MSI Gaming G274CV 27" 2024

The MSI G274CV is a 27-inch curved 1080p monitor with a 75Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time. It's too slow for serious gaming and too dim and color-inaccurate for creative work. At $369 USD, you're paying a premium for the curve and not getting much else.

The 75Hz refresh rate is the elephant in the room. For a monitor marketed as a gaming display, that's a tough sell in a world where 144Hz is the baseline and 240Hz is increasingly common. The 1ms response time helps with motion clarity, but it's likely an MPRT measurement rather than a true gray-to-gray figure. In practice, you'll notice ghosting and blur in fast scenes more than you would on a higher refresh rate panel. The FreeSync support works as advertised, keeping things smooth within the 48-75Hz range, but that range is narrow.

For everyday tasks, web browsing, and slower games, the G274CV is perfectly serviceable. The 1080p resolution on a 27-inch panel means pixel density is around 81 PPI, which is on the low side. Text won't look as crisp as it would on a 1440p display of the same size. If you're coming from a 24-inch 1080p monitor, you'll actually notice the drop in sharpness. The 250 nits brightness is fine for a dim room but struggles in bright spaces. Don't expect HDR performance, because there isn't any real HDR here.

Stacked against the ASUS ROG Strix XG27UCDMG or the LG UltraGear 27GX790A-B, the G274CV looks like it's from a different era. Those are 4K and 1440p high-refresh OLED and IPS panels with HDR support and color accuracy that embarrasses this MSI. The Samsung Odyssey G60SD and Gigabyte MO27U2 are similarly in another league. Even the BenQ DesignVue PD3225U, which isn't a gaming monitor at all, has better color and resolution for creative work.

The honest comparison isn't against those premium displays though. It's against budget 1080p monitors in the $150-250 range. And there, the G274CV loses on price while only winning on the curve. A flat 1080p 144Hz IPS monitor will give you better motion clarity, better colors, and better value. The curve is nice for immersion in racing games or RPGs, but it's not worth sacrificing refresh rate and brightness for.

At $369 USD, the MSI G274CV is hard to recommend. You can find 144Hz 1080p monitors from reputable brands for less money, and 1440p 144Hz panels aren't far off. The curve is the only real differentiator here, and you're paying a premium for it. If you specifically want a curved 27-inch display and don't care about high refresh rates, this might scratch that itch. But for most people, that money is better spent elsewhere. The 2-pack bundle listing on Newegg suggests this is aimed at office setups or dual-monitor productivity, not serious gaming. And honestly, that's probably the right use case for it.

The MSI G274CV is a 27-inch curved gaming monitor that tries to hit the sweet spot between immersion and affordability. It's a 1080p panel with a 1500R curvature, 75Hz refresh rate, and a 1ms response time. At $369 USD, it sits in that awkward middle ground where you're paying more than a basic office monitor but less than a serious gaming display. The curve is the headline feature here, and for some people that's genuinely appealing. But the specs underneath tell a more complicated story.

If you're searching for a curved monitor for gaming or work, this one will catch your eye. The frameless design looks clean, and the FreeSync support means you won't get screen tearing if you're running an AMD GPU. But the 75Hz refresh rate is a big red flag for anyone who plays fast-paced shooters. Most gaming monitors in 2025 start at 144Hz, and the difference is night and day. This is more of a budget curved display with a gaming label slapped on it.

We dug into our database and the numbers aren't kind. The G274CV lands at 66th percentile for performance, which sounds okay until you realize that's against all monitors, not just gaming ones. For color it's down at 16th percentile, and connectivity sits at 36th. The 250 nits brightness is dim by modern standards, and the wide color gamut claim doesn't translate to actual color accuracy in practice. This is a monitor that looks good on paper until you start comparing it to what else is out there.

Skip this if you play competitive shooters, racing games, or anything that benefits from high refresh rates. The 75Hz ceiling will frustrate you. Also skip it if you do photo or video editing, since the color accuracy is genuinely poor at 16th percentile. If you work in a bright room, the 250 nits brightness will have you squinting. Instead, look at a 144Hz 1080p IPS monitor for gaming, or a 1440p IPS panel for productivity. Both will cost less or about the same and deliver a much better experience.

Should you buy the MSI G274CV? Probably not. Unless you're specifically hunting for a curved 27-inch 1080p monitor and you've exhausted all other options, this one doesn't make a strong case for itself. The 75Hz refresh rate is a dealbreaker for gaming, the brightness is underwhelming, and the color performance is genuinely poor. The 3 out of 5 customer rating from the few reviews we found backs this up.

If you want a curved monitor for productivity or casual use, and you can find this on sale for under $250, it might be worth considering. At full price, you're paying a curve tax that doesn't pay off. For gaming, look at 144Hz flat panels instead. For work, a 1440p IPS display will serve you better. The G274CV is a niche product that doesn't execute its niche well enough to justify the price.