MSI’s huge Black Friday monitor discounts will net you a new screen for less
It seems to come around more quickly every year. Yes, Old Granny Black Friday is here again, ready to sprinkle tech deals through your central heating system and eat the avocadoes you leave out for the wombat who pulls her chariot.
And what deals they are! Having one of the best monitors available is a huge boost for any PC gamer, and getting one that’s larger or uses new technology can be as big an upgrade for your gaming rig as a new GPU. Tech such as OLED displays and higher refresh rates can make games more colourful and add smoother motion, while increased resolutions make graphics sharper and with greater detail.
MSI monitors come with a huge range of gaming-specific features, depending on the model you choose, such as the ability to superimpose a crosshair over your game for increased accuracy (and have it change colour depending on what’s being displayed, so you can always see it) plus AI Vision to bring out the details in dark areas, and even a built-in aim magnifier - Optix Scope - to turn any weapon into a sniper rifle.
MSI has knocked some serious cash off some of its best monitors this year, with bargains for everyone who’s looking for a new screen, from great value 27-inchers to a simply huge 34in OLED.
A solid IPS screen: MAG 274QRFW
Buy it here: £279 > £179 (35.8% off, save £100)
IPS screens are the peak of LCD technology, and MSI’s speedy 27-incher delivers an enormous 180Hz refresh rate at 1440p. It’ssharp, super smooth, and feature’s AMD FreeSync to eliminate screen tearing as the frames fly by. Its extremely thin bezel is perfect for a multi-monitor setup, eliminating most of the gap between the screens, and with VESA DisplayHDR 400 certification, you’ll be immersed in bright, saturated colours too. Like many MSI gaming monitors, it’s optimised to reduce eye strain by lowering the total amount of blue light, ensuring you a longer period of game time without fatigue.
Embrace the curve: MAG 32CQ6F
Buy it here: £259 > £189 (27% off, save £70)
Curved screens can increase immersion while gaming, and this huge 32in model envelops you in your game thanks to a wide 2560 x 1440 WVA panel with a 180Hz refresh rate and 0.5ms response time that will cut down on motion blur and give a crystal-clear image. Add adaptive sync, plus MSI's Anti-Flicker and Less Blue Light technologies, to the mix, and you’ve got a screen that you’ll want to use for everything, be it gaming, streaming or even working. With a pair of HDMI 2.0b ports alongside a DisplayPort 1.4 input, it’s the ideal screen for sharing between multiple inputs, be they PCs, consoles or streaming sticks.
High-speed OLED: MAG 271QPX QD-OLED E2
Buy it here: £749 > £599 (20% off, save £150)
If twitch shooters and esports are your thing, this HDR QD-OLED screen with a sky-high refresh rate is exactly what you want. You’ll be pumping frames to it at up to 240Hz, and with a 2560 x 1440 resolution and an incredible 0.03ms response time, plus the amazing colour saturation and brightness you get from the combination of OLED and Quantum Dot tech, your games will never have looked better. The screen’s anti-reflection coating helps you focus on your games with fewer distracting glare artefacts or washed-out colours.
Ultrawide OLED: MAG 341CQP QD-OLED
Buy it here: £899 > £599 (33.4% off, save £300)
If you’re ready to take things to the next level, this 34in HDR OLED monitor deal offers a huge saving for a huge screen. MSI has outdone itself with this curved ultrawide screen, which brings a 3440 x 1440p resolution and a gentle curve to the party. You get the benefits of next-gen QD-OLED technology for deeper colours, a huge HDR peak brightness of 1000 cd/m², a 0.03ms response time and a 175Hz refresh rate with adaptive sync. It’s a beast of a screen that can truly put you ahead of the competition, now with a third off the price.
Budget curved screen: MAG 27C6X
Buy it here: £169 > £119 (29.6% off, save £50)
Proof that you don’t have to completely spend out when buying a new monitor. This screen was a bargain before Black Friday, but now it’s positively begging you to buy it. With a 250Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time it’s blazingly fast, with adaptive sync to iron out any stuttering as your PC tries to keep up with the 1080p VA LCD panel. This vivid display with a wide colour gamut is ideal for any fast-moving games, including first-person shooters and racing titles. Its frameless design and 1500R curve give it a sleek modern look, so it looks almost as good switched off as it does when switched on.
Fast and sharp: MAG 274UPF E2
Buy it here: £439 > £319 (27.3% off, save £120)
Modern GPUs have enabled 4K gaming at high framerates, so why not take advantage of all that pixel-pushing power with a screen that can reach 160Hz? This 27in model uses a Rapid IPS panel that’s VESA DisplayHDR 400 certified, so you can look forward to vibrant colours alongside an incredibly sharp picture that allows you to really see the detail baked into your favourite games. Its 0.5ms response time means it can keep up with the fastest-moving graphics with little blur, while anti-flicker and blue-light-reducing technology lower the strain on your eyes. It also has a useful selection of inputs at the back, including a USB-C port that can connect to and charge your gaming laptop (plus two HDMI 2.1 inputs and a DisplayPort 1.4 for multiple computers), and is fully height adjustable too.