The MSI MAG 274UPF is a 27-inch, 4k gaming monitor with a 144Hz refresh rate and HDMI 2.1 bandwidth. It's one of several similar monitors in MSI's lineup, including the MSI G274QPF-QD. The MAG 274UPF competes with other 27-inch 4k gaming monitors like the LG 27GR93U-B and the Gigabyte M27U. While it doesn't have local dimming, it does have several added productivity features, like a USB-C port with up to 65W of power delivery and a KVM switch that makes it easy to multitask with different computers.
Our Verdict
The MSI MAG 274UPF is decent for PC gaming. Some competitive gamers may find its 144Hz refresh rate limiting, but it has low input lag for a responsive feel and a good response time for fairly sharp motion. Unfortunately, its low contrast ratio causes deep blacks to look gray in a dark room, and it doesn't get bright enough for highlights to pop.
- 144Hz refresh rate.
- Good response time.
- Low input lag.
- Deep blacks appear gray in a dark room.
- Limited HDR brightness.
The MSI MAG274UPF is great for console gaming. It takes full advantage of the Xbox Series X|S and PS5 thanks to its HDMI 2.1 bandwidth and delivers detailed images thanks to its 4k resolution. Gaming feels responsive due to its low input lag, and this monitor has a good response time. Unfortunately, it has limited HDR picture quality, as deep blacks look gray in a dark room, and highlights don't pop.
- HDMI 2.1 bandwidth.
- Good response time.
- Low input lag.
- Deep blacks appear gray in a dark room.
- Limited HDR brightness.
The MSI MAG274UPF is impressive for office use. It has a 4k resolution that results in high pixel density on its 27-inch screen, so it has fantastic text clarity. It also works well in a brighter room, as it's bright enough to overcome glare and has good reflection handling. And though it doesn't have wide viewing angles, it has fantastic ergonomics, so it's easy to share your screen with someone else. While it only has two USB-A ports, it has a USB-C port with up to 65W of power delivery and a KVM switch that makes it easy to multitask with different computers.
- 4k resolution for sharp text and images.
- Bright enough to fight glare.
- USB-C port with 65W power delivery and KVM switch.
- Good reflection handling.
The MSI MAG274UPF is good for editing. It has great accuracy even before calibration in its sRGB mode and displays a wide range of colors. Its 4k resolution delivers sharp images, and this monitor is bright enough to overcome glare even in fairly bright rooms. However, it's not ideal if you're editing HDR content, as deep blacks appear gray in a dark room, and highlights aren't bright enough to pop.
- 4k resolution for sharp text and images.
- Bright enough to fight glare.
- USB-C port with 65W power delivery and KVM switch.
- Great accuracy in the sRGB mode.
- Deep blacks appear gray in a dark room.
The MSI MAG274UPF has good brightness. It gets bright enough to fight glare in well-lit rooms, but highlights don't pop in HDR.
- Bright enough to fight glare.
- Limited HDR brightness.
The MSI MAG274UPF has a good response time, though fast-moving objects still have a bit of blur.
- Good response time.
The MSI MAG274UPF is disappointing for HDR. Its low contrast ratio makes deep blacks appear gray in a dark room, and it lacks a local dimming feature to improve the picture quality further. Additionally, colors don't look vivid.
- Deep blacks appear gray in a dark room.
- No local dimming feature.
The MSI MAG274UPF has decent SDR picture quality. While it displays a wide range of colors, its low contrast causes deep blacks to appear gray in a dark room.
- Displays wide range of colors.
- Deep blacks appear gray in a dark room.
The MSI MAG274UPF has great color accuracy. Calibrating it results in the most accurate image, but it still has great accuracy before calibration in its sRGB mode. It also has decent gray uniformity with a consistent image throughout most of the screen, though the edges are darker in some places.
- Great accuracy in the sRGB mode.
- Decent gray uniformity.
Performance Usages
Changelog
- Updated Feb 21, 2025: We've converted this review to Test Bench 2.0.1. This includes a new test result for DisplayPort 2.1 Transmission Bandwidth.
- Updated Sep 03, 2024: Review published.
- Updated Aug 27, 2024: Early access published.
- Updated Aug 22, 2024: Our testers have started testing this product.
Check Price
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the 27-inch MSI MAG 274UPF, which is similar to several other 27-inch 4k models from MSI, like the MPG 274URF QD. However, as the table below shows, there are differences between the models. The results are only valid for this model.
| Model Code | Panel Type | RGB Lighting | Refresh Rate | USB-C Power Delivery |
| MAG 274UPF | Standard | No | 144Hz | 65W |
| MPG 274URF QD | Quantum Dot | Yes | 160Hz | 65W |
| MAG 274UPF E2 | Standard | No | 160Hz | 15W |
We tested our unit with firmware FW.019. You can see the label here.
Popular Monitor Comparisons
The MSI MAG 274UPF is a lower-cost 4k monitor for someone who wants a dual-purpose display that's excellent for productivity and is also decent for gaming. Like other monitors in this category, it has a sharp 4k resolution that's great for office and editing work, and it can also work well for gaming, particularly if you're playing with a console, thanks to its HDMI 2.1 bandwidth. However, what sets it apart from the competition is that it often costs less, has a KVM switch, and delivers up to 65W of power over USB-C. However, it has limited HDR performance, so if you want a dual-purpose monitor without compromise, the Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx has better gaming performance and office features but costs a lot more.
See our recommendations for the best 27-inch gaming monitors, the best 4k gaming monitors, and the best monitors for Xbox Series X.
The AOC Q27G3XMN and the MSI MAG 274UPF are 27-inch gaming monitors. The AOC is a better choice if gaming performance is most important to you, as it has better motion handling, gets much brighter in HDR, and has far better contrast. However, if crisp text and productivity features like a KVM switch matter more to you than gaming performance, then the MSI is a better option.
The Gigabyte M28U and the MSI MAG 274UPF are 4k gaming monitors. The MSI is the better choice for most people, as it gets much brighter, displays a wider range of more vivid HDR colors, and provides more power over USB-C. However, you may prefer the Gigabyte if you do a lot of co-op gaming, as it has wider viewing angles.
The Gigabyte M27U and the MSI MAG 274UPF are 27-inch 4k gaming monitors. You may prefer to get whichever is cheaper, as both have similar performance. If HDR brightness is important to you, the Gigabyte is a slightly better option, as it gets a bit brighter in HDR. However, if you want to charge your laptop from the monitor, the MSI is a better option, as it provides more power over USB-C.
The Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx and the MSI MAG 274UPF are 27-inch 4k gaming monitors. Both are well-suited to gaming and productivity work, but there are some differences in features. The Acer uses Mini LED backlighting, so it has better picture quality with deeper blacks and brighter highlights. The Acer also delivers better motion handling, so it's the better choice if you play a lot of action games.
We buy and test more than 30 monitors each year, all of which we purchase ourselves, without cherry-picked units or samples. We put a lot into each unbiased, straight-to-the-point review, and there's a whole process from purchasing to publishing, involving multiple teams and people. We do more than just use the monitor for a week; we use specialized, custom tools to measure various aspects and deliver objective, data-driven results. We also consider multiple factors before making any recommendations, including the monitor's cost, its performance compared to the competition, and whether it's easy to find.
Test Results
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