MSI Professional MP243W 24-inch monitor
execs and cons
Professionals
- Extremely reasonably priced
- Light-weight, plug-and-play
- Skinny bezels, compact body
- 144Hz, adaptive-sync
Cons
- Visible high quality for on a regular basis use
- 300 nits of brightness
- Constructed-in audio system are an afterthought
extra shopping for decisions
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As high-end screens attain for the celebrities with QD-OLED know-how and 1,040Hz refresh charges, merchandise on the alternative finish of the spectrum can supply higher baseline worth for lower than 100 bucks.
Working example: MSI’s Professional MP243W, a 24-inch monitor for simply $84. Funds screens in 2026 look an entire lot higher than they did a couple of years in the past, and after going hands-on with this one, I discovered it to be a superb worth for college kids, children, and budget-conscious customers who use their computer systems for on a regular basis duties.
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That mentioned, there are definitely trade-offs with lower-end screens, they usually will not come as a shock: much less flexibility, much less connectivity, and, most significantly, a much less vibrant picture. With the suitable expectations, nonetheless, a lower-end show could be a good purchase as a substitute of dropping lots of on one thing that is overkill.
Specs and construct
Bodily, the Professional MP243W has a minimal footprint and is relatively light-weight at 6.8 kilos. The bezels are skinny on all 4 sides, and the white plastic would not precisely scream premium, however it’s impartial and appears fantastic on a desktop.
Sadly, it solely is available in mentioned white colorway, which is perhaps extra of a deal-breaker than the technical specs for some. The monitor’s base is simply shy of 9 inches on the widest half, and the notch gives a handy place to prop up your cellphone, a contact that teenagers will recognize.
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It includes a 23.8-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) matte LCD show with a 144Hz refresh charge and built-in audio system. It is nothing fancy, however it will get the job finished. The quick refresh makes issues look clean, however it lacks the superior viewing angles of higher-end screens. That is the primary massive trade-off.
Sitting straight in entrance of the monitor will give the most effective viewing expertise, as transferring from one aspect to the opposite will dim and obfuscate the alternative nook. Excessive-end screens are excellent at projecting an evenly illuminated, vivid picture throughout the complete display screen, regardless of the angle you are viewing from. Not the case, right here.
The matte show is reflective if not positioned nicely.
Kyle Kucharski/ZDNET
The matte floor can be liable to reflections when mild comes from a single supply, corresponding to a vivid window in entrance of the monitor. This, with the utmost 300 nits, means it isn’t the brightest monitor available on the market; the second massive trade-off. For that motive, I would suggest inserting the monitor dealing with away from a window or mild supply.
On the again, the show has a single HDMI port, a DisplayPort 1.2a port, a headphone jack, and a Kensington lock slot. It additionally options built-in audio system, however they’re low-quality, and I would solely suggest utilizing them you probably have no different possibility.
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The display screen itself can rotate as much as 20 levels, however can’t be raised or lowered. On the again of the suitable aspect is the monitor’s navigation button, which brings up the onboard menu for visible settings and a spread of presets.
Who’s it for?
I lately examined Apple’s new MacBook Neo, a $599 model of the MacBook with good trade-offs, and was so impressed by it that I purchased one for my mother. It is excellent for what she makes use of it for: checking e mail, informal net searching, and iPhone integrations like FaceTime and Messages. The one factor she would not like, nonetheless, is that the display screen is a tad too small.
My imaginative and prescient: pair it with MSI’s Professional MP243W. This 24-inch monitor may very well be an excellent companion for the Neo, doubling the Neo’s small 13-inch display screen for lower than $100 and making a dual-screen house workstation within the course of.
The 300 nits of brightness and FHD decision display screen would not precisely look higher than the Neo’s Liquid Retina show, however it’s greater, and gives a second show — one thing the Neo handles effortlessly. You will want a USB-C-to-HDMI adapter to do that. I like to recommend this Anker mannequin for $16.
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In fact, you do not want a MacBook Neo particularly to have an reasonably priced workstation — any laptop computer will do; I simply point out this use case because it correlated with my current expertise.
As talked about earlier than, one other potential use case for a monitor like that is for youths or teenagers. It is light-weight and reasonably priced sufficient to be moved round, and for those who improve sooner or later, it may make for a superb hand-me-down if there are a number of children who need their very own workstation.
ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation
MSI’s Professional MP243W is a stable 24-inch funds monitor that will get the job finished for $84 — a worth you’ll be able to’t argue with. It would not compete with high-end OLED shows, however that is not the purpose. It will serve nicely for youths, teenagers, seniors, or as a secondary system in a visitor room or secondary workplace. I simply suggest inserting it away from vivid mild sources, and take into account that it’s possible you’ll want a monitor stand.
