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.
We buy and test more than 30 monitors each year, with units that we buy completely on our own, without any 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 and custom tools to measure various aspects with objective data-based results. We also consider multiple factors before making any recommendations, including the monitor's cost, its performance against the competition, and whether or not it's easy to find.
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 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 MSI Optix G272 is better than the Lenovo D27-30 for most users, and it's significantly better for gaming. The MSI has a faster refresh rate and a significantly faster response time, so motion looks better, with less blur behind fast-moving objects. The MSI also has better reflection handling and higher peak brightness, so it's better suited to overcome glare in a bright room. On the other hand, the Lenovo has better contrast and better black uniformity, so it looks better if you're in a completely black room.
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.
The MSI Optix G27C4 and the MSI Optix G272 use different panel technologies, each with strengths and weaknesses. The G27C4 uses a VA panel, and it has much better contrast, making it a better choice for a darker environment. The G272 uses an IPS panel, and it has better viewing angles, a much faster response time, and better reflection handling.
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 LG 27GL650F-B is much better than the MSI Optix G272 for most users. The LG has better ergonomics, as the stand has a good height adjustment range, and it can rotate to portrait orientation. The LG supports HDR, and it has better viewing angles. On the other hand, the MSI has a faster response time and much better reflection handling.
Test Results
The MSI Optix G272 has a simple style that looks great in any setting. It's not as flashy as higher-end gaming monitors, with no RGB lighting, and the stand is simple but effective. It has very thin bezels on three sides, making it a great choice for a multimonitor setup.
The stand is thin but supports the monitor well with almost no wobble. It's wide, but because it's so thin, it doesn't take up much space.
Unfortunately, the MSI Optix G272 has terrible ergonomics. There's no height adjustment, no swivel, and it can't rotate to portrait orientation. This might make it difficult to place the monitor in an ideal viewing position.
There's a variant of this monitor, known as the MSI Optix G272P, which should perform the same, but with a much wider range of motion on the stand.
The MSI logo is stamped on the back, but other than that, the design is pretty simple. There's a brushed metal finish on most of it. The ports are in a recessed section below the VESA mount, and they're pretty easy to access. Unfortunately, there's no cable management.
The borders are very thin on three sides, making this a great choice for a multimonitor setup.
The MSI Optix G272 has decent build quality. It's entirely plastic, but we didn't notice any significant issues. We didn't notice any bubbling on the bezels, which is a common issue, but the bottom bezel can be compressed towards the screen easily, so take care when moving it. The nearly fixed stand supports the monitor well, with almost no wobble. Finally, the joystick control on the back feels a bit loose, and it wiggles around easily without properly registering your inputs.
The MSI Optix G272 has okay contrast. It's quite a bit better than most IPS monitors but still not as good as monitors with a VA panel, like the MSI Optix G27C4 or the Lenovo D27-30. These results are higher than MSI's advertised 1000:1 contrast ratio, but this varies between units.
The MSI Optix G272 doesn't have a local dimming feature. The video is for reference only, so you can see how the local dimming feature on other displays compares to one without local dimming.
The MSI Optix G272 has good peak brightness in SDR. It's bright enough for most viewing conditions, and there's no variation in brightness with different content. Like the contrast of the unit we bought, this is better than MSI's advertised 250 cd/m² peak brightness, but this could vary between units.
These measurements were taken after calibration, in the 'Gamer 1' Picture Mode, with the backlight at max. The peak brightness can change depending on which mode you're using.
This monitor doesn't support HDR.
The MSI Optix G272 has okay horizontal viewing angles. At moderate angles off-center, brightness decreases, colors lose accuracy, and gamma shifts, causing the image to appear washed-out. These results are a bit on the low-end for an IPS panel but still okay for most people.
The MSI Optix G272 has mediocre vertical viewing angles. Like the horizontal viewing angles, at moderate angles, brightness decreases and gamma shifts rapidly, causing the image to appear washed-out. These results are a bit on the low-end for an IPS panel but still okay for most people.
Like the vast majority of monitors on the market, the gray uniformity is impressive. The corners of the screen are darker than the center, and there's some dirty screen effect in the center, but these issues aren't very noticeable with regular content. Gray uniformity and the amount of dirty screen effect can vary between units.
The unit we bought has mediocre black uniformity. There's cloudiness throughout the screen, but the most noticeable issue is the backlight bleed around the edges. This can vary between units, so let us know if you get one with better (or worse) uniformity.
Out of the box, the MSI Optix G272 we bought has good accuracy, but this varies between units. Some colors have noticeable inaccuracies, especially saturated blues, but the white balance is great. Gamma doesn't follow the sRGB target curve at all, dark scenes are crushed a bit, and brighter scenes are too bright. The color temperature is a bit cool, giving everything a slightly bluish tint.
After calibration, the MSI Optix G272 has outstanding accuracy. The remaining inaccuracies in colors and the white balance aren't noticeable, and gamma is much closer to the sRGB target curve. The color temperature is very close to our target, and the bluish tint that was there before is gone.
You can download our ICC profile calibration here. This is provided for reference only and shouldn't be used, as the calibration values vary per individual unit due to manufacturing tolerances, even for the same model.
The MSI Optix G272 has an outstanding SDR color gamut. It can display the entire sRGB color space used by most web and desktop content. It also has great coverage of the wider Adobe RGB color space used for content creation, but it can't display the full range of green.
This monitor has super SDR color volume. It fills out the entire sRGB color space at most luminance levels but can't display saturated colors at low luminance levels due to the low contrast ratio. Like all LCDs, blues aren't as bright as other colors or pure white, but this isn't that noticeable.
This monitor doesn't support HDR.
This monitor doesn't support HDR.
The MSI Optix G272 we bought doesn't show any signs of temporary image retention, but this can vary between units.
The MSI Optix G272 has great gradient handling. Since it can only accept an 8-bit signal, there's 8-bit banding when displaying our test image. Other than that, there's some banding in darker shades, but it's not very noticeable.
There are no noticeable signs of color bleed on our unit.
The MSI Optix G272 has impressive reflection handling. Glare isn't distracting in a bright room, as the matte finish can disperse direct reflections across the screen, reducing their intensity significantly.
The MSI Optix G272 has decent text clarity. We strongly recommend running the Windows ClearType (top photo) wizard if you're on a PC. There are some font issues in apps that don't support ClearType.
| Resonse Time Setting | Response Time Chart | Response Time Tables | Motion Blur Photo |
| Normal | Chart | Table | Photo |
| Fast | Chart | Table | Photo |
| Fastest | Chart | Table | Photo |
The MSI Optix G272 has an outstanding response time at the maximum refresh rate. At our recommended Response Time setting of 'Fast', there's a bit of overshoot, but there's very little inverse ghosting trailing our moving logo. If this bothers you, the 'Normal' setting has no overshoot, but the average response time is a bit slower, so there's a longer blur trail behind fast-moving objects.
| Response Time Setting | Response Time Chart | Response Time Tables | Motion Blur Photo |
| Normal | Chart | Table | Photo |
| Fast | Chart | Table | Photo |
| Fastest | Chart | Table | Photo |
Even when gaming at 60Hz, the MSI Optix G272 has an excellent response time, with very little blur behind fast-moving objects. There's more overshoot in the 'Fast' Response Time setting than at the maximum refresh rate, so we recommend switching down to 'Normal'.
The backlight is completely flicker-free, which is great as it can help reduce eye strain. There's also an optional blue-light filter that can help reduce eye strain, but most operating systems already have this built-in anyway.
The MSI Optix G272 has an optional Black Frame Insertion (BFI) feature, which can reduce the appearance of persistence blur caused by the fast response time. It has limited usefulness on this monitor, though, as it's only available within a very small range of refresh rates. Note that our scoring here is based only on the supported refresh rates, not how well the feature works.
To enable the BFI feature, set Anti Motion Blur to 'On' from the 'Gaming' menu. With this feature enabled, you can no longer use Adaptive Sync, and you can't adjust the Response Time. You can't adjust the brightness either, and it's noticeably darker than with this feature disabled.
This monitor has a fast refresh rate. As always, G-SYNC only works over DisplayPort, but FreeSync works over both HDMI and DisplayPort. Due to the low native resolution, there are no issues using HDMI, and it supports the maximum refresh rate over HDMI. The replacement model, the MSI Optix G273, has a higher max refresh rate.
The MSI Optix G272 has outstanding low input lag, resulting in a very responsive gaming experience. Gaming at 60Hz results in slightly higher input lag, but it's still extremely responsive.
The 27 inch screen is a great size for most people, but the 1080p resolution might be disappointing for some users, as it results in a slightly lower pixel density.
The MSI Optix G272 has a few additional features available, most of them gaming-oriented. Some of them include:
- Screen Assistance: This is MSI's virtual crosshair option. There are six virtual crosshairs to choose from. Unlike software virtual crosshairs that are installed on your PC, these can't be detected by your games.
- Refresh rate: Displays the current number of frames per second received from the source.
- Night vision: Adjusts gamma to make it easier to spot other players/enemies in shadows.
- Console mode: This isn't an option that can be enabled from the OSD, but MSI has tested and confirmed that this monitor supports 1080p @ 120Hz inputs from the Sony PS5 and the Xbox Series S/X. We don't currently test for this, though.
