I gamed with MSI’s new 34-inch QD-OLED panel and now I never want to use an LCD monitor again

MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36: One-minute review

OLED display tech has some killer advantages over traditional LCD panels. But it also has some weaknesses. Enter the new MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36. It’s a 34-inch ultrawide model that debuts Samsung‘s very latest 5th Gen QD-OLED technology. Is this the OLED monitor gamers have been waiting for?

The argument for this form factor is that there’s decent image detail for games while not generating a massively debilitating load for your graphics card. That’s important if you’re going to make the most of the 360Hz refresh rate.

Speaking of which, that’s the first obvious upgrade over previous 34-inch QD-OLED panels, which topped out at 240Hz. Next up is brightness. This panel is rated at 300 nits full screen and 1,300 nits peak HDR, up from 250 nits and 1,000 nits respectively. The HDR certification has also been bumped from True Black 400 to True Black 500.

Another important improvement involves ambient light. Up to now, all QD-OLED panels reflect a purple tint in strong ambient light, which compromises outright black levels and contrast. This new 5th Gen QD-OLED panel reduces, but doesn’t quite eradicate the problem.

Finally, there’s sub-pixel structure. This is the first QD-OLED panel generation to offer true vertical RGB-strip subpixels. To cut a long story short, that helps with detail rendering precision, including text and fonts, albeit that even with RGB-strip subpixels, this isn’t a true high-DPI display and the font rendering is never going to be that crisp. But it does now match an LCD of the same size and resolution.

All told, the new panel tech is seriously sweet. It’s that bit punchier on the desktop in SDR mode and, if anything, feels stronger than the 300 nit rating. But it’s in games where this ultrawide QD-OLED really sings.

The combination of 0.03ms response and 360Hz refresh makes for incredibly rapid and responsive gaming. The motion clarity is pretty awesome. 21:9 monitors aren’t the classic choice for esports, but this thing certainly has the speed for very competitive titles.

But the best bit is HDR gaming. MSI includes its EOTF boost mode for optimal HDR visuals and the result is stunning. This is the first OLED gaming monitor that looks almost as good in bright, sunlit game scenes as it does in darker scenes punctuated by sizzling details like lazers or neon lights.

In short, no LCD monitor, even one with full array local dimming, even comes close to the precision of the per-pixel lighting offered by this type of display. Once you’ve gone OLED, you won’t want to go back, especially this OLED.

For the record, the feature set on offer here is strong, too, with comprehensive connectivity including USB-C with 98W of power delivery, a fully adjustable stand and a three-year warranty that includes burn-in cover.

MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36: Price & availability

• How much does it cost? $899 / £999 / AU$1,899
• When is it available? Available now
• Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia

At around $899, the MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36 is retailing for around $150 more that its direct predecessor based on 3rd Gen Samsung QD-OLED tech. In the context of OLED gaming monitors, which are generally pretty expensive, that’s probably a decent deal in return for the upgrades on offer.

Of course, an LCD-based panel of the same size, resolution and refresh rate can be had for half the money or less, but then that’s OLED for you. It’s the pricey option among the best monitors. One caveat to all this is that the MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36 is proving popular and is often sold out of sites like Amazon and Newegg.

• Value: 3 / 5

MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36: Specs

MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36: Design

• Well built
• Good connectivity
• Three-year warranty

If the QD-OLED panel in the MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36 is fancy and new, the design of the chassis and stand is largely familiar. And that’s broadly no bad thing.

It’s solidly built and the stand offers a full range of adjustment , including height, tilt and rotate. There’s pivot, too, but only 20 degrees each way. In other words, you can’t pivot this panel into portrait mode. But then it is a 21:9 aspect ultrawide gaming monitor.

As for connectivity, we’re talking DisplayPort 2.1, two HDMI 2.1 ports, USB-C with 98W of power delivery and a two-port USB-A hub. In other words, pretty much all your connectivity bases are well covered. Just note that if you aren’t interested in the USB-C connectivity, MSI may well release a cheaper version of this display in future with that feature either stripped out or with the power delivery reduced.

MSI also includes a three-year warranty with burn-in cover. The issue of OLED burn-in is likely to run and run. We are now several years into the the availability of QD-OLED gaming monitors and they are broadly proving pretty robust, albeit they will exhibit some light burn-in with heavy use.

Along with the three-year warranty and plenty of burn-in compensating features like pixel shifting, it’s worth noting that Samsung claims that this latest 5th Gen QD-OLED panel is twice as durable as the previous generation. That bodes well for long-term resistance to burn-in.

Oh, and if you were wondering, yes, the MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36 has a glossy rather than matte screen coating, which is great for contrast and visual punch, but does come at a cost in terms of added reflectivity.

• Design: 4 / 5

MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36: Performance

• Improved brightness
• Sizzling HDR visual
• Incredible speed

Out of the box the MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36 is immediately brighter and punchier than its predecessor, albeit the difference isn’t immedaitely dramatic. That said, the overall vibe is, if anything, more impressive than the 300 nit full-screen brightness rating implies.

Part of that is thanks to the fact the QD-OLED panels use pure RGB subpixel technology. Monitors using LG‘s competing WOLED tech rely on an additional white subpixel to achieve their brightness ratings.

That can be problematic because most real-world content as opposed to test patterns are a mix of colors rather than pure white. For color brightness, the white subpixel either won’t boost brightness at all, or can blow colors out. Consequently, QD-OLED has better true color brightness.

Anywho, for almost all use cases, this new generation of QD-OLED panel tech has sufficient SDR full-screen brightness. But for HDR content, it positively sizzles. It’s at its very best rendering a game scene that’s a mix of very bright and very dark elements, all rendered at the same time with incredible precision and contrast.

Think an inky black background punctuated by a bright strip light, a control panel full of fizzing LEDs, or sparks, gunfire and lazers. On this monitor, that kind of thing looks stupendous.

MSI has also once again included its EOTF boost mode functionality. It basically combines the best aspects of the VESA HDR 500 mode with the Peak 1300 nits mode, enabling the highest brightness for both darker and brighter gaming scenes. In practice, you can use EOTF boost mode for pretty much all HDR content and get the best possible experience, instead of having to switch modes to suit the scene lighting. That’s a real benefit.

The MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36 admittedly isn’t quite so impressive in brighter outdoor game scenes. But full-screen brightness is much improved on previous generations of OLED in that respect and pretty close to being a solved problem.

Along with all the HDR goodness is the usual speediness of OLED. This new pane ups the refresh rate to 360. Combined with the ridiculously quick 0.03ms pixel response, the result is pretty outrageous response and clarity. This is a very fast display.

• Performance: 4 / 5

Should you buy the MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36?

Buy the MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36 if…