Everything is great! I just didn’t like the speakers

The Sony INZONE 27” M3 monitor offers a really good option for gamers as it’s packed with features to provide a smooth visual experience for both PC and PS5. I have both the M3 and the M9 monitors, so I’ll mention some differences in case you are looking between the two models. Packaging and Contents The packaging is very standard for a typical computer monitor; outer cardboard box with styrofoam inner packaging. Contents include the 27” gaming monitor, power cord (2-pieces), tilt stand, base wings, 2 screws, plastic clip, set-up guide, operating instructions, INZONE sticker, and some other paperwork. This monitor came with a display port cord. Be careful when unpacking the monitor box. The 2 screws and clip are very small and would be easy to drop/misplace. Assembly depends on if you plan to use a wall mount or a desktop setup. I chose the desktop setup which uses all of the pieces. The tilt arm bracket simply slides into the back of the monitor and clicks into place. To attach the base wings to the tilt arm you will use the two screws (so you will need a small phillips head screwdriver). The plastic clip just snaps into place. General Specifications Screen Size: 27” Refresh Rate: up to 240Hz for Display Port or HDMI Maximum Screen Resolution: 1920 x 1080 (Full HD) HDR Format: VESA Certified Display HDR 400 Panel Type: IPS Display Type: LED Edge Lit Backlight Technology Synchronization Technology: Adaptive-Sync (VESA DP), G-SYNC by NVIDIA compatible Aspect Ratio: 16:9 Has Integrated Speakers Ports and Connections Headphone Jack USB Type A: 3 (downstream) USB Type B: 1 (upstream) HDMI 2.1 Inputs: 2 Display Port USB Type C: 1 (upstream) Display Port (Version 1.4): 1 Webcam: None Appearance This monitor is made for both PC and PS5, and it looks like it. The entire INZONE line has a cohesive appearance. The stand and back side are mostly white and there are elements of black that match the aesthetic of the PS5. Wire management is built into the tilt arm so that you can run the wires within the arm minimizing their appearance at your desktop. The backside of the M3 monitor does not have the backlighting feature. The M9 monitor (model above the M3) has backlighting where the color can be changed using the INZONE Hub for personal customization. The M3 monitor has the same exact appearance as the M9, but surprisingly does not have the backlight option. Display / Picture Quality The screen has a good picture. It maxes out at 1920 x 1080, so you are getting Full HD. The M9 offers 4K and is a much better picture in my opinion. The video while gaming had an enjoyable smooth movement. It didn’t have any lag. The M3 has a 240Hz refresh rate which is the sole feature that bests the M9. The M9 tops out at 144Hz using display port. Brightness – The M3 has VESA Certified Display HDR 400, so you get 400 nits of brightness. It’s good, but the M9 has VESA Certified Display HDR 600 gaining 200 nits more than the M3. Overall, the image is clear. LED Backlighting – The M3 uses an Edge Lit LED lighting technology which is standard. In contrast the M9 uses a Full Array Local Dimming which aids in contrast to help control the darker aspects. IPS, NVIDIA G-Sync, and Variable Refresh Rate help to control ghosting and blur, match variable frame rates, and eliminate screen tearing and shuttering. Video streams are smooth and clear. They have a great amount of detail, but it would be better in 4K. Games are smooth and sharp with no visible ghosting or blur. Picture quality is why we are buying the product, and I have to say that the overall picture is good for the M3, but the M9 is noticeably better. The refresh rate is better on the M3. Disappointments Speakers – Don’t purchase this monitor expecting to use it for audio. The speakers are terrible. Limited movement of monitor – The stand has a pretty wide base, so you need to be aware if using it as a desktop display. The monitor does not swivel, which I find surprising. The tilt arm does provide for a limited amount of tilt. Power Cord – I have two issues with the power cord. 1) The total length of the power cord seems short. 2) The transformer box is gigantic. I don’t know why this needed to be so big. Wire Management – The wire management system is limited to how much it can hold, so it’s better to limit the number of wires running through and to use thinner wires if possible. Plastic Clip – The plastic clip seems odd to me. If you use the wire management system it places the wires at the bottom of the stand. To utilize the plastic clip, you bring the wires back up and they dangle off the back. It reminds me of a pony tail. Awkward to plug in new wires – Plugging in wires is a little awkward once the monitor is setup. The HDMI ports are directly behind the stand so it seems a little in the way. This is a minor detail as the plugs are fairly typical. I would have just preferred them to not be so close to the arm. Conclusion Overall, the Sony M3 monitor is really solid. It’s has a crazy refresh rate and a good picture. For me, the 4K resolution is more important than the refresh rate, so I prefer the M9 between the two. There are some things that I have mentioned that could be improved. It really bothers me that Sony did not spring to add the rear lighting feature because the monitor casing is designed for it. The monitor seems to function as described in the product description, so I am giving this a 4 star rating.

The Sony INZONE M3 is a 27 inch 1080p display with an advertised 1ms response time and 240hz refresh rate and is a Nvidia G-Sync supported monitor. For what it is, the Sony INZONE M3 is a great monitor for both PC and PS5,etc. It has an aesthetic that matches very well with the PS5 and looks great in general. It was also fairly easy to put together and comes with various paperwork, stickers, etc. Gameplay on the Sony INZONE M3 feels very smooth and colors are bright and vibrant. I tested this monitor for a few days with both my PC and PS5 and could easily see myself using this monitor full time for either option. There are, however, a few shortcomings with the Sony INZONE M3 that I found to be annoying. Those mainly being with the monitor stand itself and the lack of tilting/turning that can be done. 1080p also does not look very good on a 27 inch display. The pixels are larger and more noticeable, leading to a blurrier image than I would like most of the time. This was most noticeable for me when play Rocket League. For those with smaller desks/set-ups, this may be a tricky monitor to fit into your space. Even though I like the design, It's Tri-Legged stand makes it take up much more space that it should and also eliminates any range of motion for the monitor itself. It doesn't have a whole lot of room to turn/twist the display itself. You will be limited to raising and lowering the screen along the middle leg. The monitors speakers are also not very good, but I'm not counting that against this monitor as it at least has speakers (most people will probably be using a headset or actual computer speakers). Another downside that I believe will affect this monitors popularity the most is the cost. For $529.99, this monitor is very very expensive and is entering into high-end 1440p and lower end 4k monitor territory. At this price, it is tough to recommend even though it is a very nice option and I am excited to see a future INZONE option at 1440p. In conclusion, I believe that the only real advantage this monitor has is the high refresh rate of 240Hz, which will make it a popular option for competitive gaming, but there are many other options out there that also offer 240Hz at a lower price point. Other than that, It looks amazing next to a PS5, so if you prefer gaming on a monitor over a TV than the Sony INZONE M3 could be a good option for you to go with.

The Sony INZONE M3 27" FHD 240Hz Gaming Monitor is a unique choice by Sony to release a high refresh rate monitor this late into a very saturated monitor market, where other companies are coming out with ever higher refresh rate monitors with better displays. Personally, I feel this monitor would have been better if they would have gone with a 1440p display to justify the price of this monitor as 1080p is slowly going to wayside. Yes, I know the uber competitive Esports people want 1080p displays but with the introduction of the 40 series GPUs, 1080p tends to get bottlenecked now and just seems like a miss on Sony’s part going with 1080p. And for the PlayStation 5 it doesn't make much sense to use it for the PS5, because you will only be getting 1080p at 120Hz and not the full 240Hz. That being said, the monitor does do everything it sets out to do. The interface is super easy to navigate with the D-Stick on the back of it to change all the different display settings. Though if using on PC I recommend downloading the Inzone software which makes it even easier to select your preferred settings. Playing Overwatch and Call of Duty I was able to have a stable 240Hz with the occasional drops in Call of Duty but that is pretty much expected from that game. Playing on the PS5 it's usable and the speakers are fine but nothing amazing but I would recommend using a headset for audio. The HDR on this monitor is not great, so I would recommend not using it, since it's only HDR 400.Another minor gripe with the monitor is the stand in that it only moves up and down and tilts forward and backwards. So you will not be able to tilt the monitor vertical. There is some noticeable wobble on the screen when you press the D-stick on the back of the monitor, but those are minor gripes. Overall, I would recommend this monitor if you only play competitive fast paced games on the PC and want a fast refresh rate. For the PS5 I would look into the Sony's M9 monitor while significantly more expensive you will get a lot more out of it and actually get the best out of the PS5 in 4K.

At a MSRP of $530, this is an expensive gaming monitor compared to the competition. Similar 27'' gaming monitors with the same features of 1080p, 240hz, G-SYNC, and a 1ms response time can be have for less the cost. I suppose what makes this monitor stand out is its HDMI 2.1 functionality. However given that this monitor is only 1080p, you can already do 240 fps at 1080p with HDMI 2.0. Since you can't do 4k with this monitor, the HDMI 2.1 connection feels a bit pointless. That said, HDMI 2.1's VRR is supported and auto low latency mode, which are features better suited for console gaming like the PS5. By the way, an HDMI 2.1 cable is not included though a display port cable is. Although I don't have the necessary equipment to measure response time and color performance with actual numbers, the response time and colors aren't exactly exceptional compared to other monitors. Likewise, I question if the maximum brightness will be sufficient for HDR content. The speakers are also nothing to write home about; if anything they are rather subpar in quality. I don't have much to comment about its aesthetics other than it adopting a style similar to the PS5 with its white and black dual tone. Some may not like the stand it uses as the back does add to some extra bulk. The Sony Inzone M3 feels more like a monitor that should be priced at $300 or lower. Otherwise for its price you expect it to be the top of the line in its performance, but it isn't.