With the arrival of the PS5 in 2020, Sony said it was time for it to enter the gaming monitor market. Two years later, in 2022, the Sony Inzone M9 was born, which aimed to show that offering a 4K screen, equipped with HDR and NVIDIA G-SYNC technologies and with a variable refresh rate of 144 Hz, the Japanese manufacturer knew TO DO. Original in its design and rather convincing technically despite some imperfections which had been pointed out, the first generation Inzone M9 also had its price – high – which could hold back those in the know. Two years later, Sony returned with a new version, simply called Inzone M9 II, which tends to rectify what it was criticized for. Bet successful?
The first thing that really changes with version 2 of the Sony Inzone M9 is its design, which contrasts radically with its predecessor. No more pearly white taken from the PS5 which gave it this lifestyle side, this time we are moving to a more assertive black which allows it to better integrate into a more classic gaming setup. Another notable change is its foot which also takes on a simpler and more classic appearance. However, the tripod offered a fairly original approach to the first M9 and many people had highlighted this daring design with its rather perfect balance. Afterwards, we must recognize much better access to connectors with this more classic stand, especially since we save space on our desk with a single pillar to support the screen. This is quite obvious when setting up the monitor the first time, because instead of struggling with the monitor and the tripod of the first Inzone M9 to connect all the cables, it is now possible to rotate the monitor so that with the back of the device facing you on your desk via a rotating stand. And casually, it makes installation easier. On the other hand, we retain the same principle of adjusting the height and inclination of the first model, which was one of the good advantages of its predecessor. Furthermore, it is important to point out that the installation of the three elements which constitute the foot of the Sony Inzone M9 II is childishly simple, and does not require any tools to screw anything. Everything adjusts, clips and is adjusted with disconcerting ease.
MARK TWO
On the connector side, the Inzone M9 II uses the same alignment principle of the first model, separated into three parts. The right side (when facing the monitor I mean) offers a 3.5 mm jack, two USB-A ports (5 Gbit/s) and one USB-B port (5 Gbit/s). In the center, we find two HDMI 2.1 ports (for 4K 144 Hz) and a DisplayPort 2.1 port which allows 4K 160 Hz. Finally, the third and last part offers a third USB-A port (5 Gbit/s ) and the mains socket. Note that on the stand of the monitor there is a purple rubber strap which is there to attach bulky cables. It’s not very aesthetic, but Sony at least offers this additional solution. Otherwise, like the first Inzone M9, we find the settings button located at the back of the monitor, on the right side, allowing you to navigate the menus, but also to turn the screen on and off. Finally, as for the first model of 2022, the Inzone M9 II again offers speakers integrated inside the monitor. With a power of 2 Watts, they are quite weak in their rendering, especially since the sound gives the feeling of being muffled. If you want to take full advantage of the monitor, you will have to invest in specific speakers, a soundbar, or a gaming headset. This is again the weak point of the Inzone M9 II, but for Sony, it must be seen as an additional sound option, a relief option in short. Among the other features of the monitor, note that the Inzone M9 II has been designed to be “Perfect for PS5”, which means that it has features linked to the Sony console. The screen will in fact turn on automatically when the PS5 starts up, will also offer to make the right HDR settings, and also allows you to automatically switch between the different integrated profiles depending on the type of content on the screen, which it is a game or a film for example.
OLED OSEF?
Concerning the screen of the Inzone M9 II, Sony has opted for IPS LCD (In-Plane Switching) which remains a good compromise in the absence of OLED, which is much more expensive. Where the Inzone M9 II does rather well is its viewing angles and its refresh rate, while what it lacks the most is its contrast rate, which is much less lower than an OLED, obviously. That said, with its support for a maximum brightness of 750 nits with DisplayHDR 600 and up to 400 nits on SDR, the screen performed very well, even in broad daylight in a room full of light, especially thanks to HDR which made it possible to have better contrast and beautiful color saturation, but also to always clearly distinguish the texts displayed on the screen. Even the blacks were convincing enough not to think that we are losing intensity compared to OLED technology. Obviously, it’s all a question of balance and time of day when the rendering of games varies depending on the intensity of the light around us. If I usually test games on my 65-inch Sony 4K OLED A9, the necessary distance (coupled with the installation of my sofa) does not always allow me to detect all the details of a video game. Obviously, when you are a few centimeters away with a monitor like the M9 II, you begin to discover elements and details that you would not necessarily see on a television in a living room. This was the case when testing Indiana Jones and the Ancient Circle, Dynasty Warriors Origins and currently Kingdom Come Deliverance 2. We certainly lose in installation comfort, but we gain enormously in visual immersion.
MORE CONSOLE THAN PC?
In the event that you want to connect a PC tower to the Inzone M9 II, be aware that it is important to update the firmware to benefit from all the latest performance improvements. To do this, nothing complicated, just download the Inzone Hub software which provides access to all the display parameters. Eco mode, text magnification, gamma, image format (4:3, 16/9) and preconfigured modes (gaming, cinema, standard), everything is customizable. This was already the case with the first Inzone M9, and we can for example have the choice of selecting certain modes. FPS mode for example allows you to adjust brightness and contrast levels according to Sony’s settings to see enemies in the game more clearly. There are also the usual frame counter and crosshair options. Classic.
SHOULD WE BUY OR NOT?
Should we be seduced by the Sony Inzone M9 II? And furthermore, who is the monitor aimed at? One thing is certain, it will not suit everyone, probably due to its price which remains high. At €999, Sony remained at the same price as the first model and in an ultra-competitive market, you can actually find the same performance and rendering at a lower cost, particularly from Samsung. The advantage of the Sonu Inzone M9 II is that it was built specifically for the PS5 and with the arrival of the PS5 Pro which allows games to be run at higher resolutions and at a higher refresh rate, the monitor becomes interesting, because the television equivalent costs well over €1,000. Sony is targeting customers initiated into the world of video games, with all the performance they need to play with optimal comfort. 4K resolution, HDR technology, NVIDIA G-SYNC, higher frame rate, that’s all that the PS5 and its sister the Pro are offering at the moment, especially since it is calibrated “Perfect for PS5” which facilitates the settings. It’s up to you to decide depending on your wallet, but know that in terms of performance, the Inzone M9 II is convincing, that its sound reproduction still needs to be reviewed, that its design has been refined and above all, it is ultra light.
OUR RATING: 8/10
