At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Inoffensive design includes a VESA mount Good sharpness and brightness for a budget monitor 100Hz refresh rate enhances motion clarity Cons Design is a bit too simple Doesn’t ship with a height-adjustable stand Modest contrast ratio and color gamut Our Verdict Though certainly drab, the MSI Pro MP275Q provides solid image quality for an office productivity monitor, and does it at an appealing price. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: MSI PRO MP275Q Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Are you shopping for a basic productivity monitor that won’t disappoint? The MSI Pro MP275Q might be what you need. Though it has a ho-hum design and barebones feature set, it delivers high brightness and sharpness on a budget. Read on to learn more, then see our roundup of the best home office monitors for comparison. MSI PRO MP275Q specs and features The MSI Pro MP275Q’s specifications are firmly targeted at office productivity. It provides a 27-inch panel with 2,560 x 1,440 resolution, which is a nice bump from 1,920 x 1,080. It also has speakers, a VESA mount, and supports both HDR and Adaptive Sync. Display size: 27-inch Native resolution: 2560×1440 Panel type: IPS-LED Refresh rate: 100Hz Adaptive Sync: Yes, Adaptive Sync HDR: Yes, “HDR Ready” Ports: 2x HDMI 2.0, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 1x 3.5mm audio-out Audio: 2x 2-watt speakers VESA Mount: Yes, 100x100mm Price: $179.99 MSRP, $139.99 typical retail Buying the MSI Pro MP275Q will set you back about $180 at MSRP but, like most monitors, it is often on sale and often for less than $150. That’s a decent price for a 27-inch 1440p monitor, but I wouldn’t call it a deal. MSI PRO MP275Q design The MSI Pro MP275Q doesn’t make much impression out of the box, and I suspect that’s the point. It’s a “Pro” monitor and, in this case, the professional could be anyone from a work-from-home administrator to a retail clerk ringing up an order. The Pro MP275Q looks fine, and it feels reasonably durable for a budget monitor, but it’s nothing special. However, the monitor’s function doesn’t live up to its branding. It has a simple stand that only adjusts for tilt. It’s not a tall stand, either, so tall users will find themselves looking down at the screen at an uncomfortable angle. The monitor does include a 100x100mm VESA mount, at least, so it’s possible to add a third-party stand or monitor arm. Matthew Smith / Foundry MSI PRO MP275Q connectivity MSI keeps it basic with the Pro MP275Q’s connectivity, but it covers the necessities. We’re talking two HDMI 2.0 ports, plus one DisplayPort 1.4, and a 3.5mm audio-out. This is the expected range of connectivity for a monitor around $150. It’s neither better nor worse than usual. USB-C would be nice, but it’s not common south of $250. MSI PRO MP275Q menus, audio Menu navigation is provided with a joystick tucked around the right flank of the MSI Pro MP275Q. Many monitors offer a joystick (which is often the easiest, most responsive way to navigate a monitor’s menus), so this isn’t unusual. The monitor’s menu options are easy to navigate, but barebones. There are some image quality presets, a few color temperature options, and an EyeCare mode for reduced eye strain, all of which is normal for a monitor in this price bracket. You can also adjust monitor features using MSI Display Kit, a desktop software utility. It provides easy access to most monitor options and is often more intuitive to use than the on-screen menu controls. Display Kit is not the most visually appealing example of such a tool—I think those from Asus, BenQ, and Dell look a bit better. Still, it gets the job done. Matthew Smith / Foundry The only unusual feature is an “Eye-Q Check” feature, which displays an Amsler Grid that’s supposed to help you determine if you’re experiencing eye strain. Does it work? Probably not. While I was able to find medical studies on using an Amsler Grid to detect problems like macular degeneration, I couldn’t find studies suggesting it’s useful for general eye strain.A pair of 2-watt speakers are included. They provide modest volume and no hint of bass but, as budget monitor speakers go, they’re not bad. The speakers are fine for listening to podcasts or ambient music at low volumes—which is more than I can say for most budget monitors. MSI keeps it basic with the Pro MP275Q’s connectivity, but it covers the necessities: two HDMI 2.0 ports, one DisplayPort 1.4, and a 3.5mm audio-out. MSI PRO MP275Q SDR image quality The MSI Pro MP275Q is the type of monitor that will frequently be used for spreadsheets, web browsing, PDFs, and other office productivity. These tasks don’t require incredible image quality but benefit from good results in brightness, accuracy, and sharpness. Fortunately, the Pro MP275Q delivers. Matthew Smith / Foundry Brightness is definitely a highlight for the MSI Pro MP275Q. A maximum brightness of nearly 400 nits is extremely high for any monitor in the sub-$200 price bracket. This level of brightness isn’t required in most situations, but it’s helpful if you’re planning to position a monitor near bright windows or in an office environment without light control. The monitor also has an anti-glare finish to minimize reflections, which further helps with usability in bright rooms. If you want a bright, readable office monitor, the MSI Pro MP275Q is a top choice. Matthew Smith / Foundry Contrast, on the other hand, is an unsurprising weakness. The MSI Pro MP275Q uses an IPS display panel and doesn’t have a fancy dynamic Mini-LED backlight. Because of that, its contrast ratio is just 1190:1 at 50 percent of maximum brightness.That’s not a terrible result, and it’s typical of budget IPS monitors. However, technologies like IPS Black and VA panels (like the Lenovo Legion R27fc-30) can achieve a contrast ratio of 3000:1 or better, and OLED’s contrast ratio is effectively infinite. On the other hand, monitors with those technologies are often twice the price. While the contrast ratio isn’t great, it’s arguably not that important for an office monitor. Text-based workflows rarely benefit much, if at all, from a very high contrast ratio. Matthew Smith / Foundry Color gamut isn’t the Pro MP275Q’s strength. It’s okay, with a color gamut that covers 99 percent of sRGB and 78 percent of both DCI-P3 and AdobeRGB. However, these are not impressive figures in 2025, and many alternative monitors do better. The color gamut will be a limitation if you need to do photo or video editing, or digital art, as many colors visible on more capable displays won’t be visible on this monitor. Matthew Smith / Foundry While the Pro MP275Q’s color gamut doesn’t impress, color accuracy is more in its favor. The monitor’s color accuracy is solid, and most people won’t notice any issue. Color inaccuracy is highest in cyan and blue tones—a fairly common result for an IPS-LCD monitor—but even there, it didn’t come across to me in subjective viewing. Again, I wouldn’t recommend using this monitor to edit professional photography for, say, National Geographic. But that’s to be expected at this price point. The Pro MP275Q’s color temperature and gamma results were fine for a budget display. It displayed a gamma curve of 2.3, off the target of 2.2, which means content looks a tad darker than it should. But this is often hard to notice. The color temperature came in at 6600K, also just a shade off the target of 6500K. I didn’t find that difference noticeable. Sharpness is a strong point. The Pro MP275Q’s resolution of 2560×1440 works out to about 110 pixels per inch across the 27-inch screen. That’s a respectable pixel density. Speaking personally, I find it sharp enough—and a big upgrade over 1080p. With that said, shoppers should keep in mind that 4K monitors aren’t much more expensive. Even MSI has one priced at $200. Overall, the MSI Pro MP275Q’s image quality is good for a budget monitor. Its brightness and sharpness make it ideal for its target use case, which is office productivity. The monitor’s color performance and contrast are less impressive, and make it a less appealing choice for entertainment. However, at $150, you’ll be hard pressed to find alternatives that clearly defeat it in SDR image quality. MSI PRO MP275Q HDR image quality and motion The MSI Pro MP275Q doesn’t advertise HDR support, but its specifications list it as “HDR Ready.” This is, I think, a fair way to market the monitor. It can technically support an HDR signal, but its image quality is entirely insufficient to do much with HDR. It’s not bright enough, doesn’t have a wide enough color gamut, and doesn’t have enough contrast. However, this is true of all budget monitors. I actually like that MSI doesn’t advertise this feature. Some budget monitors do, which annoys me, because their claims of HDR support can be misleading. In reality, you’ll need to upgrade to a much more expensive OLED or MiniLED monitor if you want good HDR. Adaptive Sync is also technically supported, but the Pro MP275Q lacks AMD FreeSync or Nvidia G-Sync certification. My AMD video card did detect it as a variable refresh rate display, however, and I saw smooth motion in games. The monitor also has a maximum refresh rate of 100Hz. Though that won’t make headlines in 2025, it’s high enough to provide a noticeable improvement in motion clarity. The Pro MP275Q will look a bit less blurry in fast motion than 60Hz competitors. Note, however, that it is fairly subtle—your mileage will vary depending on how sensitive you are to motion clarity improvements. Gamers should note that budget gaming monitors like the Lenovo Legion R27fc-30 and Pixio PX248 Wave will provide a higher refresh rate of up to 240Hz for less than $200. However, you’ll often have to make a trade-off in either display size or resolution. Should you buy the MSI PRO MP275Q? The MSI Pro MP275Q is a workmanlike monitor meant for, well, work. It provides good image quality in SDR with high brightness and sharpness. The monitor’s build quality is simple and notably lacks a height-adjustable stand, which is its only significant flaw. Still, the Pro MP275Q is a good option if you want a 27-inch 1440p monitor for just about any work environment, from a home office to a corporate bullpen. Read...

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Qualcomm declared a “full victory” in its ongoing litigation with Arm, as a judge tossed out the remaining claim outstanding between the two companies in Arm’s suit. Qualcomm, meanwhile, has previously sued Arm for breach of contract and interference with customer relationships. That trial is expected to kick off in March 2026, the company said in a press release. The litigation goes back to Qualcomm’s agreement to purchase Nuvia in 2021, which would give Qualcomm access to a team of engineers that the company hoped would improve its Snapdragon 8-series chips into something more competitive. It did, producing the Snapdragon X Elite design in 2023. Arm didn’t see it that way. It sued Qualcomm in 2022, arguing that the company, via Nuvia, was illegally using Arm’s intellectual property. In October 2024, Arm notified Qualcomm that it would terminate its architectural license. (Although Nuvia’s license was terminated, Qualcomm’s independent license continued in effect.) The matter went to court, where a district judge ruled in favor of Qualcomm on all counts, save one: whether Nuvia had breached the architectural license that Arm had granted it. A judge in a Delaware district court has found in favor of Qualcomm, resolving the case. Ann Chaplin, the general counsel for Qualcomm, called the decision a “full and final judgment.” Read...

Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days 2025 lands October 7-8, but why wait? These early laptop deals let you get a jump on the savings before the main event. (Check out all Prime Day deals here.) Just remember, you’ll need a Prime membership to access the deals. Here’s how to get it for free. If you’re not sure where to start, don’t worry. I’ve got you covered with a curated list of the best early laptop deals in the leadup to October Prime Day. Why should you care about what I’ve got to say? Fair question. I oversee all laptop and Chromebook review coverage at PCWorld. I also maintain our best laptop deals roundup daily, along with our best laptops of 2025 roundup weekly. That means I’m hunting for the best laptop discounts online every single day, so I’m pretty well-attuned to the landscape, while my hands-on knowledge helps me unearth the true gems. Best early October Prime Day deals on budget laptops HP 14 Laptop, Intel Celeron N4020 processor/14-inch 1366×768 display/4GB RAM/64GB storage, $170 ($59.99 off at Amazon) Acer Aspire 15, Intel Core 3 N355 processor/15.6-inch 1920×1080 display/8GB RAM/128GB flash storage, $299.99 ($50 off at Amazon) Acer Aspire 3, AMD Ryzen 3 7320U processor/15.6-inch 1920×1080 display/8GB RAM/128GB SSD, $326.33 ($23.66 off at Amazon) Our top pick: The Acer Aspire 3 is the best deal, even though the discount isn’t massive. You’re getting a 15.6-inch 1080p display, 8GB of RAM, and a zippy AMD Ryzen 3 processor, which is a noticeable step up (performance-wise) from both the the HP 14 and the Acer Aspire 15. Best early October Prime Day deals on mid-range laptops Dell Inspiron 5441, Snapdragon X Plus processor/14-inch 1920×1200 display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $614 ($185.99 off at Amazon) HP OmniBook X Flip, AMD Ryzen AI 5 340 processor/16-inch 1920×1200 display/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $799.99 ($200 off at Amazon) Apple 2025 MacBook Air, M4 chip/13.6-inch 2560×1664 display/16GB RAM/256GB SSD, $899 ($100 off at Amazon) Our top pick: The Dell Inspiron 5441 is a sweet spot pick. For under $650, you’re getting a fast Snapdragon processor, 16GB of RAM, and a roomy 512GB SSD—plenty of firepower for work, streaming, and multitasking without spending a ton. Best early October Prime Day deals on premium laptops Apple MacBook Air, M4 chip/13.6-inch 2560×1664 display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $1,072.19 ($126.81 off at Amazon) Microsoft Surface Laptop (2024), Snapdragon X Plus processor/13.8-inch 2304×1536 display/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $1,079 ($120.99 off at Amazon) Dell 14 Plus, Intel Core Ultra 9 288V processor/14-inch 2560×1600 display/32GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,155.03 ($244.96 off at Amazon) Our top pick: The Dell 14 Plus is a top pick if you want a premium laptop that actually keeps up with everything. It’s got 32GB of RAM, a speedy Core Ultra 9 processor, and a crisp 2560×1600 display all for just over $1,150, making this one of the smarter buys in the premium category. Best early October Prime Day deals on gaming laptops Lenovo LOQ 15, AMD Ryzen 7 7435HS processor/RTX 4060 graphics/15.6-inch 1920×1080 display/32GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,139 ($60 off at Amazon) Asus ROG Strix G16 (2025), Intel Core i7-14650HX processor/RTX 5060 graphics/16-inch 1920×1200 display/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,399.99 ($100 off at Amazon) Lenovo Legion 5i, Intel Core i7-14700HX processor/RTX 5060 graphics/15.1-inch 2560×1600 display/32GB RAM/2TB SSD, $1,555.19 ($443.81 off at Amazon) Our top pick: If you’re hunting for serious gaming power without breaking $1,500, the Lenovo LOQ 15 is a total steal. Inside you’ll find 32GB of RAM, a Ryzen 7 CPU, and RTX 4060 graphics, which is perfect for gaming or heavy multitasking. Other great early October Prime Day deals These aren’t the only Prime Day deals being tracked by the PCWorld team. If you’re looking to supercharge your home setup with the juiciest tech sales, hit the links for only the best expert-curated picks we’ve found. Best early Amazon October Prime Day tech deals: Great sales chosen by experts Best early October Prime Day laptop deals: Gaming notebooks, 2-in-1s, and more Best early October Prime Day deals on SSDs and storage Best early USB flash drive deals for October Prime Day Best early monitor deals for October Prime Day: OLED, home office, and more Best early October Prime Day deals on Thunderbolt docks and USB-C hubs Best early October Prime Day mini PC deals: Big savings on tiny computers Best early October Prime Day deals on battery chargers and power banks Best early October Prime Day deals on Chromebooks Best early October Prime Day deals on office chairs and standing desks Best early October Prime Day PC computer deals FAQ 1. What kind of laptop should I get? Well, it depends on your needs and lifestyle. A 2-in-1, for example, is a good fit for someone who travels often. You can swing the screen back 360 degrees and use it in tablet mode for taking notes or you can prop it up like a tent for watching movies with friends. If gaming is a top priority, then you’ll want to look into a laptop with powerful graphics hardware and a display with a high refresh rate. For those of us who need a basic laptop for general web browsing, a low-powered Windows laptop should do you just fine. 2. How can I tell whether a laptop is a good October Prime Day deal? I always use CamelCamelCamel, a free tool that tracks Amazon price history, to spot early discounts and plan for Prime Day events. Just create an account, enter a product’s ASIN (found in its Amazon URL and starts with the letter B), and you’ll see a graph of its price history over time. It’s an easy way to spot the good stuff and to also know if you’re getting the lowest price. 3. Do laptop brands matter? Not really, as long as you stick to well-known brands. Big manufacturers like Acer and Dell make solid machines and often offer steep discounts on their websites. You might have a personal preference, though, like maybe you’ve historically stuck with HP machines. 4. How much memory do I need in a laptop? I always tell my friends and family to aim for at least 8GB of RAM. Anything less, and you’ll likely notice things starting to slow down. If you can go higher than 8GB, even better. The more RAM you have, the snappier your laptop will feel, especially for everyday tasks like web browsing or working in spreadsheets. For more demanding work, 16GB is a solid choice for productivity and gaming, while 32GB and beyond is ideal for video editing and other intensive tasks. 5. Is now a good time to buy a laptop? Will tariffs affect laptop prices? Yes! Early October Prime Day often offers some of the lowest laptop prices of the year even before the main event begins. Prices on premium and gaming laptops may fluctuate once the main sales launch. As for external factors like tariffs, there are currently no major new tariffs affecting laptops in the U.S., but this can change fast depending on international trade decisions. Manufacturers hike the prices up later in the year, especially if supply chain issues pop up again, so if you’re thinking about pulling the trigger on a new laptop, now’s a good time to do it. Read...

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Just like Windows, Microsoft’s Office programs offer a dark mode that is easy on the eyes in poor lighting conditions and reduces power consumption. Let’s start with Word: To switch to dark mode, click on File -> Options and then make sure that you are in the General tab. Under “Personalize your copy of Microsoft Office” you’ll find the option “Office Theme”. Set this to “Black”. If you have already set Windows to dark mode, you can also select “Use system settings”. Then confirm with “OK”. By default, the Word menus are now black, but the desktop still appears white with black text. To change this, delete the tick in front of “Never change the document page color” and click “OK” again. The background is now black and the font is white. You will find the same setting in the same place in classic Outlook. Here the option is called “Never change the background color of the message”. In the new Outlook, go to General -> Appearance in the Settings and next set the option “Dark” under Dark mode. The program automatically colors the background of mail black, there is no option to select this. In Word, you can select whether the background of the workspace should also appear black or always remain white in dark mode. Sam Singleton Finally, although PowerPoint and Excel allow you to switch to a black office design, they are not able to darken the background of a presentation or spreadsheet. At least there is a temporary solution for Excel: Open the Paint image editor included in Windows, click on Selection in the toolbar and draw a rectangle measuring approximately 250 x 200 pixels. The dimensions are displayed at the bottom of the status bar. Then click on the Crop icon in the “Image” section of the toolbar. Then click on the Edit palette icon in the “Color” section, set 80 next to “Red”, “Green”, and “Blue” in the following window and confirm with OK. Then switch to the “Tools” section, click on the Fill tool and then on your rectangle. Paint will then colour it a dark grey. Click on File -> Save and save the rectangle as a PNG file in a folder of your choice. Now open your spreadsheet file in Excel. Switch to the “Page layout” ribbon, click on Background -> From a file and select the PNG file with the grey rectangle. Press the key combination Ctrl-A to select the table. Then right-click within the selection. Two context menus will open. In the smaller one, click on the downward-pointing arrow next to “Font color” and then click on the white square under “Design color”. You have now created a manual dark mode with a white font color. Please note: The setting only applies to this one spreadsheet. Every new sheet that you create will appear in the standard color again. And if you save the spreadsheet and pass it on, it will also open on another computer with a white background—but the white font will remain. You or other users will therefore see white text on a white background, in other words: nothing at all. To change this, you must change the font color. Incidentally, dark mode has no effect on the printout of a spreadsheet. Read...