, and text clarity on the MPG 321URX is better than you’d expect from a monitor of this size. Text clarity is actually a broader feature of these newer Samsung QD-OLED panels, which have an improved sub-pixel layout, which is great if you want to use this MSI panel to boost your text-reading workload. A welcome upgrade.
Of course, being a QD-OLED display, there’s no doubt that this display’s blacks are gorgeous and deep, its contrast ratio is sharp, and its colors are accurate. This proves that the MPG 321URX is technically suitable for workloads other than gaming, and despite its excellent specs, you’d be foolish not to use this monitor for its intended purpose.
The combination of 4K resolution and 240Hz refresh rate immediately blew me away. Even after getting used to 144Hz refresh rates over the past few years, there’s still a noticeable difference in smoothness when jumping to 240Hz, which is good for both competitive gaming and high-refresh-rate gaming in more cinematic options.At 4K you will need ridiculous The system hits the high end of this panel in some games, but my RTX 4080 was able to keep the MPG 321URX running just fine.
While I’m pretty crappy at competitive shooters like Counter-Strike 2 and Rainbow Six Siege, the MPG 321URX still felt responsive despite my poor abilities. The 240Hz refresh rate makes those fast-paced games feel especially snappy, and even with more movie options loaded up (including Cyberpunk 2077 and Forza Horizon 5), the MPG 321URX spreads 4K resolution across the 32-inch screen , looks great too, especially with HDR enabled (in supported games), where the panel can reach peak brightness of up to 1,000 nits. It’s vibrant from almost any angle, with deep blacks and accurate colors.
The MPG 321URX also works well as a monitor when you want to kick back and watch a variety of content on YouTube or paid streaming services, including Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video, after hours of playing various games . It seems like 4K HDR content is becoming a paid extra on these streaming services, but you can certainly reap the benefits of it with the MPG 321URX. While it doesn’t support Dolby Vision like Alienware’s option, more basic HDR10 content still looks great, and considering you’re using the standard 16:9 aspect ratio rather than a wider one, most There is no mailbox in the content. Even if black bars are present in some films, the MPG 321URX’s deep blacks mean they’re barely noticeable, blending in with the thin black bezels at the edges of the monitor.
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In addition to its excellent 4K 240Hz combination, the MPG 321URX also has the advantage of offering the most comprehensive screen burn protection controls among its competitors. In addition to offering the same basic pixel shift and pixel refresh capabilities, MSI’s monitor also offers fine-tuning controls for detecting static features like the taskbar and screen logo.
The MPG 321URX also features border detection, which automatically adjusts the brightness of borders, including the edges of the browser window. This is especially helpful since borders are an area of burnout that’s particularly difficult to avoid or prevent on desktops, so credit must go to MSI for putting it here. There is also a measure that prompts you to run MSI’s OLED Care after four hours of use, thus turning off the display when the program is finished. It’s a bit of a pain, but at least it helps prevent screen burn and allows for a delay if you’re doing something.
The MPG 321URX looks great, with the same sleek, modern, gamer-inspired look as its competitors. However, it feels a little more mature than its competitors from Alienware and Asus, especially the more tasteful RGB on the back of the stand. The physical adjustments here are pretty good too, with a reasonable range of height adjustment, tilt, and plenty of swivel. 100×100 VESA mounting is also entirely possible.
The stand also features cable management channels to prevent any unnecessary dangling. There’s also an excellent port selection, including a pair of HDMI 2.1 ports and a DP 1.4a. Both support DSC, allowing 4K 240Hz output. The MPG 321URX also has two USB-A 2.0 ports and a USB-C port with 90W power output. You also get the benefits of a KVM switch, using the same set of peripherals and the same display on two different devices, which is convenient – and not included with Dell’s offering.
The OSD is large, easy to navigate and offers a wide range of features. There are six color modes suitable for different types of games, as well as a choice of eight picture modes and two HDR modes – True Black 400 or Peak 1000. The MPG 321URX’s OSD is easy to navigate in large part because of its conveniently centered joystick, which is always easy to find.
Pulling out my trusty colorimeter to test the MPG 321URX’s overall image quality confirmed my belief that it delivers wonderful colors and contrast, as well as deep blacks. SDR brightness isn’t particularly high, measuring around 210 nits, but that’s in line with other monitors using the same panel.
It’s also a screen with excellent color accuracy, having the lowest Delta-E values we’ve seen after calibration (0.21 average, 0.93 maximum), plus reasonable gamma 2.2 tracking and a 6500K white point. Color gamut coverage is also strong, with 100% sRGB, 99% Adobe P3 and 98% Adobe RGB coverage. These qualities make the MPG 321URX ideal for color-sensitive workloads when the monitor is set to one of the “Pro” modes for these color spaces, although the risk of screen burn is always highest when screen elements remain static. A very long time.
As for HDR performance, the MPG 321URX has a peak brightness of 1,000 nits, which is in line with other monitors in its class. Games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Return look great in both HDR modes, with everything from deep blacks to bright highlights rendered perfectly, making gaming a joy.
So where does this all lead us? Well, perhaps not surprisingly, the MSI MPG 321URX is easily one of the best gaming monitors we’ve ever tested. This is a powerful panel that takes advantage of all the benefits of the latest monitor innovations, delivering massive detail and smooth output across the panel, capable of rendering extremely accurate and vibrant colors and inky blacks across a range of content. Elsewhere, you get a stand with good adjustability, mature looks and a fantastic port selection, as well as handy extras including KVM and USB-C with 90W power delivery.
Ultimately, it’s the QD-OLED panel that determines much of a monitor’s performance, so it’s no surprise that the overall viewing experience on the £1,299 MSI MPG 321URX is almost identical to that of the £1,349 Asus ROG PG32UCDM and the less feature-rich ASUS ROG PG32UCDM. 989 Dell Alienware AW3225QF. This makes the Dell model the best choice for UK buyers, unless you really want a flat screen.
However, when it comes to US pricing, the MSI MPG 321URX is significantly cheaper than the competition, with the monitor selling for just $949 – although it’s out of stock at the time of writing. You could also consider the $899 MSI MAG 321UPX, which is nearly identical but lacks 90W USB-C power delivery, two USB-A ports, and user-upgradeable firmware—relatively minor downgrades. Both options are significantly cheaper than the $1,200 Dell Alienware AW3225QF and the $1,299 ROG OLED PG32UCDM.
The fact remains that while the MSI MPG 321URX is expensive, its QD-OLED panel ultimately delivers a level of fidelity and performance that is absolutely unmatched by its aforementioned Asus and Dell counterparts in the gaming monitor world. If you want the best monitor available, this monitor should definitely be on your shortlist – especially in the US, where the lower price makes it our top pick.
