Sony’s InZone M9 Monitor is tipped to be the best 4K HDR gaming monitor you can buy for less than $1000. But is it all that? Let’s find out by checking out all the latest Sony InZone M9 Monitor reviews…

If you’re looking to buy a new monitor for gaming, you have A LOT of options. Frankly, it is downright confusing, especially if you’re not much of a monitor geek.

Things can also get very pricey too with the cost of a 4K HDR monitor often pushing way past the $1200 mark. Combined, these two factors can make finding and buying a new monitor very stressful.

I also cannot think of another vertical in the tech space where FOMO is so strong. With so much choice in the monitor market, so many brands, so many styles, and so many types of monitors, choosing the perfect option for your budget and use case is very tricky.

And even if you do find one you like and buy it, chances are a month or two later there’ll be something better on the market.

But if your budget is less than $1000 and you want a 4K HDR monitor is Sony’s latest InZone M9 Monitor worth a look? Let’s take a look at all the latest Sony InZone M9 Monitor reviews, and its specs and access whether on not this is the 4K gaming to buy in 2022?

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Sony INZONE M9 27in Monitor

4.5

£999.00

Pros:

4K HDR IPS panel
Strong peak brightness
Vibrant colors
96-zone FALD
Quick response time, low input lag
VRR up to 144Hz
Awesome stand
Myriad connectivity options
Built-in KVM

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06/06/2023 02:30 pm GMT

As always, we’ll do the reviews first, then the specs, and finally a recap on everything we’ve covered to establish whether or not the Sony InZone M9 Monitor is worth buying. Let’s do this…

Sony InZone M9 Monitor Reviews

90

DisplayNinja

All in all, the Sony Inzone M9 is an excellent gaming monitor. However, while it does offer a big improvement in HDR over edge-lit monitors with fewer dimming zones, you’re still not getting the true HDR viewing experience provided by OLED displays and mini LED monitors with hundreds or thousands of dimming zones.

Since OLED and mini LED monitors have started becoming more affordable and available, we recommend saving up and waiting for the upcoming models in case you’re interested in the true HDR experience.

If you want a 27″ 4K 144Hz gaming monitor with decent HDR image quality right now, the Inzone M9 is definitely the best option for under $1,000.

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Full Review

90

CNN

The $899 Sony Inzone M9 is a fantastic premium gaming monitor, with an attractive, practical design and all of the bells and whistles necessary to take full advantage of your PS5, Xbox Series X/S or PC. Its 27-inch 4K screen makes it easy to get immersed in all types of games and movies, and competitive players will get a lot of use out of its fluid 144Hz refresh rate and robust customization settings.

If all you want is a nice 4K screen, the $329 Asus VG289Q1A is one of the best budget gaming monitors we’ve tested, and less than half the price — though you’ll have to settle for a much slower 60Hz refresh rate. The $799 LG 27GN950-B is a popular option that offers similar specs for cheaper, though it lacks HDMI 2.1 for optimal next-gen console support. If you’re willing to invest in a great 4K monitor that will showcase your games at their absolute best — and especially if you’re a competitive gamer — the Inzone M9 is well worth it.

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Full Review

80

STUFF

Given Sony’s TV expertise, it’s no surprise the InZone M9 gets so much right. Local dimming gives it HDR abilities that are well beyond any of the edge-dimming alternatives, and the styling will certainly appeal to PS5 owners.

HDR performance rapidly improves once your budget stretches further into the realm of QD-OLED monitors and desk-friendly OLED TVs, but for the money, there’s little else that comes close.

Crucially, it doesn’t skimp on PC-focused features. The high resolution, high refresh rate panel has rapid response times, punchy colors, and ample brightness. Overall ergonomics could be a little better, and the speakers aren’t much cop at all, but the user-friendly interface is refreshing. You don’t need to own a console before adding it to your shortlist.

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90

IGN

As for motion, the Inzone M9 does a fantastic job of making gameplay look fluid. Thanks to support for VRR, FreeSync, and G-Sync compatibility, you won’t see tearing on this display while playing on either console or any gaming PC. Outside of gameplay, I tested the monitor against the Blur Busters UFO Test and it impressively showed no ghosting at all even on the top row at 120Hz.

The Sony Inzone M9 is an incredibly impressive gaming monitor. At $899, it’s very competitive with other HDMI 2.1-ready 4K gaming monitors with the benefit of having a much better backlighting system to boot. Beyond that, the Sony Inzone M9 is proof that more displays should feature full-array local dimming and more lighting zones.

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Full Review

94

Monitor Nerds

The Sony Inzone M9 is a fantastic choice for multi-platform gamers who want a capable and unique 4K 144Hz monitor. It’s the perfect choice for those who own a high-end PC and a PS5 since the monitor’s features can take advantage of both. Its also leading the pack when it comes to HDR 600-level performance thanks to its 96-zone local dimming backlight.

However, it isn’t perfect like all of the 4K 144Hz gaming monitors on the market. We think that it looks good, but its attempt at creating a unique design hampered its ergonomics which are essential for daily use. It’s an excellent buy provided that paying $800 to $1000 won’t be problematic for your budget.

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87

PC GAMER

All in all, the Inzone M9 is a hell of a gaming monitor, especially for Sony’s first foray into PC gaming. I’m just as surprised as you are that the M9 easily competes with some of the best 4K monitors out there right now. It’s loaded with a ton of gaming features and most importantly costs less than $1,000. It’s an easy recommendation, especially for anyone who owns a pretty beefy PC and a console or two and is looking to make the most out of each.

The Sony Inzone M9 will be available for sale later this summer. Sony also plans to release a 27-inch 1080p 240Hz version of this monitor called the M3 later this year for $529, though that monitor wasn’t available for review just yet.

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Sony InZone M9 Monitor Specs

Spec Type	Value
Screen Size	27-inch
Resolution	3840×2160 (Ultra HD)
Panel Type	IPS
Aspect Ratio	16:9 (Widescreen)
Refresh Rate	144Hz
Response Time	1ms (GtG)
Adaptive-Sync	FreeSync (48-144Hz) G-SYNC Compatible
Ports	DisplayPort 1.4, 2x HDMI 2.1 (40 Gbps), USB-C (DP 1.4 Alt Mode)
Other Ports	Headphone Jack, 3x USB 3.0
Brightness	450 cd/m²
Brightness (HDR)	800 cd/m²
Contrast Ratio	1000:1 (static)
Colors	1.07 billion (10-bit) 95% DCI-P3
HDR	DisplayHDR 600
Local Dimming	96-zone FALD
VESA	Yes (100x100mm)

Is The Sony InZone M9 Monitor Worth It?

Overall, the Sony InZone M9 Monitor scores plenty of praise. It offers excellent performance with its 4K HDR display but, if you want truly class-leading performance you’re going to want to go with either an OLED or a mini LED monitor which, sadly, the Sony InZone M9 Monitor is not.

Plus, there are plenty of more affordable OLED and Mini LED monitors due to launch before the close of the year, so if you are holding out for something like this, it might be worth waiting a little longer.

Sony InZone M9 Monitor Reviews: Is It 100% Legit?

If your budget is limited to less than $1000, though, and all you require is a fairly large monitor with 4K HDR, you really cannot go wrong with the Sony InZone M9 Monitor.

It has a refresh rate of 144Hz, perfect for gaming, and it delivers impressive performance across the board. And the best part about this monitor is that it does all of this for less than $1000.

For value for money, performance, and overall quality, it is impossible not to like what Sony has come up with here. Sure, the Sony InZone M9 Monitor isn’t the best 4K HDR gaming monitor on the market but that’s not really the point.

The point here, clearly, was to create a mass-market, affordable 4K HDR masses that most people, with a bit of saving and/or credit, can afford. And that, for me, is what makes the Sony InZone M9 Monitor so special and totally worth buying if you’re in the market for a quality 4K HDR gaming monitor.