MSI Optix G272QPF 27" Black 2023

The MSI G272QPF is a 27-inch 1440p gaming monitor with a 170Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time that delivers strong gaming performance for the price. It's a great budget pick for fast-paced games, but the color accuracy out of the box is mediocre and the panel lottery means you might get stuck pixels or backlight bleed. If you're a gamer who prioritizes speed over color perfection, this is a solid buy.

The G272QPF runs at 2560 x 1440 with a 170Hz refresh rate and a 1ms GTG response time. In our database, that lands it in the 80th percentile for performance, which is genuinely impressive for the price. You're getting smooth motion in fast-paced shooters and racing games, and the G-Sync compatibility means NVIDIA GPU owners won't have to deal with screen tearing when frame rates dip.

The display itself scores in the 72nd percentile, which is above average but not spectacular. The IPS panel gives you wide viewing angles and minimal ghosting, which owners consistently mention as a strength. But the color performance is where things get shaky. It ranks in the 33rd percentile for color, which means out of the box, the gamma runs low and colors can look a bit washed until you tweak settings. Several owners recommend bumping contrast to 100 and dropping brightness to 50 or lower to get the image looking right. HDR is technically supported, but with this level of color performance, it's more of a checkbox than a feature you'll actually want to use.

Stacked against the competition, the G272QPF holds its own on raw gaming performance but falls behind on color and build quality. The LG UltraGear 27GX790A-B and ASUS ROG Strix XG27AQDMG are both OLED panels that will absolutely destroy the MSI in color accuracy and contrast, but they cost significantly more. If you're doing any kind of color-sensitive work or just want deep blacks in dark games, those are the better picks.

The Samsung Odyssey OLED G6 G60SF and Alienware AW2725D are in a similar boat. They're premium OLED gaming monitors with better HDR and color performance, but you'll pay a premium for that. The BenQ MA Series MA270U is more of a productivity-focused display, so it's not a direct gaming competitor, but it does offer better color accuracy if you're splitting time between work and play. For pure gaming value, the MSI undercuts all of these on price while still delivering the refresh rate and resolution that matter most.

At $210 in the US, the G272QPF is a genuinely good deal for a 1440p 170Hz IPS panel. The UK price of £305 is also reasonable, and the CAD 470 listing in Canada tracks with expectations. But here's the thing: the EUR pricing is all over the place. We're seeing listings from EUR 355 to EUR 708 across Spain, France, and Italy. If you're in Europe, shop around. The lowest EUR listing is the one to target, because paying EUR 708 for this monitor is a terrible idea when the same panel is available for nearly half that. For the money, you're getting performance that competes with monitors costing significantly more, as long as you're willing to accept the color quirks and the panel lottery risk.

The MSI G272QPF is a 27-inch 1440p gaming monitor that sits in the budget-to-midrange bracket, typically landing around $210 in the US or £305 in the UK. It's built around a Rapid IPS panel with a 170Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time, which puts it squarely in the "fast enough for competitive play without selling a kidney" category. If you're searching for a 1440p 170Hz monitor that won't wreck your wallet, this one keeps showing up in the conversation.

We pulled the data on this thing and it's a mixed bag in the best way. The performance numbers are genuinely strong, sitting in the 80th percentile for its class, and the ergonomics are solid too. But the color accuracy and compactness rankings tell a different story. This isn't a monitor for color-critical work, and it's not winning any desk space awards either.

What you're really getting here is a gaming-first display that punches above its price for refresh rate and resolution. The G-Sync compatibility is a nice touch for NVIDIA owners, and the stand actually lets you adjust height, tilt, swivel, and pivot without reaching for a VESA mount. That's more than a lot of budget panels offer.

Skip the G272QPF if you do any kind of color-sensitive work like photo editing, video production, or graphic design. The color accuracy out of the box is mediocre, and even after tweaking settings, it won't match what you'd get from a BenQ MA Series or a proper color-calibrated display. Also skip it if you're bothered by IPS glow or backlight bleed in dark scenes, since multiple owners report noticeable issues there. If you want deep blacks and accurate HDR, save up for an OLED like the LG UltraGear 27GX790A-B or the ASUS ROG Strix XG27AQDMG instead. And if you're buying in Europe, don't pay anywhere near the EUR 708 end of the price range. That's a bad deal for what you're getting.

Should you buy the MSI G272QPF? If you're a gamer on a budget who wants 1440p at 170Hz without spending OLED money, yes. The performance is there, the ergonomics are better than most budget monitors, and the price is right, especially in the US. You're getting a fast, smooth gaming experience that will make your games look sharp and feel responsive.

But go in with your eyes open. The color accuracy out of the box is mediocre, and you'll likely need to fiddle with settings to get the image looking right. The panel lottery is real too. Multiple owners report stuck or dead pixels and backlight bleed, so buy from a retailer with a good return policy. If you're sensitive to IPS glow in dark scenes or you need accurate colors for work, this isn't the monitor for you. For everyone else, it's a solid deal that does the gaming basics really well.