MSI has released firmware version FW.014 and I have successfully updated my monitor to this version. Check out the walkthrough of this process: th-cam.com/video/TYhBdekNMkM/w-d-xo.html
The MSI MAG 321UP is a steal at $769. For that price, you get a 4K 32-inch 165Hz 3rd gen QD OLED panel. It has all the amazing benefits of other QD OLEDs, such as deep blacks, superb contrast, brilliant HDR, super low response times, amazing colour gamut, perfect viewing angles, etc., but it is significantly cheaper than other QD OLEDs because of the lower 165Hz refresh rate, which is plenty for me. This is the best 4K OLED monitor for gamers on the market, in my opinion. A glossy screen also looks substantially better than a matte screen if you can manage to control the lighting properly in the room. Everything is just way clearer. The colours are more vivid and vibrant, with better contrast and deeper blacks. If you primarily game at night with the lights off, a glossy screen is way better. I don't see the need for 240Hz at 4K. 4K gaming is primarily for single-player games, and 240Hz is excessive for that. Plus, no GPU on the market can get anywhere close to 240 FPS at native 4K max settings. 100+ FPS at native 4K max settings without RT has only just become a reality with the 4090.
@@Uberklocked Did you change picture settings yourself or used ready-made presets or maybe used the settings of the guys from rtings? I have heard that many people are not satisfied with the picture "out of the box" and they use calibration programs. I watched your firmware update video, but it's unclear if there were any changes in the picture.
I am using what Rtings.com recommended. I do not have a colorimeter capable of measuring OLEDS yet. So I am using the ICP Profile and recommended settings by Rtings.com. After firmware update I did not notice any color changes. I will be purchasing an OLED capable meter though.
Your review and way of describing is honest and I really like it. I bought this monitor today after seeing your review and with a good black Friday deal 😄👍
If I understood you correctly, it is better to use the hdmi port for the PC use. Can you expand on this topic in more detail, for beginners? Why not display port cable? I thought they had greater bandwidth then hdmi? Thanks in advance.
In the beginning of the video during the unboxing, I did indeed mention that I was planning on using the HDMI instead of the Display port. This was because Display Port 1.4 isn't capable of enough bandwidth at 4K - 165Hz without enabling data stream compression. It was my hopes to use HDMI 2.1, which is capable of carrying 4K resolution at 165Hz, without DSC. However I discovered that MSI forces the HDMI connection to run at a maximum of 120Hz when data stream compression is not used. With that said, use whichever one works best for you. Please note though, that data stream compression will be required no matter what to run 4K resolution at 165Hz. DSC is a lossless compression and shouldn't compromise image quality. I hope this clears things up. Here is a link to an article that talks about the bandwidth both technologies are capable of: www.cablematters.com/Blog/DisplayPort/displayport-1-4-vs-hdmi-2-1
@@Uberklocked thanks for clearing that out. Also I read that when using 165 Hz, the picture deteriorates somewhat and only when selecting 4k resolution and 60 Hz, you can get the best possible picture. something related to "bit". How does that work?
The MSI MAG 321UP is capable of displaying 10 bit color depth at 165Hz. The only issues I have seen with this is if the graphics card drivers need updating or for Nvidia cards the color is set to default and not selected for 10 bit. I have tested this and 165Hz 10 bit looks a great deal better than 60Hz 10 bit. If you have it connected to a console you are most likely stuck at 120Hz or lower and I don't know if there is a color depth option for any console.
I'm just watching videos waiting for mine to come in. It's not my first OLED. But it will be my nicest and smallest OLED, specifically for PC, but lots n lots of PS5 games.
MSI Support has replied to my inquiry about a firmware update. "There is no update currently for this model." My firmware version is FW.009. On MSI's website for the MAG 321UP, they have posted their Firmware update tool but no firmware. I also asked them about some of the issues they were having with some of the older firmware versions and failed updates and they assured me that the MAG 321UP is not part of the affected products. As to whether or not this monitor can even be updated, this is still questionable.
The reason why I opted for the 165Hz model is simply this: My 4070 TI SUPER is never going to run all of my games at 360 frames per second in order to sync up game play with a 360Hz monitor. Mind you we are talking 4K resolution with maxed out setting. I doubt the RTX 5090 is going to run many modern games at 360 frames per second at 4K resolution and the graphics maxed out. If you mainly play older titles and see 300+ frames per second on average then the higher refresh rate might be achievable. My guess is that the 3080 is going to perform very similar to the 4070 TI SUPER. So the answer really depends on what games you plan on playing.
@@Uberklocked well i play modern games like black myth wukong elden ring all that... just dont know if 165hz 4k from msi or 360hz 2k from asus what you could choose from those 2 monitors with this 3080?
I just watched several benchmark videos of the 3080 running some modern games at 2K with max settings. I doubt the 3080, even with the 9800X3D overclocked, will hit close to 300 FPS in modern games with graphics all cranked up. Personally I prefer 4K resolution. What monitor are you coming from?
Thanks for sharing this video, actualy i'm in the market now to get a new monitor, i just want to ask about calibration, does this monitor need a custom calibration? or it's well clibrated out of the box?
I have not personally tested the color accuracy as my current color meter does not support OLEDs. Other reviewers all suggest that out of the box this monitor is pretty good. The Samsung 3rd gen OLED panel is fairly accurate.
i brought it but i shipped it out to MSI for firmware update. not really a big deal especially at the price i got it for. looked beautiful and noticed my input lag was gone.
I contacted MSI Support about firmware updates and they assured me that it is safe to perform firmware updates ourselves. At this time though, they have not published an updated firmware for this model. I am waiting to hear back from them with hopefully the latest version attached. Thank you for sharing!
@@Uberklocked they told me since it does not have a USB B port to do the upgrade myself, I would have to ship it out for them to do the update. Let me know what they tell you.
I already left a comment, but it was deleted, apparently because of the link. I will write again, a section with firmware has been added to the monitor page. You can update. Then tell me how it went, I don't have such an opportunity to update yet.
Thank you for the update! I checked it a couple of days ago and there wasn't one. Glad they finally released one! th-cam.com/video/TYhBdekNMkM/w-d-xo.html
My samsun oled arrived exactly the same with a massive hole 🕳. Called them up to log this incase longterm damage. Irritating as it should be in an outer box given how fragile they are. They had the nerve to say they don't do that because they are trying to be not wasteful to the environment then right after said I can return it for another unit (which is more wasteful) I said perhaps just package your orders properly and you won't get risk of returns etc (in the uk)
Yeah, stepping over dollars to pickup pennies. Seems like they can't see the forest for the trees. Good luck with your situation. I know my heart sank when I saw the hole in my box, as I am sure yours did as well.
Are the speakers on this monitor passable for light use (i.e. for a bit of TH-cam here and there)? I game with headphones so I am not too fussed about them, but I don't use headphones for everything.
Since I don't know much about gaming monitors, I play on TV and I want to change to a monitor and I'm looking at what to buy for my PS5, but the question is to update the monitors, do I have to go to the manufacturer's store?
As of right now the answer is yes. But I must say, I have never really had issues with monitors that required firmware updates. I have been using this monitor for several weeks and haven't had any issues. I do have a support request open with MSI about firmware updates for this monitor. I will report back when they reply.
I just picked up this monitor for my ps5 , can you tell me if you have updated the firmware on yours to the latest version? Mine came with FW 009 u can see this in the osd down the bottom right
Thank you for your comment @jonnoz. Mine is also running FW 009. MSI does not currently list a firmware update for our monitor on the US site. I will look at other possible country versions of MSI's website. I will also reach out to their support and inquire about a potential update. Thanks again!
@@Uberklocked I know from reddit 100% it can be updated because a user on there states he took his into an msi service centre and had it updated to 011 , I dont really fancy doing that personally as my nearest one ( in the UK ) is a 4 hour drive lol
Looking at some of the other monitors that MSI makes, with this panel, I see that they do offer firmware updates. I did read where if the firmware version was older than FW.012, MSI recommends taking it to an MSI service center to have them perform the update. Now this was for a different but very similar monitor. Sounds like older versions of the firmware may have issues with updating. I will report back with any reply from MSI support.
Well, MSI support replied and said that the firmware update issue only applies to the MAG 321UPX QD-OLED and MAG 271QPX QD-OLED models. They failed to answer my other two questions. In my reply I asked support again if there are any firmware updates available. They responded same day which gives me hope. Now we wait for another reply.
I agree completely. Exact reason I waited for this model to come into stock. I can't imagine spending the crazy money on graphics cards that could push 240 fps on average at 4K with max settings.
The URX is a higher model that offers the following that the UP does not: 240Hz refresh rate (UP is only 165Hz) AMD Free Sync Pro (UP Supports Adaptive Sync) 90 Watt USB C port (UP has a 15 watt USB C port) 2 USB 2.0 A ports (UP does not have any USB 2.0 ports) 1 USB 2.0 B port. (UP does not have any USB 2.0 ports)
MSI has released firmware version FW.014 and I have successfully updated my monitor to this version. Check out the walkthrough of this process:
th-cam.com/video/TYhBdekNMkM/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for this video - very informative and raised a couple of things I'd not heard elsewhere.
The MSI MAG 321UP is a steal at $769. For that price, you get a 4K 32-inch 165Hz 3rd gen QD OLED panel. It has all the amazing benefits of other QD OLEDs, such as deep blacks, superb contrast, brilliant HDR, super low response times, amazing colour gamut, perfect viewing angles, etc., but it is significantly cheaper than other QD OLEDs because of the lower 165Hz refresh rate, which is plenty for me. This is the best 4K OLED monitor for gamers on the market, in my opinion. A glossy screen also looks substantially better than a matte screen if you can manage to control the lighting properly in the room. Everything is just way clearer. The colours are more vivid and vibrant, with better contrast and deeper blacks. If you primarily game at night with the lights off, a glossy screen is way better. I don't see the need for 240Hz at 4K. 4K gaming is primarily for single-player games, and 240Hz is excessive for that. Plus, no GPU on the market can get anywhere close to 240 FPS at native 4K max settings. 100+ FPS at native 4K max settings without RT has only just become a reality with the 4090.
Very well said. Thank you for sharing!
The colors on this monitor are unreal! So bright and vivid! Looks great!!
Thank you!
@@Uberklocked Did you change picture settings yourself or used ready-made presets or maybe used the settings of the guys from rtings? I have heard that many people are not satisfied with the picture "out of the box" and they use calibration programs. I watched your firmware update video, but it's unclear if there were any changes in the picture.
I am using what Rtings.com recommended. I do not have a colorimeter capable of measuring OLEDS yet. So I am using the ICP Profile and recommended settings by Rtings.com. After firmware update I did not notice any color changes. I will be purchasing an OLED capable meter though.
@@Uberklocked Cool. Thanks for the answer. By the way, do you use hdr to play games? How do you like the picture?
Yes I do! It is beautiful!
Just got this monitor last night and it's truly amazing.
It really is an amazing monitor!
Your review and way of describing is honest and I really like it. I bought this monitor today after seeing your review and with a good black Friday deal 😄👍
I'm sure you are going to love it!
Nice setup! I love putting pc behind my monitor too!
Yeah! Why hide something we spend time trying to make look nice?
I got 165hz for the same reason. i aint trying to hit 240 in 4k. 165 is just fine.
I hope you enjoy it! It is a wonderful monitor.
Good Video. Thanks for sharing 😊
Thank you Singularity01010!
If you’re on the fence about this monitor - especially if you’re gonna use a PS5 - just do it. This is your sign. It’s incredible
Agreed! This monitor is absolutely stunning!
Just bought 2 of these, super excited to get them, unfortunately they wont be here for 2 months.
I just got one off Newegg order it today and I'll be here Dec 3 price 755
What are your thoughts on this monitor? Please leave a comment below and share your experience if you have MAG 321UP.
@@Uberklocked price is back up to $799, still great deal.
If I understood you correctly, it is better to use the hdmi port for the PC use. Can you expand on this topic in more detail, for beginners? Why not display port cable? I thought they had greater bandwidth then hdmi? Thanks in advance.
In the beginning of the video during the unboxing, I did indeed mention that I was planning on using the HDMI instead of the Display port. This was because Display Port 1.4 isn't capable of enough bandwidth at 4K - 165Hz without enabling data stream compression. It was my hopes to use HDMI 2.1, which is capable of carrying 4K resolution at 165Hz, without DSC. However I discovered that MSI forces the HDMI connection to run at a maximum of 120Hz when data stream compression is not used. With that said, use whichever one works best for you. Please note though, that data stream compression will be required no matter what to run 4K resolution at 165Hz. DSC is a lossless compression and shouldn't compromise image quality. I hope this clears things up. Here is a link to an article that talks about the bandwidth both technologies are capable of: www.cablematters.com/Blog/DisplayPort/displayport-1-4-vs-hdmi-2-1
@@Uberklocked thanks for clearing that out. Also I read that when using 165 Hz, the picture deteriorates somewhat and only when selecting 4k resolution and 60 Hz, you can get the best possible picture. something related to "bit". How does that work?
The MSI MAG 321UP is capable of displaying 10 bit color depth at 165Hz. The only issues I have seen with this is if the graphics card drivers need updating or for Nvidia cards the color is set to default and not selected for 10 bit. I have tested this and 165Hz 10 bit looks a great deal better than 60Hz 10 bit. If you have it connected to a console you are most likely stuck at 120Hz or lower and I don't know if there is a color depth option for any console.
Will I need to purchsse blackout curtains for a room with sunlight?
No. Mine is in a small office with two windows with just blinds and no curtains. It is plenty bright enough.
I'm just watching videos waiting for mine to come in. It's not my first OLED. But it will be my nicest and smallest OLED, specifically for PC, but lots n lots of PS5 games.
It's going to perform great!
MSI Support has replied to my inquiry about a firmware update. "There is no update currently for this model." My firmware version is FW.009. On MSI's website for the MAG 321UP, they have posted their Firmware update tool but no firmware. I also asked them about some of the issues they were having with some of the older firmware versions and failed updates and they assured me that the MAG 321UP is not part of the affected products. As to whether or not this monitor can even be updated, this is still questionable.
Firmware update released and applied!
th-cam.com/video/TYhBdekNMkM/w-d-xo.html
Just ordered mine on sale on amazon for 699!!
Great price for a fantastic monitor!
@@Uberklocked i have rtx 3080 is this monitor good for me or QHD 360HZ OLED is the go?
The reason why I opted for the 165Hz model is simply this: My 4070 TI SUPER is never going to run all of my games at 360 frames per second in order to sync up game play with a 360Hz monitor. Mind you we are talking 4K resolution with maxed out setting. I doubt the RTX 5090 is going to run many modern games at 360 frames per second at 4K resolution and the graphics maxed out. If you mainly play older titles and see 300+ frames per second on average then the higher refresh rate might be achievable. My guess is that the 3080 is going to perform very similar to the 4070 TI SUPER. So the answer really depends on what games you plan on playing.
@@Uberklocked well i play modern games like black myth wukong elden ring all that... just dont know if 165hz 4k from msi or 360hz 2k from asus what you could choose from those 2 monitors with this 3080?
I just watched several benchmark videos of the 3080 running some modern games at 2K with max settings. I doubt the 3080, even with the 9800X3D overclocked, will hit close to 300 FPS in modern games with graphics all cranked up. Personally I prefer 4K resolution. What monitor are you coming from?
Thanks for sharing this video, actualy i'm in the market now to get a new monitor, i just want to ask about calibration, does this monitor need a custom calibration? or it's well clibrated out of the box?
I have not personally tested the color accuracy as my current color meter does not support OLEDs. Other reviewers all suggest that out of the box this monitor is pretty good. The Samsung 3rd gen OLED panel is fairly accurate.
i brought it but i shipped it out to MSI for firmware update. not really a big deal especially at the price i got it for. looked beautiful and noticed my input lag was gone.
I contacted MSI Support about firmware updates and they assured me that it is safe to perform firmware updates ourselves. At this time though, they have not published an updated firmware for this model. I am waiting to hear back from them with hopefully the latest version attached. Thank you for sharing!
@@Uberklocked they told me since it does not have a USB B port to do the upgrade myself, I would have to ship it out for them to do the update. Let me know what they tell you.
That is the rumor elsewhere. They did post their firmware update utility on the downloads page for this monitor. Still waiting on their reply.
@@Uberklockedi will wait far update nearby, too )
I already left a comment, but it was deleted, apparently because of the link. I will write again, a section with firmware has been added to the monitor page. You can update. Then tell me how it went, I don't have such an opportunity to update yet.
Update: FW 0014 is now live! Just updated 🎉
Thank you for the update! I checked it a couple of days ago and there wasn't one. Glad they finally released one!
th-cam.com/video/TYhBdekNMkM/w-d-xo.html
My samsun oled arrived exactly the same with a massive hole 🕳. Called them up to log this incase longterm damage.
Irritating as it should be in an outer box given how fragile they are. They had the nerve to say they don't do that because they are trying to be not wasteful to the environment then right after said I can return it for another unit (which is more wasteful) I said perhaps just package your orders properly and you won't get risk of returns etc (in the uk)
Yeah, stepping over dollars to pickup pennies. Seems like they can't see the forest for the trees. Good luck with your situation. I know my heart sank when I saw the hole in my box, as I am sure yours did as well.
Are the speakers on this monitor passable for light use (i.e. for a bit of TH-cam here and there)? I game with headphones so I am not too fussed about them, but I don't use headphones for everything.
The MSI MAG 321UP does not have any built in speakers. It does offer a headphone out port which will power an average pair of headphones.
@@Uberklocked Oh ok. Thank you.
I want this for my PS5 Pro!
It should look lovely!
that's why i got it lol
For ps5 pro i would get the LG C4 42inch instead. Currently $900 on sale right now
Go for it if you have the space!
@@DRDRE-cm7qodon’t the space for a huge display on my desk. I got the 32”Mag 321up now, it’s great for my Mac/ps5 setup 🎉
Since I don't know much about gaming monitors, I play on TV and I want to change to a monitor and I'm looking at what to buy for my PS5, but the question is to update the monitors, do I have to go to the manufacturer's store?
As of right now the answer is yes. But I must say, I have never really had issues with monitors that required firmware updates. I have been using this monitor for several weeks and haven't had any issues. I do have a support request open with MSI about firmware updates for this monitor. I will report back when they reply.
@@Uberklocked ok thanks
They have released a firmware update for this monitor! It updates over the Display Port.
th-cam.com/video/TYhBdekNMkM/w-d-xo.html
which firmware did yours ship with it? have u tried updating
My came with FW.009 loaded. There are no firmware updates available on the US site. I contacted MSI support and am waiting on their reply. :)
Does it have a kvm?
@onic9565, no it does not. The MPG-321URX-QD-OLED offers a KVM for Europeans but it is an upgraded model with higher refresh rates.
I just picked up this monitor for my ps5 , can you tell me if you have updated the firmware on yours to the latest version? Mine came with FW 009 u can see this in the osd down the bottom right
Thank you for your comment @jonnoz. Mine is also running FW 009. MSI does not currently list a firmware update for our monitor on the US site. I will look at other possible country versions of MSI's website. I will also reach out to their support and inquire about a potential update. Thanks again!
@@Uberklocked I know from reddit 100% it can be updated because a user on there states he took his into an msi service centre and had it updated to 011 , I dont really fancy doing that personally as my nearest one ( in the UK ) is a 4 hour drive lol
Looking at some of the other monitors that MSI makes, with this panel, I see that they do offer firmware updates. I did read where if the firmware version was older than FW.012, MSI recommends taking it to an MSI service center to have them perform the update. Now this was for a different but very similar monitor. Sounds like older versions of the firmware may have issues with updating. I will report back with any reply from MSI support.
@@Uberklocked much appreciated
Well, MSI support replied and said that the firmware update issue only applies to the MAG 321UPX QD-OLED and MAG 271QPX QD-OLED models. They failed to answer my other two questions. In my reply I asked support again if there are any firmware updates available. They responded same day which gives me hope. Now we wait for another reply.
can you make a ufo test?
Sure, but currently I am stuck in Central American and can't get a flight out due to Tropical Storm Sarah. May be a week or so before I can get to it.
This is the one i have my eye on. I just don't see the need for a higher refresh rate at 4k.
I agree completely. Exact reason I waited for this model to come into stock. I can't imagine spending the crazy money on graphics cards that could push 240 fps on average at 4K with max settings.
@Uberklocked can the monitor go vertical on itdestand like the 27 inch version
No, it will not raise high enough to go vertical using the original stand. You can tilt it but not 90 degree.
А в чем отличие msi mag 321up от 321urx?
The URX is a higher model that offers the following that the UP does not:
240Hz refresh rate (UP is only 165Hz)
AMD Free Sync Pro (UP Supports Adaptive Sync)
90 Watt USB C port (UP has a 15 watt USB C port)
2 USB 2.0 A ports (UP does not have any USB 2.0 ports)
1 USB 2.0 B port. (UP does not have any USB 2.0 ports)