The MSI Optix G272 is a great 27 inch gaming monitor with an IPS panel. Gamers will appreciate its fast refresh rate, which delivers an outstanding response time and incredibly low input lag. It's a good choice for console gamers, with an excellent 60Hz response time and low input lag. It's also certified to support a 120Hz refresh rate from the latest generation consoles, but we don't test this at the moment. It supports variable refresh rate (VRR) technology in the form of native FreeSync and G-SYNC compatibility. Unfortunately, this isn't the most versatile display, as the stand has terrible ergonomics, and some people might find the resolution a bit too low for office work or media creation. Strangely, this monitor has better contrast but worse viewing angles than most IPS monitors.
Our Verdict
The MSI Optix G272 is a decent monitor for most uses. It's best-suited for gaming, with an outstanding response time, low input lag, and support for FreeSync variable refresh rate (VRR) technology. It's also a decent monitor for office use, and it's okay for multimedia or media creation; however, some people might find the resolution a bit too low, and it has terrible ergonomics.
- Great gray uniformity.
- Great reflection handling.
- Relatively low pixel density.
- Terrible ergonomics.
The MSI Optix G272 is a decent monitor for office use. It has great reflection handling and good peak brightness, so glare shouldn't be an issue. It has impressive gray uniformity and an outstanding SDR color gamut, so it's a great choice if your work relies on accurate colors. Although the image remains accurate at an angle, the stand has terrible ergonomics, so unless you spend more on a mounting arm, it might be hard to place in an ideal viewing position. Finally, the relatively low pixel density might bother some people.
- Great gray uniformity.
- Outstanding low input lag.
- Exceptional color gamut and color volume.
- Great reflection handling.
- Relatively low pixel density.
- Terrible ergonomics.
The MSI Optix G272 is a great gaming monitor. It has a fast refresh rate, outstanding low input lag, and an exceptional response time, so there's little blur behind fast-moving objects. It supports FreeSync variable refresh rate (VRR) technology, delivering a nearly tear-free gaming experience. Unfortunately, it's limited to a 1080p resolution, which might disappoint some gamers. The stand has terrible ergonomics, so it might be hard to place in an ideal viewing position.
- Outstanding low input lag.
- Fast refresh rate.
- Great reflection handling.
- Relatively low pixel density.
- Terrible ergonomics.
The MSI Optix G272 is an okay monitor for multimedia. The image remains accurate when viewed at an angle, which is great for sharing the screen with a few people. It has great reflection handling, so glare shouldn't be an issue. It's not as good in a dark room, though, due to the low contrast ratio. Unfortunately, the stand has terrible ergonomics, and it doesn't support HDR.
- Great gray uniformity.
- Outstanding low input lag.
- Exceptional color gamut and color volume.
- Great reflection handling.
- Relatively low pixel density.
- Terrible ergonomics.
The MSI Optix G272 is an alright monitor for media creation. The low-resolution screen might make it difficult to see your entire timeline or project at once, and the stand has terrible ergonomics. On the other hand, it has an incredible SDR color gamut, with great coverage of the wider Adobe RGB color space. It has impressive gray uniformity and great gradient handling. Unfortunately, due to the IPS panel, it has low contrast, and the unit we bought has mediocre black uniformity.
- Great gray uniformity.
- Exceptional color gamut and color volume.
- Great reflection handling.
- Relatively low pixel density.
- Terrible ergonomics.
The MSI Optix G272 doesn't support HDR.
Changelog
- Updated Feb 22, 2023: Updated the FreeSync test result to 'Yes' from 'Compatible' in Refresh Rate because it's certified by AMD.
- Updated Jul 06, 2021: Review published.
- Updated Jul 05, 2021: Early access published.
- Updated Jun 21, 2021: Our testers have started testing this product.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the 27 inch MSI Optix G272, which is part of MSI's G-Series gaming monitors. There are other sizes and models available, some of which are listed below. We don't expect our results to be valid for the other models.
| Model | Size | Native Resolution | Max Refresh rate | Panel Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G242 | 24" | 1080p | 144Hz | IPS | |
| G242P | 24" | 1080p | 144Hz | IPS | Tilt, swivel, and pivot adjustments |
| Optix G272 | 27" | 1080p | 144Hz | IPS | |
| Optix G273 | 27" | 1080p | 165Hz | IPS | |
| G272P | 27" | 1080p | 144Hz | IPS | Tilt, swivel, and pivot adjustments |
| G27C | 27" | 1080p | 144Hz | VA | |
| G27C4 | 27" | 1080p | 165Hz | VA | |
| G27C5 | 27" | 1080p | 165Hz | VA |
If you come across a different type of panel or your MSI Optix G272 doesn't correspond to our review, let us know, and we'll update the review. Note that some tests, like gray uniformity, may vary between individual units.
Our unit was manufactured in March 2021; you can see the label here.
Popular Monitor Comparisons
The MSI Optix G272 is a great gaming monitor, but the basic stand and low-resolution screen might be deal-breakers for some users.
For more options, check out our recommendations for the best 27 inch monitors, the best gaming monitors, and the best 1080p monitors.
The Dell S2721DGF is much better than the MSI Optix G272. The Dell has much better ergonomics, better viewing angles, and a higher resolution screen. The Dell supports HDR, but this doesn't add much. On the other hand, the MSI has an optional Black Frame Insertion feature, and the unit we bought has better black uniformity, but this varies between units.
The ASUS VG279Q is much better than the MSI Optix G272 for most users and is better for gaming. The ASUS has a much better stand, with a full range of height, tilt, and swivel adjustments, and it has better viewing angles. The ASUS is also brighter than the MSI but doesn't handle reflections quite as well. On the other hand, the MSI has a faster response time, resulting in clearer motion when gaming.
The overall performance of the AOC 24G2 and the MSI Optix G272 is similar. The AOC has a slightly faster response time and a better Black Frame Insertion feature, and it's a bit brighter. The AOC also has a much better stand, with a full range of height, swivel, and tilt adjustments, and you can rotate it to portrait orientation. The MSI can only tilt, but it has a larger screen that might be better for some office users.
The Acer Predator X25 bmiiprzx is much better than the MSI Optix G272. The Acer has a much faster refresh rate, much better ergonomics, better viewing angles, and it supports HDR. The Acer supports NVIDIA G-SYNC variable refresh rate technology (VRR) natively, which brings a few benefits over the MSI, including variable overdrive technology, but we don't test this at the moment. On the other hand, the MSI is a bit more versatile, as its VRR implementation works with more devices, including AMD graphics cards.
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.
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