MSI MAG 272F X24 27" Metallic Black 2025

The MSI MAG 272F X24 is a speed demon with a 240Hz refresh rate and 0.5ms response time that sits in the 95th percentile for performance. The 27-inch 1080p screen is a noticeable compromise for sharpness, but it's hard to beat for pure competitive gaming if you find it at a good price. Buy it for esports, skip it for everything else.

This thing is fast. Really fast. The 240Hz refresh rate and 0.5ms response time land it in the 95th percentile for performance in our database, which is basically the top of the charts for smooth motion. FreeSync Premium keeps tearing at bay, and the Rapid IPS tech means you're not sacrificing color for speed. The 300-nit brightness is solid for indoor use, but don't expect HDR to blow you away, it's HDR Ready in name only. The 1080p resolution on a 27-inch screen is the trade-off here. You will notice the lower pixel density on the desktop, text isn't as sharp as a 1440p panel, but in fast-paced games, you'll be too busy tracking heads to care.

Stacked against the competition, the MSI carves out a niche for pure speed on a budget. The ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQL5A and Acer Nitro XV272U both offer 1440p resolution, which is a massive upgrade for clarity, but you'll pay more for the privilege. The LG UltraGear 27GX790A-B is in a different league entirely for color and HDR. Where the MSI wins is if you absolutely need 240Hz and have a strict budget, or if your GPU can only push high frames at 1080p. Just know that a 27-inch 1080p screen is a compromise you'll feel every time you're not in a game.

Pricing on this monitor is all over the map, with a wild spread from $140 to $4668 across vendors. The real sweet spot is obviously at the lower end. If you can snag this near that $140 mark, it's a steal for a 240Hz IPS panel. But if you're seeing it priced anywhere near the mid-hundreds, you should seriously consider stepping up to a 1440p high-refresh monitor instead. The value proposition crumbles fast as the price climbs.

The MSI MAG 272F X24 is a 27-inch 1080p gaming monitor that puts speed above all else. You get a Rapid IPS panel running at 240Hz with a 0.5ms response time, which is exactly what competitive players want. It's not trying to be a 4K content creation beast, it's built to make your games feel responsive and fluid without breaking the bank.

If you do any kind of photo or video editing, or just want crisp text for work, skip this. The 1080p resolution stretched across 27 inches makes everything look a bit soft. You'd be much happier with a 1440p monitor like the Acer Nitro XV272U, even if it means sacrificing a few hertz.

The MSI MAG 272F X24 is a purpose-built esports monitor. If you live in competitive shooters like Valorant, CS2, or Overwatch and your priority is frame rate and response time above all else, this display delivers where it counts. It's a no-frills panel that gets the core gaming specs right. Just don't expect it to be a great all-rounder for media consumption or productivity, the low resolution and lack of speakers hold it back.