Sony PS3 3D Display Review

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Around 1% of PS3 are currently connected to 3D TVs - a travesty that Sony hopes to rectify with this sleek monitor. But while it does 3D, it's the PS3 3D Displays two-player talents that piqued our interest...

You get two pairs of active 3D glasses in the box - a hint that this is a screen that you're supposed to enjoy in the company of another, using the genius SimulView tech. The specs are lighter than earlier Sony efforts, making it easy to forget you're wearing them, and they're universal, so you can use them with other active sets. Plus they charge quickly: each minute gives an hour of action, up to a maximum of 30 hours.

Even without the PlayStation logo on the front it'd be obvious that this monitor is designed to partner a PS3 3D Display. Its distinctive curved edges and glossy finish looked great. The uniform blackness also makes the 24inch screen look bigger than it is, and it sucks you into the action effectively. It's a mighty slim unit, too.

Monitors and small TVs rarely have great sound, so Son deserves props for attempting to buck the trend with a built-in 2.1 system. The integrated sub-woofer may not fill out audio a huge amount, but effects and voices emerge clearly.

The Sony PS3 3D Display has all the specs to make games look great, especially in 3D. Some high-end displays produce slightly deeper pictures, but the Sony strikes a perfect balance between dramatic depth and image control, in that there's almost no crosstalk or double-imaging.

The pedestal comes in two parts that you simply click together before slotting the monitor on top. It's brilliantly quick and easy to put together, and almost as easy to take apart again for transport to a mat's. Shame, then, that it's a bit wobbly, and there's no wall-mount option.

FAGGING WITH FRIENDS

SimulView

The biggest trick up the Sony's sleeve is SimulView, which converts split screen action into two full-screen 2D images, one for each pair of glasses. The result? You and a mate can be in the same room, watching the same screen, but still see two completely different pictures. Genius. And not only does that mean you get a whole screen to yourself, it also means your mate can't check up on what you're doing, making it far easier to sneak up and stab him in the back. Rivals solutions exist, but they all involve stretching the picture, whereas here it's the PS3 doing the donkey-work. While you do lose a little resolution, the picture is still correctly proportioned and looks great.

Not PS3-only Sony PS3 3D Display

SimulView only works with a PS3, but the Sony PS3 3D Display is perfectly capable of playing 3D from any HDMI-outputting source, such as a dedicated Blu-ray player, PC or Xbox 360. You can also connect non-3D kit via HDMI or component - perfect if you want to add a Free-view HD set-top box.

2D gaming

Even the most committed 3D-phile is going to play 2D games some of the time, so it's reassuring that the Sony PS3 3D Display is also great with the flat stuff. While the 4ms response time isn't quite as fast as the hottest of hot monitor, it's more than enough for quick, crisp shooting action.

TECH SPECS: SONYPS3 3D DISPLAY

Display 24inch edge-lit LED, active shutter 3D
Maximum resolution 1920x1080 @ 240Hz
Response time 4ms
Speakers 3W28mmstereo (x2), 5W50mmsubwoofer
Connectivity 3.5mm, component, HDMI (x2
Glasses 2 x universal active shutter