MSI G G245CV 24" Black 2023

The MSI G245CV packs a 91st percentile feature set into a $160 curved VA panel with 100Hz and 1ms response time. Display quality sits at the 32nd percentile, so the picture won't blow you away. But if you want gaming features on a budget, this is one of the better value plays in our database.

The 100Hz refresh rate paired with a 1ms response time is the headline act. For a VA panel, that 1ms figure is aggressive, and it's backed by FreeSync Premium to keep tearing at bay. The performance percentile lands at 68th, which means it's above average but not threatening the big ultrawides and OLEDs in our database. The 1500R curve helps with immersion on a 24-inch screen, though at this size the curve is more of a nice touch than a game-changer.

Night Vision is genuinely useful if you play darker titles. It brightens shadow areas without washing out the whole image, which is the kind of feature you don't appreciate until you're getting shot from a corner you couldn't see. The 250 nits cap means HDR is more of a checkbox than an experience. HDR Ready is doing a lot of work in that spec sheet. You'll get the signal, but don't expect the sun to blind you.

Against the LG UltraGear 27G810A-B, the MSI gives up screen size and likely brightness, but the LG costs significantly more. The ASUS TUF Gaming VG34VQL1B is an ultrawide with far more real estate, but it's also in a completely different price bracket. The BenQ MA270U and Dell S2725QC are both 27-inch panels aimed at productivity and entertainment, not gaming, so the MSI's 100Hz and 1ms response time give it a clear edge for fast-paced titles. The Gigabyte M Series OLED MO27Q28G is the real performance monster here, but OLED pricing makes the MSI look like pocket change. The G245CV wins on budget gaming features, not on absolute quality.

At $160, the G245CV is priced like a budget monitor but carries features you'd normally see at $200 or more. The 91st percentile feature ranking is the strongest argument here. You're getting a curved VA panel, 100Hz, FreeSync Premium, and a wide color gamut for less than the cost of a decent gaming headset. The trade-off is display quality and brightness, which sit below average. If you're buying on price per feature, this monitor overdelivers. If you're buying on pure image quality, you'll feel the corners being cut.

The MSI G245CV lands at $160, and for that money you're getting a 24-inch curved VA panel running at 100Hz with a 1ms response time. The feature set is the real story here, sitting in the 91st percentile among gaming monitors in our database. That's a lot of gaming-focused tech for under two hundred bucks. FreeSync Premium, Night Vision, anti-flicker, and a 1500R curve all show up on a monitor that costs less than most mechanical keyboards.

But the numbers tell a more complicated story. The display itself ranks in the 32nd percentile, and color performance sits at 59th. The 250 nits brightness is fine for a dim room but won't wow anyone near a window. And at 9kg, this thing is not exactly a featherweight. Still, the overall gaming score of 49.4 out of 100 puts it in the conversation for budget buyers who want the curve and the refresh rate without emptying their wallet.

If you care about picture quality first, this monitor will frustrate you. The 32nd percentile display ranking and 250 nits brightness mean washed-out blacks in bright rooms and a curve that can't hide the panel's limitations. Photo editors and video creators should look elsewhere, the color performance sits at the 59th percentile and the 8-bit panel won't cut it for serious work. And if you need more than one HDMI port or want height adjustment out of the box, the connectivity and ergonomic rankings (36th and 48th percentile respectively) make this a pass.

The MSI G245CV is a budget gaming monitor that knows exactly what it is. The 91st percentile feature set at $160 is hard to argue with, and the 100Hz refresh rate with FreeSync Premium will make a real difference for anyone coming from a 60Hz office panel. The display quality and brightness are the weak points, and the 32nd percentile display ranking means you're not getting a premium viewing experience. But for a first gaming monitor or a second screen for a budget build, the numbers add up. Buy it for the features, not the picture.