Hey there fellow techies!

I have some exciting news for you all. Sony’s $529 InZone M3 gaming monitor is now available for purchase! This monitor is the more affordable, lower-spec companion to the $899 InZone M9 gaming monitor. Both monitors have an identical 27-inch size and a sleek white on black design that’s reminiscent of the PS5. The M3 is Sony’s attempt to build credibility and popularity in the PC gaming space, which is currently dominated by brands like LG, Samsung, MSI, Acer, and many others.

So what’s different about the M3 compared to the M9? The biggest change is the resolution – while the M9 has a 4K IPS panel, the M3’s panel is only 1080p. The M3 also lacks full-array local dimming, which gave the M9 excellent contrast and made it especially great for displaying games in HDR. Instead, the M3 is edge-lit with a peak brightness of 400 nits and supports HDR10 and HLG. For PCs, it has DisplayHDR 400.

Despite these differences, the M3 still has some features that set it apart from other similarly-sized monitors. It has a 240Hz refresh rate with auto low latency mode and variable refresh rate for PC (with G-Sync compatibility), PS5, and Xbox Series X/S consoles. You can connect multiple devices to it via HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort, or via USB-C (though the latter only supports charging at 15W, like the M9). The M3 also has an auto KVM switch, which allows you to control two computers with the same mouse and keyboard. Like the M9, it supports VESA wall mounts and monitor arms and comes with a height-adjustable stand.

One thing that I didn’t like about the M9 was that it didn’t come with any video cables, but Sony has listened to the criticism and will be including a DisplayPort cable with the M3. The M3 also has two features that automatically adjust the picture settings depending on the type of content you’re viewing – Auto HDR Tone Mapping and game/cinema mode switching. And if you want to make adjustments to the settings, you can use the InZone desktop companion software, which lets you do so from an app rather than navigating through the joystick-operated on-screen display.

Overall, the Sony InZone M3 is a solid choice for gamers who want a 1080p monitor at a more affordable price point. While most companies have shifted their focus to 1440p and 4K monitors, 1080p remains a popular choice for gamers with older consoles or PCs that might struggle to display higher resolutions. If you have a newer console or PC, however, you might want to check out some of the other monitor coverage we have coming this week.