We are in an exciting time right now, and after 10 years of IPS panels being the standard, we are finally seeing OLED and QD-OLED entering more and more homes.
MSI’s MEG 342C QD-OLED is one of those displays, but it’s more than just a flashy new panel. For starters, it’s a bit higher-res than most other monitors, but perhaps most notable is the somewhat idiosyncratic design. I have to admit it’s not my cup of tea, also because the gold accents are clearly mixed with the plastic. Just keep it in brushed aluminum. If you’re going to spend this much money on a monitor, it has to look good. MSI calls it “Ultimate Elegance” and “Legendary Design” – I’m not a designer, but when you’re slapping plastic RGB strips under a monitor in this price range and covering an otherwise nice metal base with more plastic, it’s possible A bit exaggerated. On the other hand, the two USB ports are placed on the side instead of the bottom, which is more user-friendly. Why don’t they all do this?
Also I have to say the bottom edge is unreasonably thick and that’s because there’s a built in light sensor and a mic with ANC and now I can’t access the data but I haven’t personally come across playing close to the screen £1500 then someone who uses the built in mic. A monitor shouldn’t have a microphone and RGB lights, it should be a monitor that includes a USB hub if you want to get fancy. This display has one too, and it’s even better integrated into the side of the screen than what you usually see. On the other hand, there’s also USB-C up to 65 watts, which is actually quite handy.
Not many retailers have it in stock, so you’ll likely pay more than MSRP for this monitor. That might be a bit steep for a 34-inch, 1800R curvature and UWQHD, since at 3440 x 1440 the screen isn’t really 4K. The 21:9 format has many proponents who probably don’t care that it’s not technically 4K. This makes perfect sense if you watch a lot of movies and series on the screen.
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The response time of the OLED is as low as 0.03 milliseconds – it’s simply amazing. I look forward to the day when OLED display response times aren’t just for the rich, but are standard for pretty much everyone. It also offers excellent black reproduction and, of course, “VESA DisplayHDR True Black 400” certification. Why does everything have to be called something long and weird to be better for marketing? Just measure the panel and post it on the product page. It’s not MSI’s fault, everyone does it. Also, there’s blue light reduction, which I’ve always been indifferent to, but the more I learn about blue light, the more I appreciate blue light reduction efforts.
There’s a 175Hz refresh rate and AMD Free Sync Pro. Here I have to say I’m a bit disappointed when you’re paying this much for a monitor then in my world there should be a built in Nvdia G-Sync mod because if not here then where? On the other hand, I think it would be really nice to have a console mode. Also, there’s a built-in KVM switch – in minecraft this adds a lot of value as well as PiP support.
The quantum dot layer ensures very good color, you can’t complain about that, in fact I’m surprised Delta E “only”
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The software is pretty comprehensive, both because there’s a bit of maintenance for an OLED panel and it’s pretty easy to use, but it’s also because it lets you adjust the monitor through software so you don’t need the joystick on the back. It can also update firmware through USB, so that’s great. Otherwise, there are MSI’s usual tweaks, and again, a dedicated Night Vision Mode that changes the contrast to a level where you can see things on the screen that should be more or less hidden from the player. It’s fine in single player, but probably a bit of a cheat in multiplayer. The same with Optix Scope, which actually lets you optically zoom in on the screen in a defined area, again, you actually get better conditions than the game intended, and if you can afford a MEG 342QD it’s great, but for others it will probably feel like cheating.
There are two HDMI 2.1, one DisplayPort 1.4a, and the USB-C connector also supports DisplayPort format over USB. So full bingo charge here.
The screen has been given an anti-reflective treatment, but like all OLED screens, it shines a bit, not enough to be annoying but noticeable when switching from regular screens.
In my opinion, OLED is a bit of a leap forward. The HDR implementation is really good, and while many displays turn orange into yellow, and a pale one at that, especially orange stays, well, orange. The 10-bit colors really come into their own, and a 99.4% DCI-P3 rendering may also testify to this. As it’s a computer monitor in a dark room, the brightness is also fine, and if only theoretically, the monitor can actually deliver 1000 nits in HDR in a very small area, but again, the focus is on contrast more than general high brightness.
So if you’re a fan of the design and have the money, this monitor is great. And if you don’t like the design, it doesn’t change the fact that the image quality really kicks ass.