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After exploring a wide range of Sony’s wireless earbuds, I came across the Inzone Buds, which are an interesting mix of popular consumer and gaming markets. Sony has come a long way, especially with the impressive XM5s, and its WH1000 XM line is now well known. However, the release of the Inzone Buds raises some concerns, especially since the PS5 Pulse Explore buds will be available on December 6 and offer 3D sound, multiple Bluetooth links at the same time, and separate volume and mic mute buttons, which the Inzone Buds do not have.
I’ve spent a month really getting to know these buds, and I’ve found that they’re a good balance between games and everyday listening. Unlike their PS5 rivals, which are very focused, the Inzone Buds strike a balance by providing active noise cancellation and sound quality similar to the XM5 buds. However, they don’t have the full Bluetooth compatibility of their gaming-focused peers. It’s a confusing world for the Sony Inzone Buds, full of inconsistencies.
People who are in the small group of users who can fully utilize their features will find many worthwhile qualities to enjoy. Even though they seem to go against what you might expect, the Inzone Buds make a name for themselves by combining gaming excellence with daily audio excellence. Coming from personal experience, these earbuds show how committed Sony is to new ideas, even if their place in the market seems unclear at first.
Sony Inzone Buds Specifications
A snug fit, a long battery life, and excellent sound quality are all features that come standard with Sony’s Inzone H9 wireless gaming earbuds. These earbuds are designed specifically for gaming. Additionally, they come with active noise cancellation (ANC) and a low-latency mode, which makes them suitable for gaming as well as everyday use. A low-latency mode is also included.
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Driver type | 10mm dynamic |
| Frequency response | 20Hz – 20kHz |
| Sensitivity | 104dB/mW |
| Impedance | 16 ohms |
| Bluetooth version | 5.2 |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Battery life | Up to 7 hours (4 hours with ANC) |
| Charging case battery life | Up to 21 hours |
| Check Price |
Sony Inzone Buds review: Design and Comfort
The PlayStation 5 brought a design language that was spacey, curvaceous, and white-and-black. The Sony InZone Buds embrace this brand of design language, and it works quite well. There is also a black colorway available for people who prefer a more understated appearance; nonetheless, the white-and-black design is so conservative that it will not appear out of place in an office setting.
Those who are gamer will be able to identify their PlayStation history, while everyone else will think that they are just regular Sony earphones.In order to maintain the earbuds’ understated appearance, RGB lighting is not included on the list of functions. Whether or not this is significant is up to you: It has never been something that has particularly interested me when it comes to earbuds or headsets, but streamers who are looking for flair could be disappointed.
However, several competitors that are priced similarly, such as the Razer Hammerhead Pro HyperSpeed, do offer lights.The design expertise of Sony really shines through in one crucial area, and that is where comfort is concerned. In spite of the fact that comfort is a matter of opinion, I discovered that the InZone Buds were not only comfortable to wear but also remained secure in my ears.
Sony Inzone Buds review: Features
However, despite the fact that the Sony Inzone Buds are intended to bridge the gap between gaming earphones and daily earbuds, they do not nearly offer the capabilities necessary to properly fulfill either category. Earbuds are required to be quick, to have a microphone that is clear, and to have some depth to the directional audio in order to be functional in the gaming environment.
The 2.4GHz USB-C connection certainly lives up to its promise, as it is able to match on-screen action to auditory cues in a speedy and accurate manner. During my testing on both the PC and the PS5, I never had any concerns about lag. In a similar vein, the directional audio, once configured using the same peculiar ear pic technique as the Sony Inzone H5, maintained a believable soundstage and provided a satisfactory level of accuracy to a variety of spatial cues.
However, the microphone does not live up to the expectations that you would have for a set of headphones designed specifically for gaming. This is a regular microphone that you would expect to find on a device that you use on a daily basis. It is possible to use it for the occasional call while you are out and about, but when I was using it for in-game chat, it was muffled and distant, and calls were frequently lost to the audio abyss.
Sony Inzone Buds review: Audio Performance
The InZone Buds are a clear result of Sony’s many years of experience making headphones and earbuds, which is more than almost any other company in the world. New Seeds by Boards of Canada was the first track I tested. It’s a complicated track that builds slowly to a complex climax. The InZone Buds sounded great with this song.
The highs, lows, and mids were all clearly separated and distinct, which is important for picking up the song’s details. I also thought it had a warm, analog sound that fit the artist’s retro-futuristic sound. The warmth of the InZone Buds also helped with Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero,” a song that uses retro sounds to make a cozy but creepy presentation. There was a lot of thick bass that went with Swift’s clear, crisp singing, which cut through like a knife.
Sony Inzone Buds review: Battery Life
When working with 2.4GHz wireless, the InZone Buds have a battery life of up to 12 hours, while when using Bluetooth, they have a battery life of up to 24 hours. Compared to the majority of competitors, this is a substantial improvement: the Razer Hammerhead Pro HyperSpeed claims to have a maximum battery life of 6.5 hours, while the Logitech G Fits claim to have a maximum battery life of 8 hours.
Final Words
My perspective on gaming earphones has remained mostly unaffected as a result of my personal experience with the Inzone Buds audio headphones. Unfortunately, despite the fact that I continue to continue to hold out hope for a gaming solution that is both compact and all-encompassing, these headphones do not exactly satisfy that goal as I had hoped they would.
There is no doubt that they provide a high-quality sound, and the overall design and comfort features are both worthy of praise. On the other hand, there is a significant downside that develops in the performance of the microphone, which results in an uneven balance in their overall attractiveness. It is possible that this limitation is a crucial element to take into consideration for gamers that place a high priority on voice chat.
Sony Inzone Buds review: The Good and Bad
Earbuds manufactured by Sony are relatively reliable and have a wonderful sound quality; however, they are not a one-stop solution for your gaming needs. The microphone performance of these earbuds makes it difficult to recommend them to people who frequently go out to parties.
The Good
- Decent sound
- Good noise cancellation
- Small and convenient
The Bad
- Mediocre microphone
- Iffy touch controls
Questions and Answers
In addition to having the longest battery life in the industry, the L1 processor included in the INZONE Buds allows for up to 12 hours of playtime, and the charging case allows for an astounding 24 hours of playtime. Instead of charging, you should spend more time playing games. Once you have charged it for five minutes, you will have up to an hour of uninterrupted playtime.
Our WF-1000XM5 earbuds have a shape that is an exact match for the human ear, and they have an ergonomic design that allows for a more secure fit. When we originally introduced the world’s first in-ear headphones in 1982, we gathered a lot of information about people’s ear shapes, and we used that information to build the WF-1000XM5.