{"id":158954,"date":"2025-08-19T17:45:24","date_gmt":"2025-08-19T17:45:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/158954\/"},"modified":"2025-08-19T17:45:24","modified_gmt":"2025-08-19T17:45:24","slug":"hands-on-with-sonys-five-new-pc-gaming-peripherals-for-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/158954\/","title":{"rendered":"Hands-on with Sony\u2019s five new PC gaming peripherals for 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sony is finally ready to take on the likes of SteelSeries, Razer, and Logitech with its InZone brand of PC gaming accessories. While InZone started with monitors and headsets in 2022, with a few new products since then (including its great InZone Buds<\/a> and the sleek but pricey M10S OLED<\/a>), Sony is making a concerted effort to take over your desk. It just launched two new headsets, a gaming keyboard, a wireless mouse, and even a couple of mousepads, all developed alongside esports organization Fnatic<\/a>, and all available for preorder today.<\/p>\n

As you might expect, Sony\u2019s not aiming for the bargain bin here. Each of these peripherals is made for competitive play, and they come with high prices that don\u2019t always feel justified.<\/p>\n

To test them all out at once, I swapped out each of my regular PC peripherals for the new InZone gadgets, which made me feel like I was on a Sony Pictures movie set with intense product placement<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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The headband size adjusters are one of my favorite new features in the H9 II. It\u2019s the small stuff, right? Image: Sony.<\/p>\n

The InZone H9 II gaming headset is the successor to the bulkier H9<\/a> from 2022, with a refined finish, a handful of improvements, and a gen-to-gen price hike from $299.99 to $349.99. The headset is slimmer and lighter (273g versus 330g), and it features a clever \u201cpinch-to-adjust\u201d button on each side of its headband to let you easily find the right fit. The suspended headband design feels lightweight on my head, rivaling the most comfortable models I\u2019ve used, like the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The new model has the same 30mm speaker drivers as Sony\u2019s latest WH-1000XM6 flagship headphones. Even though they\u2019re 10mm smaller than those in the previous-gen model, they sound just as phenomenal for music as they do for games. You\u2019re also getting fantastic active noise cancellation, with the option to turn on a transparency mode that, notably, doesn\u2019t affect the audio quality. You can customize the H9 II\u2019s more granular settings within the company\u2019s InZone Hub on PC or via Bluetooth in Sony\u2019s Sound Connect mobile app \u2014 the same one used for several of its consumer headphone models.<\/p>\n

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This headset has several features every wireless model should have. The ear cups are on swiveling hinges, giving you the option to let them rest on your chest between matches, or if you need to remove them to talk in person. You can now listen to audio via a 3.5mm cable, even when the headset is out of battery. Wired mode will override any wireless connections. If you\u2019d prefer to go wireless, it can maintain simultaneous connections over Bluetooth and its compact 2.4GHz USB-C transmitter, which has a toggle for PC and \u201cother\u201d platforms.<\/p>\n

The headset works just fine with the PS5 and Switch 2, letting me listen to podcasts from my phone as I play. This model adds Bluetooth LE Audio support, allowing them to last longer per charge with better sound \u2014 love that, especially since I\u2019m likely to keep them paired to two devices. Another new feature for this generation is a feature that several other headsets have: a removable boom microphone, in case you\u2019d rather use a desktop mic or if you\u2019re heading outdoors.<\/p>\n

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The $149.99 InZone E9 wired in-ear monitors are small and lightweight, with good noise isolation. They\u2019re simple to use, either connecting via 3.5mm jack or its included 3.5mm-to-USB-C dongle, which is required to personalize the audio in the InZone Hub app. Unlike normal earbuds, these and all other in-ear monitors have hooks that route the cables on top of your ear cartilage and down the back of your ears, so as to stay out of your face. It all ships in a nice case that springs open when unzipped, exposing several ear tip size options.<\/p>\n

The E9 in-ear monitors are tuned for FPS games out of the box. The default equalizer setting gives a flat, reference-style sound that pursues accuracy over bombast \u2014 the better to locate footsteps and gunshots in game. It\u2019s effective, but outside of gaming, I found the E9s boring to listen to compared to the full-bodied, warm sound of the Linsoul KZ ZSX<\/a> in-ear monitors that I bought on Amazon for about $60. That Linsoul model is the best-sounding set of headphones that I own \u2014 with detachable cables, no less \u2014 and I never expected to pay so little for something so good. Perhaps you\u2019ll be as inspired as I was by our 2019 piece<\/a> on great Chinese hi-fi to find other options that are significantly cheaper, yet better-sounding than Sony\u2019s new IEMs, at least for non-gaming needs.<\/p>\n

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The InZone E9 comes in black or white. Image: Sony<\/p>\n

Sony is one of the only major companies making gaming in-ear monitors, along with Razer, which makes the Moray<\/a> (those have detachable cables and are $20 cheaper) but I hope it aims higher, and future models sound better than the cheaper competition.<\/p>\n

To type all of this, I\u2019ve been using Sony\u2019s InZone KBD-H75, a name so clunky that I\u2019m just going to refer to it as the InZone keyboard. This wired milled-aluminum board took the place of my split ergo gaming keyboard made by Kinesis Gaming<\/a>, which I use to manage wrist strain during and after work. So, this wasn\u2019t a swap that I was exactly looking forward to for ergonomic reasons. However \u2014 forgetting my wrists for a moment \u2014 it feels nice to type on, once I got used to the 75 percent layout that omits several navigation keys I commonly use.<\/p>\n

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The KBD-H75 uses Hall effect magnetic switches that actuate faster and more accurately than mechanical switches. I\u2019m accustomed to clicky Cherry MX Blue switches, and I found the InZone keyboard doesn\u2019t have quite enough resistance for my taste. In fact, they\u2019re so easy to press that I kept accidentally actuating keys in chat apps, making it look like I fell asleep at my desk. This can be rectified by customizing the actuation point of each key, between 0.1mm and 3.4mm. It\u2019s a feature that\u2019s common among its competitors. And thankfully, you won\u2019t need to install the InZone Hub app to make adjustments; Sony took a page from other keyboard makers by building a web version of its app that can be accessed from any PC this keyboard is plugged into \u2014 perfect for tournaments or LAN tournaments.<\/p>\n

Thanks to the milled-aluminum case and gasket-mounted switchplate, I couldn\u2019t sense vibrations as I pounded out articles and messages. Tapping each key results in a quiet yet satisfying sound, and I know my partner wishes my split ergo was this quiet. But, again, I prefer switches that have a little bit more resistance. I\u2019m sure if I were a professional gamer, I\u2019d be happier with these.<\/p>\n

Ask most people who are into keyboards and they\u2019ll probably tell you a handful of alternatives with similar features to the InZone keyboard that cost less than the $299.99 Sony\u2019s asking for. At this price, most gamers expect wireless support and hot-swappable switches. The $169.99 LemoKey P1 HE<\/a> has hot-swappable Hall effect switches, plus 1000Hz polling over 2.4GHz wireless. Unless Sony\u2019s design and its promise of 8,000Hz polling rate are really doing it for you, there are many good options out there that cost less.<\/p>\n

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The top and sides of the keyboard are aluminum but the bottom is plastic. Image: Sony<\/p>\n

I\u2019m dubious of this keyboard\u2019s 8,000Hz polling rate, which is one of its selling points (as well as one of the mouse below). Instead of being limited to 1,000Hz, which means it can register your input once per millisecond, 8,000Hz increases the rate to register movement and clicks once every 0.125ms. Sony\u2019s definitely not the first company to advertise 8,000Hz polling in a gaming peripheral, but its utility is just as questionable here as it is in other products. As it turns out, human reaction time is pretty slow, so, maybe you shouldn\u2019t pay more for this feature.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve been radicalized by Rocket Jump Ninja\u2019s video<\/a> on YouTube, which demonstrates that 1,000Hz is more than enough speed for most people; in the video, it shows that even fast human reaction times are still over 150ms, or approximately 6.67Hz. So, unless you have superhuman reflexes, this feature just isn\u2019t necessary. Plus, trawling through Reddit<\/a> shows that some gamers have had issues with an 8,000Hz polling rate affecting game performance.<\/p>\n

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Lastly, there\u2019s the InZone Mouse-A \u2014 Sony\u2019s first wireless gaming mouse. It costs $149.99, and at 48 grams, it\u2019s the lightest mouse that I\u2019ve ever used. This right-handed mouse is light on flourishes and excess buttons, with just a left and right click, two thumb buttons, the scroll wheel, and a profile-switching button on the bottom. As someone who typically uses the Glorious Model I<\/a>, I quickly warmed up to its soft, matte-textured arch, though I wish it had a thumb rest. It feels pretty similar to the Logitech G Pro X Superlight<\/a> in terms of ergonomics. I have an average-sized hand, though small-handed gamers will also likely find this to be a comfortable pick. The click is swift and relatively quiet, and it has optical switches (as many gaming mice do at this point), letting inputs register faster than they would with mechanical switches.<\/p>\n

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The purple PCB viewable through the covered honeycomb pattern looks pretty slick. Image: Sony<\/p>\n

To complement its new mouse, Sony has launched two cloth mousepads, both of which are 18.89 x 15.7 inches in size. The Mat-F is thicker at 6mm (versus 4mm), with a surface that\u2019s meant to create some drag to prevent the mouse from moving any more than you want it to. It\u2019s designed for tactical first-person shooters that don\u2019t emphasize twitchy movement. It costs $59.99. The $34.99 Mat-D, is for those who want speed, and the ability to make quick flicks of the mouse to pull off headshots and other commands. I don\u2019t typically use any kind of mousepad, just a mat that my keyboard, mouse, and drink sit on. Sony only sent the Mat-D for me to test, and while it\u2019s step up from my desk mat, I think it\u2019d prefer the Mat-F for its higher friction.<\/p>\n

Of all of Sony\u2019s InZone gear, the product that I\u2019ll miss the most is the H9 II headset. Despite its $349.99 price, you\u2019re getting great audio quality for the money. And, thanks to its removable mic, using it as a set of headphones away from your desk won\u2019t make you look as ridiculous as the first-gen model does. Each of the new products has redeeming qualities, but a lack of novelty and high prices across the board make them tough to broadly recommend.<\/p>\n

Sony is a household name, but not so much in esports. It\u2019s going up against companies that have been making similar products \u2014 often with lower prices \u2014 and have years of goodwill attached to their names. But I suppose every company has to start somewhere. High prices aside, this isn\u2019t a bad place to begin.<\/p>\n

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