MSI is no stranger to the use of Quantum Dot display panels, as evidenced by the Optix MPG321UR-QD 4K gaming monitor that I reviewed near the end of last year. This year, the brand, through its official distributor, Sun Cycle, sent over its new 34-inch ultrawide gaming monitor, the MEG 342C QD-OLED. Its full name undoubtedly being a mouthful, allow me to assure you that there is a lot to actually like about this wide body display.
What Am I Looking At?
To state the obvious once more, the 342C is an ultrawide gaming monitor with a 34-inch panel. This, however, isn’t a 4K panel with a maximum resolution of UWQHD, which means 3,440 x 1440. At this resolution, the monitor is one wide sweet spot for gaming and viewing, a point which I will get to in the next section.
Apart from the display, the rest of the 342C is made primarily of hard plastic that just doesn’t flex. Having said that, the screen as a whole does wobble, so you’re going to need to ensure that the surface you’re placing this monitor on is stable.
On top of that, the 342C is a curved gaming monitor too, with a curvature of 1.800R, fitted with a Quantum Dot (QD) OLED panel, courtesy of Samsung. Stating the obvious, as it is an ultrawide monitor, the aspect ratio is a wide 21:9 but damn and blast, its maximum resolution is, once again, an incredible sweet spot for gaming and some levels of productivity.
One other nifty feature that comes with the 342C is that it comes with a USB-C port that not only supports DisplayPort Alt Mode, but 65W PD charging as well. This is direct too, as it draws power directly from the monitor and not via passthrough from the PC or laptop. AT 65W, that also means that I can directly charge my Steam Deck or upstream it directly to the monitor, or both. Oh, and there’s a KVM switch installed as well, and you can choose between the peripherals via the monitor’s onboard menu. On that note, controls are relegated to just two buttons and a nipple-tipped joystick.
There is also a sensor at the base of the 342C that automatically dims the panel when no human face is detected and brightens it up when it does.
What’s Good About It?
At 34-inches, it isn’t that great of an exaggeration when I say that the size of the ultrawide 342C is just perfect. At this size and with its level of curvature, I do not have to swivel my head just to see the corners and sides of the monitors, just as I would with other ultrawide monitors with larger display panels. While this may not irk some of you, this most certainly is a boon to both my eyes and neck.
At 1440p, it’s also not as taxing on a system’s dedicated GPU, and that allows me to crank up the graphics settings of several visually demanding titles either to the highest or second highest preset. Of course, there’s the highly accurate colour reproduction: with a QD-OLED panel thrown into the mix, with its blackest blacks and whitest whites? It’s outtasite. Not only that, but the glossy screen also handles reflections very well; even in a brightly lit room, my view isn’t blinded by a rogue glint or refraction on the display. Of course, if you’re playing games in a dark room.
On a related note, gaming on the 342C is absolutely treat, not just because the colours, images, and details pop on the screen, but also because of its ability to handle the higher 175Hz refresh rate. Once again, this ultrawide monitor’s resolution sits at a sweet spot that allows even my own RTX 4070 to run most of my favourite AAA titles at framerates above 60 fps, and comfortably to boot.
What’s The Catch?
If there’s one thing that I don’t quite enjoy about the 342C, it’s the fact that the monitor ships out with a built-in pixel refresh prompt that crops up every now and then. I’m not saying the feature itself is a bad thing but what I do not enjoy is that, unless you turn it off manually, the prompt for it comes up at random moments. However, if you’re the kind of person who has the tendency to leave their monitor on perpetually or forget to turn it off, I reckon you’re better off letting the feature prompt you on occasion, given the nature of OLED panels and how they are prone to burn-in if you’re not vigilant.
Another personal issue that I have with the 342C is that the stand is V-shaped, rather than just using a solid base but again, this is just me nitpicking and the choice of base here is still solid. Mercifully, there are rubber feet underneath so there’s no issue with the monitor sliding at the slightest touch. Another issue I have with it? The fact that cable management is actually done through directly the spine of the stand. Oh, and the brightness isn’t quite as high as other OLED or QD-OLED gaming monitors but again, it still does the job, especially if you’re in a dark room.
Beyond that, there really aren’t many faults I can find with this monitor. Even its asking price of RM5,999, while still erring on the side of premium, isn’t an unreasonable ask, even by comparison to other ultrawide gaming monitors out there (I’m looking at you, Samsung).
Should I Buy It?
At RM5,999, the MSI MEG 342C QD-OLED is certainly a gaming monitor that ticks off all the right boxes in my requirement list – It’s ultrawide, essentially runs at UWQHD resolution, has a higher than average refresh rate, and more importantly, its 34-inch chassis is, in my honest opinion, the perfect size for both my desktop, my neck, and my eyes.
Aside from an accurate visual smorgasbord for the eyes, the whole monitor is like a plus-sized multitool, allowing me to charge, view, and switch between the inputs I have on hand, at the time. As an OLED monitor, it also guarantees deep blacks and flashbang whites, and combined with its Quantum Dot technology, that means individual dimming zone on the panel too, so both blacks and whites do not, in a manner of speaking, push each other out.
The only other ultrawide gaming monitor alternative I can immediately think of, with a similar panel size and resolution to the 342C actually comes from Dell but having said that, the brand hasn’t made it easy to procure its own products. So, if you’re looking to fill up that space on your desktop a little more, then I believe you should consider making this your main display.
Photography by John Law.
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.
