The Sony INZONE M9 II is a 27-inch, 4k gaming monitor with full-array local dimming and a 160Hz refresh rate. It replaces the original Sony INZONE M9 and is a part of Sony's INZONE gaming lineup that includes other monitors like the higher-end Sony INZONE M10S OLED, as well as other products such as the Sony INZONE H9 Wireless headphones. Unlike its competitors, such as the Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx, the M9 II has a number of unique features, such as backlight strobing with backlight scanning technology, a 24.5-inch mode for competitive and esports gamers, a stand with 360-degree swivel, and Auto HDR Tone Mapping with the PS5 and PS5 Pro. It also comes with more standard features you'd expect to find on a high-end gaming monitor, like HDMI 2.1 bandwidth and a virtual crosshair.
Our Verdict
The Sony INZONE M9 II is decent for PC gaming. Although its 160Hz refresh rate isn't high enough for competitive PC gaming, it's still good for most gamers. It also has low input lag for a responsive feel, and motion looks fairly sharp. It also gets bright enough for highlights to pop and has fairly vivid colors. However, its local dimming feature is only okay, and it has poor black uniformity, so the screen looks somewhat cloudy with some content, even with local dimming on.
160Hz refresh rate and VRR support.
Low input lag.
Fast response time at high refresh rates.
Full-array local dimming improves contrast.
Highlights get bright enough to pop.
Low native contrast ratio.
More blur at lower refresh rates.
Blooming around bright objects.
Cloudy screen.
The Sony INZONE M9 II is impressive for console gaming. It's ideally suited to the PS5 and PS5 Pro, as it uses Auto HDR Tone Mapping with the console. It has HDMI 2.1 bandwidth for 4k @ 120Hz performance with the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, and its 4k resolution delivers detailed images. Plus, it has low input lag for a responsive feel, and there's minimal motion blur at most refresh rates. While it's a good choice for gaming in well-lit rooms because of how bright it gets, it's worse in dark rooms. Its local dimming feature is only okay, and it has poor black uniformity, so the screen looks somewhat cloudy with some content, even with local dimming on.
Low input lag.
Fast response time at high refresh rates.
HDMI 2.1 bandwidth for consoles.
Full-array local dimming improves contrast.
Highlights get bright enough to pop.
Low native contrast ratio.
More blur at lower refresh rates.
Blooming around bright objects.
Cloudy screen.
The Sony INZONE M9 II is great for office use. Its 4k resolution results in sharp text, and it has wide enough viewing angles that keep the image fairly consistent when viewing from the sides. It can even rotate around completely, making it easy to share your work with others. It also gets bright enough to fight glare in almost any environment, but its reflection handling is mediocre, so having a very bright light shining on the screen can be somewhat distracting.
Bright enough to fight glare.
Great ergonomics.
Fantastic text clarity.
Mediocre reflection handling.
The Sony INZONE M9 II is good for editing. Its high resolution makes text and images look sharp. It also gets bright enough to fight glare in almost any environment, but reflections are distracting if you have it opposite a very bright source. Unfortunately, it's worse for editing content in dark rooms, as it has a low contrast ratio, and its local dimming feature is only okay.
Bright enough to fight glare.
Great ergonomics.
Fantastic accuracy before calibration.
Fantastic text clarity.
Low native contrast ratio.
Cloudy screen.
Mediocre reflection handling.
The Sony INZONE M9 II has excellent brightness. It easily gets bright enough to fight glare whether you're using it in SDR or HDR, and in HDR, highlights are bright enough to pop.
Bright enough to fight glare.
Highlights get bright enough to pop.
The Sony INZONE M9 II has a good response time, and there isn't very much blur with fast-moving objects.
Fast response time at high refresh rates.
More blur at lower refresh rates.
The Sony INZONE M9 II has okay HDR picture quality. It's mainly limited by its low contrast and okay local dimming feature that causes blooming and cloudiness. That said, it displays a wide range of colors that look fairly vivid.
Full-array local dimming improves contrast.
Blooming around bright objects.
The Sony INZONE M9 II has mediocre SDR picture quality. Its main advantage is the wide range of colors that it displays, but blacks look gray due to its low contrast ratio, and the screen looks cloudy.
Displays wide range of SDR colors.
Low native contrast ratio.
Cloudy screen.
The Sony INZONE M9 II has excellent color accuracy. The dedicated sRGB mode is extremely accurate, and you won't need to calibrate it unless you want access to settings that are locked out in the sRGB mode.
Fantastic accuracy before calibration.
Performance Usages
Changelog
- Updated Nov 10, 2025: We've converted this review to Test Bench 2.1.1. We removed the Vertical Viewing Angle test.
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Updated Aug 19, 2025:
We updated text throughout to match the new and updated tests with Test Bench 2.1, including in the Verdict section.
- Updated Jul 24, 2025: We've converted this review to Test Bench 2.1. This includes new tests for Direct Reflections, Ambient Black Level Raise, and Total Reflected Light. You can see all the changes in the changelog.
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Updated Jun 20, 2025:
Added to Additional Features that the Samsung Odyssey 3D G90XF S27FG900X can display glasses-free 3D with some games.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the 27-inch Sony INZONE M9 II, which is the only size available, and the results are only valid for this monitor. It's very similar to the original Sony INZONE M9, though the original M9's stand and monitor back are white, while the M9 II is black throughout. You can see the similarities between the monitors below:
| Model | Size | Panel Type | Resolution | Max Refresh Rate | HDMI 2.1 | Stand |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M9 II | 27" | IPS | 4k | 160Hz | Yes | Compact with 360 degree swivel |
| M9 (Original) | 27" | IPS | 4k | 144Hz | Yes | Large tripod with no swivel |
Our unit's label indicates it was manufactured in July 2024. An additional label shows the model number. We tested our monitor on firmware M004.
Popular Monitor Comparisons
The Sony INZONE M9 II is a 27-inch, 4k full-array local dimming gaming monitor with a 160Hz refresh rate. Monitors with advanced dimming technologies, including competitors such as the Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx and the INNOCN 27M2V, are ideally suited to someone who wants to use a monitor for work and gaming without worrying about burn-in. The M9 II is ideally suited to this type of situation if you're gaming with a PS5 and PS5 Pro, as it delivers a reasonably colorful HDR experience and has special PS5 features such as Auto HDR Tone Mapping. However, its local dimming feature, brightness, and colors aren't nearly as good as the Acer and INNOCN, and those monitors also have more productivity features like 90W of power delivery over USB-C, so they're better choices for most PC gamers.
Also, see our recommendations for the best Mini LED monitors, the best HDR monitors, and the best 4k 144Hz monitors.
The Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx and the Sony INZONE M9 II are both 27-inch 4k gaming monitors with full-array local dimming. The Acer is the better option for most people, as it displays deeper blacks in a dark room with most content if you have local dimming on, has much brighter highlights, displays a wider range of colors more vividly, and has extra features such as USB-C connectivity with 90W of power delivery. However, if you like to game with the PS5, the Sony is a better option, as it has PS5-specific features such as Auto HDR Tone Mapping for the PS5.
The Sony INZONE M9 and the Sony INZONE M9 II are extremely similar 27-inch 4k gaming monitors with full-array local dimming. The M9 II is the better option for most gamers, as its local dimming system is slightly better at preserving details in dark scenes than the original M9 and looks slightly smoother with its higher 160Hz refresh rate. However, the original M9 looks less cloudy, particularly with static scenes, so you may prefer it if you find cloudiness or blooming distracting, particularly in slower scenes.
The INNOCN 27M2V and the Sony INZONE M9 II are 27-inch 4k gaming monitors with full-array local dimming. The INNOCN is the better option for most people, as it has much brighter highlights in HDR, displays a wider range of colors more vividly, and displays deeper blacks in a dark room with most content if you're using local dimming. Additionally, it has productivity features such as USB-C connectivity with 90W of power delivery. However, the Sony is a better option if you like to game with the PS5, as it has features specific to the PS5, such as Auto HDR Tone Mapping.
We buy and test more than 30 monitors each year, all of which we purchase ourselves, without cherry-picked units or samples. We put a lot into each unbiased, straight-to-the-point review, and there's a whole process from purchasing to publishing, involving multiple teams and people. We do more than just use the monitor for a week; we use specialized, custom tools to measure various aspects and deliver objective, data-driven results. We also consider multiple factors before making any recommendations, including the monitor's cost, its performance compared to the competition, and whether it's easy to find.
Test Results
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