MSI’s Optix MAG342CQR Ultra Curved Monitor: 34 Inch & 144Hz with a 1000R Curve
by Anton Shilov on January 23, 2020 2:00 PM EST- Posted in
- Monitors
- Displays
- MSI
- Trade Shows
- Curved Display
- Optix
- CES 2020
Having entered the market for gaming displays not so long ago, MSI is certainly not afraid of experimenting with various technologies in a bid to address niches that are not yet crowded with competitors. At CES, the company demonstrated its aggressively curved Optix MAG342CQR monitor that also boasts a 144 Hz variable refresh rate as well as quantum dot backlighting enhancements for accurate colors and a wider color gamut.
The MSI Optix MAG342CQR display uses a 34.5-inch Super PVA panel featuring a 3440x1440 resolution, a 21:9 aspect ratio, a 1 ms response time, and maximum refresh rate of 144 Hz. The key characteristic of this panel is its aggressive curvature of a 1000R radius, which MSI promotes as being the most optimal curvature, matching the curvature of the human eye.
The Optix MAG342CQR comes with a LED backlighting enhanced with quantum dots that improve color accuracy and ensures that the monitor can accurately display 1.07 billion colors. At the moment, MSI does not disclose which color gamuts will be supported by the display, but we are almost certainly talking about the sRGB and DCI-P3 spaces.
Traditionally for contemporary gaming displays, the MSI Optix MAG342CQR support VESA’s Adaptive-Sync variable refresh rate technology, so it is logical to expect the monitor to gain AMD’s FreeSync and NVIDIA’s G-Sync Compatible certifications by the time of its commercial launch later this year.
One of the interesting things to note about MSI’s Optix MAG342CQR is that it is based on a Super PVA panel made by Samsung Display, according to TFT Central. Samsung itself introduced its own lineup of ultra-curved displays featuring a 1000R curvature at CES, but its family does not include a 21:9 34-inch LCD just yet, so MSI currently has the world’s only 34-inch monitor with a 1000R curvature.
MSI plans to ship its Optix MAG342CQR sometimes in Q2 or Q3 this year, but does not have a firm launch date just yet.
Related Reading:
- Samsung’s Odyssey Continues: Ultra-Curved QLED 49-Inch 240 Hz HDR1000 Monitor w/ Adaptive Sync
- MSI Reveals Optix MEG381CQR 37.5-Inch HDR600 144 Hz Curved Monitor
- MSI’s 49” Optix Curved Display and Oculux 25” High Refresh Monitors Announced
Source: MSI, TFT Central
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peevee - Monday, January 27, 2020 - link
Just not as undercurved as monitors with curvature radius of ∞.stephenbrooks - Thursday, January 23, 2020 - link
I've mentioned it on here before, but 3D rasterisation is generally calculated to be "correct" for a flat screen (at least if you make the FOV of the screen equal to the projection FOV, which is generally not true, the screen FOV is usually smaller). This means a curved screen without changes to the graphics driver settings could actually produce some odd effects - it won't make it more "accurate" as far as I can tell.Although it might make the distance of a wide screen from the eye constant and thus reduce eyestrain from refocussing or having the ends of the screen effectively slanting away from you.
p1esk - Thursday, January 23, 2020 - link
The recently announced Samsung Odyssey seems to be better in every way.Valantar - Friday, January 24, 2020 - link
Not if you think 32:9 is too wide.Valantar - Thursday, January 23, 2020 - link
"Matches the curvature of the eye" - now that's some BS. First off, humans tend to have two eyes, and they have the annoying tendency to not be occupying the same space. Matching the curvature of both at once with a single 3D object thus becomes impossible. Beyond that, isn't matching the curvature of the cornea (which I guess is what they mean?) entirely dependent on how far away and how big the screen is? If we simplify the cornea's shape to be a part of a perfect sphere, any curved display with a constant curvature would at some point match its curvature per degree. I guess what they're trying to say is that "at normal viewing distances this is more immersive" or some such, but marketing people do love their hyperbolic statements of things somehow "matching" human physiology and similar silly concepts.FreckledTrout - Thursday, January 23, 2020 - link
It more matches the eye than the typical flat screen but I agree the marketing is a bit overboard. I won't blame them if it sells more monitors.TheWereCat - Thursday, January 23, 2020 - link
you're supposed to buy two of these monitorsHolliday75 - Thursday, January 23, 2020 - link
LOLZValantar - Friday, January 24, 2020 - link
Do they make a kit to head mount them? XDirwige - Thursday, January 23, 2020 - link
Banana for Scale.Love it!