notebookcheck MSI paywalls firmware updates for new QD-OLED gaming monitors

[ENTERPRISE]

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MSI has confirmed that it will be pursuing a controversial firmware update program for its new QD-OLED gaming monitors. For some reason, the company has decided to restrict future firmware updates to its more expensive MEG options, leaving the likes of the MAG 271QPX QD-OLED and MAG 321UPX QD-OLED adrift.

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Such a decision is anti-consumer. When you buy any product, regardless of it's tier, updates should be equally available. This is absurd behaviour frankly. 

[Andrew]

Alternative headline: MSI just invented a new form of piracy.

 

This is such a stupid decision. Especially for monitors that are that expensive.

[bonami2]

At the same time. Monitor update are 99% of the time worthless.

[Andrew]

  On 24/02/2024 at 15:48, bonami2 said:

At the same time. Monitor update are 99% of the time worthless.

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That is true, but horse armour.

[GanjaSMK]

Seems like an odd decision on the surface. 

[UltraMega]

This article seems a bit misleading. Where is the pay wall? 

 

Sounds like there are just some high end models that will get firmware updates for longer than lower end models, which seems pretty normal to me. A pay wall would mean customers have to pay for updates, which is not the case here. 

 

I have never updated the firmware on a monitor. Didn't even know that was a thing. Firmware upgrades on my TV, but that has apps built in. Do people need firmware updates for monitors? 

[ENTERPRISE]

  On 24/02/2024 at 19:47, UltraMega said:

This article seems a bit misleading. Where is the pay wall? 

 

Sounds like there are just some high end models that will get firmware updates for longer than lower end models, which seems pretty normal to me. A pay wall would mean customers have to pay for updates, which is not the case here. 

 

I have never updated the firmware on a monitor. Didn't even know that was a thing. Firmware upgrades on my TV, but that has apps built in. Do people need firmware updates for monitors? 

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Yes I see what you mean, they are not asking for you to subscribe or pay extra fees to get the firmware update, but they are sort of putting an artificial one in place by making the updates only available to a set tier of product. Granted monitor firmware updates are seldom...but they do exist. This is more of a principal thing over likelihood of needing a firmware update.

[UltraMega]

  On 24/02/2024 at 20:03, ENTERPRISE said:

 

Yes I see what you mean, they are not asking for you to subscribe or pay extra fees to get the firmware update, but they are sort of putting an artificial one in place by making the updates only available to a set tier of product. Granted monitor firmware updates are seldom...but they do exist. This is more of a principal thing over likelihood of needing a firmware update.

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Do we even know that they are doing it artificially? I would think it's likely the higher end models have higher end parts that would make certain updates irrelevant to the lower end models. 

 

If they are gatekeeping updates and/or restricting features that would otherwise be available then yea that would be lame, but it seems more like the author of this article is trying to create dread over nothing. 

[pio]

Sigh.  I read the article.  Nowhere does it say anything at all about there being a paywall.  They state that some monitors will get updates, and some won't.  Mostly their higher tiered products will get updates.  This is normal behavior.  It's clickbait "fake news", the author over at notebook check should be ashamed of themselves. -_-

[Kaz]

Article title makes it seem like they are selling their firmware updates.  Some of their monitors just won't support updates.  That may have been a sales decision.  They have the same panel.  Overclockers like us love getting stuff we can flash different firmware on and receive more features.

 

This isn't pitchfork worthy news.  Up until last year, none of the monitors I owned could update their firmware. 

 

I remember when video games were sold as complete games, rather than having day one updates.  Those were the days.

 

 

[Barefooter]

Most monitors up until recently required sending them back to the factory to be flashed.

 

Back when I bought my first 27" Acer g-sync monitor you had to send it into Acer and it took weeks to get it back.  Luckily mine never gave me a problem so I didn't have to send it back.

 

I'd be a little nervous flashing a monitor and would most likely only do it as a last resort. Plus as far as I know there is no way to flash them back to and older version like you can on your motherboard bios.