MSI MPG ARTYMIS 323CQR Gaming Monitor Review

How Much Does it Cost?

The MSI MPG Artymis 323CQR Quad HD 31.5” Curved LCD Gaming Monitor – Black is available right now from Currys in the UK for just £399.00. Obviously, that’s a lot of money, but honestly, I think it’s exceptionally good value for money too. It’s a very impressive monitor, and for that amount of money, you’re getting a level of features that are going to be hard to beat.

Overview

MSI is one of the best in the business, and I think that’s reflected with their new MSI MPG Artymis 323CQR Quad HD 31.5″ Curved LCD Gaming Monitor. It’s one of the best gaming monitors I’ve ever used and while I’d argue that I’ve tested some that are better equipped, they also cost 5x as much. However, this monitor is not exactly lacking in features and for me, it’s ticked all the right boxes. You get a high resolution, high refresh rate, great colours, fast response times, solid connectivity FreeSync premium and a massive 1000R curved panel, and that’s just the tip of the features list.

Build Quality

MSI has a strong reputation for well-made monitors, and the Artymis 323CQR is no exception. From the moment you take it out of the box, you can tell it’s a quality product. It looks great from all angles, with some nice attention to detail in the design, some RGB lighting, and some interesting surface finishes. The stand is robust and easy to use and takes up little space for a monitor of this size. Plus, additional features like the headphone stand and mouse bungee features just give it a little something extra.

Performance

It really did exactly what was promised, and blew us away when it comes to gaming. Sure, there are higher resolutions than 2K, and there are higher refresh rates than 165 Hz, and panels bigger than 32″. However, it really is sitting in a sweet spot that makes games look and play great. For competitive shooters like Halo, Fortnite, or CS:GO (to name but a few), high-speed racing games like Forza Horizon 5, or action-heavy single-player experiences like Horizon, the resolution and refresh rate are spot on. Plus, with GPU prices where they are right now, it’s easier to get the most out of this panel than it would be their more expensive 4K models.

The colour reproduction, lag-free and ghost-free panel performance, and fast response times just make it a joy to use. It doesn’t matter if you’re sitting and scrolling reddit or playing Elder Scrolls Online (that sums up my whole day right there), it’s just a joy to use.

Added Value

This is where this monitor really dominates. With its powerful software suite offering Night Vision, Smart Brightness, a built-in KVM, the smart resolution scaling of the Console Mode, smart on-screen crosshairs, and a suite of calibration options too. It doesn’t matter what you play or how you play, there’s a mode to squeeze a little extra performance out of what you’re doing. There’s also their Gaming OSD App 2.0 software, allowing you more ways to tune the monitor.

Should I Buy One?

When it comes to raw gaming performance, the MSI MPG Artymis 323CQR gaming monitor is awesome. It comes equipped with a huge range of features to ensure you get the best performance from whatever game you play. While it’s a great monitor to use for your daily work, when it comes to gaming, it’s in a league of its own. If you’re looking for a premium gaming experience, a large panel, a suite of connectivity features, and at a reasonable price, this is the perfect gaming monitor for you.