[It wasn't that long ago that the monitor market was stagnant, culminating in 30-inch IPS displays with 2,560x1,600 resolution, as represented by the Dell UltraSharp series. These days there are more choices, and the best gaming monitors combine high refresh rates and high resolution; MSI has expanded its selection with the 31.5-inch Optix MAG322CR, which is something of an oddity in today's context.

This may very well be an excellent display. However, its main selling point is its large 31.5" curved VA (8-bit + FRC) panel combined with a 180 Hz refresh rate and 1920x1080 resolution. It is also a FreeSync display, but G-Sync compatibility has not yet been announced.

A summary of the specs is as follows:

Connectivity options consist of a DisplayPort (1.2a), two HDMI ports (2.0b), and a USB-C port. It also has two downstream USB 2.0 ports and a 3.5mm audio output.

Fast action gaming is the best candidate for high refresh rates, and being a 1080p display, taking full advantage of the 180Hz refresh rate will be easier to achieve without completely derailing the GPU budget. But is there a large market for this display?

I don't think so; I don't see how a 180Hz refresh rate at 1080p would look or feel much different from the more common 165Hz refresh rate. Furthermore, esports players, who tend to value refresh rate more than resolution, generally do not want displays larger than 27 inches. This is because the larger the display, the harder it is to see and track what is happening in the peripheral vision, and 24" is the "standard" in the pro scene. (Had MSI been able to combine the same refresh rate with 1440p without bumping up the price, this would have been a more interesting option. Nevertheless, for those intrigued (and not willing to wait for a review), the Optix MAG322CR is available for pre-order at B&H Photo for $329.99.