MSI MPG 322UR QD-OLED X24 Review: A Brighter, Tougher 4K 240Hz QD-OLED for $1099

TweakTown Rating: 97%

Our Verdict

The MSI MPG 322UR QD-OLED X24 is a superb 4K 240Hz gaming monitor that refines the QD-OLED formula with improved brightness, durability, and connectivity.

Pros

• Incredible 4K gaming experience
• Fantastic connectivity
• Industry-leading OLED Care features
• Penta Tandem QD-OLED panel
• Improved brightness/black levels

Cons

• AI Care Sensor may be viewed as intrusive

Should you buy it?

AvoidConsiderShortlistBuy

View price at Amazon

View price at Amazon

View price at Amazon

View price at Amazon

Introduction & Specification Details and Close-up

The MSI MPG 322UR QD-OLED X24 has a 3840 x 2160p (4K) resolution, a maximum refresh rate of 240H, and a 0.03ms (GtG) response time. With the 4th-generation QD-OLED panel, Samsung and, subsequently, MSI have increased the panel's total brightness, which was one of the biggest complaints with previous generations and the reason for the common recommendation that OLED panels are best used in dark or lighting-controlled rooms.

Additionally, MSI has equipped the MPG 322UR QD-OLED X24 with its new DarkArmor Film, a coating that MSI claims increases the OLED panel's toughness by 40%, reducing the likelihood of scratches, dents, or etchings on the panel itself. Also, the new coating boosts pure black levels by up to 40%, which MSI claims significantly improves contrast and ultimately delivers better image performance.

MSI is asking $1,099 for the MPG 322UR QD-OLED X24, which puts it below the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM3, priced at $1,299 and using the exact same Samsung panel.

Specifications

Close-up

Best Deals: MSI MPG 322URX QD-OLED 4K Gaming Monitor

Today 7 days ago 30 days ago Buy

Check Price

-

-

CheckCheck Price at Amazon

Check Price

-

-

CheckCheck Price at Amazon

Check Price

-

-

CheckCheck Price at Amazon

Check Price

-

-

CheckCheck Price at Newegg

Check Price

-

-

CheckCheck Price at Amazon

Check Price

-

-

CheckCheck Price at Newegg

Check Price

-

-

CheckCheck Price at PC Case Gear

Design

MSI hasn't strayed too far from its traditions when it comes to the MPG 322UR QD-OLED X24's physical design, and, as per usual, the company prefers to let the panel do the talking, as it certainly does here. The MPG 322UR QD-OLED X24 features a 32-inch panel with extremely thin bezels, allowing it to absolutely dominate the viewer's field of view. The chin of the display is slightly thicker, and underneath it is the newest addition to the 322 line, the AI Care Sensor.

22

The sensor sits beneath the On-Screen Display (OSD) multi-directional joystick, just below the MSI logo and in the center of the display's chin. The sensor enables one of the MPG 322UR QD-OLED X24's most attractive features, the suite of AI features intended to mitigate any chance of burn-in. What is likely the biggest contributing factor toward burn-in mitigation is the new AI Care Sensor, which pairs an AI chip with an integrated NPU algorithm that processes images the sensor captures of the area within a 75-degree field of view.

Now, you are probably thinking, "I don't want my gaming monitor taking photos of me". MSI has informed me that these images aren't saved to any storage device on the monitor and that once the NPU has processed them, they are immediately discarded.

22

So, why is it taking photos? The AI Care Sensor snaps images continuously and is hunting for any human presence. Once it detects a human, the system wakes the monitor. Now, once that human has stepped away from the monitor, a timer begins, and once zero is reached, the monitor will go to sleep, giving QD-OLED pixels a rest and therefore mitigating burn-in. The countdown timer can be customized, along with the wake-on-approach timer.

Let's move to the rear of the MPG 322UR QD-OLED X24, which is where we will find the iconic MSI dragon etched on one side of the back enclosure, and a brushed plastic aesthetic that pairs beautifully. For ventilation, MSI has stuck with numerous grill holes on the top and sides of the back enclosure.

22

The stand is extremely sturdy. Its footprint of a desk is modest at best, which is a big point for MSI in my book, as it's quite common for a 32-inch display to have a forked or V-shaped stand design to mitigate any wobble. However, MSI has achieved that here with a single foot design, and I do believe some work has gone into the stand as the MPG 322UR QD-OLED X24 feels considerably more sturdy and well put together than its predecessor.

Moving down to connectivity, MSI has equipped the MPG 322UR QD-OLED X24 with an array of high-end functionality, such as 1x DisplayPort 2.1a (UHBR20), 2x HDMI 2.1, 1x USB Type-C with 98W of power delivery, 2x USB 5Gbps Type-A, 1x USB 5Gbps Type-B, and 1x headphone jack.

Panel Breakdown

The biggest attraction, aside from the OLED Care options, is the panel housed in the MPG 322UR QD-OLED X24, Samsung's fourth-generation Penta Tandem QD-OLED panel. Now, what does that mean exactly? Traditional QD-OLED panels don't use separate red, green, and blue OLED emitters; instead, they start with a blue-emitting layer with quantum dots that respond to that blue light.

Samsung Display has added more layers to this QD-OLED stack, recently unveiling 4th-generation panels featuring Pentya Tandem QD-OLED technology, with "Penta" referring to five layers of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) structures applied to the QD-OLED panel.

22

Technological capabilities aside, the naming Samsung has chosen here is absolutely atrocious. Fourth-generation QD-OLED panels feature Penta Tandem, which immediately makes you think this is a 5th-generation panel, especially if "fourth-gen" isn't specified anywhere in the monitor's details.

Be that as it may, the fifth layer enables the panel to be pushed to higher brightness levels while maintaining the same power level, or to maintain the same brightness level at lower power consumption than previous generations. Samsung Display summarizes Penta Tandem cleanly, writing, "It is similar to five people carrying a load that was previously carried by four, allowing either greater endurance or the ability to lift something heavier."

Additionally, Penta Tandem improves luminous efficiency by 1.3 times, while simultaneously extending lifespan by 2 times. Paired with this increase in brightness, MSI has equipped the MPG 322UR QD-OLED X24 with DarkArmor Film, a new coating that makes blacks appear up to 40% deeper in brighter rooms.

22

After testing this for quite some time, I noticed a considerable difference between the black levels on the MPG 322UR QD-OLED X24 and its predecessor, which I had situated right next to me. While I cannot verify MSI's 40% claim, I can say that black levels were approximately twice as deep as those of the MPG 322URX. After noticing the difference, it was impossible not to be impressed.

DarkArmor should make the MPG 322UR QD-OLED X24 usable in well-lit environments, as now users won't have to battle glare. This was one of the biggest complaints from QD-OLED panel owners, and now MSI has done substantial work to iron out that problem as much as it can for the moment.

Generally, the MPG 322UR QD-OLED X24 doesn't completely change the 32-inch 4K 240Hz OLED formula, but instead builds on an already established and impressive technology with even more useful features.

Performance

So, what is the gaming experience like on the MPG 322UR QD-OLED X24? "I'll give it to you short and simple - drool-worthy. Yes, that's right, you will drool when playing games on this monitor, and in some cases, I believe it's an involuntary reaction." That is what I wrote for the performance review of the 322URX, and it's exactly what I experienced with the 322UR X24. Drool.

22

In the same way MSI's previous 32-inch OLED did, the MPG 322UR QD-OLED X24 completely knocked my socks off with its gaming experience, and while I don't believe it has completely changed the game when it comes to high-end 4K gaming, it has refined and built upon it. The MPG 322UR QD-OLED X24 is a representation that MSI is listening to its customer base, as its existence addresses two of the biggest pain points with QD-OLED panels: lackluster brightness, reflections, and intuitive OLED panel care for care-free use of the display.

As for gaming performance between the MPG 322UR QD-OLED X24 and its predecessor, or any other third-generation 32-inch QD-OLED panel, the difference was minuscule at most. With the same resolution, refresh rate, and response time, the gaming experience was almost identical to third-generation panels, which have the same three aforementioned specifications. Now, the only noticeable difference was both the brightness and the black levels. These were both improved compared to the previous generation, with the black levels being far more so.

22

I tested the following games: League of Legends, Apex Legends, Overwatch 2, Black Myth: Wukong, Cyberpunk 2077, The Witcher 3, God of War Ragnarok, Valorant, DOOM: The Dark Ages, Age of Mythology: Retold, Borderlands 4, Counter-Strike, Battlefield 6, and Forza Horizon 6. The MPG 322UR QD-OLED X24 performed incredibly in each of these titles, but given its 32-inch size, I lean more toward the slower, RPG-style games, rather than the fast-paced first-person-shooter/competitive titles.

With such a large panel that looks absolutely phenomenal thanks to the QD-OLED pixel technology, the MPG 322UR QD-OLED X24 shone the most in titles that were really able to stretch its color capabilities to the limit. For example, Cyberpunk 2077, God of War Ragnarok, Black Myth: Wukong, and Forza Horizon 6 were all particular standouts.

22

Now that doesn't mean the MPG 322UR QD-OLED X24 is bad in competitive titles, as it isn't by any means. The 240Hz refresh rate and 0.03ms (GtG) enabled completely fluid gameplay with incredible motion performance. Although I wouldn't recommend the MPG 322UR QD-OLED X24 if you were just planning on playing competitive fast-paced titles, as I would steer you toward a 27-inch variant of the same caliber, purely for the benefits of a smaller display.

Final Thoughts

So, should you buy the MPG 322UR QD-OLED X24? Well, that depends on a number of things, but if you are after the peak of 4K 240Hz 32-inch QD-OLED gaming, then the MPG 322UR QD-OLED X24 is available for $1,099.

22

In a nutshell, any owners of a third-generation QD-OLED panel probably shouldn't upgrade to a fourth-generation unless the brightness of their current panel is really bothering them, they are after updated OLED Care features, or improved black levels. Second-generation and below owners will notice a substantial upgrade from their current monitor, with improvements almost across the board.

Now, if you don't own a QD-OLED gaming monitor and are looking to jump into the market, the MPG 322UR QD-OLED X24 is a fantastic option that covers almost all of your bases and will last you many years to come with its new OLED Care features and panel longevity. With that being said, if you see a third-generation QD-OLED panel now heavily discounted following the release of fourth-generation panels, that would also be a great option - depending on the price, of course.