Nicola Ligas of 26 May 2023, 1:45 pm
MSI doesn’t just mean laptops but computing at 360°, and what better complement for a good PC, fixed or otherwise, than a good monitor? So here we offer you the MSI Modern MD271UL reviewa 27-inch 4K that belongs to the Taiwanese manufacturer’s “serious” line, the one dedicated to content creator and workers in general. In short, a monitor for home / officewith some very interesting ideas that we will see shortly.
PRO
Excellent display fidelity Good brightness and readability Easy on the eyes Well done software
AGAINST
No USB-C in package Price a bit high No height / rotation adjustment Buttons could be improved
Unboxing
The packaging of MSI Modern MD271UL is well organisedwith the monitor effectively trapped between two thick layers of polystyrene. Inside you will find the support base (with an iMac flavor), the power supply with shucko socket, and an HDMI cable. No USB-C cable, although the monitor supports power delivery up to 65 Watts. Complete all the inevitable manuals.
Construction
MSI Modern MD271UL is a slim monitor (only 1.17 cm thick), with a minimal look, with a aluminum alloy base it is very robust, somewhat reminiscent of the style of iMacs, with which it also shares a defect: cannot be adjusted in height; to be precise, you can only tilt the monitors (-5 to 20 degrees), but neither rotate it. On the other hand, the stand hooks up in a very simple way, without the need to screw anything: just push it into the appropriate monitor housing, and it’s done.
The overall weight, including the base, is just over 7 kgswhile the diagonal is of 27 incheswith very thin frames on 3 sides: moving it around the desk will therefore never be a problem, neither due to its weight nor its size.
The ports on the back are 2 HDMI 2.0bone DisplayPort 1.2ait’s a USB-Cwhich can optionally power laptops and other devices up to 65 Watts. All three ports support output up to 4K@60fps.
The controls are entrusted to 5 physical buttons placed in the lower end, on the right. They are not the maximum of “sophistication”, also because the corresponding symbols are somewhat lost in the background color of the monitor, and there is the fact that at the beginning you press the on / off button by mistake.
Data sheet
The main technical characteristics of Modern MD271UL are as follows:
Panel size: 27 inches
Panel technology: In-Plane Switching (IPS)
Maximum resolution: 3840 x 2160 pixels, 16:9
Response time: 4 ms
Refresh rates: 60Hz
Contrast:1000:1
Viewing angle: 178°, both horizontal and vertical
Colors: 1.07 billion
Color coverage: 139% sRGB; 99% DCI-P3, 95% AdobeRGB
Connectivity: 2 x HDMI 2.0b, 1x DisplayPort 1.2a, USB-C, 3.5mm audio jack
Energy rating:F
Dimensions: 613.49 x 473.1 x 198.3mm
Weight: 7.35kg
The characteristics of the typical office monitor / creator they are all there, at least from the point of view of the panel: wide coverage of the main color spectrums, excellent viewing angles, 4 different inputs, and a “fashionable” design.
On closer inspection, the ports used are not the “latest model”, the 16:9 aspect ratio is no longer so fashionable these days, and in general there is nothing that winks at the world of gaming, but the rest the Modern series is the one that MSI dedicates to productivityso there was no reason to.
How does it work
The Modern MD271UL is a nice monitor, in the sense that it’s one you like to use. It starts well with high resolution, in its standard 16:9 format, which makes it easily compatible with macOS, which still “argues” with intermediate resolutions or particular formats from time to time. Let’s continue with some great viewing angles and with the matte finish on the display, which thus results always legible in every context, especially since the maximum brightness is very good (over 400 nits), as also confirmed by the analysis Calman below.
In this regard, support for the main color spectrums is also very good, with DCI-P3 And AdobeRGB both close to 100%, ed sRGB which abundantly exceeds it, and the factory calibration, already more than precise for professional use.
There are also all the technologies you would expect for eye comfort, and perhaps even more. In addition to the TÜV Rheinland, anti-flicker certification, we have options for low blue light, and there are also some self-assessment systems wrapped up under the umbrella”Eye-Q Check System“. Basically, in the display menu, you can choose to have some particular grids appear to evaluate yours visual fatigueto check for the presence of astigmatismand to make sure your monitor is in the correct position compared to your eyes (which reminds me that there is no height adjustment!). You can find various examples of this in the gallery at the end of the article.
It is also convenient to use as a monitor for a laptop, since with the 65 Watt power delivery you can power many common notebooks, without the need for additional cables for the passage of the video signal (which reminds me that the USB-C cable is not included in the package).
The on-screen controls are also well organized, and despite the numerous menus present, it is not easy to get lost. Just the presence of 5 buttons is a bit excessive (a d-pad would have been better) above all because the power one is next to it and the same size as the others, and you risk pressing it by mistake.
Among the most interesting options we mention theHDMI-CECuseful if for example you linked gods TV box to the monitor, various image controls (sharpness, contrast, temperature and more) and the ability to switch on the fly between different profiles (eco, sRGB, anti-blue, film, office, black and white, user).
There are also a couple of entries that “betray” the gamer nature of MSI, especially those to vary the response time (which in any case is not at the level of gaming monitors properly so-called) and to have a on-screen viewfinder, which you can decide between various shapes and sizes. And for those who want to play even more with the software there is Display Kit, an app that you can download from the MSI site which provides various options for color, window tiling, and more.
Price
Modern MD271UL costs €399 in the list. It is still a bit high in proportion to the competition with similar characteristics, also thanks to the fact that we are talking about a new model, available for only three months, which in the meantime has not depreciated in the slightest. It still deserves to be kept an eye out for all the good features we’ve talked about so far. Also check out our best monitors page for some alternatives.
MSI Modern MD271UL – Monitor 27″, IPS Panel 3840 x 2160 (4K UHD), 60Hz, 4ms (GTG), DisplayPort (1.2a), 2x HDMI (2.0b), Type C, Adaptive-Sync, EyesErgo Technology
€389.00
€399.99
-3%
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Final judgement
MSI Modern MD271UL
MSI Modern MD271UL does what it has to do very well: display faithful images, straining the eye of its user to a minimum, who will probably stare at it for several hours every day. It’s a shame not to have height adjustment, which can always come in handy, and a shame about a not exactly competitive introductory price, but which can only improve over the next few months.
Summary
Unboxing 7.5
Construction 8
Data sheet 8
How does it work 8.5
Price 7
Final vote
MSI Modern MD271UL
Pros
Excellent display fidelity Good brightness and readability Easy on the eyes Well done software
Against
No USB-C in package Price a bit high No height / rotation adjustment Buttons could be improved
Nicola Ligas Hello, I’m Nicola Ligas, and I’m managing editor of RockedBuzz.it. I like to believe that my job makes life easier for others, in some way. If you can’t find me writing here, I’m probably thinking of doing so. Or I’m playing with my son.
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