Sony's new HMZ-T3W headset is like having a personal 750-inch OLED TV strapped to your head
They say that going to the cinema is all about the enriching communal experience of watching films with others, but when I’m surrounded by chatty cretins munching down on Pringles and chugging a bucket sized coke I can’t suppress my inner misanthrope. Which, despite its £1,300 price tag, is what makes Sony’s new HMZ-T3W headset so appealing, offering a one-man, head mounted cinema experience for loner grumps like me.
The HMZ-T3W straps over your noggin and places two small 1280 x 720 resolution OLED screens in front of your eyes, making it feel like you’re watching a 750-inch 3D screen from 20 metres away. Also offering virtual 7.1 channel surround sound through 16mm driver in-ear phones, the sound of the action should be ready to match even the best-equipped cinema sound system.
Though earlier Sony headsets were a bit restrictive due to requiring you be tethered to a power supply, an onboard battery pack allows you to move around with a bit more freedom, offering 7 hours of playback when connected over a HDMI cable, and 3 hours of true wire-free mobility when using the WirelessHD streaming system onboard.
Setting their sights on monied gamers, the headset also offers near-zero latency, helping those looking to pull of pin-point headshots, while also allowing a little space in the headset’s fit to glance down at a keyboard or gamepad.
Heading into stores in November, that £1,300 price tag is a little easier to stomach considering it’s pretty much a complete replacement for for a standard home cinema and 3D TV set up. And that private cinema experience? That’s got to be priceless, right?
