MSI Launches First Curved 4K Dual-Mode 320Hz/160Hz Gaming Monitor To Rival ASUS And LG
Display makers are continuing to find ways to innovate, hence why we've seen technologies like OLED, mini LED, variable refresh rate support, and other features trickle into the mainstream arena over the past several years. As it applies to gaming monitors, the next point of emphasis appears to be dual refresh modes. We've seen a spattering of models already, and now MSI is joining the fray with its MAG 321CUPDF.
What makes a dual-mode monitor stand out from the usual crop is that it enables gamers to choose between a high resolution with a fast refresh rate, or a lower resolution with an even faster refresh rate. In addition to a small handful of monitors that offer this capability, we know of at least one laptop that does as well -- we went hands-on with the feature in our Razer Blade 16 laptop review.
We've yet to test a desktop gaming monitor with this capability, such as the ASUS ROG Swift PG32UCDP, LG's UltraGear 32GS95UE-B, or Alienware's 27-inch AW2725QF. It's only a matter of time before we do, however, as the field continues to expand.
MSI manages to separate itself from the pack (for now, anyway) by being the first to boast dual refresh rate options on a curved 4K monitor. The 31.-5-inch display supports running a native 4K resolution at 160Hz, or dropping down to 1080p and doubling the refresh rate to a blistering 320Hz.
The appeal of monitors like this one is that gamers don't have to decide between a lower resolution display with an ultra-fast refresh rate for competitive gaming, or a high-resolution display for crisper visuals. The idea is that a dual-mode monitor offers the best of both worlds in a single package.
MSI's new display uses a 'Rapid VA' panel instead of IPS or OLED. It also features a 0.5ms gray-to-gray (GtG) response time, a rated 450 nits of brightness, 3,000:1 contrast ratio, DisplayHDR 400 certification, and 97% coverage of the DCI-P3 color space (93% of AdobeRGB and 136% of sRGB),
Connectivity options include a single DisplayPort 1.4a input, two HDMI 2.1 ports, a USB-C power with Power Delivery (15W), a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a Kensington Lock slot.
There's a product page for the MAG 321CPUDF on MSI's Vietnamese portal. As for retail availability, the only place we're seeing it right now is JD.com (hat tip to Videocardz on spotting this) where it's priced at 2,999 Chinese Yuan, which is around $412 in US currency.