It’s almost the end of 2008, and we still don’t have any of the flying cars or jetpacks that everyone thought would exist in the 21st century. Today, though, we get a little bit closer to a Minority Report-like future with the release of the 22 inch iZ3D, the first reasonably priced 3D gaming monitor.
Unlike other 3D monitors that have been show at trade shows in the past, this one requires you to wear special glasses. While you get three pairs free with the monitor, they look pretty stupid and could be awkward if you already wear glasses and don’t have contacts (although iZ3D helpfully sells a pair of clip-on 3D glasses on their website, in case you want to look even nerdier.) 80 games are officially are compatible with the monitor, and users are reporting another 26 games that they’ve gotten to work in 3D. Most major, recent releases are on the list.
The monitor is available now in California, Nevada, and Arizona, and will be out nationwide on January 9th. You can test it out for yourself at any Fry’s or Micro Center stores.
This technology sounds promising, but I can’t help feeling skeptical. I’m not sure I want to have things jumping out of the screen at me while I’m gaming; it sounds like it might be cluttered and distracting. With a price point of $399, I also wonder about how sturdy/reliable the thing will be. It’s certainly nice that they’re affordable, but with similar sized (quality) 2D monitors being in the same price range, I wonder if they skimped on the construction. Are you guys excited for 3D gaming, or do you think this is just another gimmicky fad that will fail?
