MSI PRO MP251 monitor review

The range of inexpensive office monitors with basic functionality is very large and it is important to note the quality of some of the more interesting models. But the MSI PRO MP251 monitor was reviewed by gg, which has several important and interesting features, which we will now tell you about.

MSI PRO MP251 is an affordable monitor designed primarily for the office, although it is suitable not only for work. The high-quality 24.5-inch IPS display with FullHD resolution, good colour reproduction and sufficient brightness fully meets the needs of most work tasks. And the 100Hz refresh rate, low matrix response time, and Adaptive Sync support make it a good option as a budget monitor for gaming. Among the nice bonuses, we should mention the blue filter and flicker-free technology, as well as the built-in stereo speakers, which are quite enough for video conferencing or watching videos. The monitor has a fairly simple but versatile design that will look organic in any interior. Considering the price, the monitor has no critical flaws. The only thing we would like to see is more modern video inputs. The closest competitor in this price category is the ASRock CL25FF. It seems to use the same matrix and similar hardware: the set of connectors is similar. So the choice is more likely to be between brands and design.

5 reasons to buy MSI PRO MP251:

• High-quality 24.5-inch IPS matrix with FullHD resolution
• 100Hz refresh rate, low matrix response time, Adaptive Sync support
• Blue filter and flicker reduction technology
• Universal appearance
• Built-in stereo speakers

2 reasons not to buy MSI PRO MP251:

• You would like more modern connectors
• You need a monitor with a larger diagonal

Fast transition:

• What's included with MSI PRO MP251?
• What does the MSI PRO MP251 look like?
• What about the usability, adjustability, and connectors of the MSI PRO MP251?
• How is the MSI PRO MP251 for picture quality?
• How did the MSI PRO MP251 perform in operation?
• In a nutshell

What is included with MSI PRO MP251?

The MSI PRO MP251 is an affordable office monitor, so you shouldn't expect anything special from the package. The monitor comes in a standard mustard-coloured cardboard box with the model name and basic information. The package includes the monitor itself, a removable stand in a disassembled state, a power supply, a power cable, an HDMI cable, a plastic cable management bracket, and documentation.

What does MSI PRO MP251 look like?

TheMSI PRO MP251 has a versatile, minimalist look, as required for an office business model. The case is almost entirely made of practical matte black plastic. The design is quite typical of the so-called bezel-less design, with minimal bezels around the screen on three sides and a slightly wider chin with the MSI logo. The monitor is available exclusively in black, although a grey or white option would be quite appropriate.

The stand is quite compact and won't take up much space on your desk. Traditionally, the outside is black plastic, and the frame is metal so that the monitor does not wobble. The stand is trapezoidal and has a small cutout for a smartphone on the front.

The back is entirely black and has a horizontal thickening across the entire width of the monitor, where all the electronics are located. The bundled stand is attached below, and the MSI logo is above. In the middle there are holes for VESA 100x100 mounting, which allows you to hang the monitor on the wall. Or you can attach a compact nettop to the monitor, which is a common practice in offices. There is a joystick on the left side of the rear panel, and a Kensington Lock slot on the right side.

MSI PRO MP251 is quite thin, so it will fit on any desk.

For all settings, a five-way controller is used, which is a standard modern convenient option.

The monitor has a minimum of connectors, they are directed downwards, which is quite convenient.

The neutral appearance of MSI PRO MP251 makes it universal, it will look quite organically both in the office and at home. The quality is quite good, all the parts are well fitted to each other. There is almost no crackling or creaking of plastic.

What about the usability, adjustability and connectors of MSI PRO MP251?

The MSI PRO MP251 stand is not very functional and only allows you to tilt the monitor within +20° to -5°. On the other hand, there is a significant plus in the ease of installation: the stand is simply fixed with a corresponding clip and does not require any tools for installation. There is a variant of the MSI PRO MP251P with a more functional stand that also allows you to adjust the height of the monitor and rotate it 90° to a portrait position.

There is a recess in the stand where you can put your smartphone. It's hard to say how many users will use it. But it's a nice little thing.

A plastic bracket is attached to the leg, which is used for cable management.

The monitor has only two video inputs: HDMI 1.4b and D-Sub (VGA). The latter is hardly used anymore. It can be useful only for old PCs, some servers, and the aforementioned nettops. In general, HDMI is a fairly universal connector. But, for example, modern ultraportable laptops are mostly limited to Type-C (DisplayPort, Thunderbolt 4), so you may need an adapter. In addition to video interfaces, there is a line-in audio input and a standard headphone audio output.

The five-way controller on the back is used to adjust the monitor. It's not easy to find by touch, but there are no other complaints about it.

The MSI PRO MP251's on-screen menu has 5 main sections. The first, "Professional", is responsible for colour modes, pixel response time, refresh rate (although the On, Off and Location items look rather strange in this case), timer, Screen Assastance, screen size and Adaptive Sync switch. The second section is responsible for picture settings: brightness, contrast, colour temperature, blue filter, sharpness and Image Enhancement. The third section is responsible for configuring the monitor inputs. NaviKey allows you to configure shortcuts to the joystick arrows. The last section contains all the other settings: interface language, menu transparency, resetting.

A few words about the Screen Assistance item. It has the Eye-Q Check function. It includes the so-called Amsler grid and Astigmatism. These items show certain pictures with lines on the screen. If the picture in your eyes blurs, you should take a break for 20 minutes. There is also a function to correct the position relative to the screen. A horizontal line is displayed closer to the top of the screen. The eyes should be opposite or slightly below it. For games, there are several types of on-screen reticle.

It's also worth mentioning the proprietary MSI Display Kit application. In addition to setting up the picture itself, there are additional functions: setting up multi-window mode, an on-screen keyboard, setting the mouse cursor speed, connecting to wireless monitors (if possible), and setting up multi-monitor configurations.

How is the MSI PRO MP251's image quality?

MSI PRO MP251 is equipped with a 24.5-inch IPS matrix with a resolution of 1920x1080 (FullHD), which is quite enough for this diagonal. An 8-bit (6+FRC) matrix with W-LED backlighting is used. It promises a maximum brightness of 300 cd/m², a static contrast ratio of 1300:1, and viewing angles of 178°. The screen is said to be capable of reproducing 16.7 million shades. What's interesting and unusual for an office model is the 100Hz refresh rate, as well as response times of 1ms (MPRT) and 4ms (GTG). It supports Adaptive Sync, Anti-Flicker flicker prevention technology, and a Less Blue Light filter to prevent eye fatigue during prolonged use. Themonitor has a fairly effective anti-reflective coating.

The image on the MSI PRO MP251 turned out to be surprisingly pleasant, especially considering its quite affordable price. Sufficient brightness level, even backlighting, excellent viewing angles and pleasant natural colours. Measurements have shown that the maximum brightness of the monitor in User mode is 284.268 cd/m², the black field brightness is 0.277 cd/m², and the static contrast is 1024:1, which almost matches the declared values. Colour gamut is almost the same as sRGB. It's worth saying in advance that the colour gamut is similar in all modes. Calibration and colour reproduction are close to the reference values: good. The colour temperature is about 7000K (with a reference of 6500K), and the colour error ΔE has an average value of about 4, which is a good indicator.

In Movie mode, the brightness level is locked and is 200.645 cd/m², the black field brightness is 0.16 cd/m², and the static contrast is 1254:1. All other indicators are close to User mode.

In Office mode, the maximum brightness is 294.809 cd/m², the black field brightness is 0.283 cd/m², and the static contrast is 1042:1. However, the gamma curve and brightness dependence look rather strange.

How did the MSI PRO MP251 perform in the field?

First of all, MSI PRO MP251 is designed for office work. Its capabilities are quite enough for such needs: a good quality IPS-matrix with a sufficient brightness level for the office and good viewing angles. And, given the fairly accurate colour reproduction and very close to sRGB colour gamut, the monitor is quite suitable for creating web content. Gaming is also quite possible, thanks to the high refresh rate, low pixel response time and Adaptive Sync support. But, if we move on to the subjective impression, 24.5 inches is still a bit small for both work and entertainment. It's worth noting that the monitor has stereo speakers of 2W each. Of course, it's not a Hi-Fi audio system, but it's enough for video conferencing or watching videos.

That's the bottom line. Four things you need to know about MSI PRO MP251:

• The MSI PRO MP251 is an affordable office monitor with a 24.5-inch FullHD IPS matrix.
• It has very good colour reproduction and sufficient brightness.
• The monitor is equipped with flicker and blue filter technologies.
• There are built-in stereo speakers.

For those who want to know more:

• MSI Modern MD271UL review: a modern 4K office monitor
• ASUS ZenScreen OLED MQ16AH portable monitor with a bright OLED matrix and a thin metal case
• MSI Modern MD271P review: office monitor with a frequency of 75 Hz
• MSI Optix G27CQ4 E2 gaming monitor review: curved VA matrix with 170Hz refresh rate and a price you'll love
• ASUS ROG Swift PG32UQ: a 4K gaming monitor powered by quantum dots