New Competition in the Gaming Monitor Market! MSI G255F Gaming Monitor Review
Recently, MSI sent us a range of monitors, with prices starting from $100 (USD) and going up to $1,750 (USD).
Before unboxing, let’s start with a competitor analysis. Considering what options are available in this price range, we are looking at monitors between 24 to 25 inches, most offering refresh rates around 180 Hz. First, we have the Gigabyte G24 F2, a 23.8 or 24-inch full HD IPS gaming monitor with a 180 Hz refresh rate, priced at $260 (USD). Next, we have the ASUS TUF Gaming VG249Q3A, which we recently reviewed. This is a 24-inch full HD IPS gaming monitor with a 180 Hz refresh rate, priced at $265 (USD). Another ASUS monitor, the ASUS TUF Gaming VG249QL3A, is a 23.8-inch full HD IPS gaming monitor with a 180 Hz refresh rate, priced at $287 (USD). Lastly, there’s the Dawoo DHL LM25 E231, a 25-inch IPS full HD gaming monitor with a 180 Hz refresh rate, priced at $207 (USD).
With the competitor analysis complete, let’s move on to the unboxing. Inside the box, you’ll find some paperwork, a power cable, cable management clips or hooks, an HDMI cable, the monitor’s base plate, a monitor stand, and the assembly process guide. The entire assembly is tool-less and screw-less. First, the base plate and stand are locked together, and then the monitor is snapped onto the stand, completing the assembly.
Now, let’s talk about the monitor’s build and outlook. It is entirely made of plastic. There is no metal presence in the stand or base plate, but the thickness of the plastic feels quite rigid. The back of the monitor features a V-shaped design with a mix of matte and glossy plastic. There is no RGB lighting on the back, so don’t expect any extra FPS boost. The back also features MSI’s gaming dragon logo and a joystick for OSD control. Additionally, it has a Kensington lock and VESA mount option (100 x 100 mm). The I/O ports include two HDMI, one DisplayPort, a headphone out, and a side power input.
Moving on to the main display unit of the monitor, it is a 25-inch or 24.5-inch full HD IPS panel with WLED backlight technology. The maximum refresh rate is 180 Hz, and it claims to be a Rapid IPS panel, offering four times faster response time than a standard IPS. The monitor has a 1 ms response time and a 16:9 aspect ratio. The contrast ratio is 1000:1 (typical), and the dynamic contrast ratio is 10 million:1. The panel is 8-bit, although it’s unclear whether FRC technology has been used. According to the display specifications, this is a true 8-bit panel.
The color calibration of the monitor covers 99% of the sRGB range, 94% of the DCI-P3 range, and 103% of the Adobe RGB range. Additionally, it offers a 178-degree viewing angle.
In terms of gaming performance, we observed several frame rates and FPS metrics during our gaming tests. We used games like *Fortnite*, *Rise of the Tomb Raider*, and *Call of Duty: Black Ops* for testing. With a GTX 1660 Ti, *Fortnite* ran smoothly at 160 Hz. In 1080p testing, *Rise of the Tomb Raider* delivered 110 FPS, and *Black Ops* achieved 90 FPS, which was quite satisfactory.
In conclusion, the MSI G255 gaming monitor stands out as an excellent budget option, offering great gaming performance.
