The MSI MEG 342C QD-OLED is a 34-inch ultrawide gaming monitor with a QD-OLED panel. It has a 175Hz refresh rate, VRR support, and HDMI 2.1 bandwidth that lets it take full advantage of gaming consoles and high-end graphics cards. It even has a strip of RGB lighting on the bottom bezel to match your other RGB peripherals. On top of its gaming features, it also has extra perks designed for everyday use, like a USB-C port that supports DisplayPort Alt Mode and 65W of power delivery, a KVM switch, and Picture-by-Picture and Picture-in-Picture modes. As it's an OLED display, it's prone to permanent burn-in when exposed to the same static elements over time. It includes some settings to mitigate the risk of burn-in, like a pixel refresh cycle with a pop-up message on the screen every four hours to run it.
Our Verdict
The MSI MEG 342C is fantastic for PC gaming. It has a 175Hz refresh rate with VRR support, and motion looks incredibly smooth thanks to its near-instantaneous response time. Your inputs also feel responsive as it has low input lag. Lastly, it's incredible for gaming in dark rooms because of its near-infinite contrast ratio, so blacks look deep and inky, and it also displays vivid colors.
- Sharp motion thanks to near-instantaneous response time.
- Perfect black levels without any blooming.
- FreeSync VRR and G-SYNC compatibility.
- Highlights pop in HDR.
- Noticeable VRR flicker with changing frame rates.
- Black levels rise in bright rooms.
The MSI MEG 342C is fantastic for console gaming. It has HDMI 2.1 bandwidth and supports any signal with the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, but the consoles don't support ultrawide gaming, so you'll see black bars on the sides. Luckily, it offers incredible gaming performance as it has a near-instantaneous response time, leading to exceptionally sharp motion, and it has low input lag for a responsive feel. It also displays deep and inky blacks in dark rooms, resulting in outstanding picture quality, and displays vivid colors.
- Sharp motion thanks to near-instantaneous response time.
- Perfect black levels without any blooming.
- HDMI 2.1 bandwidth for console gaming.
- Highlights pop in HDR.
- Black levels rise in bright rooms.
The MSI MEG 342C QD-OLED is good for office use, but there are some limitations. Its ultrawide screen provides plenty of screen space to multitask, and it has fantastic reflection handling, which is useful if you want to use it in a well-lit room. However, it has text clarity issues due to its subpixel layout, and there's color fringing around windows. It also risks permanent burn-in when exposed to the same static elements over time, which can be problematic with taskbars and icons on the screen all day.
- Ultrawide 34-inch screen.
- Fantastic reflection handling.
- Extra productivity features, like a KVM switch.
- Wide viewing angles.
- Text clarity issues.
- Doesn't get very bright in SDR.
- Risk of burn-in with static elements.
The MSI MEG 342C is excellent for media creation, but it has some limitations. It displays a wide range of colors and has impressive accuracy before calibration. Its ultrawide screen allows you to view more of your work area at once, and its wide viewing angles are great if you need to share the screen with someone next to you. However, its curved display isn't ideal if you need to view straight lines, and it has color fringing and text clarity issues. Another major downside is that it runs the risk of permanent burn-in when exposed to the same static elements over time, like if your editing programs are open all the time.
- Ultrawide 34-inch screen.
- Fantastic reflection handling.
- Extra productivity features, like a KVM switch.
- Wide viewing angles.
- Impressive accuracy before calibration.
- Text clarity issues.
- Doesn't get very bright in SDR.
- Risk of burn-in with static elements.
- Black levels rise in bright rooms.
The MSI MEG 342C has okay brightness. It isn't bright enough to fight intense glare in well-lit rooms, but it makes highlights pop in HDR.
- Highlights pop in HDR.
- Doesn't get very bright in SDR.
The MSI MEG 342C has a near-instantaneous response time, leading to exceptionally sharp motion.
- Sharp motion thanks to near-instantaneous response time.
- Outstanding refresh rate compliance.
The MSI MEG 342C is outstanding for HDR. It displays deep blacks in dark rooms, and there isn't any blooming around bright objects either. Its QD-OLED panel also displays a wide range of colors, making them bright and vivid.
- Perfect black levels without any blooming.
- Displays wide range of vivid colors.
The MSI MEG 342C has outstanding SDR picture quality, displaying deep and inky blacks in dark rooms and a wide range of colors.
- Perfect black levels without any blooming.
- Displays wide range of vivid colors.
The MSI MEG 342C has excellent color accuracy. It has impressive accuracy before calibration, but calibrating it still results in the best accuracy.
- Impressive accuracy before calibration.
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.
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Updated Nov 19, 2024:
Added that the MSI MPG 341CQPX QD-OLED has a higher Refresh Rate.
- Updated Jun 21, 2024: Changed the color of the 4k compatibility column in the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S tables for consistency with other reviews.
- Updated May 24, 2024: Updated text throughout the review according to Test Bench 2.0, mainly in the Verdict and Motion sections.
Check Price
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the 34-inch MSI MEG 342C QD-OLED, which is the only size available for this monitor.
| Model | Size | Curvature | Panel Type | Resolution | Max Refresh Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 342C | 34" | 1800R | QD-OLED | 3440x1440 | 175Hz |
Our unit was manufactured in Feb 2023; you can see the label here.
Popular Monitor Comparisons
The MSI MEG 342C QD-OLED is an excellent ultrawide gaming monitor that combines fantastic gaming performance with incredible picture quality. It's better than most gaming monitors, and its performance is very similar to its main competitors, like the Dell Alienware AW3423DW, the Dell Alienware AW3423DWF, and the Samsung Odyssey OLED G8/G85SB S34BG85, but with slightly worse HDR performance. However, it has features the others don't have, like a useful KVM switch if you need to connect multiple sources. Its HDMI 2.1 bandwidth is also ideal for any type of gamer, including console gamers, and even if consoles don't support ultrawide gaming, it's at least versatile if you want something for your PC and console.
See our recommendations for the best ultrawide gaming monitors, the best gaming monitors, and the best 34-49 inch monitors.
The Samsung Odyssey OLED G85SB S34BG85 and the MSI MEG 342C QD-OLED are similar monitors that use the same QD-OLED panel. There still are a few differences, though, as the Samsung monitor has a built-in smart system, making it easier to stream content without needing a PC. While they both support HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, the MSI works with 4k @ 120Hz signals from the Xbox Series X|S and PS5, which the Samsung model can't do. They each have USB-C ports, but the MSI has a few extra features, like a KVM switch and Picture-by-Picture and Picture-in-Picture modes.
The Dell Alienware AW3423DW and the MSI MEG 342C QD-OLED are similar monitors that use the same QD-OLED panel. While they mainly perform the same, there are a few differences. The Dell has better PQ EOTF tracking in HDR and improved color accuracy. While the Dell monitor has native G-SYNC VRR support, the MSI still has G-SYNC compatibility and works with NVIDIA graphics cards. The MSI has a few advantages regarding features, as it has HDMI 2.1 bandwidth and can take full advantage of the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, which is something the Dell model can't do. The MSI also has a USB-C port and a KVM switch, making it the better choice if you need something for multitasking.
The Dell Alienware AW3423DWF and the MSI MEG 342C QD-OLED both use the same QD-OLED panel and have many similarities, but some differences exist, too. The Dell has better PQ EOTF tracking, so the image looks more accurate on the Dell. However, the MSI has a few advantages in other areas, like its HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, which lets it take full advantage of gaming consoles, and its extra productivity features like a KVM switch and Picture-in-Picture and Picture-by-Picture modes.
The MSI MEG 342C QD-OLED and the Corsair XENEON FLEX 45WQHD240 are both fantastic OLED gaming monitors with a few differences. The MSI has a smaller screen, but because they have the same resolution, the Corsair has lower pixel density and worse image sharpness. The MSI also has a QD-OLED panel that gets brighter and delivers more vivid colors than the Corsair for an improved HDR experience. While they each have USB-C ports, the MSI delivers higher power delivery, making it easier to charge power-hungry devices. On the other hand, the Corsair has a higher 240Hz refresh rate and a bendable screen that lets you adjust its curve to your liking.
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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