Save $40 on a 27" 144Hz gaming monitor with FreeSync support.

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Save $40 on a 27" 144Hz gaming monitor with FreeSync support.

Newegg is selling MSI's Optix G27C2 gaming monitor for $209.99, $40 below list price. In addition, a $20 mail-in rebate applies, so you end up paying only $189.99.

Factoring in the rebate, this is the cheapest 27" monitor in this class I could find on Newegg (cheaper models have lower refresh rates and other sacrifices). If you ignore rebates, there is just one cheaper alternative, ViewSonic's VX2758-C-MH for $199.99.

MSI's model has a curved VA panel with a 1920x1080 resolution, 144Hz refresh rate, and 1ms MPRT / 4ms GtG response time. They also support AMD's FreeSync technology, which perfectly synchronizes the operation between the monitor and the Radeon graphics card, avoiding screen tearing that might otherwise occur.

MSI claims a high color gamut with this monitor, covering 110% of the sRGB color space and 85% of the NTSC color space. The wide color gamut and good image quality are common advantages of VA screens over less expensive TN panels. Also, when compared to IPS displays, VA screens typically have a better contrast ratio: in this example, 3,000:1 standard and 100,000:1 dynamic.

For this amount of money, there is not much to criticize: some users may prefer 1440p resolution in a 27" form factor, but if speed is what you are looking for, it is easier anyway to use a 144Hz refresh rate at 1080p (less load on the GPU less).

We also found the Asus ROG Strix XG27VQ on Newegg for $249.99 (down from $289.99); aside from the RGB lighting ROG aesthetic, the specifications are pretty much the same.

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