MSI MP225V 22" Black

The MSI PRO MP225V is a compact 22-inch 1080p monitor with a smooth 100Hz refresh rate that makes it feel snappy for office work and light gaming. But the display quality is grainy and unreliable, with screen tearing issues even in basic use. It's only worth considering if you find it at a deep discount.

The 100Hz refresh rate and 1ms MPRT response time are the headliners here, and they do make a difference if you're coming from a standard 60Hz office monitor. Scrolling feels smoother, and casual games look a bit more fluid. In our performance rankings, it sits at the 73rd percentile, which is solid for a budget display. The Adaptive-Sync support helps cut down on tearing in games, though ironically, several users complained about bad screen tearing just in browser windows, which suggests the implementation isn't flawless.

Color-wise, it's a middle-of-the-pack performer at the 74th percentile. The 8-bit+FRC panel can technically display over a billion colors, and the 300-nit brightness is adequate for a dim or moderately lit room. But don't expect HDR to blow you away. HDR10 support on a display with this level of brightness and no local dimming is more of a checkbox feature than something you'll actually want to use. For office work, the Low Blue Light and flicker-free tech are nice touches that might save you from a headache after a long day.

Stacked against something like the Acer CB2 X27U, the MSI feels like it's playing a different sport. The Acer gives you a higher resolution and a more color-accurate IPS panel, which is a night-and-day difference for any kind of photo work or just general clarity. The Samsung Odyssey LS27DG302ENXZA is another step up, aimed squarely at gamers with a faster refresh rate and better motion handling. The MSI's 100Hz panel is fine for casual use, but it's not in the same league as a dedicated gaming monitor.

If you're looking at the Dell S3225QS, you're comparing a compact 22-inch VA panel to a much larger 32-inch 4K display. They serve completely different purposes. The Dell is for immersion and productivity real estate, while the MSI is for saving space. The ASUS TUF Gaming VG27VQMY also outclasses the MSI in build quality and gaming features, though it costs more. The MSI's main advantage is its compact size and low entry price, but you sacrifice a lot of picture quality to get there.

Pricing on this monitor is all over the map. We've seen it listed anywhere from $51 to a laughable $18,104 across different vendors. At the low end, if you can snag it for under $80, it's a reasonable buy for a secondary screen or a kid's homework station. But once you creep past the $100 mark, you're in territory where you can get a more reliable 24-inch IPS panel from brands like Acer or Dell that will deliver a sharper, more consistent picture. The sweet spot for this MSI is strictly as a budget pick when it's deeply discounted. If you're seeing it priced anywhere near its MSRP, just walk away.

The MSI PRO MP225V is one of those monitors that looks great on paper for a budget home office setup, but the real-world experience is a bit of a mixed bag. It's a 22-inch 1080p VA panel with a 100Hz refresh rate and Adaptive-Sync, which on the surface sounds like a solid pick for someone who wants a single display for both spreadsheets and some light after-hours gaming. The thin bezels and VESA mount support also make it a decent candidate for a clean dual-monitor configuration if you're tight on space.

But here's the thing: the display quality itself is a weak spot. In our database, it lands in the 12th percentile for displays, which is frankly rough. You're getting 300 nits of brightness and a 4000:1 contrast ratio, which sounds fine, but multiple buyers report a grainy picture and noticeable screen tearing in basic browser windows. That's not what you want to see when you're just trying to scroll through emails. The build quality also seems questionable, with at least one owner reporting a total failure after just four months of light use.

For the price, which we've seen swing wildly from $51 to over $18,000 depending on the seller (seriously, don't pay more than the low end for this thing), it's a monitor that tries to punch above its weight class with features like a 1ms response time and HDR10 support. But the execution doesn't quite stick the landing.

Skip this monitor if you care at all about image clarity or color accuracy. Photographers, designers, and anyone who watches a lot of movies will be disappointed by the grainy picture and weak HDR performance. Gamers looking for a competitive edge should also look elsewhere, as the screen tearing issues and mediocre motion clarity won't do you any favors. If you need a reliable primary monitor for daily work, spend a bit more on an IPS panel from Dell or Acer. This MSI is strictly a budget secondary screen for undemanding tasks.

Should you buy the MSI PRO MP225V? Only if you find it for a steal and you know exactly what you're getting into. It's a compact, basic monitor with a smooth 100Hz refresh rate that makes it feel a bit more modern than a typical 60Hz office screen. But the display quality is a real letdown, with a grainy picture and screen tearing issues that multiple owners have flagged. The reliability concerns are also hard to ignore.

If you need a small, cheap monitor for a secondary display or a temporary setup, and you can grab this for under $80, it'll do the job. For anything more than that, especially if it's going to be your main screen, spend a little extra on a more reputable budget option from Dell or Acer. Your eyes will thank you.