I don't have any experience with the new Monarchs or the VX-III's, other than in the showroom where they all look great, but I do have a 2006 Nikon Monarch(3-9x40) and a Leupold VX-II(3-9x40). The Nikon is noticeably brighter and clearer to my eyes butseems to have a more narrow eye box. If I were buying a 3-9x power scope now I would pick up a Zeiss Conquest over the VX-III and save myself some money to boot.