Sitting in front The MSI Mag 341CQP gaming monitor looks almost intimidating. The 34-inch ultra-wide curved display envelops my field of vision, but it’s not the size that surprises me as much as the clarity. The monitor uses a quantum dot OLED panel that’s so clear and vivid that it’s hard not to become immersed in the games I play.
MSI’s curved gaming monitor is one of a few recent displays to bring QD-OLED panels to the desktop gaming space. A couple of our top picks in our guide to the best TVs use this technology, but monitors that use it have only just started to drop in price below four figures. This relatively new type of display brings some of the benefits of quantum dots (like more accurate colors and less wasted light) to OLED panels, only illuminating the pixels you need, resulting in perfect blacks.
Starting at $900, this MSI monitor is surprisingly affordable for what it offers (and it’s worth noting that even at the time of writing this review, I was already seeing it on sale for under $800). In addition to all the goodies of QD-OLED, it has a 3440 x 1440 resolution, a 175Hz refresh rate, HDR support, and some nifty burn-in-fighting features that all add up to a premium monitor.
Pixel perfection
Ever since I first saw one, I’ve always preferred OLED displays, but this MSI screen has impressed me. Naturally, it has those signature perfect blacks, and in HDR mode, it can reach a peak brightness of 1000 nits, which is very convenient for me since my desk is right next to a window that gets plenty of sun in the afternoon. However, once night falls, the peak brightness can be almost blinding.
When I was playing games like Supervision 2This contrast helped create an extra level of immersion. The explosion of D.Va’s bombs feels intense, as the bright flash of the explosion illuminates my face. The bright red outlines of enemies pop out, making it a little easier to spot Widowmaker from across the map.
MSI claims the display hits 99.3 percent of the DCI-P3 color space, though in my tests with my trusty Spyder X2 UltraIt got closer to 95 percent, leaning a bit more towards the reds. It strayed even further from AdobeRGB, as MSI rated the display at 97.8 percent of this color space, but my test results showed it closer to 86 percent. If you want to use this display for professional photography or video work, this may be an issue for you, but for most people it’s still fine.
In terms of color accuracy, the panel achieved an average delta E level of 1.23. For reference, a delta E below 2.0 is barely noticeable to the human eye if viewed closely, and a value below 1.0 makes it difficult for humans to tell the difference. Simply put, this MSI monitor reproduces colors incredibly accurately, so you’re less likely to notice off-color tints or shadows unless there’s a software issue.
Immersive entertainment
When I play Supervision 2I often play characters who could benefit from an improved field of view. Whether it’s Mercy looking over my shoulder for a flanker about to end my life or Wrecking Ball trying to scope out the enemy team before charging in, the more I can see, the better. I regret not playing on an ultrawide monitor sooner.