The PlayStation 3D display is not your ordinary TV. This unit was specifically designed for gamers looking for a high-quality gaming display that supports 3D, is small enough to work in smaller spaces such as dorm rooms, all for a reasonable price. When this television came out at $500, I thought it was a decent value. However, most places now sell this at $300, which seemed like a steal to me. Combine the price with the fact that I’ve moved into a smaller space and this TV seemed like the perfect fit for me.
Having used this as my gaming TV since I moved into the condo, I thought I’d share my thoughts on it. Does this gaming-centric display stand head and shoulders above any number of other television choices on the market?
The PlayStation 3D display features a 24-inch screen. For a number of people, this may prove too small, but I find that it works awesome as my gaming TV set up on my desk (see picture above). Now that I live in a condo where space is limited, the screen is a good size in this context.
Regardless of size, the LCD screen outputs a fantastic image. The picture is a clear and as sharp as any I’d ever seen. However, the beautiful picture has a really weird trade-off. The surface of the screen is extremely reflective, which probably helps the overall quality of the picture. The downside to this is that unless you’re playing in pitch darkness, you’re going to get see some reflections alongside your picture. This can be very problematic if you’re set up near a window. Currently, Steff and I don’t have curtains set up in our apartment, and playing during the day can be really hard, as the sunlight makes the screen act almost like a mirror. While it sounds like a lot of work to keep the reflections at bay by keeping it away from a light or using curtains, you should be fine.
While we are on the subject of minuses, let’s talk about one more. It’s great the the TV comes with a copy of Motorstorm: Apocalypse, one pair of active 3D glasses and an HDMI cable, it doesn’t come with a TV remote. I find this annoying, even though my setup has me sitting right in front of it all the time. You can buy the PlayStation 3 remote, but it stinks that it doesn’t come packaged with the TV.
On a positive note, the TV comes with two features that most TVs in this size range don’t support. One of those is 3D. I tried it out with Motorstorm: Apocalypse and Uncharted 3 and it looked cool for what it is. I don’t see myself regularly playing games this way (nor do many come out that support the feature) but it’s a nice to have. The other feature is pretty neat, should you have access to a second pair of 3D glasses. Through the use of SimulView technology as Sony calls it, players can get two completely different full-screen views of the action while looking at the same screen. I haven’t had a chance to try this out at home, but I’ve seen the tech work at a number of different demo units and it seems to work like magic.
All things considered, the PlayStation 3D display is a great choice if you’re looking for a smaller gaming TV, especially if you can get it on sale. I’m glad to own one. Just make sure to keep it away from light sources and consider investing in a remote.
In Third Person 