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The MSI PRO MP243 is a slim-bezel monitor that delivers nearly everything you would want from a low-cost display. At the same time, it’s exactly what you would expect when you hear the words “budget monitor.”
It’s not going to impress you with flashy features, and it’s not going to win any performance awards. It’s not the very best business monitor we’ve ever tested. But what it does offer, however, is a sleek design, an easy setup, and enough of what most people need to make it a practical choice for everyday work in the office or home.
Maybe you need a larger screen for your home office, or perhaps you just bought a mini PC or Mac mini and need an affordable display to go along with it. It could also work well as a second monitor in a dual-screen setup. In those cases, the MP243 does the job.
MSI PRO MP243: Price and availability
The price is where the MP243 really starts to make sense.
At around $120, you are getting a 23.8-inch IPS panel, a 144Hz refresh rate, Adaptive-Sync, HDMI, DisplayPort, built-in speakers, VESA support, and a clean white design.
That is a good group of features for a monitor in this price range.
One of the closest alternatives is the Dell SE2426HS. It has a similar 23.8-inch Full HD IPS panel, 144Hz refresh rate, Adaptive-Sync, and VESA support. The Dell also has a height-adjustable stand, which is a real advantage over the tilt-only stand on the MSI.
The MSI does have a few advantages of its own. It includes built-in speakers and DisplayPort, and the white finish gives it a cleaner look than most budget monitors.
At a lower sale price, the MSI is an easy monitor to recommend. At around $120, it is still a good option, but there are more competitors worth considering.
It really comes down to what matters more to you. If you want the white design, built-in speakers, and DisplayPort, the MSI is a good pick. If you care more about stand adjustment (and a higher resolution), there are better options.
MSI PRO MP243: Unboxing and First Impressions
Most of the monitor and stand are plastic, but they don’t really feel cheap. It’s lightweight enough that I’d still be careful when putting it together and taking it apart.
Everything included in the box is white, even down to the cables, which gives the setup a uniform look. If you’re someone who likes a certain aesthetic, I think you’ll appreciate that everything matches.
The monitor is really simple to put together. Everything just clicks in, and then you’re good to go. The back of the stem includes a cable-management clip for routing your power and display cables. It is a small feature, but it helps keep the back of your desk a little cleaner.
The top of the base includes a simple organizer slot. It’s big enough that you can put a USB adapter, thumb drive, or anything else in there that would otherwise just be sitting on top of your desk. It’s an unexpected little feature that actually turned out to be useful.
MSI advertises it as a spot to hold your phone. You can place your phone in landscape and, depending on your workflow, use it as a secondary screen or simply keep it visible for notifications, your calendar, or something similar. It’s not a huge feature by any means, but it’s another small touch I appreciated that adds to the overall practicality of the monitor.
MSI PRO MP243: Design & Build Quality
The monitor’s control button is on the back right side. It doubles as both the power button and the joystick for navigating the menu.
The monitor keeps things simple when it comes to connectivity. It has one HDMI port, one DisplayPort, and one 3.5mm headphone jack. Both display inputs support 1080p at refresh rates up to 144Hz.
Honestly, support for up to 144Hz is a nice bonus for this price range, even if it’s clearly built for office work first. It’s not necessary, but it’s handy and opens up the customers for this monitor a little bit as well.
The MP243 has the standard settings you would expect, including brightness, contrast, sharpness, volume, and color controls. It also includes a few MSI-specific features that are worth mentioning.
MSI’s EyesErgo features include Less Blue Light, Anti-Flicker, and an anti-glare coating. These are all meant to make the monitor easier on your eyes during longer work sessions. If you spend most of your day reading emails, writing, or working through spreadsheets, they are nice features to have.
There is also an Eye-Q Check feature that gives you basic reminders for posture, eye fatigue, and taking breaks. It is not a feature I would buy the monitor for, but it makes sense on something that is primarily designed for office use.
The monitor supports Adaptive-Sync, HDR Ready, and refresh rates up to 144Hz. Adaptive-Sync can help reduce screen tearing, while 144Hz makes scrolling through webpages and moving things around the screen feel smoother than it would on a basic 60Hz monitor.
One of the more useful features of this monitor is its support for VESA mounting. The obvious benefit is that the monitor can be attached to a compatible wall mount or monitor arm. However, I think the more interesting use case is mounting a compatible mini PC directly to the back of the monitor.
Pairing this monitor with any of the best mini PCs is a more affordable alternative to a prebuilt all-in-one desktop. The computer stays out of sight, you can use shorter cables, and the whole setup takes up less space and looks cleaner.
I’m a stickler for cable management and keeping electronics as organized as possible. Being able to mount a mini PC behind the monitor, hide most of the hardware, and cut down on visible cables really adds to the value of this monitor.
The MP243 uses a 24-inch IPS panel with a claimed viewing angle of 178 degrees.
The bezels are thin along the left, right, and top edges, while the bottom bezel is slightly thicker. Combined with the white finish, the slim borders give the monitor a more high-end appearance than its price might suggest.
That is where this monitor arguably shines the most. It looks sleek, occupies relatively little space, and can blend naturally into a clean home-office environment.
The actual display is more conventional. Its 1080p resolution and standard image-quality features are appropriate for email, web browsing, documents, spreadsheets, and other everyday office tasks.
You can do just about anything with it, of course, but if you’re trying to edit photos or creative content on this, you may miss some things you would catch on a higher end monitor, it also just won’t look as clear.
MSI PRO MP243: In use
One thing I actually didn’t mind was virtual meetings on this monitor. While I didn’t have the clearest images of everyone, I didn’t feel the virtual meeting was degraded or compromised in any way when using this screen.
The monitor includes two built-in 2W stereo speakers. The best comparison I can make is that they sound like basic laptop speakers without Dolby features or any other processing trying to make them sound better than they are.
It was good enough to hear clear audio, but I won’t be listening to music through this anytime soon. If you do not already own desktop speakers, they are enough to get started. You can always add better speakers or headphones later.
I also connected an Xbox Series X and tested the monitor with Overwatch. It worked and the game was “playable.” However, the deficiencies were pretty noticeable when compared to my dedicated gaming monitor, which was already around five years old.
The 144Hz refresh rate may make it seem gaming-friendly on paper, but refresh rate alone doesn’t define the overall experience. For casual gaming, especially with a system limited to Full HD, it gets the job done.
I would not buy it specifically for gaming, though. Anyone shopping primarily for gaming should look elsewhere, which makes sense as this is more of a budget business monitor, despite the 144Hz tag that will get gamers excited.
MSI PRO MP243: Final verdict
The MSI PRO MP243 is best suited to someone who wants to upgrade or expand a home-office setup without spending much money.
Its strongest qualities are its clean design, compact footprint, useful stand, cable-management features, built-in speakers, and support for VESA mounting systems. It provides the basic features most people need for regular office work while looking better than many inexpensive monitors.
Its limitations are just as clear, though. It’s only 1080p, the build is lightweight, and while it supports 144Hz, I wouldn’t recommend buying it specifically for gaming. That doesn’t make it a bad product. It just means it should be purchased for the right reasons.
This is a practical choice for emails, documents, web browsing, secondary-screen use, casual media consumption, and compact desktop setups. If you’re not concerned about having 4K, it offers a straightforward and affordable way to add more screen space to your desk.
