So i opted to get this monitor instead of spending the extra ~$150 to get the 144hz model MPG341CQR. I figured since they are the same panel i can overclock and get the same if not close to the resolution/refresh of the more expensive model. Fast forward i get the monitor in and it can only do 3440x1440@120hz at 8bit with native timings.
I try every setting in the NVCP and no combination of settings seems to allow it to get 10bit at its native resolution. I can set the monitor at 3440x1440@85hz and get 10bit and i can set it to 2560x1080@144hz at 10bit, so this is starting to look like a bandwidth issue. Sure enough GPU-Z is showing 5.4Gbps (or DP 1.2 speeds) instead of the 8.1Gbps (DP1.4 speeds).
I'm even able to overclock the monitor to 3440x1440@138hz at 8bit resulting in a ~700Mhz pixel clock (generally the top end for DP1.2). So i start researching and find that my graphics card (GTX 1080) needs a firmware update. So i do that update and no change, then i update the whole GPU firmware and no change, and then i ran the nvidia DP 1.4 firmware update again to check if the full firmware update reverted it but it says i'm up-to-date.
I have a 6ft Displayport 1.4 cable that is VESA certified so maybe i think it could be the distance, so i bought 4 of the most reputable DP 1.4 VESA certified cables at only 1 meter. Again no change. So i updated my Mobo bios (why not) and chipset drivers (again why not) and no change. So i finally decide to bite the bullet and sell my GTX 1080 and get an RTX card that for sure natively has DP 1.4 support (not DP 1.4 "ready"). Again still getting 5.4Gbps in GPU-Z and unable to get past what a DP 1.2 speed would get me in terms bandwidth or maximum resolution.
So i finally reach out to MSI support... and they say its an 8 bit panel and ask where i saw it advertised as 10bit. I show them it can do 10 bit in a lower resolution, that the panel is 8bit+FRC, and give screenshots of GPU-Z showing the link rate speeds. They haven't replied in over a week. I did bug them and showed several different sites including their own site advertising 1.07 billion colors, DP1.4 and a screenshot with the monitor running at 2560x1080@144hz at 10bit but got nothing back.
So i'm asking my overclock.net comrades to peer review my troubleshooting and thought process. The shorter cables did allow me to overclock to 140hz but anything past that is a no go and GPU-Z is still showing DP 1.2 speeds. My conspiracy theory is they limited this monitor to DP 1.2 to differentiate it from the more expensive 144hz model but i digress.
Also, the monitor firmware is FW.011. I asked about the firmware being the problem to MSI support but i got nothing back and from what i've read i would need to send the thing back to get a firmware update (which is flippin ridiculous, give me a file and thumb drive and i'll do it!!!). Please let me know if i missed anything, i know this isn't a big deal but my OCD is killing me over it and i am perceptive enough to see banding. Coming from a C27HG70 that had 10bit and 144hz its just enough to bug me. Its my punishment for trying to save a buck LOL.
EDIT1: One last thing i was thinking of trying was to get a bidirectional DP 1.4 cable to USB-C to try and use the monitor's DP 1.4 ALT mode and see if that changes anything. Haven't tried it yet since the cable/adapter is ~$40 and i just got to this point. Let me know if more details would help.
EDIT2: I attached a screenshot of GPU-Z showing the DP 1.2 speeds and a pic of my overclock to 138hz with the timings so anyone else with the monitor can replicate it. 140hz didn't have a stable horizontal polarity in games due to how low you have to make the total pixel count to get under 716Mhz, you can do 140hz stable at 719Mhz but the NVCP downs the color to 6bit. Seems 138hz@8bit is the highest stable for my panel.... well at least with DP 1.2 being used and an overclock, who knows at DP 1.4.
EDIT3: Added a screenshot of MSI's support ticket for the issue for S&Gs.
EDIT4: MSI Support got back to me to ask what GPU i had.... after it was already listed in the ticket details... which is a required field you have to fill out to even submit a ticket.
I try every setting in the NVCP and no combination of settings seems to allow it to get 10bit at its native resolution. I can set the monitor at 3440x1440@85hz and get 10bit and i can set it to 2560x1080@144hz at 10bit, so this is starting to look like a bandwidth issue. Sure enough GPU-Z is showing 5.4Gbps (or DP 1.2 speeds) instead of the 8.1Gbps (DP1.4 speeds).
I'm even able to overclock the monitor to 3440x1440@138hz at 8bit resulting in a ~700Mhz pixel clock (generally the top end for DP1.2). So i start researching and find that my graphics card (GTX 1080) needs a firmware update. So i do that update and no change, then i update the whole GPU firmware and no change, and then i ran the nvidia DP 1.4 firmware update again to check if the full firmware update reverted it but it says i'm up-to-date.
I have a 6ft Displayport 1.4 cable that is VESA certified so maybe i think it could be the distance, so i bought 4 of the most reputable DP 1.4 VESA certified cables at only 1 meter. Again no change. So i updated my Mobo bios (why not) and chipset drivers (again why not) and no change. So i finally decide to bite the bullet and sell my GTX 1080 and get an RTX card that for sure natively has DP 1.4 support (not DP 1.4 "ready"). Again still getting 5.4Gbps in GPU-Z and unable to get past what a DP 1.2 speed would get me in terms bandwidth or maximum resolution.
So i finally reach out to MSI support... and they say its an 8 bit panel and ask where i saw it advertised as 10bit. I show them it can do 10 bit in a lower resolution, that the panel is 8bit+FRC, and give screenshots of GPU-Z showing the link rate speeds. They haven't replied in over a week. I did bug them and showed several different sites including their own site advertising 1.07 billion colors, DP1.4 and a screenshot with the monitor running at 2560x1080@144hz at 10bit but got nothing back.
So i'm asking my overclock.net comrades to peer review my troubleshooting and thought process. The shorter cables did allow me to overclock to 140hz but anything past that is a no go and GPU-Z is still showing DP 1.2 speeds. My conspiracy theory is they limited this monitor to DP 1.2 to differentiate it from the more expensive 144hz model but i digress.
Also, the monitor firmware is FW.011. I asked about the firmware being the problem to MSI support but i got nothing back and from what i've read i would need to send the thing back to get a firmware update (which is flippin ridiculous, give me a file and thumb drive and i'll do it!!!). Please let me know if i missed anything, i know this isn't a big deal but my OCD is killing me over it and i am perceptive enough to see banding. Coming from a C27HG70 that had 10bit and 144hz its just enough to bug me. Its my punishment for trying to save a buck LOL.
EDIT1: One last thing i was thinking of trying was to get a bidirectional DP 1.4 cable to USB-C to try and use the monitor's DP 1.4 ALT mode and see if that changes anything. Haven't tried it yet since the cable/adapter is ~$40 and i just got to this point. Let me know if more details would help.
EDIT2: I attached a screenshot of GPU-Z showing the DP 1.2 speeds and a pic of my overclock to 138hz with the timings so anyone else with the monitor can replicate it. 140hz didn't have a stable horizontal polarity in games due to how low you have to make the total pixel count to get under 716Mhz, you can do 140hz stable at 719Mhz but the NVCP downs the color to 6bit. Seems 138hz@8bit is the highest stable for my panel.... well at least with DP 1.2 being used and an overclock, who knows at DP 1.4.
EDIT3: Added a screenshot of MSI's support ticket for the issue for S&Gs.
EDIT4: MSI Support got back to me to ask what GPU i had.... after it was already listed in the ticket details... which is a required field you have to fill out to even submit a ticket.