Jacob Krol/TheStreet
Yes, the PlayStation 5 and the PlayStation brand is made and run by Sony. But now, Sony’s introducing a new gaming accessory brand called Inzone. And the initial lineup launches today and looks pretty strong with two monitors and three gaming headsets. Both are suitable for gaming PCs — desktops and laptops alike — and designed to work in harmony with the PlayStation 5.
Inzone gaming headsets start with the $99 H3, $229 H7, and the flagship $299 H9. These all feature a common design language and support for immersive spatial audio. The monitors — M9 and M3 — are both 27-inch monitors that plug and play effortlessly with a PC or a PS5. The key difference? Well, that’s resolution and specs — the $899 M9 is a 4K 144hz monitor, while the $529 M3 is a Full HD 240Hz monitor.
Sony Inzone H3, H7, and H9 Gaming Headsets: What You Need to KnowJacob Krol/TheStreet
Now while this isn’t Sony’s (SNE) – Get Sony Corp. Report first foray into the gaming headset space — that would be the readily available $99 PlayStation Pulse 3D Headset — this is Sony Electronics’ first time, and it’s a solid lineup. Most importantly, it pulls from the best features available on the popular Sony WH-1000XM5 over-ear headphones. You can see our reviews of those here.
And I’ve spent some time with all three of the new headsets. My favorite out of the bunch are, unsurprisingly, the Inzone H9. For $299, these are essentially the WH-1000XM5 if they were a gaming headset. These are ultra cozy for hours at end, thanks to a firmer, breathable foam around the earcups and on a wide top band. You won’t feel much pressure around your skull in use, and even for long gaming sessions, these have vents in key spots to increase comfort.
I also like that Sony ditched touch capacitive controls and added large, easily accessible buttons on the left and right ear cups for volume, mode, and voice control. You, of course, also have a boomstick microphone that can be easily maneuvered on the left earcup.
From Our Friends At SI Showcase: Sony Inzone H9 Gaming Headset ReviewThese also sport the same active noise cancellation as the WH-1000XM5, so it can easily block out nearly any environmental sounds. And these sport near the same audio quality with a really impressive 360 spatially correct experience for games. This vibrant and crisp audio mix is found across the board with the Inzone Gaming Headset family. The H9 also supports Bluetooth and a stable wireless connection via a USB-A dongle.
For $70 less, the Sony Inzone H7 ditch active noise cancellation and a vegan leather cover for a still fully wireless experience. They also ditch some built-in RGB lighting, but in reality, if you’re cool without active noise canceling, these are likely the model for you. You also get passive noise cancellation thanks to the seal of the earcups around your ears. Both the H7 and H9 will showcase key statuses — battery level, controls, microphone mute or unmute — within the PlayStation interface on the PS5 as well.
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And at just $99, the Inzone H3 is the entry-level headset option that ditches all wireless aspects. You’ll hardwire plug these in via a headphone jack or on a PC with an included headphone jack to USB-A adapter. These still sport a boomstick microphone that can easily pick up your voice, immersive sound with support for 360 audio, and still deliver a comfortable build.
Sony Inzone H3, H7, and H9 Gaming Headsets: Pricing and How to PreorderIf you’re already sold, preorders for the Sony Inzone H3, H7, and H9 are now open at Amazon (AMZN) – Get Amazon.com Inc. Report and BestBuy (BBY) – Get Best Buy Co. Inc. Report.
Sony Inzone H3 Gaming Headset ($99.99; amazon.com or bestbuy.com)Sony Inzone H7 Gaming Headset ($229.99; amazon.com or bestbuy.com)Sony Inzone H9 Gaming Headset ($299.99; amazon.com or bestbuy.com)Sony Inzone M3 and M9 Monitors: What You Need to KnowJacob Krol/TheStreet
Rounding out the initial Inzone lineup from Sony are two 27-inch gaming monitors. And here’s the real standout feature here — both monitors are designed to work seamlessly with the PlayStation 5. And it’s pretty similar to how Sony’s Bravia TV family works with the gaming console.
Several features automatically engage when you plug in the PS5 to an M9 monitor. Auto HDR Tone Mapping handles the initial setup and optimization to ensure the monitor’s contents like FPS and open world games look great. For instance, you won’t need to adjust sliders to determine brightness or fill the whole display with visuals. It will also switch the viewing mode depending on what you’re using the console for (IE: Cinema Mode for movies or Game Mode for games).
I’ve gotten to go hands-on with Inzone M9 at a briefing and in my testing. The plug-and-play with the PS5 is handy, and I like that it handles the full initial setup. However, the visuals are a bit more impressive thanks to Full Array Local Dimming powered by 96 zones which provides an immersive viewing experience. Namely, the monitor has more exact control over a specific scene area. The Inzone M9 is a full 4K monitor that runs at up to 144hz. It also supports Nvidia G-Sync and features HDMI 2.1 ports. It’s not cheap, though, at $899 and launches later this Summer.
Those who want something more affordable or a higher refresh rate can consider the Inzone M3. It’s also a 27-inch monitor but ditches a 4K resolution for a Full HD 240Hz experience. It will launch later in 2022 at a more affordable $529.
Prices are accurate and items in stock at time of publishing.
Jacob Krol/TheStreet