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00:00Hey guys, I'm Tom from TechJab and this is my new PS5 setup, which includes a PS5, makes sense.
00:06But more importantly, I also have these, the new Sony Inzone M9
00:114k 144Hz gaming monitor and also a pair of these, the new Inzone H9 headphones.
00:18Now despite the obvious design similarities, the fact that it says perfect for PlayStation 5 on the website and also a couple of exclusive features,
00:26these aren't officially PlayStation branded and they're not just designed for the PS5.
00:31If I zoom out a little bit,
00:32you can see I've got my PC, my PS5 and my Series X all
00:36connected up to this at the same time because we've got two HDMI 2.1s and a display port which I've got connected to the PC
00:42and there's a USB-C which acts as a second display port or an alternate display port if you like.
00:47So yes, this looks like a PS5 monitor,
00:50it's made by Sony,
00:51but really it is meant just as a gaming monitor and even the H9 headphones have this dongle with a
00:57console or PC slider. Well, it says PS5, but you didn't really expect Sony to write Xbox on this.
01:02So it's suitable for any gaming setup,
01:04but is the M9 actually any good? Because for $900 or somewhat frustratingly a thousand pounds,
01:11it's certainly not cheap and there are other options.
01:14Well beyond the 4k 144Hz headline, there's quite a lot going on with this.
01:18It's an IPS panel with an anti-glare matte coating. It's certified display HDR 600.
01:24We get 96 local dimming zones for better contrast.
01:27It's G-Sync compatible, which means it works with both NVIDIA and AMD graphics cards if you've got us hooked up to your PC.
01:33We've got HDMI 2.1. We have VRR support and also just one millisecond response times.
01:39So yes, you will get the full-fat delicious
01:434k 120Hz support out of this with your consoles, with your PS5 or your Series X. And of course via DisplayPort,
01:49you're gonna get a 4k 144Hz on PC as well.
01:52But the problem is there are quite a few other options out there that give you similar specs including the LG UltraGear
01:5927GP950. You've got the
02:02Eve Spectrum. Actually, so I know that the Dove Spectrum,
02:05they've changed their name, including the new glossy one,
02:07which actually I need to do a review on, and most of them, particularly the LG, are a fair bit cheaper.
02:12And actually with this particular sale, it's 40% less than the Inzone M9.
02:18So what makes this stand out and worth paying a few hundred pounds extra for? Well, there's a couple of things.
02:23Let's start with picture quality and a big selling point here is that we get 96 direct LED dimming zones.
02:30That's compared to just 16 edge-lit dimming zones on the LG.
02:34It is still an IPS display and we're looking around 1000 to 1 contrast in SDR and about 3000 to 1 in HDR.
02:41So nothing like OLED, mini-LED or even VA levels of contrast, but those extra dimming zones
02:47effectively improve the contrast ratio because unlike a more basic edge-lit screen or one with fewer zones,
02:53we get more precise lighting, less blooming, and also helps minimize IPS glow and backlight bleed. It is still there.
03:00I mean, a bright menu bar or if you bring up the OSD over a dark background,
03:04it'll definitely show some blooming, but in real-world use, those extra zones really do make a difference.
03:11Especially in games like Stray or Resident Evil, anything with lots of shadows or darker environments.
03:16Or actually, even just the black bars and the letterboxing you get around movies.
03:21Now, while I mentioned this is not a PlayStation monitor,
03:24there are actually a couple of exclusive features that you do get with the PS5,
03:28which kind of makes it the ultimate PS5 monitor.
03:31It's all behind-the-scenes stuff that you don't have to worry about, but we're getting auto HDR tone mapping and also auto picture mode.
03:38So you're gonna get the best HDR and picture settings based on what you're watching or playing.
03:43Although when you first connect the M9 to your PS5, you'll go through the HDR setup process.
03:47I had to make a couple of minor adjustments, although that could just be a subjective change,
03:51but then I was good to go.
03:53So the M9 supports the HDR 10 plus standard, which is pretty normal for a monitor.
03:58No Dolby Vision or anything like that, unfortunately, but it's not a TV, so that's quite rare.
04:02But this is also certified for the DisplayHDR 600 standard,
04:06which means we should expect at least 600 nits of peak HDR brightness.
04:10Well, in practice, I measured around 720 nits in HDR and about 400 in SDR,
04:17which is definitely above average for a monitor,
04:19although good TVs or VA or mini LED monitors can often get significantly brighter.
04:24Also, while it's rare you'd have a fully white screen like this, you can see the brightness drops off around the edges.
04:30We don't have fantastic screen uniformity.
04:32However, if you pair that solid HDR brightness with the precise tone mapping and also the local dimming zones,
04:39this thing looks incredible and you can make out more detail in darker areas and bright lights really pop.
04:44And it's surprisingly color accurate for a gaming monitor under $1,000.
04:48Although make sure to change the default picture preset to standard for the best results.
04:52Also, input lag in the fast mode, which is what I'd recommend using, is around four milliseconds, which is very fast,
04:58which means this is a good option if you play lots of twitchy shooters or comparative multiplayer games.
05:04Now, speaking of cool tech, this video is sponsored by the Blink Video Doorbell.
05:09I've got mine set up by my front door with this beautiful view of a field and a skip.
05:14What a beautiful day.
05:15It's a 1080p live view and also we're going to have a two-way conversation.
05:18So you can tell your delivery driver to pop your parcel over there or tell your wife that she can't come in unless she gets the password right.
05:25What's the password?
05:27Tech chap is the best chap.
05:30You may enter.
05:31We also get motion detection, Blink app alerts, and it works with Alexa enabled devices.
05:37The first thing you're going to want to do, though, is download the Blink app.
05:40From here, you have access to all your device feeds, settings.
05:43You can update the software.
05:44Now, it only took me about five minutes to mount it and you can install it wired or wired free with two AA batteries.
05:50And depending on your settings, the battery life can last up to two years.
05:54And it only costs £49.99 here in the UK, although the optional Sync Module 2 costs around £30 or you can get them both together for around £80.
06:03And the Sync Module lets you store video clips locally, so not just in the cloud, and for up to 10 devices.
06:09So for convenience, keeping an eye out, particularly with motion detection, definitely check out the Blink video doorbell and I'll leave a link in the description below.
06:17OK, so far so good, but I do have a couple of issues with this.
06:21Firstly, the design.
06:22And where are my swappable stand plates so I can match this with my hot pink, I mean, cosmic red PS5 setup?
06:28Wouldn't that be cool, though, if you could swap these out for the same matching colors, your PS5 and your controller?
06:34Just a thought.
06:35OK, in all seriousness, it's definitely a unique looking monitor.
06:39We get nice thin bezels around three edges, although a bit of a chunkier plastic chin at the bottom.
06:43But it's this three legged stand that really stands out.
06:47Sorry.
06:48It does have the advantage of not sticking too far up the back.
06:51But the problem is it seriously limits the monitor's flexibility.
06:54I mean, we get a little bit of tilt and height adjustability, but it's not much.
06:58And you can't rotate or even pivot the screen without, well, moving the whole thing.
07:03And do not get me started on the speakers.
07:05I don't think I've heard anything as bad as the speakers on this.
07:10It's the tinniest piece of absolute rubbish that I've ever heard.
07:14I would go as far as to say they are unusably bad, which is a shame.
07:18Although maybe that's their way of encouraging you to pick up a pair of these or these.
07:23Round the back, the white PlayStation slash iRobot theme continues.
07:27And we get this nifty light strip with 13 colors that can illuminate the wall behind it.
07:32Although I do wish it could get a bit brighter.
07:34If you're thinking, Tom, that looks incredibly bright, I love that backsplash of color.
07:38Well, it's because I've got one of these behind it.
07:40Actually, even if you ignore the light strip on the desk, you really can't see anything from the light.
07:45It's just not bright enough.
07:47Connectivity is excellent, though.
07:49It's got everything you need for two consoles, a PC and a laptop at the same time.
07:53There's also a power button and a handy joystick for controlling the menus, which are nicely laid out
07:57and gives you lots of options to adjust picture modes, the dimming levels, crosshair overlays
08:02and black equalizers, proper gaming features.
08:04Although I would have liked to have seen a low blue light mode.
08:07But then again, the M9 can get seriously dim at just 10 nits if you want.
08:11The M9 also has a KVM switch, so you can actually control two PCs
08:15with the same keyboard, mouse and headset that's connected to the monitors USB ports.
08:20OK, before I wrap up, let's talk about these.
08:23And I will admit that I am not an audiophile and actually I'm not really much of an expert
08:27at headphones either.
08:28So I will leave a couple of of my favorite reviews linked below.
08:32But so far, I think these are fantastic.
08:34Although I must admit, my first thought was, why do we need these
08:37when we already have these, the Pulse 3D headsets?
08:42Well, mainly because these are better.
08:43But as you'd expect for two and a half times the price at about £270 or $300.
08:48But they do work well with any console or PC.
08:52They're also very comfortable.
08:53Although my ears did start to get quite warm after about half an hour.
08:56I think they look good.
08:57Understated premium.
08:58But most importantly, they sound great.
09:00We get spatial sound with the PS5's Tempest 3D support.
09:04We get great battery life.
09:05The microphone sounds good, if not perhaps the best I've ever used.
09:08They charge via USB-C and you can connect via Bluetooth
09:12and 2.4 GHz with this little dongle at the same time like your console and PC.
09:18Downsides?
09:18Well, there's no wired connection option and it is quite pricey.
09:22Perhaps the cheaper H7s are also worth a look.
09:25So is this the perfect PS5 monitor?
09:30Well, kind of.
09:31I mean, this whole setup, the PS5, the M9, the H9, all in will cost you like £1,720.
09:37That is a lot of money.
09:38And I would seriously consider checking out the M9's competition
09:42because certainly the M9 is not perfect.
09:44I don't love the stand.
09:46The speakers are terrible and there is still some blooming.
09:48And also, I still think that 27 inches is just a bit too small to really appreciate 4K.
09:54For me, I reckon 32 inches is the sweet spot.
09:57But the combination of 4K, 144Hz, VRR, G-Sync, HDMI 2.1,
10:03the 96 dimming zones, which you don't find very often,
10:05if ever really at this point, $100,000, the HDR tone mapping
10:09and the auto picture mode, if you've got your PS5,
10:12and also some pretty decent HDR brightness as a whole.
10:15If you want a high end 27 inch 4K gaming monitor, you're not going to be disappointed.
10:20It is a terrific monitor.
10:21But what do you reckon?
10:22Is this the best thing since sliced bread?
10:24Or do you think it is a little bit overpriced for what you're getting?
10:26Let me know in the comments below.
10:28Thank you so much for watching, guys.
10:29If you want to see more of my reviews,
10:30then don't forget to hit that subscribe button below.
10:32And I'll catch you next time right here on the Tech Chat.