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The MSI Pro MP161 is an attractive device: The feather-light external monitor is the perfect travel companion for anyone who wants more screen space on the go and
The MSI Pro MP161 is an attractive device: The feather-light external monitor is the perfect travel companion for anyone who wants more screen space on the go and at an attractive price. Unfortunately, MSI promises more than necessary.
If you’re often on the go, you’ve probably felt restricted by the available screen space on your laptop at a trade fair, in a hotel room or at a customer’s. With the MSI Pro MP161, MSI makes it practical to take an external display with you. The display has an aspect ratio of 16:9 with a screen diagonal of 15.6 inches, has an FHD resolution (1,920 x 1,080 pixels) and can be connected with a single USB Type-C cable, which carries both the image signal and the transmits the power supply.
With 250 cd/m², the display of the MSI Pro MP161 cannot appear excessively bright and the refresh rate of 60 Hz is not made for gamers, but it weighs just 750 grams. We also think the price is reasonable: for 164 euros (plus VAT) .) double the screen area of your mobile office.
What makes this screen good? Don’t expect the speed of a McLaren from a Dacia, nor the same culinary sophistication from the local kebab as at The Jane. Price quality plays an important role here, but so do expectations. A solid product that does what it’s supposed to do for the money is a good product.
But what about a device that does what it’s supposed to, but the manufacturer makes promises it can’t keep? What if Dacia promises McLaren speeds but doesn’t jack up the price and then fails to deliver on that promise? Is the car suddenly worse?
We struggle with this question. First, let’s talk about the basic functionality of the MSI Pro MP161, because we can hardly find anything wrong with that. As already mentioned, the display does not weigh much and you can easily connect it with a cable. MSI also offers an elegant protective case that protects the display from scratches or worse in the travel case without adding much bulk.
The IPS panel isn’t the prettiest. The legibility changes slightly depending on the viewing angle, but this external monitor is basically not suitable for organizing a TV evening for the whole family. Brightness in direct sunlight is limited, but that’s not an external power cord, it’s a good compromise.
We have to disappoint graphic designers. The color reproduction is not good, the DCI-P3 spectrum is only covered by 41 percent. The color deviation is striking with an average DeltaE of 10.7 and a maximum deviation of DeltaE of 22.8. The display of the MSI Pro MP161 does not match reality in almost all colors. Blue and red tones in particular differ greatly from one another.
The screen is great for productivity work where colors don’t play a big role. Unfortunately, on a laptop that has a reasonably decent display, the contrast is so great that everyone will notice the discrepancy in color reproduction.
MSI offers a compact, rather narrow stand on the back. In itself, it offers enough stability to position the screen at a good viewing angle. We also see two USB Type-C ports, but these are both on the right side. This hampers you somewhat in the sensible setups. If your laptop only has one port on the left, you’ll be a bit limited when setting it up. In general, we find that the included cable is long enough to allow us to place the laptop and the MSI Pro MP161 wherever we want.
The external monitor has an additional USB Type-C port and a mini HDMI port for those who want to use the device that way. Of course you need a (not included) charger via HDMI.
The MSI Pro MP161 is designed to give you more digital workspace on the go in a convenient and easy-to-use way that won’t weigh your travel bag down. Despite the mediocre color palette, MSI has achieved this goal in our opinion. It’s also good value for money, leaving the signer ready to grab the seal of approval and close the books.
Unfortunately we’re not done yet. MSI promises more. We didn’t want to comment on the display’s shaky portrait mode at first, since the positioning of the connections and the quality of the stand strongly suggest that the MSI Pro MP161 is not made for being turned on its side. We agree: a portrait mode isn’t a standard feature on a budget screen, nor is it what we expect from this external example. To our surprise, the manufacturer explicitly mentions the functionality several times on its website. The display is also often shown in a vertical position in MSI’s advertising material.
However, these images are misleading. As mentioned, the MSI Pro MP161 only has ports on one side, meaning the USB-C cable needs to be on top to connect to your laptop. This cable throws the device off its precarious balance in vertical mode, causing it to simply fall over. This is solved a little by folding the display further back, although the cable is still in the way. That the whole thing looks a little silly with a port along the top isn’t an advantage either.
To be clear: In our opinion, this external display is not suitable for use in portrait mode. The foot isn’t wide enough and the ports are in the wrong place. Although technically possible, the user experience is frustrating. We also find the way MSI advertises Portrait Mode on its website to be misleading. Fie MSI.
MSI is a bit too greedy with the MSI Pro MP161 and promises more than it can deliver. That makes our judgment more complex. If we ignore what MSI itself says about this screen, we consider it a useful tool. The downsides like brightness and color are fair compromises given the portability and price point, so we’d have no problem recommending this investment even to frequent travelers.
Unfortunately, when we look at the way MSI is marketing the MSI Pro MP161, we find that much of the functionality is substandard. Although you can use the screen in portrait mode, it’s not a comfortable experience.
MSI Pro MP161 – 16:9 matte IPS display (1,920 x 1,080 pixels) – 164 euros plus VAT
Source: IT Daily
As an experienced journalist and author, Mary has been reporting on the latest news and trends for over 5 years. With a passion for uncovering the stories behind the headlines, Mary has earned a reputation as a trusted voice in the world of journalism. Her writing style is insightful, engaging and thought-provoking, as she takes a deep dive into the most pressing issues of our time.
