MSI has launched its first portable gaming monitor, dubbed the Optix MAG161V. In terms of portability this 15.6-inch monitor ticks a lot of boxes with its weight of 0.9kg, slim profile of 5.1mm, and still offering a choice of mini-HDMI and USB Type-C connectivity options. However, its gaming chops are questionable.
We first caught sight of the MSI Optix MAG161V a few weeks ago, when it got some pre-launch publicity due to winning a CES 2020 Innovation Award. All we knew at that time was that it featured a "slim 5mm vibrant 240Hz IPS panel." Unfortunately that description seems to have been erroneous. Gamers might be disappointed to hear that this device sports a 60Hz IPS panel. That doesn't mean this is a device without appeal, it just means expectations need to be adjusted and MSI's gaming arm won't be able to charge such a premium for it.
In the official product promo video you can see above, MSI majors on the Optix MAG161V's portability and flexibility. It is shown throughout a busy day as an exec uses this portable screen to check videos on his camera, do twin-screen business presentations, watch some video on the way home, and during a casual gaming session. So, it seems like MSI's video promo brief and the press release came from different marketing managers…
Above you can see the tech specs of the Optix MAG161V. As well as the mediocre refresh rate, you can see that its FHD IPS panel has a poor max brightness level of 180 nits. The 5.1mm thin measurement conveniently ignores the thicker part of the monitor that contains the connections seen in the diagram above.
I am not sure if the MSI Optix MAG161V comes with the leather case/stand accessory shown in the video but it should do. Hopefully buyers will be able to check this when the product hits retail.
Lastly, it is possible that the CES Award winning MSI Optix MAG161 and this MSI Optix MAG161V are different products - thus explaining the refresh rate description confusion. If I was running the marketing department I wouldn't try and retail two very different products that are differentiated by a single letter in a code string.
The MSI Optix MAG161V portable monitor is now listed on Newegg for US$250.
