MSI showcased new quantum dot OLED (QD-OLED) gaming monitors at the Really Awesome Gaming Expo (rAge) this past weekend, marking their official availability in South Africa. The annual expo brought together gaming enthusiasts with a mix of technology, esports, geek culture, and digital entertainment.
Testing the monitors highlighted their excellent picture quality: combining strengths of quantum dot and OLED technologies, the monitors offer vivid colours, excellent contrast, and smooth performance.
The biggest beast on display was the MPG 491CQP QD – a huge 49-inch double quad high-definition (DQHD) 144Hz monitor. It delivered an immersive gaming experience, complemented by a 0.03ms grey-to-grey (GTG) response time.
MSI’s 49-inch QD-OLED gaming monitor, Photo: JASON BANNIER
MSI is mitigating the risk of OLED burn-in with the introduction of OLED Care 2.0, which incorporates features like multi-logo detection, taskbar detection, and boundary detection, which automatically adjusts screen brightness for static elements. Thermal management is a priority, with graphene film and customised heatsinks ensuring efficient and silent heat dissipation.
The monitors come equipped with features like AI Vision, which dynamically adjusts brightness and colour saturation for improved visibility in dark scenes and enhanced vibrancy. MSI’s Gaming Intelligence suite includes tools like a smart crosshair, Optix Scope for precise zooming, console mode for optimised console gaming, and KVM functionality for seamless multi-device control with a single keyboard and mouse.
The QD-OLED monitor models at rAge included the MAG 341CQP QD-OLED, and MAG 321UPX QD-OLED. More information can be found on the MSI website here.
With great performance comes great power
The high-end monitors were connected to powerful PCs – some of which were on sale, including one with a huge price drop, from R75,000 to R45,000. The X870 and Z980 motherboards were showcased.
“These are all built by our partner PC builder as our system integrator,” said Mechiel Schoeman, marketing manager of MSI.
Mechiel Schoeman, marketing manager of MSI, speaking at rAge, Photo JASON BANNIER
An impressive lineup of laptops was showcased, catering to gamers, professionals, and productivity-focused users. Among them was the Stealth 16 Mercedes-AMG Motorsport A13V, a gaming laptop designed in partnership with Mercedes-AMG Motorsport. Combining high-performance hardware with a sleek design inspired by the luxury automotive brand, it stood out as a premium gaming option. Other laptops from MSI’s Stealth range were also featured.
For business users was the Summit 13 AI+ Evo A2VM, a lightweight and versatile laptop. This device is equipped with AI-driven features like MSI’s AI Engine and Microsoft Copilot+ to enhance productivity and simplify workflows. Its touchscreen offers 100% sRGB colour accuracy, and it supports the MSI Pen 2 for precision input, making it suitable for creative and professional tasks. The laptop also includes enterprise-grade security features such as TPM and Windows Hello.
Stealth 16 Mercedes-AMG Motorsport A13V gaming laptop, Photo JASON BANNIER
Big and small
This year’s rAge show at Nasrec was smaller than last year’s Gallagher Convention Centre expo, with some familiar names conspicuous by their absence, such as MSI’s usual competition, Cooler Master. Despite the reduced space, the event still drew thousands of attendees and offered a wide range of engaging exhibits.
BMW’s stand featured Sim Racing Rigs where visitors could virtually drive a BMW 1 Series within the game, alongside a display of the latest 1 Series model. Daily leaderboard winners from the sim rigs had the chance to win cash prizes, adding a competitive edge to the experience.
A GameOn with HP Gaming Garage hackathon invited game developers to create games inspired by SA culture and heritage. The top 10 games were showcased live at rAge, with the three winning teams revealed on stage.
This year’s Artist Alley hosted over 46 exhibitors, presenting a vibrant selection of art prints, anime merchandise, figurines, apparel, jewellery, plushies, cosplay accessories, and dice, creating a hub for creativity and fandom.
Highlights of the expo included a range of gaming tournaments, such as the rAge Minecraft Tournament. A standout performance in this event came from the Centennial Schools Minecraft Team, all Grade 7s. They came out on top in the Speedrun round as the team with the best time, which took them through to the PvP (Player Vs Player) stage of the tournament. During this stage, Centennial won every round and went through to the finals where they were defeated at the hands of Montrose.
The Centennial “The Finals” Team made amends, winning the tournament with a victory over IVA.
* Jason Bannier is a data analyst at World Wide Worx and writer for Gadget.co.za. Follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @jas2bann.