The MSI Modern MD271UL offers a crisp 4K screen for productivity, but it’s priced like a 1440p business model. Much of the money you pay goes to its screen quality, so it’s safe to say that you are getting great value for every dollar spent. However, there are bound to be some limitations with a price cut like that, so let’s check it out.
MSI Modern MD271UL Specifications
- Screen Size: 27 Inches
- Resolution: 3840 x 2160 4K
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Panel Technology: In-Plane Switching (IPS)
- Refresh Rate: 60Hz
- Response Time: 4ms
- Contrast Ratio: 1000:1
- Brightness: 300 cd/m²
- Built-in Speakers: No
- Stand: Height – Yes
- Stand: Tilt – Yes
- Stand: Swivel – Yes
- Stand: Pivot– Yes
- VESA Compatibility: Yes (100 x 100)
- Connectivity: DisplayPort 1.2 x 1, HDMI 2.0 x 2, USB-C PD65W x 1, 3.5mm Audio Jack x 1
- Dimensions: (W x H x D): 24.1” x 18.7” x 7.8”
- Weight: 11.7 lbs
Design and Features
The MSI Modern MD271UL is basically a budget 4K model, but it has a premium aesthetic that you won’t find on most office displays. The monitor has a matte black finish with a gunmetal stand, so it looks more expensive than it truly is. The display has very thin borders, although the screen still has some inner borders like most modern offerings.
The first thing we like about its design is its sleek chassis and stand that looks way better than your monitor at work. The device’s L-shaped base saves space since it is flat and only 7.8 inches deep. The monitor is lightweight for a 27-inch model at 11.7 pounds, so rearranging your workstation should be a breeze.
The monitor’s build quality is great since there were no cosmetic defects or signs of weakness on any of its parts. The stand looks tricky, but it does an excellent job of keeping the larger display upright and stable. It can still wobble, but that only happens if you nudge the screen’s edges accidentally. \
One aspect that took a hit to help the MSI Modern MD271UL’s pricing is its OSD controls. You only get four buttons to manipulate its menus, so it can be challenging and irritating at times since you will need multiple keypresses. Joysticks are preferable, but we can live with buttons if the monitor’s price is low enough.
The stand looks great, but it is not ergonomic since it can only offer tilt for adjustment. It’s preferable if it included a plainer-looking alternative with height adjustments, but we can’t really complain at this price. You can still use VESA mounts, but buying the better quality ones might dispel the savings you want to get with this model.
The MSI Modern MD271UL doesn’t have a lot of extras, but that’s also understandable because of the price. However, it has DisplayPort 1.2, two HDMI ports, and a 65-watt USB-C slot with DP Alt Mode. There are no valuable add-ons like USB ports, but at least you can use this monitor with a MacBook or a Surface Pro.
There are no speakers as well, so you have to spend more if you need audio for your setup. Again, we’re willing to forgive that because of the price, but also because most built-ins sound bad anyway.
Display and Performance
The MSI Modern MD271UL sports a 27-inch IPS panel with a 3840 x 2160 resolution, a 60Hz refresh rate, and a 4ms response time. The backlight has a 300 cd/m2 output, while the contrast is listed at 1000:1, like most IPS panels. This model doesn’t offer HDR features, but that’s okay since it is not equipped for it anyway.
4K looks extra crisp at 27 inches, but it may not be everyone’s cup of tea for reading or browsing. Some might need to use scaling, but it always doesn’t play nice with apps, so you might have to manually adjust text size for them. Games and movies look fabulous no matter what, although you will need a more powerful GPU to achieve stable framerates.
The MSI Modern MD271UL covers 100% of sRGB and 95% of DCI-P3 for rich colors in any media. Its default accuracy had a deltaE average of 2.41, so it’s not the most accurate monitor out there. That’s understandable since the monitor has a wider gamut coverage than most.
Calibrating it reduced the deltaE average to 0.8, making it suitable for color-critical work. You usually can’t expect results like this from a $300 that’s meant more for daily use rather than editing work. The downside is that you have to buy a colorimeter to achieve comparable results, and they are only practical if you are into color-critical work.
The MSI Modern MD271UL’s backlight reached 371 cd/m2 at 100%, so it has plenty of room for adjustments. Its contrast reached 1159:1 at 30% brightness, so it’s a bit better when it comes to black luminance than other IPS models. These aren’t HDR-grade specs, but they are more than decent for a budget model.
Panel uniformity for the test sample did not have any major issues like clouding-inducing backlight leaks. There were some variances in the backlight’s spread, but it wasn’t enough to display the monitor’s image output. Note that this can change between every monitor made due to tolerances, so there are better units out there.
The MSI Modern MD271UL isn’t the most responsive monitor out there, but it’s quick enough for gaming use. You need a bit of overdrive to keep things smooth, but we don’t recommend pushing it to the max to avoid overshoot. It’s limited to 60Hz, but it is decent at handling motion, unlike older IPS monitors.
The only missing feature here is FreeSync or G-Sync for tear and stutter-free gaming. VRR is essential for gaming, but the MD271UL was not designed completely for it. Input lag sits at 9ms at 60Hz, so it’s snappy and responsive enough for gaming use.
Thoughts on the MSI Modern MD271UL
The MSI Modern MD271UL is an excellent choice for users who require great performance without spending top dollar. The beautifully designed product includes USB-C connectivity with 65 watts, so it’s compatible with most modern devices. It is not the most accurate monitor out there, but it has plenty of room for improvement.
We think some of the missing characteristics might be deal-breakers for some folks. It’s great for mixed-use, but it’s not the best for prosumers or gamers because of that. However, we think it punches above its price point, so it is still an excellent buy.
Pros:
- Affordable 4K USB-C Monitor
- Wide Gamut Coverage
- Attractive, Modern Design
Cons:
- Tilt-Limited Stands
- No VRR
About the Author: Paolo has been a gaming veteran since the golden days of Doom and Warcraft and has been building gaming systems for family, friends, and colleagues since junior high. High-performance monitors are one of his fixations; he believes that every citizen’s right to enjoy one. He has gone through several pieces of hardware in pursuit of every bit of performance gain, much to the dismay of his wallet. He now works with Monitornerds to scrutinize the latest gear to create reviews that accentuate the seldom explained aspects of a PC monitor.
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