Why I'm Buying The PlayStation 3D TV (And Why You Should Too)

At the E3 gaming expo this week, Sony took the wraps off a new PlayStation-branded 3D television that, while a little small, could very well become one of my favorite purchases this year. The 24-inch television is designed to bring more people in on the 3D craze. And in order to achieve that, Sony is pricing the television at $499.

For that price, consumers are actually getting quite a bit. Aside from the set, Sony is bundling a six-foot HDMI cable, a pair of 3D glasses, which will retail separately for $70, and a copy of Resistance 3.

As far as I'm concerned, that value alone is enough for me to want to buy the television bundle. Though I'm not always impressed by it, I do believe that 3D gaming is very much the future of this industry. And in many cases, 3D makes the experience of playing a title far more appealing. But as we know all too well, getting a 3D set is just one piece of the pie. After getting a television, you then need to get a game and glasses to finally experience 3D in the home.

However, with Sony's option, it's all in one bundle. And for $499, the same price as the low-end iPad, consumers are getting quite a bit for their cash.

But that's not even the best reason to get the PlayStation-branded television.

According to Sony, its set will offer a feature that will allow two players to see full-screen content in 3D. So, rather than see the 24-inch display get cut in half when playing with a friend, the television will allow both people to play a respective game with their own unique views in full screen.

Exactly how well that feature will work remains to be seen. But on paper, it sounds like a fantastic idea. One of the biggest issues with offline multiplayer is that the screen is chopped in half. If Sony's television can deliver on its full-screen promise for multiplayer gaming, there's no doubt I'll be buying it.

Now, I'm sure that there are some out there that would balk at the idea of buying a 24-inch television. And to some extent, I can't blame them. At 24 inches, Sony's television is certainly no replacement for TV in the living room. In fact, it's not even a replacement for my office — I'm currently looking at a 26-inch monitor as I type this column.

However, Sony's television will be a nice complement in my office. I can see myself putting the TV next to my computer monitors and when I feel like playing a title or doing research for a game review, I can switch right over and do so with Sony's set.

And although my college days are behind me, I can see Sony's television becoming an ideal choice for a couple of dorm roommates that want to chip in and have a really neat set to play games on.

It's not often that I get excited about a 24-inch television, but Sony's upcoming hardware has become a very big exception. When it launches, expect to find me in-store picking one up.