Leaked Roadmap Suggests MSI are Developing 6 New QD-OLED Monitors – including 360Hz OLED!
Treat this news as unofficial and unconfirmed at this stage, but a photo has appeared online for what seems to be a monitor roadmap from MSI, showing 6 new QD-OLED monitors they are seemingly planning to release over the next few months. The photo looks to be legitimate, aligning with model names we would expect to see from MSI, as well as specs from known Samsung QD-OLED panels we have already talked about in the past and know to be in production. There’s new 34″ and 49″ ultrawide models, new 32″ 4K models and even the first 360Hz OLED models in the roadmap. Let’s run through each of them and we will share what we know so far, as well as our expectations.
Update 2/11/23 – there is now official news about these new screens here.
The leaked photo of MSI OLED monitor roadmap
Here’s the leaked photo from the roadmap that we will run through (source). Let’s go through these from top to bottom, although take note of our commentary about dates discussed below – we don’t believe the dates listed here are representative of when you might be able to buy these new screens.
49″ Super Ultrawide with 144Hz Refresh Rate – MSI MPG 491CQP
First on the leaked roadmap photo is a new 49″ super ultrawide screen. MSI actually already announced a 49″ OLED monitor all the way back in November 2022 with their “Project 491C” monitor, pictured above. That screen had a 240Hz refresh rate, and although it was showcased at CES in January 2023, and later announced that it should be released in Q4 2023, we still haven’t seen any official specs or further information released by MSI for it.
The MPG 491CQP listed here has a lower 144Hz refresh rate, which suggests MSI are also exploring a lower refresh rate model – or perhaps they’ve abandoned the 240Hz model altogether since it’s not even listed? (TBC). Samsung Display (the panel manufacturer) produce two versions of the 49″ QD-OLED panel, one with 240Hz and the other with 144Hz. Samsung Electronics, the monitor manufacturer, adopted the 240Hz version in their Odyssey OLED G95SC display that we reviewed recently, but Asus have instead opted to use the 144Hz in their forthcoming ROG Swift PG49WCD monitor (also reviewed), which will allow for a lower retail price and a potentially more mass-market accessible product.
Perhaps MSI are following the same approach by offering a 144Hz model here as well, presumably being able to use a lot of the same design, enclosure, software and other electronics from the so-far-unlaunched 491C and just swapping out the panel. The leaked roadmap suggests this new screen would offer a 5120 x 1440 (dual QHD) resolution along with a 144Hz refresh rate. The panel would be curved with a 1800R curvature (the same as the 240Hz version) and there would be USB type-C connectivity offered with 90W power delivery. Other specs are yet to be confirmed. We will discuss launch dates below.
Another 34″ ultrawide model, but likely lower spec/price than their current model – MAG 341CQP
Next up on the list is the MAG 341CQP which will apparently offer a 34″ ultrawide QD-OLED panel, 3440 x 1440 resolution, 1800R curvature, 175Hz refresh rate and a USB type-C connection with 15W power delivery. This spec isn’t really offering anything different to the company’s existing MEG 342C monitor but the MAG range is a lower tier in their line-up than the MEG models, and so we expect this new monitor to have fewer features, and come in at a lower price point. What the differences are remain to be seen, but perhaps it will do away with things like the built in mic and light sensor, the RGB lighting and some of the connections. We will discuss launch dates below.
New 32″ 4K 240Hz Models – MPG / MAG 321UPX
This is where the really juicy news starts! There are two models listed on the photo which will offer a 32″ (accurately 31.5″) QD-OLED panel, 3840 x 2160 “4K” resolution, flat screen format and a 240Hz refresh rate. The 321UPX will be available it seems in two of the company’s monitor lines, the MPG and the MAG ranges, with the latter being a slightly lower tier and therefore offering fewer features. This is the hierarchy of MSI’s monitor line-ups as listed on their website:
We do know from the roadmap photo that the MPG version will feature USB type-C connectivity with 90W power delivery, whereas the MAG version will have a lower 15W power delivery. We expect other features to differ in the final design for both models, leading to a lower retail price for the MAG version. But the important thing is that they are both built around the same Samsung QD-OLED panel with 4K and 240Hz.
If this leaked information turns out to be true and plans are followed through, MSI would follow on from Dough and Asus who have already formally announced the launch of their own 32″ 4K 240Hz OLED monitors next year. Asus have confirmed they will use Samsung’s QD-OLED panel too, while Dough are we believe still exploring options between Samsung and LG.Display.
27″ 1440p OLED Monitors with 360Hz Refresh Rate – MPG / MAG 271QPX
Like the 32″ 4K 240Hz models discussed above, MSI also seem to be planning two 27″ QD-OLED monitors with an impressive spec, one in their MPG range, and the other in the lower tier MAG range. The 271QPX models will offer a 2560 x 1440 resolution, flat panel format, and are the first OLED monitors we’ve seen that would offer a 360Hz refresh rate. This will offer an improvement over the fairly wide range of 240Hz OLED monitors already available on the market, and a motion clarity equivalent to a ~540Hz LCD monitor!
The MPG range model will have USB type-C with 90W power delivery, while the MAG range model will only support 15W power delivery. As with the 32″ models discussed above, expect some other features to be trimmed back on the lower range model but for it to have a lower retail price as a result.
Expected Launch Date Predictions
You will see dates listed on the roadmap photo included above, but we do not believe these to be dates of monitor launch to be honest. They might be scheduled announcement dates, but we think they are likely more aligned to Samsung’s QD-OLED panel production plans. The dates shown in the photo are:
- 49″ MPG 491CQP = Jan 2024
- 34″ MAG 341CQP = Nov 2023
- 32″ MPG / MAG 321UPX = Jan 2024
- 27″ MPG / MAG 271QPX = Jan 2024
It’s possible that the 34″ model could appear before the end of this year given the panel already exists and is in mass production, although give we are now in October and there has been no formal announcement from MSI about a new monitor, it’s likely that date will slip. Perhaps we will see this model before Christmas though.
For the other models the January dates are unrealistic for actual availability as far as we know. This is based on the panel production schedules we have seen from Samsung Display for the QD-OLED panels. If we refer back to our August 2023 OLED monitor roadmap news above, we can see that the expected availability dates of monitors using these panels is quite a bit later.
We expect the MSI roadmap is showing that panel production will be hopefully starting around Jan 2024, but we would expect to see these new monitors available to buy somewhere around late Q2 / early Q3 based on the information we have at the moment. Asus were talking about a Q1 launch for their 32″ 4K 240Hz OLED monitor (PG32UCDM) at the Gamescom launch event, so perhaps the dates will be a bit sooner, but our money is on a late Q2 availability for that display. Hopefully MSI’s new 27″ 1440p 360Hz and 32″ 4K 240Hz monitors will be around the same time though.
Stay tuned for more information
More information on specs, official info, pricing and availability when we get it.
Update 2/11/23 – there is now official news about these new screens here.
Source: chi11eddog
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