The Sony INZONE M3 is a 27-inch, 1080p gaming monitor with a 240Hz refresh rate. It's the second monitor in Sony's INZONE lineup alongside the Sony INZONE M9, which is a very different display with a 4k resolution, 144Hz refresh rate, and HDMI 2.1 bandwidth for console gaming. The M3 also lacks a few perks the M9 has, like a local dimming feature. Although the manufacturer advertises this monitor to have HDMI 2.1 inputs, it's still limited to HDMI 2.0 bandwidth, and you can't use it to take advantage of the PS5 or Xbox Series X as it can't even downscale a 4k image either. It has features most PC gaming monitors have, like FreeSync variable refresh rate (VRR) technology and G-SYNC compatibility to reduce screen tearing.
Our Verdict
The Sony INZONE M3 is decent overall. It's designed as a gaming monitor and performs great for that use. It has a high 240Hz refresh rate, an excellent response time, low input lag, and VRR support to reduce screen. It's decent for work use as it performs well in bright environments and has wide viewing angles, but its pixel density is low, meaning you won't see text in sharp detail. It also has good color accuracy if you want to use it for photo editing. It's alright for media consumption, but blacks look gray in the dark, and it lacks a local dimming feature. Also, it doesn't get bright in HDR, limiting its HDR performance.
- 27-inch screen.
- Wide viewing angles.
- Performs well in bright rooms.
- 1080p resolution and low pixel density.
- Limited ergonomics.
- Mediocre build quality.
The Sony M3 is decent for office use. The 27-inch screen is big enough to see more of your work area at once, but with a 1080p resolution and low pixel density, you can't read text with sharp detail. Luckily, it performs well in bright rooms because it has great peak brightness and good reflection handling. It also has wide viewing angles if you want to share your screen with someone else, but it has limited ergonomics.
- 27-inch screen.
- Wide viewing angles.
- Performs well in bright rooms.
- 1080p resolution and low pixel density.
- Limited ergonomics.
The Sony INZONE M3 is great for PC gaming. With a fast 240Hz refresh rate, you can use it for gaming at a high frame rate, and it has excellent motion handling. It also has VRR support to reduce screen tearing and low input lag for a responsive feel. While it has a few features designed for the PS5, like Auto HDR Tone Mapping, it can't downscale a 4k image, and there are some flicker issues with VRR enabled.
- 240Hz refresh rate.
- Fast response time.
- Low input lag.
- VRR support.
- Limited to HDMI 2.0 bandwidth.
- Can't downscale a 4k image from consoles.
- Low native contrast ratio.
The Sony M3 is alright for media consumption. Its 27-inch screen is big enough to share your screen with a friend, and it has wide viewing angles. However, with a 1080p resolution, images don't look sharp, and you can't watch the latest content in 4k. Also, it has a low contrast ratio that makes blacks look gray in the dark, and it lacks a local dimming feature to further improve it.
- 27-inch screen.
- Wide viewing angles.
- 1080p resolution and low pixel density.
- Low native contrast ratio.
- No local dimming feature.
The Sony INZONE M3 is decent for media creation. It displays a wide range of colors in SDR and has good accuracy before calibration, but it doesn't have a dedicated sRGB mode to lock the colors to the sRGB color space. While its 27-inch screen provides enough space for multitasking, the 1080p resolution and low pixel density mean that images aren't sharp and full of detail. Also, it has poor ergonomics, so the screen is hard to adjust if you often need to move it for a coworker or client.
- 27-inch screen.
- Wide viewing angles.
- 1080p resolution and low pixel density.
- Limited ergonomics.
The Sony INZONE M3 has unremarkable HDR performance. It has a low contrast ratio that makes blacks look gray in the dark, and while it has decent black uniformity, it lacks a local dimming feature to further improve it. It doesn't get bright enough to make highlights stand out due to its low HDR peak brightness. Also, colors aren't vivid as it has a limited HDR color volume.
- Low native contrast ratio.
- No local dimming feature.
- Not bright enough to make highlights pop.
Check Price
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the 27-inch Sony INZONE M3, which is the only size available for this monitor. It's part of Sony's INZONE monitor lineup that includes the Sony INZONE M9, and you can see the differences between the two monitors below.
| Model | Size | Panel Type | Resolution | Max Refresh Rate | HDMI 2.1 Bandwidth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M9 | 27" | IPS | 4k | 144Hz | Yes |
| M3 | 27" | IPS | 1080p | 240Hz | No |
Our unit was manufactured in October 2022, and you can see the label for our unit here.
Popular Monitor Comparisons
The Sony INZONE M3 is a great 240Hz gaming monitor that falls short in terms of value when comparing it to other 240Hz gaming monitors. Although it's a larger monitor than the ViewSonic XG2431, it costs a lot more, and the ViewSonic can downscale a 4k image from consoles and has a customizable backlight strobing feature. The M3 doesn't provide anything special against the competition, and even though it has a few neat features like the Auto HDR Tone Mapping for the PS5 or a USB-C slot, it isn't worth getting.
Also see our recommendations for the best monitors for the PS5/PS5 Pro, the best 1080p monitors, and the best 240Hz monitors.
The Sony INZONE M3 and the Dell Alienware AW2521HF are both great 240Hz gaming monitors. They're similar for gaming, and while they each support 1080p games from the PS5, the Sony does support HDR and VRR from the console, making it a bit more compatible with the PS5. The Sony model also supports HDR from any source, which the Dell monitor doesn't, but it doesn't add much because it has limited HDR performance.
The ViewSonic XG2431 and the Sony INZONE M3 are both 1080p, 240Hz gaming monitors with similar performance, but the ViewSonic has a few extra features. The ViewSonic can downscale 4k signals from the PS5 and Xbox Series X, which the Sony monitor can't do. This results in a sharper image than a native 1080p signal. The ViewSonic also has a customizable backlight strobing feature and better overall motion handling than the Sony.
The Sony INZONE M3 and the Samsung Odyssey G4/G40B S27BG40 are similar 1080p, 240Hz gaming monitors with a 27-inch screen size. The Sony is better overall for gaming because it has better motion handling, and it's a bit more versatile as it has a USB-C port to connect a laptop.
Although the Sony INZONE M3 and the Sony INZONE M9 are part of the same lineup, they're very different monitors. The M9 is designed with console gaming in mind because it has a 4k resolution with HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, allowing you to take full advantage of the PS5 and Xbox Series X. On the other hand, the M3 is better for PC gamers because it has a higher 240Hz refresh rate, and with a 1080p resolution, it's easier for your graphics card to reach its max refresh rate.
We buy and test more than 30 monitors each year, all of which we purchase ourselves, without cherry-picked units or samples. We put a lot into each unbiased, straight-to-the-point review, and there's a whole process from purchasing to publishing, involving multiple teams and people. We do more than just use the monitor for a week; we use specialized, custom tools to measure various aspects and deliver objective, data-driven results. We also consider multiple factors before making any recommendations, including the monitor's cost, its performance compared to the competition, and whether it's easy to find.
Test Results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for videos & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for videos & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
for pictures & test results
