MSI MAG 341CQP QD-OLED Gaming Monitor Review

The MSI MAG 341CQP QD-OLED ultrawide gaming monitor offers high-fidelity visuals and blazing-fast responsiveness across PCs and consoles. This display’s standout quality is its 34-inch QD-OLED panel, providing a considerable amount of screen real estate geared towards those consuming plenty of HDR content or enjoying gorgeous gameplay. But with so many QD-OLED monitors hitting the shelves in 2024, the market is becoming heavily oversaturated with displays that offer similar qualities. We’ve rigorously tested the MAG 341CQP QD-OLED in a series of benchmarks to see how it compares to similar panels.

High-fidelity displays remain somewhat inaccessible to most prospective buyers due to their high price points, most of which are $1000 or more. However, the MSI MAG 341CQP QD-OLED is the affordable solution many have been waiting for. At a sub-$1000 price, this 34-inch ultrawide display provides staggering image quality while remaining competitive. In this review, we’ll assess the specs, design, features, and accuracy of the MSI MAG 341CQP QD-OLED to see if it’s worth picking up compared to other QD-OLED monitors.

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Specification

The introduction mentions that the MSI MAG 341CQP QD-OLED is a 34-inch ultrawide monitor. Generally, once you make the jump from 32 inches bigger monitors, you are in ultrawide territory. Ultrawides, as you might have guessed, are named as such because they possess a much wider aspect ratio than traditional 16:9 displays. While there are monitors bigger than 32 inches that don’t adopt the ultrawide form factor, this is relatively uncommon, and there aren’t as many of these available on the market.

Because the MAG 341CQP QD-OLED is an ultrawide display, its resolution differs slightly from traditional 1440p, jumping to 3440 by 1440 instead of 2560 by 1440. Larger monitors tend to suffer from the screen-door effect, where the spacing between pixels is more noticeable due to being more dispersed. However, because the panel used on this display is QD-OLED (which doesn’t have a matrix to separate the pixels), prospective buyers can enjoy more screen real estate without a noticeable drop in quality.

Regarding responsiveness, this monitor offers a 175Hz refresh rate and a 0.03ms GtG (grey-to-grey) response time. 144Hz to 200Hz is about the sweet spot for refresh rates, as the vast majority of games won’t see framerates higher than this unless you’re playing older titles or using a pretty hefty graphics card like an RTX 4080 SUPER or RTX 4090. The response time on this display is particularly impressive, as grey-to-grey measures hardware level responsiveness, meaning the MAG 341CQP QD-OLED suffers from effectively no latency.

Peak brightness is limited to 1000 nits with HDR enabled, a shared quality with other QD-OLED monitors. The contrast ratio isn’t as strong as a monitor like the AORUS FO32U2P, primarily because the MAG 341CQP is 1440p instead of 4K.

On the IO front, the MAG 341CQP features four display outputs: one Displayport 1.4, two HDMI 2.1 ports, and a USB Type-C port, which acts as Displayport Alt or power delivery charging up to 15W. Additional IO is reasonably limited. There are two USB ports on the underside, providing a way to plug in extra peripherals. Remember that the Type-B cable must also be plugged in to use the ports and MSI’s Gaming Intelligence application.

Finally, regarding pricing, the MSRP of the MAG 341CQP QD-OLED is around $800. However, we’ve seen this display sit close to the $700 mark from certain vendors. The MAG 341CQP QD-OLED is not geared towards budget setups, but because it utilises an OLED panel, I’d say the price is pretty impressive. The minimum cost for a 1440p OLED monitor is about $500, but this won’t have any quantum dots, and is likely to lack additional colour accuracy calibration for professionals and extra features like KVM switching and HDR.

MSI MAG 341CQP QD-OLED Design

MSI’s monitors have recently taken a more modern approach to the aesthetic. Instead of the aggressively chunky design with red stands and RGB lighting, the newer monitors generally look much more sophisticated. Gone are the days of massive bezels and thick plastic chassis. The MAG 341CQP QD-OLED features a slimline frame, adhering to the style of thin TVs.

The bottom bezel of the MAG 341CQP QD-OLED is noticeably thicker than the rest of the monitor, likely because it supports the rest of the frame. However, the sides and top of the MAG 341CQP are slim, which offers a more professional look and allows it to blend in with a gaming or office-based setup easily.

Moving around to the back, the thin design continues around the sides, while the centre of the rear is raised and houses the internals of this monitor. MSI note that their new QD-OLED panels are equipped with a graphene film designed to dissipate heat passively. This heat will pass through the vents around the back panel of the monitor, which is heavily perforated at the top and bottom.

It’s worth noting that the monitor shell is made up of grey plastic, which can be seen across the front and back. While it would be nicer to see more premium materials, based on the price, I feel the slight sacrifice to the aesthetic is excusable.

The stand of this monitor feels very sturdy, and unlike the monitor itself, it uses metal feet to support it. Because this is an ultrawide panel, the feet are pretty long and take up much room on a desk.

The stand pillar has a small cable cutout in the centre to thread through any wires. This can be useful for those looking to maintain a clean and cable-free setup on a desk.

If the size of this monitor is an issue, desk space can be freed up using the VESA mounting, which can be attached to a wall or monitor arm and supports a 100mm x 100mm configuration.

Adjustability is slightly restricted compared to other monitors we’ve reviewed. Due to its size, the MAG 341CQP doesn’t feature any pivoting capability but has 20 degrees of tilt, 30 degrees of swivel, and 100mm of height adjustment. This is likely because the MAG 341CQP features an 1800R curvature, so it shouldn’t need to be moved much beyond getting this monitor into the correct position within your setup.

At the centre of the monitor is a small LED indicating whether it is on or off. Also, behind this are two buttons on the left and right, with the OSD (on-screen display) joystick in the centre. The left button is used to switch the monitor on and off, while the right button can be customised within the Gaming Intelligence app or by using the OSD to act as a macro button for various display settings.

Features We Like

Customisation through Gaming Intelligence

The MSI Gaming Intelligence app is a highly refined application that allows prospective buyers to customise various monitor settings without playing with the OSD. On the left, there is a range of presets for colour options, which can be changed to suit your preference based on the content consumed.

These settings are typically found in the OSD and can be pretty time-consuming to change, but having them accessible through software streamlines the user experience significantly. I’m a big fan of Gaming Intelligence. It’s easy to use, offers many customisation options, and minimises hassle when using the monitor.

OSD Customisation & OLED Care

Those unable to use the Gaming Intelligence can still use the OSD to navigate the MAG 341CQP’s customisation settings. The ‘G.I’ and ‘Gaming’ tabs offer a range of gaming-focused configuration options that can enhance your overall experience.

For example, a smart crosshair can be placed directly on the screen to help aiming. Furthermore, plenty of preset colour settings can be used based on the game being played, whether it’s an FPS, Racing Sim, or Strategy.

Moving down to the ‘Professional’ and ‘Image’ tabs, these settings offer a wide range of preset colour gamuts, a BlueLight mode to reduce eye strain, and brightness, contrast, sharpness, and temperature customisation to better suit your preferences.

The rest of the settings are pretty standard for a gaming monitor. The MAG 341CQP features a KVM switch, so configuration options allow you to use a PIP (picture-in-picture) or PBP (picture-by-picture) mode, which are particularly useful for content creators with multiple PC setups.

The OLED care settings are extensive and address pixel shift and burn-in issues. MSI has gone the extra mile with the OLED care options, providing additional ways to minimise taskbar and logo burn-in. This monitor also protects against image boundaries and adjusts luminance to minimise burn-in.

Unique Console Mode Support

For console players, the MAG 341CQP QD-OLED features a unique console mode to reduce tearing and ensure smooth imagery. It supports 120Hz on the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 in console mode through HDMI 2.1. The auto low-latency mode sets the ideal latency, keeping gameplay lag-free and uninterrupted. This monitor also uses a CEC (consumer electronics control) function that allows controllers and devices to wake up the screen, which is helpful if you decide to take a break.

Features We Don’t Like

Gaming Support

While support for ultrawide monitors has significantly grown in recent years, some gamers don’t quite work with ultrawide displays. FPS titles can sometimes look distorted, with items on the screen looking stretched out or blown out of proportion. This isn’t an issue specific to the MAG 341CQP, but as an ultrawide monitor, it lacks support across a range of titles due to its larger aspect ratio.

Colour Accuracy & Image Quality

We’ve tested and benchmarked the MSI MAG 341CQP QD-OLED over many days, and it is apparent that this QD-OLED display is designed to offer exceptional visual fidelity. Even at 1440p, gaming is crystal clear and incredibly smooth. There’s no screen tearing or stuttering, and even games that don’t strive to provide the best graphics look exceptional.

In Destiny 2, I enjoyed the rich hues of colours, striking a delicate balance between light and dark. Running around in The Landing was highly enjoyable, shooting Hive with various weapons and watching them explode in a range of colours. Thanks to the QD-OLED panel, the minute details of the architecture and landscape are made incredibly clear. Darks look deep and black, while whites are light and rich.

While the MAG 341CQP is primarily built for gaming, MSI boasts its colour accuracy, making it a solid option for content creators. This monitor is factory-calibrated to offer a Delta E of less than 2, which means colours are very close to what the human eye can see. However, it’s crucial for content creation that this monitor offers a good range within various colour gamuts.

To test this, we fired up our DataColor Spyder X Pro, which calibrates monitors’ colour accuracy. We ran the ‘FullCAL’ benchmarks, which analyse colours shown on a display, assessing the coverage of certain gamuts. We record the sRGB and DCI-P3 results, as the former is used primarily for web content, while DCI-P3 is vital in HDR content.

From our results, the MAG 341CQP QD-OLED is one of the strongest monitors on the market regarding DCI-P3 coverage. Most modern displays cover 100% of the sRGB space, while DCI-P3 coverage is much more challenging. At 97%, the MAG 341CQP is a solid competitor for HDR content. It’s worth noting that this is 2% under the advertised rating on MSI’s website, but this is well within the margin of error we allow when testing. Admittedly, the difference when creating content versus 99% and 97% is pretty negligible.

Conclusion

MSI MAG 341CQP QD-OLED

Product Name: MAG 341 CQP QD-OLED

Brand: MSI

• Features
• Design
• Performance
• Value For Money

4.5

Summary

The MAG 341CQP QD-OLED is one of MSI’s best-value monitors on the market. This display is incredibly competitively priced compared to alternative QD-OLED panels and is one of the more affordable options. Additionally, the MAG 341CQP QD-OLED is ideal for gaming, offering smooth response times and excellent visual fidelity for those playing graphically intense story games. It also offers great colour accuracy, covering 97% of the DCI-P3 gamut, a critical colour space used in HDR content.

The only significant caveat to consider is that as an ultrawide monitor, it has limitations regarding gaming support. Not all modern titles support 21:9 aspect ratios, resulting in stretched gameplay that doesn’t feel or look smooth. However, if you’re willing to compromise on this, the 341CQP QD-OLED is the monitor we’d pick if you’re looking for a more affordable option. OLED panels are generally expensive, but despite the solid features and gorgeous image quality, the MAG 341CQP remains a fantastic display for price-conscious buyers.

Pros

✅ Competitive pricing

✅ Extensive OLED care

✅ Exceptional fidelity

Cons

❌ Ultrawide gaming support

❌ Limited IO

❌ Only 15W charging