Save $40 on this 27-inch 144Hz gaming monitor with FreeSync support

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Newegg is selling MSI's Optix G27C2 gaming monitor for $209.99 right now, which is $40 below its list price. On top of that, you can cash in a $20 mail-in-rebate, so in the long run you only end up paying $189.99.

Taking into consideration the rebate, this is the least expensive 27-inch monitor in its class that I could find on Newegg (cheaper models have lower refresh rates and make other sacrifices). If ignoring the rebate, there is exactly one cheaper alternative—ViewSonic's VX2758-C-MH for $199.99.

MSI's model features a curved VA panel with a 1920x1080 resolution, 144Hz refresh rate, and 1ms MPRT / 4ms GtG response time. It also supports AMD's FreeSync technology to keep the action perfectly synced between the monitor and your Radeon graphics card, to avoid screen tearing that might otherwise occur.

https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E1682447...fMuEjqzJ_iwkzw

MSI is claiming a high color gamut on this monitor—110 percent coverage of the sRGB color space, and 85 percent coverage of the NTSC color space. Wider color gamuts and better image quality are typically advantages of VA screens over cheaper TN panels. And compared to IPS displays, VA screens usually offer better contrast ratios: 3,000:1 typical and 100,000,000:1 dynamic, in this case.

For the money, there is not much to criticize here. Some users may prefer a 1440p resolution in the 27-inch form factor, but if you're looking for speed, it will be easier to take advantage of the 144Hz refresh rate at 1080p anyway (it's less demanding on your GPU).

Alternatively, I also spotted the Asus ROG Strix XG27VQ on sale at Newegg, for $249.99 (down from $289.99). The specifications are mostly the same, except for the RGB lighting ROG aesthetic, if either of those things matter to you.