Sony’s new PC gear will help you expand your gaming reach beyond PlayStation.
Sony
Sony is launching its own range of gaming-focused computer monitors and headsets, hoping to tap into the lucrative high-end PC gaming market while looking beyond its core brand of PlayStation consoles.
Called Inzone, Sony’s PC gaming line features two monitors. The Inzone M9 monitor is the more expensive of the pair, selling for $900. It features a 27-inch display with 4K resolution and a 144Hz refresh rate, which means a smoother picture. A less expensive model, the $530 Inzone M3, has a higher refresh rate but lower resolution.
The Inzone M9 will be available this summer, while the Inzone M3 won’t be released until the winter.
As for the headphones, Sony said it will release three in total: Inzone H9 ($300), Inzone H7 ($230), and Inzone H3 ($100). They are currently available for pre-order, though Sony has yet to provide a release date.
The most expensive of the three, the Inzone H9, is wireless and features noise-canceling technology, as well as an “ambient sound” mode that picks up sounds from your surroundings. The Inzone H7 is cheaper and doesn’t have noise cancellation, but it comes with a longer battery life: up to 40 hours, compared to 32 hours for the Inzone H9. Meanwhile, the Inzone H3 needs to be connected to your computer with a cable.
The move pits Sony against established players in the PC gaming hardware space, including lenovo, ASUS and Razer.
It also gives the company a way to expand its video game business beyond its games division for PlayStation consoles. Sony said it wants to take advantage of the growth in the esports space.
“The market has been expanding with increased interest in gaming with the spread of esports tournaments and the advancement of gaming entertainment,” said Yukihiro Kitajima, director of gaming business at Sony.
“With Sony’s strong history of high-end audio and visual technology products, we believe this new line will offer even more options for those looking to upgrade their current gaming systems.”
Sony continues to face fierce competition from its longtime rival Microsoftwhich has adopted a strategy of making aggressive acquisitions to build its reach in an industry that will be worth almost $200 billion by 2022, according to forezasters Newzoo.
Both companies are betting big on a technology concept known as the “metaverse,” which involves vast, immersive digital worlds where people can work or find entertainment. Earlier this year, Sony revealed a new virtual reality headsets called PlayStation VR2.
