Sony reveals PlayStation 5 and PC gaming monitor, headset lineup
Sony today announced its INZONE line of premium gaming hardware for PS5 and PC, including new monitors and headset lineup.
Sony today revealed its new INZONE line of enthusiast gaming hardware built specifically for the PlayStation 5 and PC gaming, including two new high-end monitors and three gaming headsets.
As we previously reported, Sony's latest INZONE gaming hardware includes two gaming displays and three audio headsets that are optimized for both PS5 and PC gaming. The monitors come in two models: the INZONE M9, a 27-inch 4K 144Hz display, and the INZONE M3, which is also 27-inches but targets esports with 1920x1080 resolution and 240HZ refresh rates.
The Sony INZONE M9 gaming monitor.
"INZONE is a totally new gaming brand from Sony. It sharpens your visual and hearing senses to maximize your ability, and leads you into the zone," Sony's marketing communication department general manager Shuhei Sugihara said. "We promise you higher performance and better results in gameplay."
Both the M9 and M3 feature IPS panels with Sony's FALD (full-array local dimming) technology, a premium backlight solution aimed at significantly improving in-game contrast.
"To bring about fast response times and tp compensate for the usual low contrast of typical IPS panels, we employed Full Array Local Dimming Technology, or FALD as we like to call it. This means that there are direct backlight LEDS controlling individual zones inside the M9 model in stead of having edge-lit LEDs," said Sony engineer Ukyo Takeda
"By doing so, we achieved a high dynamic contrast ratio of 80,000:1, creating more depth in gaming visuals that sharpen your senses and augment the sense of immersion."
"We spent a lot of time developing and fine-tuning FALD technology."
The monitor stands were designed specifically to ensure gamers can have their keyboards underneath the displays in various configurations.
"We revisited our visual signal output methodologies and customized them for our new gaming monitors. We believe this was made possible specifically because Sony had cultivated graphics processing technology over many years through our vast lineup of TVs and professional monitors."
The Full HD M3 model is specifically designed for FPS esports games.
"The M3 is the perfect choice for layers that enjoy first-person shooter games on a daily basis," Takeda said. "These monitors are built for the immersion and victory of each and every game enthusiast."
A breakthrough feature for each model is extra features on PlayStation 5, including auto HDR Tonemapping, auto-genre picture modes. It appears Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) is only available on the M9 display.
The M9 will retail for £999, and no pricing for the M3 has been announced. Check below for full specs of each model.
Sony INZONE M3 Specifications
Sony INZONE M9 Specifications
Sony also announced three new INZONE headsets, the H9, H7, and H3. The headsets are designed with immersion in mind with 360-degree special sound and noise cancelling with the H9 model.
Sony's INZONE H9 ($299), H7 ($229), and H3 ($99) models
"All three models feature 360 spatial sound based on Sony's technology that has been cultivated over many years," said Osamu Nishida, senior product manager of mobile design said.
Gamers can customize their sound profiles based on the shape of their ears. The headset also comes with a 360 spatial sound phone app that can take photos of your ears and adjust hearing profiles accordingly.
"But more than anything else, the single feature that we spent the most time on is wearing comfort, or the touch-and-feel aspect of the product. We ensured that the headset is comfortable to wear, because it is something you use for many hours every day," Nishida said.
Sony says that the H9 headset also features the same soft resin foam used in its WH-1000XM5 headsets.