The MSI Optix G321CU is a budget-friendly 4k gaming monitor. It's one of MSI's few 4k 144Hz monitors, and it's the first to have a VA panel instead of an IPS panel found on other models like the MSI Optix MPG321UR-QD. It features a 32-inch screen with a 1500R curve to bring the edges more within your field of vision. It has features you expect to find in most gaming monitors, like variable refresh rate (VRR) support and the full 48 Gbps bandwidth of HDMI 2.1 on both of its HDMI ports. It also has a few extra perks to improve your gaming experience, like different crosshairs available. It doesn't only have features focused on gaming as it has a USB-C port that supports DisplayPort Alt Mode and Picture-in-Picture/Picture-by-Picture modes.
Our Verdict
The MSI G321CU is good for most uses. It's a great gaming monitor thanks to its gaming features like VRR support and HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, and it also has low input lag, so you won't notice any delay on the screen. However, it has mediocre motion handling as there's visible smearing with fast-moving objects. It's decent for the office and good for content creators as it displays sharp images and has a large screen, but it has narrow viewing angles and limited ergonomics that make it hard to share your screen with someone else. It's good for watching videos in dark rooms as it has a decent contrast ratio, but it lacks a local dimming feature to improve the black levels, and it doesn't get bright enough to make highlights pop in HDR.
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32-inch screen.
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Sharp text and images.
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Good SDR peak brightness.
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Decent native contrast ratio.
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Narrow viewing angles.
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Stand only offers tilt adjustment.
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Noticeable smearing with fast-moving objects.
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Disappointing black uniformity.
The MSI G321CU is decent for office use. Its large 32-inch screen provides enough space to multitask, and the 4k resolution offers high pixel density and fantastic text clarity. It also has good peak brightness and decent reflection handling if you want to use it in well-lit offices, but it struggles in extremely bright environments. Unfortunately, it has narrow viewing angles, and people viewing from the side see a washed-out image, and it also has terrible ergonomics.
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32-inch screen.
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Sharp text and images.
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Good SDR peak brightness.
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Narrow viewing angles.
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Stand only offers tilt adjustment.
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Visibility a problem in very bright rooms.
The MSI G321CU is great for gaming. It has a 144Hz refresh rate and HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, making it fully compatible with HDMI 2.1 graphics cards and consoles. It also has VRR support to reduce screen tearing. Gaming feels responsive thanks to its low input lag, but motion looks blurry as there's smearing and motion blur with fast-moving objects. While it has a decent contrast ratio if you want to use it in a dark room, it doesn't have a local dimming feature, and its black uniformity is disappointing.
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HDMI 2.1 bandwidth.
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FreeSync VRR and G-SYNC compatibility.
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Low input lag.
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Decent native contrast ratio.
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Noticeable smearing with fast-moving objects.
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Disappointing black uniformity.
The MSI G321CU is good for media consumption. The 4k resolution lets you watch the latest videos in 4k, and images look sharp thanks to the high pixel density. It also has a large 32-inch screen for an immersive viewing experience. It has a decent contrast ratio, but its dark room performance is limited without a local dimming feature and with disappointing black uniformity. Also, sharing your screen with others is hard because it has narrow viewing angles that make the image look washed out from the sides and has terrible ergonomics.
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32-inch screen.
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Sharp text and images.
-
Good SDR peak brightness.
-
Decent native contrast ratio.
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Narrow viewing angles.
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Stand only offers tilt adjustment.
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No local dimming feature.
-
Disappointing black uniformity.
The MSI G321CU is decent for media creation. The 32-inch, 4k screen lets you see more of your work at once with a lot of detail and sharp images. It also displays a wide range of colors in SDR and has good image accuracy, but not all colors are accurate before a full calibration. Unfortunately, it's hard to share your screen with a coworker or client as you can't swivel it, and it has narrow viewing angles that make the image look washed out from the sides.
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32-inch screen.
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Sharp text and images.
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Good SDR peak brightness.
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Wide color gamut.
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Narrow viewing angles.
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Stand only offers tilt adjustment.
-
Visibility a problem in very bright rooms.
The MSI G321CU is okay for HDR. While it displays a wide range of colors in the commonly-used DCI-P3 color space, it doesn't get bright enough to make colors look vivid or for highlights to pop. It also has a decent native contrast ratio, but without a local dimming feature, it can't display very deep blacks.
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Decent native contrast ratio.
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Wide color gamut.
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Noticeable smearing with fast-moving objects.
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No local dimming feature.
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Disappointing black uniformity.
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Limited HDR peak brightness.
- 7.5 Mixed Usage
- 7.3 Office
- 8.1 Gaming
- 7.5 Media Consumption
- 7.7 Media Creation
- 6.5 HDR
- Updated Jun 02, 2023: Review published.
- Updated May 29, 2023: Early access published.
- Updated May 19, 2023: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated May 03, 2023: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
- Updated Apr 18, 2023: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.
Check Price
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the 32-inch MSI G321CU, the only size available for this monitor. Although other 32-inch, 4k monitors are available from MSI, the results only apply to this monitor.
| Model | Size | Panel Type | Resolution | Refresh Rate | Curve |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G321CU | 32" | VA | 4k | 144Hz | 1500R |
Our unit was manufactured in February 2023; the label is here.
Compared To Other Monitors
The MSI G321CU is a great budget-friendly model that costs less than other 4k gaming monitors, which is great if you want something for console gaming and don't want to spend a ton of money. However, it doesn't perform nearly as well as the more expensive options, as there's smearing with fast-moving objects, and it has narrow viewing angles. Even its dark room performance is limited compared to other monitors with VA panels, as it has disappointing black uniformity and lacks a local dimming feature. You can get better performance by spending more on the Gigabyte M32U or the Gigabyte M32UC.
See our recommendations for the best 4k 144Hz monitors, the best 4k gaming monitors, and the best 32-inch monitors.
The Gigabyte M32UC is better for gaming than the MSI Optix G321CU. While both monitors have smearing with fast-moving objects, the Gigabyte has less overshoot and improved motion handling, particularly at high refresh rates. The picture quality on the Gigabyte is also better as it gets much brighter, and it has a better contrast ratio. On the other hand, the MSI has the full 48 Gbps bandwidth of HDMI 2.1, while the Gigabyte is limited to 24 Gbps, so your graphics card doesn't need to use compression when sending high-bandwidth signals.
The Gigabyte M32U is a better gaming monitor than the MSI Optix G321CU. The main advantage the Gigabyte has is its superior motion handling, so there's less smearing with fast-moving objects. The Gigabyte also has wider viewing angles and better ergonomics that make it better for co-op gaming. On the other hand, the MSI has the full 48 Gbps bandwidth of HDMI 2.1, while the Gigabyte is limited to 24 Gbps, so your graphics card doesn't need to use compression if you need to send signals that require high bandwidth.
The Gigabyte M28U is a better gaming monitor than the MSI Optix G321CU. The main advantage the Gigabyte has is its superior motion handling, so there's less smearing with fast-moving objects. The Gigabyte also has wider viewing angles and better ergonomics that make it better for co-op gaming. On the other hand, the MSI has a bigger screen for a more immersive feel. It also has the full 48 Gbps bandwidth of HDMI 2.1, while the Gigabyte is limited to 24 Gbps, so your graphics card doesn't need to use compression for demanding signals.
The Acer Nitro XV282K KVbmiipruzx is better for gaming than the MSI Optix G321CU. Motion handling is much better on the Acer as there's less smearing and blur trail with fast-moving objects. The Acer also has much better ergonomics and wider viewing angles than the MSI, so it's the better choice for co-op gaming. However, the MSI has the full 48 Gbps bandwidth of HDMI 2.1, while the Acer is limited to 24 Gbps, so your graphics card doesn't need to use compression for demanding signals.
Test Results
The MSI G321CU has a simple design with an all-black body that features matte and glossy plastic. It also has a slight curve to bring the edges of the screen within your field of vision.
The build quality is good. The all-plastic body feels good as it doesn't flex, but the bottom bezel isn't perfectly flush with the screen and moves easily. Luckily, the stand feels sturdy, and the screen doesn't wobble.
The stand has limited ergonomics as you can only tilt the screen, meaning it's hard to place in an ideal position. It doesn't have any cable management either.
The V-shaped stand has enough space between the legs to put smaller keyboards or other objects, and the stand also holds the screen well. The thickness is measured from the center of the screen, and the thickness is 9.06" (23.0 cm) when measured from the sides.
The thickness is measured from the center of the screen, and when measured from the sides, the thickness is 4.1" (10.5 cm).
There's a joystick on the back of the monitor to control the on-screen display, and a power button underneath the bottom bezel to turn it on and off.
- HDMI cable
- Power cable
- Power supply
- 6x wall mounting screws
- User manual
The MSI G321CU has a decent native contrast ratio. While it doesn't display the same deep blacks as other monitors with VA panels and is lower than the advertised 3000:1 contrast, it's still better than IPS monitors.
This monitor doesn't have a local dimming feature. We still film these videos on the monitor so you can compare the backlight performance with a monitor that has local dimming.
This monitor has good SDR peak brightness. While it isn't strong enough to fight intense glare from bright light sources, like if you place it opposite a window with direct sunlight, it's good enough for most well-lit rooms. Different scenes also maintain the same brightness. These results are from after calibration in the 'User' Game Mode and Pro Mode with the Brightness at its max and Color Temperature set to 'Normal'.
The HDR brightness is mediocre. It doesn't get bright enough to make highlights pop, and small objects don't stand out against the rest of the screen. Luckily, the EOTF follows the target PQ curve fairly well until there's a sharp roll-off at the peak brightness, meaning it isn't tone mapping after the PC has already done it.
These results are with HDR enabled in the 'User' Game Mode and Pro Mode. HDR automatically locks the following settings:
- Brightness
- Contrast
- Color Temperature
- HDCR
- Low Blue Light
- MPRT Sync
- Night Vision
- Optix Scope
- PIP/PBP
The MSI G321CU has an okay horizontal viewing angle, especially for a monitor with a VA panel, but the image still looks inconsistent from the sides. The black levels and gamma raise from a narrow angle, causing the image to appear brighter.
The vertical viewing angle isn't bad, but the image looks inconsistent if you're standing up and looking down on it or if you have it mounted above eye level.
The gray uniformity is great. The edges are a bit darker than the rest, but there's minimal dirty screen effect in the center, which is great for browsing the web or working with documents in full-screen mode.
The MSI G321CU has disappointing black uniformity. There's a noticeable backlight bleed along the edges, and it doesn't have a local dimming feature to further improve it.
The accuracy before calibration is good in the sRGB mode, which is selected in the Pro Mode setting. It limits colors well to the sRGB color space, but most colors are still off. The white balance is also off, the color temperature is on the warm side, and gamma doesn't follow the target sRGB curve, meaning images are darker than intended.
The sRGB mode locks many settings, including the Contrast and Color Temperature. You can use another mode if you want to customize those settings, but colors are oversaturated, as you can see here.
The accuracy after calibration is fantastic, as most inaccuracies are fixed. You can adjust the RGB controls with the 'Customization' Color Temperature setting, but it also makes the screen nearly 200 nits dimmer compared to leaving it on 'Normal'.
The SDR color gamut is fantastic. It has near-perfect coverage of the commonly-used sRGB color space and decent coverage of Adobe RGB. However, greens are undersaturated in Adobe RGB, and it oversaturates reds.
The MSI G321CU has an incredible SDR color volume. It displays bright colors well but struggles with dark colors.
The HDR color gamut is good. It has good coverage of the DCI-P3 color space used in most HDR content but worse coverage of the wider Rec. 2020 color space. Tone mapping is good in DCI-P3, but it's worse with Rec. 2020, as white is particularly off.
The HDR color gamut is good. It's mainly limited by its incomplete color gamut and only decent contrast ratio.
The MSI G321CU has decent reflection handling. While it's fine with a few lights, it really struggles to diffuse light in very bright rooms.
The gradient handling is remarkable, and you won't see any banding with shades of the same color.
To get the monitor's max refresh rate over HDMI, you must set HDMI 2.1 in the OSD to '4k 144Hz - PC'.
Although NVIDIA doesn't certify this monitor to be G-SYNC compatible, G-SYNC still works over the entire refresh rate range. FreeSync and G-SYNC both work over HDMI and DisplayPort too.
| Overdrive Setting | Response Time Chart | Response Time Tables | Motion Blur Photo |
| Normal | Chart | Table | Photo |
| Fast | Chart | Table | Photo |
| Fastest | Chart | Table | Photo |
The response time at the max refresh rate of 144Hz is alright. Like most monitors with VA panels, there's noticeable smearing due to the slow response time in dark transitions. Setting the Response Time setting to 'Fastest' results in less smearing than 'Normal' and 'Fast', but there's a bit more overshoot, so if that bothers you, it's better to use 'Fast' instead.
| Overdrive Setting | Response Time Chart | Response Time Tables | Motion Blur Photo |
| Normal | Chart | Table | Photo |
| Fast | Chart | Table | Photo |
| Fastest | Chart | Table | Photo |
The MSI G321CU has an unremarkable response time at 120Hz. There's still smearing with fast-moving objects, but the recommended Response Time setting is 'Fast' because it has a quicker total response time and less overshoot than 'Faster'. If you want a set-and-forget mode to use at any refresh rate, 'Fast' is the best option.
| Overdrive Setting | Response Time Chart | Response Time Tables | Motion Blur Photo |
| Normal | Chart | Table | Photo |
| Fast | Chart | Table | Photo |
| Fastest | Chart | Table | Photo |
The response time at 60Hz isn't bad, but there's noticeable smearing and blur with fast-moving objects. The 'Fast' overdrive setting is once again the best one because it has the fastest total response time out of the three settings, and it has less overshoot than 'Fastest'.
| Refresh Rate | VRR - On | VRR - Off |
| 144Hz |  |  |
| 120Hz |  |  |
The MSI G321CU has an optional backlight strobing feature to reduce persistence blur. You can either enable it at 144Hz or 120Hz with fixed refresh rates, or it continues working down to 60Hz with VRR on. The feature also results in a dim screen, and there isn't any customization.
This monitor has a flicker-free backlight, which helps reduce eye strain if you're sensitive to flicker.
The input lag is low, so you won't notice any delay and get a responsive feel.
This monitor works without issue with the PS5, but you need to change HDMI 2.1 in the OSD to '4k 120Hz - Console' for 4k to work; otherwise, you're limited to 1440p.
The MSI G321CU works well with the Xbox Series X|S thanks to its HDMI 2.1 bandwidth. You need to set HDMI 2.1 to '4k 120Hz - Console' in the OSD for 4k to be enabled, but 1440p only works if you enable the HDMI override from the Xbox. This also disables VRR, meaning VRR doesn't work at all with 1440p.
There's a USB-C port that supports DisplayPort Alt Mode, letting you display an image from a compatible device. However, because the power delivery is limited to 15W, it's only enough to charge smaller devices like a phone, but not your laptop.
This monitor works well with macOS. VRR and HDR can be enabled simultaneously, and VRR works between 48Hz to 144Hz. When using a MacBook, windows return to their original position when reopening the lid or waking the laptop up from sleep.
The MSI G321CU has a few additional features, including:
- Alarm Clock: Activates a timer on the screen.
- HDMI CEC: Supports the HDMI CEC standard and will automatically turn the monitor on when you turn on compatible devices like a PS5 or Xbox Series X|S. It also changes the picture modes to their default settings of 'User'.
- Low Blue Light: Reduces blue light to help reduce eye strain.
- Refresh Rate: Displays the current refresh rate of the screen.
- Optix Scope: Zooms in on the center of your virtual crosshair, making it easier to see opponents. However, you can't use this at the same time as VRR.
- Smart Crosshair: Displays a virtual crosshair that your system won't detect, giving you a competitive advantage.
