MSI’s monitor will have a 32:9 aspect ratio and, judging by its name, will measure 49 inches diagonally. This would make it have the same form factor as two 27-inch 16:9 panels placed side by side, with the benefit of not having bezels down the middle. Samsung Display will manufacture the panel, making it the company’s fourth QD-OLED screen size after the 55-inch and 65-inch TV panels and the 34-inch ultrawide panel found in the excellent Alienware AW3423DW. MSI’s monitor will also be curved, although the company didn’t mention how aggressive the curvature will be… When it comes to the resolution of the Project 491C, there are a few possibilities. It could be limited to just 3,840 x 1,080, but that’s highly unlikely, considering the high-end nature of QD-OLED displays at the moment. It’s also possible it will have a resolution of 5,120 x 1,440, just like some of Samsung’s latest super-ultrawide VA panels of the same size. Lastly, the most exciting option: this could be one of the “8K ultrawide” monitors with DisplayPort 2.1 support AMD talked about at its RDNA 3 reveal livestream, giving it a 7,680 x 2,160 resolution. Whatever the case, the MSI Project 491C will likely end up being a fantastic gaming monitor due to having the highest refresh rate on a QD-OLED panel yet. Expect to hear more details about it, including pricing and availability at CES in January.
In related news, LG has finally listed the UltraGear 45GR95QE OLED monitor on its website. For a quick refresher (pun intended), the upcoming 45-inch ultrawide screen features a 3,440 x 1,440 resolution and a 240Hz refresh rate. We have learned that LG will open pre-orders for the monitor on December 12, slated to start shipping on December 28. However, it won’t come cheap, with LG’s site quoting a $1,700 price tag in the US.