My subjective opinion/review about MSI MAG251RX. (Top1 240Hz IPS for sure)

Everything about displays and monitors. 120Hz, 144Hz, 240Hz, 4K, 1440p, input lag, display shopping, monitor purchase decisions, compare, versus, debate, and more. Questions? Just ask!
forii
Posts: 218
Joined: 29 Jan 2020, 18:23

My subjective opinion/review about MSI MAG251RX. (Top1 240Hz IPS for sure)

Post by forii » 04 May 2020, 12:40

Alright,

Finally I received the MSI MAG251RX.
First impression was very nice, in the package you can find everything you need. Hdmi, Displayport, separate power supply + cable
They even gave me the plugs for the screws (for the stand) + 4x screws for Vesa mount
Design is very good, I actually like the stand, even tho its simple but there is more place for moving keyboard close to monitor, when you eat or something. The back of the monitor with leds (which you can set using gaming osd) and the logo - beautiful.
I can deal with no swivel and no rotation, because I actually don't like it when my monitor isn't equally parallel to the desk. I like to have it straight in front of me, even tho you can actually move it a little bit to your left or right, but like only a little.
Rotation - down and up is very good, even too much for me (up rotation is for standing people lol)

Ghosting Test (Ufo Motion Blur test) is very similar to Asus VG279QM/VG259QM (80 OD) with a slighty visible white halo around (Faster Mode), but not noticeable in game. The motion clarity I think is a little more clear on MSI vs Asus, but its hard to tell.
What is very important is than when you compare the Overdrive of Asus vs MSI in game, on MSI there is no such visible overshoot like I saw much much more on the Asus (80 OD). That is very good improvement and difference. Because If you are used to clean motion blur without this white thing around moving enemies (like on TN) you definitly will like it more on MSI than on Asus.
On asus you need to use 80 OD(3,6ms) because its the best overdrive for 200+ fps but the trade off is much more visible overshoot.
This problem is not included on Faster Mode on MSI. Well Done. Faster Mode on MSI (3,2ms) has slighty visible overshoot (even less imo) like on 60 OD(4,0ms) on Asus but in this case with faster response time.

Anti Motion Blu Reduction on MSI has less aggressive crosstalk and much more usable than ELMB on Asus. I finally can think about using this in the games. Yes you can't adjust the brightness, but you can adjust the contrast (although I recommend using max 70 contrast because over that the screen is to bright and less you see.). Anyway I actually like less brightness with AMB, Im not a fan of using too much brightness, because when playing I always don't have sun in my room (blinds on the windows) so I can deal with that.

Processing Lag is very impressive (I didn't meassure this but I trust the Hardwarde Unboxed in this).
The 0.29ms processing lag (!) which is same on the Asus (0,30ms) - one of the lowest input lags
+ you need to add to that the average lag over the frame which is just half of that, so we takes 4.16ms(240hz)/2 = 2.083ms. Take that 2.083 and add it to the processing lag, 2.083 + 0.29 = 2.373. That is how the Hardware Unboxed got his 2,37ms input lag.
For example the famous very decent 240HZ TN Acer XF252Q (which I still have for testing) has 2.00ms processing lag (compare it with 0,29ms on msi or 0,30ms on asus - smoooked lol)

What is next is the Gaming OSD (you need usb cable for that) for setting everything you need without using the yostick behind the monitor (even tho its very simple and smooth).
You can set sharpness, image enhancement (good for more visibility - works similar like sharpness).
Night Vision on A.L is interesting because it adjust automaticly the shadow boost based on the screen, altought I like Stronger Mode much more even tho it is slighty worse than Shadow boost on the Asus
Unfortunately I don't know why the FPS mode is much less saturated than User Mode (the colors are almost grey lol), which I don't like it, so I don't suggest using it - just use the racing mode instead.

This is my settings I managed to get and I switch them just by clicking on choosen Mode.
1)User for desktop/Chrome/FB
Image

2)Racing for games (because its only one mode which is more saturated and you cant adjust the saturation in any other way - which is sad but you can easy deal with that simply using this mode without going to nvidia panel or using any other apps who boost your colors)
Image

3)Cinema for movies or netflix (with HDCR because it boost a little bit colors and brightness - im testing the A.L Night vision on it, because it was set up there on default.
Image

Hotkeys are also good to have if you wanna adjust the brightness in game using only two buttons:
Image

Cons:
- Gaming OSD - the crosshairs are useless because they are simply way too big
Image

-short cable from the charger, the charger is just standing on the floor (instead of lying lol)

Overall, this is for sure superior Top1 240hz IPS monitor, which easily beats the Asus, due to better Overdrive with less overshoot and more usable Anti Motion Blur. Imo it might beats TN monitors with turned on Anti Motion Blur. The colors are slighty better vs Asus though but I like it. Gaming OSD is OP to have and is very handy. This might be very universal monitor. But overall I think i still will accept the fact that is hard to beat the motion clarity of the TN monitors, so if u are competive or want a monitor only for gaming the benq zowie XL2546s or any other 240hz tN like mine which i bought for tests = Acer Nitro XF252QX, would be slighty better for fast fps shooters.


The more informations of this monitor you can find in posts by RLCScontender.
Last edited by forii on 04 May 2020, 13:46, edited 3 times in total.

xxxtinct
Posts: 19
Joined: 29 Apr 2020, 21:34

Re: My subjective opinion/review about MSI MAG251RX. (Top1 240Hz IPS for sure)

Post by xxxtinct » 04 May 2020, 12:54

I appreciate the second dedicated post to this particular monitor. I ordered one last week after a poor experience with the MAG272QR (returned it), and the 251rx should arrive by Wednesday, so I've been anxious to see how it does. More and more, all i hear is good things which makes me feel more confident in my purchase.

forii
Posts: 218
Joined: 29 Jan 2020, 18:23

Re: My subjective opinion/review about MSI MAG251RX. (Top1 240Hz IPS for sure)

Post by forii » 04 May 2020, 13:47

xxxtinct wrote:
04 May 2020, 12:54
I appreciate the second dedicated post to this particular monitor. I ordered one last week after a poor experience with the MAG272QR (returned it), and the 251rx should arrive by Wednesday, so I've been anxious to see how it does. More and more, all i hear is good things which makes me feel more confident in my purchase.
Im sure you will love it :D worth a price, even tho I paid 454$ for mine.

PixelDuck87
Posts: 88
Joined: 28 Apr 2020, 11:25

Re: My subjective opinion/review about MSI MAG251RX. (Top1 240Hz IPS for sure)

Post by PixelDuck87 » 04 May 2020, 14:31

When you drag discord on the desktop from side to side do you notice user avatars leaving any trail behind?

RLCSContender*
Posts: 541
Joined: 13 Jan 2021, 22:49
Contact:

Re: My subjective opinion/review about MSI MAG251RX. (Top1 240Hz IPS for sure)

Post by RLCSContender* » 05 May 2020, 00:29

topic creator, why are you talking about a something that you yourself never purchased or own?

forii
Posts: 218
Joined: 29 Jan 2020, 18:23

Re: My subjective opinion/review about MSI MAG251RX. (Top1 240Hz IPS for sure)

Post by forii » 05 May 2020, 02:59

RLCScontender wrote:
05 May 2020, 00:29
topic creator, why are you talking about a something that you yourself never purchased or own?
lol?
What do you mean?

Really you think I would write about something I do not have? Proof of too big crosshair is not enough? :D

phpBB [video]



+ VG259QM which I had to return due to 14 days, and same with BenQ Zowie XL2540
And my old 144hz TN is in the wardrobe

Blehhh
Posts: 72
Joined: 20 Apr 2020, 04:43

Re: My subjective opinion/review about MSI MAG251RX. (Top1 240Hz IPS for sure)

Post by Blehhh » 05 May 2020, 04:05

forii wrote:
04 May 2020, 13:47
xxxtinct wrote:
04 May 2020, 12:54
I appreciate the second dedicated post to this particular monitor. I ordered one last week after a poor experience with the MAG272QR (returned it), and the 251rx should arrive by Wednesday, so I've been anxious to see how it does. More and more, all i hear is good things which makes me feel more confident in my purchase.
Im sure you will love it :D worth a price, even tho I paid 454$ for mine.
Thanks for taking your time and writing your review about the MSI MAG251RX. I want to ask since you did test out the Asus VG279QM/VG259QM.
1.Do you find that the Asus 280hz is not as worth it as MSI MAG251RX, do you find that the colours and the lower ghosting even though at 240hz is still better gaming experience than the Asus 280hz for gaming?
2.Similiar scenario for me is i own the Acer XB271HU even though is possible to overclock it to 165hz but isnt worth trade of than using 144hz because of the ghosting / motion blur, so yeah is the same for the Asus 280hz?

Thanks in advance :)

forii
Posts: 218
Joined: 29 Jan 2020, 18:23

Re: My subjective opinion/review about MSI MAG251RX. (Top1 240Hz IPS for sure)

Post by forii » 05 May 2020, 04:18

Blehhh wrote:
05 May 2020, 04:05
forii wrote:
04 May 2020, 13:47
xxxtinct wrote:
04 May 2020, 12:54
I appreciate the second dedicated post to this particular monitor. I ordered one last week after a poor experience with the MAG272QR (returned it), and the 251rx should arrive by Wednesday, so I've been anxious to see how it does. More and more, all i hear is good things which makes me feel more confident in my purchase.
Im sure you will love it :D worth a price, even tho I paid 454$ for mine.
Thanks for taking your time and writing your review about the MSI MAG251RX. I want to ask since you did test out the Asus VG279QM/VG259QM.
1.Do you find that the Asus 280hz is not as worth it as MSI MAG251RX, do you find that the colours and the lower ghosting even though at 240hz is still better gaming experience than the Asus 280hz for gaming?
2.Similiar scenario for me is i own the Acer XB271HU even though is possible to overclock it to 165hz but isnt worth trade of than using 144hz because of the ghosting / motion blur, so yeah is the same for the Asus 280hz?

Thanks in advance :)
Im not some kind of expert, thats why I called this post with subjective opinion.

And if it comes to Asus vs Mag, they are both nice, if you play games with a lot of fps, always over 240+ then the Asus will be similar to the MSI. If it comes to me I play a games when I do not always have stable fps, so in this case the MSi overdrive is better.
+ I like a little more anti motion blur on MSI than on Asus (less aggressive crosstalk)
280Hz on asus is overlocked, so its not the same like real 240hz. People still use 240Hz on asus because its best choice. 280hz is marketing, even tho its less blurry, so maybe if would be good for games with 280+ fps, but im not sure about that. The best for asus is 240hz/80 OD but there is visible overshoot, thats why I prefer MSI, asus simply doesn't have anything better than MSI

Colors on ASus = 6bit + FRC
Colors on MSI = 8 bit + FRC

144hz vs 165hz is barely noticable compare to 144hz vs 240hz - if you got more than 200+ fps, even thou 240hz gives you less input lag, so its always worth to have as much Hz as you can, and never downgrade it.

RLCSContender*
Posts: 541
Joined: 13 Jan 2021, 22:49
Contact:

Re: My subjective opinion/review about MSI MAG251RX. (Top1 240Hz IPS for sure)

Post by RLCSContender* » 05 May 2020, 04:41

forii wrote:
05 May 2020, 02:59
RLCScontender wrote:
05 May 2020, 00:29
topic creator, why are you talking about a something that you yourself never purchased or own?
lol?
What do you mean?

Really you think I would write about something I do not have? Proof of too big crosshair is not enough? :D

phpBB [video]



+ VG259QM which I had to return due to 14 days, and same with BenQ Zowie XL2540
And my old 144hz TN is in the wardrobe
Being forced to use 60 OD at optimal refresh isn't really pushing what the manufacturer intend the monitor to do. So yup, i too would return that monitor if 80 OD showed any form of ghosting(it's not suppoesd to show ghosting at 2% error rate)

PS. i stand corrected. No need to make a video about it.

if you want to review monitors, i suggest you get yourself an oscilloscope.

i'm thinking about getting the omen x25f. Is that would you recommend that is the top eschelon of TNs?

forii
Posts: 218
Joined: 29 Jan 2020, 18:23

Re: My subjective opinion/review about MSI MAG251RX. (Top1 240Hz IPS for sure)

Post by forii » 05 May 2020, 05:05

RLCScontender wrote:
05 May 2020, 04:41
Being forced to use 60 OD at optimal refresh isn't really pushing what the manufacturer intend the monitor to do. So yup, i too would return that monitor if 80 OD showed any form of ghosting(it's not suppoesd to show ghosting at 2% error rate)

PS. i stand corrected. No need to make a video about it.

if you want to review monitors, i suggest you get yourself an oscilloscope.

i'm thinking about getting the omen x25f. Is that would you recommend that is the top eschelon of TNs?
It was only subjective opinion which everyone can see on own eyes. That is why I added a note that for more info ppl can check ur posts. :)

Omen x25f is very similar to acer nitro XF252QX in motion blur. Omen slighty better but it's not game changer lol

On the left Acer on the right Omen:
phpBB [video]



x25f has better black color uniformity but has bad contrast. It doesnt have anti motion blur reduction. You can't even save profiles in OSD - which is really bad for me.
If I had to choose I would choose XF252QX, esspecialy its quite cheap and have everything you need, except horible black color uniformity, but might be a little fixed with shadow/black boost. And remember its quite hard to get used to TN due to bad colors, but motion clarity and blur is perfect on the Omen or Acer.
Overall its one of the top budget 240hz TN (gaming only) monitor, personally I would not pay anything more because the difference is not worth.

Post Reply