- The new monitor was first announced in August, after its predecessor’s launch in 2024
- MSI’s MGP 491CQPX includes a range of improvements, notably its refresh rate and ClearMR certification
- Its previous model (MGP 491CQP) is now on sale ahead of Black Friday
MSI launched an impressive super ultrawide gaming monitor earlier this year, which we delve deeper into in our MPG 491CQP review, opening the gateway for more competition among the best ultrawide monitors on the market this Black Friday. Now, we have more good news: an enhanced version of this has just launched, the brand-new MPG 491CQPX QD-OLED Super Ultrawide Gaming Monitor, which comes with a host of upgrades across the board.
While it maintains the 49-inch display size and 5120×1440 resolution, the advantages over the previous CQP model include a 240Hz refresh rate, 0.03ms GtG response time, HDMI 2.1 ports, 98W PD (power delivery), and a superior ClearMR 13000 motion clarity certification from VESA, the display industry standards body.
OLEDs may be great at providing the best image quality for displays, but this doesn’t stop the possibility of unwanted blur, especially in fast-paced games. The aforementioned CQP 144Hz model offered a ClearMR 8000 certification, but with this improvement to VESA’s 13000 rating, blurry pixels in-game will be reduced significantly.
The next-gen QD-OLED panel from MSI (which was used in the 491CQPX’s predecessor) promises enhanced ‘sub-pixel arrangement’ which should produce sharper images and better text (a notable point of contention for some people with OLED monitors).
QD-OLEDs are well-known for their ability to provide the best contrast and deep black levels, all while utilizing a wider color gamut compared to LCD displays, so this combination is a huge benefit for users.
So, what about burn-in? How much will it cost?
Whilst we currently have no info on its cost, looking at the MPG 491CQP’s price ($1099/ £1098.95 / AU$1,699), it’s fair to say that it will be priced close within its range. The good news is if you’re in the UK, you can get your hands on the previous model for just £799 at Scan thanks to the Black Friday sale – a pretty good deal, right?
Both the old and new models utilize MSI’s OLED Care 2.0 software – it’s no secret that OLEDs are prone to burn-in, which can quickly become frustrating. Similar to the display care tools found in Dell’s Alienware AW3423DWF gaming monitor, OLED Care 2.0 sends you a pop-up to shift and refresh pixels on your display after about four hours of continuous use to protect your monitor from burn-in.
Despite its necessity, this sort of automated maintenance is one of the biggest downsides of owning an OLED display, but the benefits easily outweigh this. If you’re willing to take this in stride (or just don’t use your PC for more than four hours at a time), the CQPX will ultimately take your gaming experience to new heights.