Image: Sony
Take a stroll down the halls of /r/battlestations, and it won’t be long before you start spotting a bunch of gaming PC setups that include the latest game consoles, too. PC gaming monitors that play nice with high-end consoles aren’t a new idea, but Sony is taking an opposite approach with its latest “Inzone” accessories. Technically they’re PlayStation 5 accessories that just happen to work with your PC, too. The launch collection includes two wild-looking monitors and a trio of headsets.
The Inzone monitors are very clearly cribbing on the style of the PS5, with big stretches of curvy white plastic offset by black trim. The built-in stand is also…let’s call it “unique.” A huge central pillar slants from the front to the back, adding several inches of depth directly behind and in front of the display. The panel can move up and down the slanted plane, which means that moving it forward also moves it lower and vice versa. If that’s not to your liking the monitors can be used with standard VESA mounts, and there’s a bit of RGB lighting on a strip in the back.
The monitor comes in two varieties, both 27 inches. The more premium Inzone M9 features 4K resolution and 144Hz on its IPS panel with 1ms response time, while the Inzone M3 goes with standard 1080p and 240Hz. Both include support for Nvidia G-Sync and the PS5’s similar VRR mode. Inputs include two HDMI 2.1 ports, a single DisplayPort 1.4, USB-C (no word on wattage for laptop charging), triple standard USB-A ports, and a headphone jack. The monitors can switch between inputs in the usual way, but when connected to a PS5, will automatically enable Auto HDR tone mapping and dynamically switch between Cinema and Game Mode depending on the content.
The Inzone M9 will cost $900 when it hits the market, which is a bit pricey, but in line with Sony’s somewhat aspirational market position. The Inzone M3 will cost $530.
But what if you want your head to be perfectly accessorized for your PS5, too? Sony has you covered with three headset designs, the Inzone H9, H7, and H3. The top-of-the-line H9 is wireless with virtual surround sound, noise cancellation and ambient voice detection, features borrowed from Sony’s high-end Bluetooth headphone designs. The cans include 40mm drivers, 32 hours of battery life, and physical controls, plus dual 2.4Ghz USB and Bluetooth 5.0 audio. They’ll run a very pricey $300 when they hit the market.
The slightly less indulgent Inzone H7 has all the same features as the H9, minus noise cancellation, which also boosts the battery life to 40 hours. It costs $230. The wired version of the headset is the H3, also lacking noise cancellation (and with a black plastic boom mic instead of white), coming in at a much more palatable $100.
The Inzone headsets launch to the usual retail suspects on July 7th, with the monitors coming in a more nebulous “summer 2022” timeframe. All of them will be supported by a new Inzone Hub driver package and settings software for Windows upon release.
Author: Michael Crider, Staff Writer
Michael is a former graphic designer who’s been building and tweaking desktop computers for longer than he cares to admit. His interests include folk music, football, science fiction, and salsa verde, in no particular order.
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