If you're on a budget and prefer a larger screen, the Dell S3222DGM with its 32-inch display and strong contrast may be appealing, especially for immersive gaming and watching videos. However, if you prioritize color accuracy for tasks like photo editing, the MSI MAG274QRF-QD's smaller 27-inch IPS panel offers better color reproduction, and its higher pixel density provides sharper images and text, which could be better for productivity and competitive gaming where clarity and precision are key. Both monitors have similar refresh rates for smooth gaming experiences, but the Dell’s VA panel might exhibit slower response times compared to the MSI’s IPS panel, which can be crucial for fast-paced games. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Dell S3222DGM (VA)
Very good contrast
Advantages of the MSI MAG274QRF-QD (IPS)
Good text clarity
Good image clarity
Key differences
Casual Gaming
6.9/10
6.1/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
4365:1
NATIVE CONTRAST
1195:1
333 nits
SDR PEAK BRIGHTNESS
372 nits
N/A
HDR PEAK BRIGHTNESS
390 nits
N/A
DCI-P3 COLOR GAMUT
96.7 %
Matte
COATING
Matte
The Dell S3222DGM (VA) and MSI MAG274QRF-QD (IPS) are both only fair for casual gaming, though the Dell S3222DGM (VA) is somewhat better.
Competitive Gaming
4.6/10
5.8/10
165Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
10.6 ms
TOTAL RESPONSE TIME
9.1 ms
20 - 165 Hz
VARIABLE REFRESH RATE
20 - 165 Hz
Yes
STROBING / BFI
Yes
333 nits
SDR PEAK BRIGHTNESS
372 nits
The MSI MAG274QRF-QD (IPS) and Dell S3222DGM (VA) are both poor for competitive gaming, though the MSI MAG274QRF-QD (IPS) is somewhat better.
Productivity
5.1/10
6.2/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
93 PPI
PIXELS PER INCH
109 PPI
Yes
ADJUSTABLE STAND
Yes
Matte
COATING
Matte
The MSI MAG274QRF-QD (IPS) is only fair for productivity, while the Dell S3222DGM (VA) is poor.
Cost
$250
$436
$100
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
The Dell S3222DGM (VA) has a price of $250 and the MSI MAG274QRF-QD (IPS) costs $436.
Print Photo Editing
No
Yes
The Dell S3222DGM (VA) is not suitable for print photo editing while the MSI MAG274QRF-QD (IPS) is suitable for print photo editing.
Key similarities
Media Consumption
5.9/10
6.0/10
2560 x 1440
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1440
4365:1
NATIVE CONTRAST
1195:1
333 nits
SDR PEAK BRIGHTNESS
372 nits
N/A
HDR PEAK BRIGHTNESS
390 nits
Matte
COATING
Matte
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers MSI MAG274QRF-QD (IPS) to be only fair for media consumption, while the Dell S3222DGM (VA) is poor.
HDR Gaming and Media Consumption
No
No
Both the Dell S3222DGM (VA) and MSI MAG274QRF-QD (IPS) are not suitable for HDR gaming and media consumption.
Digital Photo Editing
No
No
Both the Dell S3222DGM (VA) and MSI MAG274QRF-QD (IPS) are not suitable for digital photo editing.
HDR Video Editing and Color Grading
No
No
Both the Dell S3222DGM (VA) and MSI MAG274QRF-QD (IPS) are not suitable for HDR video editing and color grading.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Dell S3222DGM (VA) and the MSI MAG274QRF-QD (IPS) compare to other monitors
"Aside from its omission of HDR, the Dell S3222DGM has no flaws of consequence. For a surprisingly low price, it delivers premium quality gaming performance with 165 Hz and Adaptive-Sync through a high-contrast curved VA panel with a wide and accurate color gamut."
"The MSI Optix MAG274QRF-QD has the largest color gamut we’ve ever seen and near-perfect out-of-box accuracy. sRGB content will be oversaturated though, and HDR doesn’t do anything for image quality."
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec monitors team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest monitor information and makes it digestible for you.
By the numbers
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About the monitor team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Monitors Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.