Finally, MSI’s bold approach to next-generation 32-inch 4K OLED gaming monitors has been revealed. Why were we so eager to get our dirty paws into the MSI MPG321URX? Simple. The cheapest available so far.
At least it is when there is actual availability. We’ve seen it offered for around $849 to $899, with the latter being more typical. That’s at least $200 cheaper than other 32-inch 4K gaming OLEDs. So it’s perhaps no surprise that as soon as a new batch is released to retailers, it seems to sell out almost immediately.
We can’t blame MSI for this, though. What we can say is that, on paper, there is every reason to rush when the MPG321URX appears. After all, the $1,300 Asus ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM offers exactly the same Samsung-sourced QD-OLED panel as many other much more expensive monitors, including the $1,200 Alienware 32 AW3225QF and the $1,100 Gigabyte Aorus CO49DQ.
Yes, this is the fourth 32-inch 4K QD-OLED monitor we’ve reviewed in recent months. They all share the same core specs, including 240Hz refresh, a claimed 0.03ms response, and 250 full-screen brightness, as well as 99% DCI-P3 coverage.
MSI MPG321URX features
Screen size: 32 inch
Resolution: 3,840 x 2,160
Brightness: 250 nits full screen, 1,000 nits maximum HDR
Color coverage: 99% DCI-P3
Reaction time: 0.03ms
Refresh rate: 240Hz
HDR: DisplayHDR 400 True Black
Features: Samsung QD-OLED 3rd Generation panel, Adaptive Sync, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 2x HDMI 2.1, 1x USB-C with 90W PD, KVM switch
Price: $899 | £1,289
And of course they all offer the same basic benefits; that is, the combination of OLED’s excellent per-pixel illumination and huge speed advantage over any LCD panel, and 4K effective pixel density not available on previous OLED monitors. In theory, it’s the ultimate recipe for not only high-end gaming, but also precision productivity.
In other words, until these monitors you couldn’t enjoy the benefits of OLED and beautiful, crispy fonts at the same time. Now you can, and the new MSI MPG321URX is no exception. Yes, it retains the slightly odd triangular subpixel arrangement of all QD-OLEDs. However, the pixel density is such that it is not a problem in terms of text blurring or fringing.
Before we get into the finer details of how the MSI MPG321URX performs, it’s worth noting that its broader feature set isn’t affected by the sharp pricing. There’s a pair of HDMI ports and a DisplayPort interface, as well as USB-C with 90W power delivery. This is something the more expensive Alienware doesn’t have, while Gigabyte’s USB-C interface is limited to a pretty pointless 18W.
You could argue that USB-C has little relevance to gaming, as 90W isn’t enough power for a high-end gaming laptop. But the appeal of this class of monitor is that it’s great for both gaming and all the other boring stuff. Anyway, if it turns out to perform as well as the rest of the 32-inch QD-OLED lineup, that’s another reason to stick with MSI. You even throw in a KVM switch.
We run the risk of giving away too much too soon, basically. As always, there are always nuances, detailed differences. But overall the answer is yes, you get an experience that’s just as good as more expensive options for less money.
The most obvious highlights are contrast, clarity and speed. Like all other QD-OLED 32-inch devices, the MSI MPG321URX has a nice glossy finish. This is a bit of a controversial issue, but we’re definitely on the pro-shiny side. It’s crucial to actually allow an OLED panel to support high-contrast HDR capabilities. This thing comes out in a positive way.
You even throw in a KVM switch.
It is also very fast, both in terms of response and latency; the latter thanks to 240Hz refresh, which is currently as good as it gets for 4K. The MSI MPG321URX also has pretty excellent viewing angles. In fact, the only thing really blatantly missing is the 480Hz pixel doubling 1080p mode of LG’s new 32-inch 4K OLED monitor, which is based on its own WOLED rather than Samsung’s QD-OLED technology.
We expect him to come with us in about two weeks. Meanwhile, gaming in secondary “native” 1080p mode is a niche concern, thanks to pixel doubling on a very high-end 4K monitor. But for what it’s worth, no QD-OLED monitor current offers this.
Anyway, the question is how this MSI model compares to other QD-OLEDs. The panels tend to run a little warm in terms of color temperature; Gigabyte Aorus CO49DQ is the most notable. Situated next to most LED-backlit LCD monitors, this MSI still looks quite warm with its slightly yellowish white tones. It’s probably a function of how QD-OLED works. Quantum dots not only react to light from OLED subpixels, but also transform and bounce off some of the ambient light.
For this reason, black tones on QD-OLED panels may appear slightly gray in environments with plenty of ambient light. I suspect that quantum dots activated by ambient light are at least partially responsible for the perceived warmth of these monitors. Anyway, with MSI we can’t classify it as problematic as the Gigabyte monitor, it’s just something to be aware of.
Another problem it shares with all other QD-OLED monitors is the lack of an ideal HDR mode.
Full-screen brightness performance is another critical area for any OLED monitor. Subjectively the MSI MPG321URX looks pretty much the same as other QD-OLEDs, good for a claimed 250 nits. The caveat here is that there is no toggle for ABL of the display in the OSD menu.
ABL, or automatic brightness limiter, is designed to ensure that the brightness of the OLED panel does not change depending on what is being displayed. Without it, you’ll find that the overall brightness of the OLED panel actually decreases when you expand a predominantly white application window, such as a web browser.
In general, it is desirable to have an ABL running in SDR mode on the desktop. But on these QD-OLED panels, we found that the panel allowed a little more pop in SDR mode with ABL turned off. The disadvantage is brightness variability. However, it is light enough to not be a problem with QD-OLED panels. With some QD-OLED alternatives, you can at least choose and decide whether you want the extra zing and minor brightness variability that comes with it.
Another flaw, but this time the one it shares with all other QD-OLED monitors, is the lack of an ideal HDR mode. Fortunately, the MSI MPG321URX only has two HDR modes: DisplayHDR 400 and 1000 nits mode. The former maps content up to a maximum of 400 nits, while the latter theoretically allows the panel to reach its full 1,000 nits capacity in small areas of the screen.
To boil it down to the issue here, the DisplayHDR 400 mode works really well for bright outdoor gaming scenes where it looks much more effective than the 1000 nits mode. However, the 1000 nits mode works best in darker scenes with bright highlights; Bright lights can reach higher values in these scenes. The problem is that bright details in DisplayHDR 400 mode suffer from blooming and compression, which can take away detail and definition.
It’s not the end of the world, and we generally prefer the DisplayHDR 400 mode, which looks great for dark scenes. But it’s not always practical to switch between modes, especially since doing so resynchronizes the monitor with your computer and returns you to the desktop.
Anyway, overall HDR continues to cause a bit of a mess on PC, and I’m not convinced anyone, whether Microsoft, GPU vendors, or display vendors, is doing enough to fix this problem.
If you buy…
✅ You want the glory of 4K OLED gaming at a lower price: This MSI is cheaper than its rivals but gives nothing away in terms of features and performance.
Do not buy if…
❌ You don’t like messing around with settings: Like all QD-OLED monitors we’ve reviewed, it’s hard to find the perfect HDR setup.
That aside, bearing in mind that no QD-OLED monitor has solved this problem yet, there’s little to tempt you away from the MSI MPG321URX versus more expensive alternatives. The build and design are fine, if a little generic, the OSD is full of reassuring features regarding overly complex burn-in reduction features, and it doesn’t bother you as often as some alternatives (Alienware specifically comes to mind here) about having your screen ruined by burn-in.
MSI also offers the same three-year no-burn warranty coverage as other brands. So this all means pretty good news. Long story short, this is the 32-inch 4K QD-OLED panel we’d prefer, assuming we can get our hands on one right now. It is significantly cheaper than alternatives without any significant drawbacks in features or performance. For lack of a smarter suggestion, this is about as simple as it gets.