MSI has announced a pair of new eSports monitors which will join its Optix MAG range. The two, the Optix MAG273 and Optix MAG273R, are both 27-inch monitors and the single 'R' suffix of the second SKU highlights the only difference between the pair - the Optix MAG273R is MSI Mystic Light enabled via a single RGB strip along a rear extrusion. Now I've mentioned the only difference, let's get into the key specs on offer here.
The MSI Optix MAG273(R) is built around a 27-inch FHD IPS panel. MSI boasts about sourcing an IPS panel with a max 144Hz refresh rate and speedy 1ms response time, but we've seen IPS monitors with 240Hz and 1ms GtG refresh before, like the LG 27GH750.
Other key features of these new monitors are the support for AMD FreeSync (30 to 144Hz), DCI-P3 / sRGB 98 / 139 per cent colour gamut, HDR Ready, 1,000:1 contrast ratio, frameless design, wide viewing angles, anti-flicker and low blue light modes. A disappointing figure I uncovered while looking through the full specs page was that the max brightness on offer from these displays is 250 nits.
Moving onto the software/firmware, the monitors are supported by the MSI Gaming OSD App 2.0. This app makes it quicker and easier to adjust monitor settings (and RGB lighting if available). Here you can deftly change settings and change between the wide range of gaming and other modes. Furthermore, you can use hotkeys in-game to change settings thanks to this app. If you don't want to use the app MSI's monitors come with a 5-way OSD navigation joystick.
MSI highlights its Night Vision feature where "dark area of the screen can be amplified, as opposed to brutally brightening the whole screen and causing some areas to overexpose," but this kind of colour curve/histogram preset is pretty much as old as the hills in gaming monitors - but bears many and varied names.
MSI Mystic Light RGB lighting
Moving our focus back to the hardware again, both these monitors come with adjustable stands offering -5° ~ 20° tilt adjustment but only the 'R' suffixed model with RGB lighting caters for height adjustment (0 - 130mm). A 100mm x 100mm VESA mount can be used instead of the supplied stand. Connectivity seems adequate with the MSI Optix MAG273(R) models boasting 1x USB 2.0 Type B, 2x USB 2.0 Type A, 1x Display Port (1.2a), 2x HDMI (2.0b), and a single Earphone out.
MSI hasn't shared pricing or availability details.
