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Sony INZONE M9 II Monitor Review

Tested using Methodology v2.0
Reviewed Jan 24, 2025 at 12:09 pm
Latest change: Writing modified Feb 07, 2025 at 04:29 pm
Sony INZONE M9 II Picture
7.4
PC Gaming
8.4
Console Gaming
8.4
Office
7.9
Editing
8.5
Brightness
7.7
Response Time
6.8
HDR Picture
6.3
SDR Picture
8.8
Color Accuracy

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

7.4 PC Gaming

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.

Pros
  • 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.

Cons
  • Low native contrast ratio.

  • More blur at lower refresh rates.

  • Blooming around bright objects.

  • Cloudy screen.

8.4 Console Gaming

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.

Pros
  • 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.

Cons
  • Low native contrast ratio.

  • More blur at lower refresh rates.

  • Blooming around bright objects.

  • Cloudy screen.

8.4 Office

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 just decent, so having a very bright light shining on the screen can be somewhat distracting.

Pros
  • Bright enough to fight glare.

  • Great ergonomics.

  • Fantastic text clarity.

Cons
7.9 Editing

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.

Pros
  • Bright enough to fight glare.

  • Great ergonomics.

  • Fantastic accuracy before calibration.

  • Fantastic text clarity.

Cons
  • Low native contrast ratio.

  • Cloudy screen.

8.5 Brightness

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.

Pros
  • Bright enough to fight glare.

  • Highlights get bright enough to pop.

Cons
7.7 Response Time

The Sony INZONE M9 II has a good response time, and there isn't very much blur with fast-moving objects.

Pros
  • Fast response time at high refresh rates.

Cons
  • More blur at lower refresh rates.

6.8 HDR Picture

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.

Pros
  • Full-array local dimming improves contrast.

Cons
  • Blooming around bright objects.

6.3 SDR Picture

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.

Pros
  • Displays wide range of SDR colors.

Cons
  • Low native contrast ratio.

  • Cloudy screen.

8.8 Color Accuracy

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.

Pros
  • Fantastic accuracy before calibration.

Cons
  • 7.4 PC Gaming
  • 8.4 Console Gaming
  • 8.4 Office
  • 7.9 Editing

Performance Usages

  • 8.5 Brightness
  • 7.7 Response Time
  • 6.8 HDR Picture
  • 6.3 SDR Picture
  • 8.8 Color Accuracy
  1. Updated Feb 07, 2025:

    Updated text about bright parts of scenes in Color Accuracy (Pre-Calibration) and Color Accuracy (Post-Calibration).

  2. Updated Feb 03, 2025:

    Added extra photos in Ergonomics for more visuals, including the cable management photo.

  3. Updated Jan 27, 2025:

    Updated DisplayPort version to 2.1 in Video and Audio Ports.

  4. Updated Jan 24, 2025: Review published.
  5. Updated Jan 17, 2025: Early access published.
  6. Updated Dec 13, 2024: Our testers have started testing this product.
  7. Updated Oct 31, 2024: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  8. Updated Oct 15, 2024: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

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:

ModelSizePanel TypeResolutionMax Refresh RateHDMI 2.1Stand
M9 II27"IPS4k160HzYesCompact with 360 degree swivel
M9 (Original)27"IPS4k144HzYesLarge 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.

Compared To Other Monitors

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.

Sony INZONE M9

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.

 

Acer Nitro XV275K P3biipruzx

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.

INNOCN 27M2V

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.

Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
Design
Style
Curved
No
Curve Radius
Not Curved

The Sony M9 II has a simple design that's different from the original Sony INZONE M9. The monitor is now entirely black, including the plastic monitor backing. The new circular stand base has a plastic exterior, is sleeker, and takes up less space. The monitor fits in well to both an office or gaming environment.

7.5
Design
Build Quality

The build quality is good. The texture on the back of the monitor feels good, and while it takes some effort to tilt the monitor it stays in place well after you set its position.

8.2
Design
Ergonomics
Min Height To Top Of Panel
15.2" (38.7 cm)
Height Adjustment
5.1" (13.0 cm)
Tilt Range
-22.5° to 5°
Rotate Portrait/Landscape
No
Swivel Range
-180° to 180°
Wall Mount
VESA 100x100

The ergonomics are great. While it offers a wide range of adjustments other than rotation, its standout feature is its ability to swivel to any angle thanks to its circular base. This makes it easy to connect cables to the monitor by swiveling it completely around. It also comes with a rubber band for cable management.

Design
Stand
Base Width
7.0" (17.7 cm)
Base Depth
7.0" (17.7 cm)
Thickness (With Display)
7.6" (19.2 cm)
Weight (With Display)
13.4 lbs (6.1 kg)

The base is small for the size of the monitor, and it wobbles quite a bit when bumped. The height adjustment is at an angle, so the total thickness decreases as you raise the monitor. At its maximum height, it's 6.6 inches (16.7 cm).

Design
Display
Size
27"
Housing Width
24.2" (61.5 cm)
Housing Height
14.3" (36.2 cm)
Thickness (Without Stand)
2.9" (7.3 cm)
Weight (Without Stand)
9.3 lbs (4.2 kg)
Borders Size (Bezels)
0.4" (1.1 cm)
Design
Controls

The joystick control is located at the back of the monitor. It's easy to use but is a bit sensitive, so it can take some getting used to.

Design
In The Box
Power Supply
External Brick

  • DisplayPort 1.4 cable
  • Power cord
  • Power supply
  • User guides
  • Stickers

Picture Quality
6.4
Picture Quality
Contrast
Native Contrast
1,243 : 1
Contrast With Local Dimming
1,379 : 1

The Sony M9 II has mediocre contrast, and blacks look gray against bright highlights. The local dimming feature is ineffective at improving the contrast with the checkerboard pattern, but it's better with real content.

6.5
Picture Quality
Local Dimming
Local Dimming
Yes
Backlight
Full-Array

Settings:

  • Local Dimming: High

The local dimming feature is okay. It has 96 zones in an 8x12 array. The zones are too large to allow for precise dimming in dark scenes, and the algorithm tends to turn on more zones than needed. There's some noticeable blooming around bright objects, but very little black crush because of this. It isn't very good for subtitles, though, as it tends to light up large areas of the screen. Additionally, as you move off-center and view the screen from an angle, both black crush and blooming become notably worse.

That said, it keeps up with fast-moving content well, so you don't see a trailing bright edge behind fast-moving, bright objects. For comparison, you can also see the video when Local Dimming is set to 'Low.' While this results in a bit less black crush, 'High' still looks better overall because of its better contrast.

8.4
Picture Quality
SDR Brightness
Real Scene
437 cd/m²
Peak 2% Window
482 cd/m²
Peak 10% Window
483 cd/m²
Peak 25% Window
483 cd/m²
Peak 50% Window
483 cd/m²
Peak 100% Window
483 cd/m²
Sustained 2% Window
481 cd/m²
Sustained 10% Window
482 cd/m²
Sustained 25% Window
482 cd/m²
Sustained 50% Window
482 cd/m²
Sustained 100% Window
482 cd/m²
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
0.000
Minimum Brightness
13 cd/m²

Settings:

  • Picture Mode: sRGB
  • Brightness 100
  • Saturation: 50
  • Local Dimming: Off

This monitor has great brightness in SDR. It's bright enough to easily overcome glare in a bright room, and there's no variation in brightness between content.

If you turn Local Dimming on, there's variation in brightness between different content, as you can see below:

Scene/Window SizeLocal Dimming: HighLocal Dimming: Low
Real Scene429 cd/m2415 cd/m2
Peak 2% Window362 cd/m2382 cd/m2
Peak 10% Window420 cd/m2430 cd/m2
Peak 25% Window447 cd/m2453 cd/m2
Peak 50% Window473 cd/m2475 cd/m2
Peak 100% Window484 cd/m2484 cd/m2
Sustained 2% Window362 cd/m2382 cd/m2
Sustained 10% Window419 cd/m2430 cd/m2
Sustained 25% Window446 cd/m2452 cd/m2
Sustained 50% Window473 cd/m2474 cd/m2
Sustained 100% Window484 cd/m2483 cd/m2
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)0.0170.014

8.5
Picture Quality
HDR Brightness
VESA DisplayHDR Certification
DisplayHDR 600
Real Scene
748 cd/m²
Peak 2% Window
709 cd/m²
Peak 10% Window
790 cd/m²
Peak 25% Window
897 cd/m²
Peak 50% Window
949 cd/m²
Peak 100% Window
975 cd/m²
Sustained 2% Window
708 cd/m²
Sustained 10% Window
790 cd/m²
Sustained 25% Window
895 cd/m²
Sustained 50% Window
947 cd/m²
Sustained 100% Window
972 cd/m²
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
0.018

Settings:

  • Picture Mode: DisplayHDR
  • Brightness: Locked
  • Local Dimming: Locked

The HDR brightness is amazing. Highlights are bright enough to pop, and it easily overcomes glare in a bright room. Additionally, its PQ EOTF has a sharp cut-off at peak brightness, so highlights get as bright as possible.

If you want to adjust Brightness and Local Dimming, you can use the 'Game' Picture Mode, though it has slightly worse EOTF tracking.

7.3
Picture Quality
Horizontal Viewing Angle
Color Washout From Left
28°
Color Washout From Right
30°
Color Shift From Left
58°
Color Shift From Right
69°
Brightness Loss From Left
33°
Brightness Loss From Right
36°
Black Level Raise From Left
70°
Black Level Raise From Right
70°
Gamma Shift From Left
29°
Gamma Shift From Right
32°

The Sony INZONE M9 2 has a decent horizontal viewing angle. While it looks dark at wide angles, it's still fine if you want to share the screen with someone next to you for co-op gaming.

8.0
Picture Quality
Vertical Viewing Angle
Color Washout From Below
30°
Color Washout From Above
31°
Color Shift From Below
70°
Color Shift From Above
64°
Brightness Loss From Below
32°
Brightness Loss From Above
33°
Black Level Raise From Below
70°
Black Level Raise From Above
70°
Gamma Shift From Below
57°
Gamma Shift From Above
58°

The Sony INZONE M9 2 has a great vertical viewing angle. The image remains consistent if you stand up and look down at the monitor.

7.2
Picture Quality
Gray Uniformity
50% Std. Dev.
4.828%
50% DSE
0.164%

The gray uniformity is decent. While the outside of the screen is darker, there isn't too much dirty screen effect.

4.6
Picture Quality
Black Uniformity
Native Std. Dev.
2.610%
Std. Dev. w/ L.D.
5.002%

Unfortunately, this monitor has poor black uniformity. Even with local dimming off there's noticeable clouding throughout. When local dimming is enabled uniformity is much worse. Zones light up many parts of the screen that aren't needed, causing worse uniformity and haziness around objects in slow-moving scenes. This is notably worse than on the original Sony INZONE M9, though it's less noticeable in fast-moving scenes.

9.0
Picture Quality
Color Accuracy (Pre-Calibration)
Picture Mode
sRGB
sRGB Gamut Area xy
100.3%
White Balance dE (Avg.)
2.25
Color Temperature (Avg.)
6,332 K
Gamma (Avg.)
2.29
Color dE (Avg.)
1.64
Contrast Setting
75
RGB Settings
100-100-100
Gamma Setting
Default
Brightness Setting
50
Measured Brightness
250 cd/m²
Brightness Locked
No

The accuracy before calibration in the sRGB mode is fantastic. It locks colors to the sRGB color space effectively, so they aren't oversaturated, and both the white balance and color temperature are great, too. However, brighter parts of scenes are too dark. The sRGB mode also locks out the Gamma adjustment.

9.4
Picture Quality
Color Accuracy (Post-Calibration)
Picture Mode
sRGB
sRGB Gamut Area xy
100.1%
White Balance dE (Avg.)
1.22
Color Temperature (Avg.)
6,467 K
Gamma (Avg.)
2.28
Color dE (Avg.)
1.22
Contrast Setting
75
RGB Settings
99-100-100
Gamma Setting
Default
Brightness Setting
18
Measured Brightness
99 cd/m²
ICC Profile
N/A

The accuracy after calibration is fantastic, and you can adjust the Gamma setting. 

However, due to the monitor's EDID including an asterisk in its name, we were only able to adjust the monitor's settings, and couldn't apply an ICC profile. As a result, there's no improvement to the monitor's gamma accuracy, and bright parts of scenes are still too dark.

9.4
Picture Quality
SDR Color Gamut
sRGB Coverage xy
99.4%
sRGB Picture Mode
sRGB
Adobe RGB Coverage xy
85.9%
Adobe RGB Picture Mode
Standard

The SDR color gamut is fantastic. It displays virtually all of the sRGB color space used by most desktop and web content. It has good coverage of the wider Adobe RGB color space, but it can't display the full range of greens in that color space and slightly oversaturates reds, so it isn't ideal if you need to edit in Adobe RGB.

8.3
Picture Quality
HDR Color Gamut
Wide Color Gamut
Yes
DCI-P3 Coverage xy
92.1%
DCI-P3 Picture Mode
Display HDR
Rec. 2020 Coverage xy
67.2%
Rec. 2020 Picture Mode
Display HDR

The HDR color gamut is great. It has excellent coverage of the DCI-P3 color space used by the vast majority of current HDR content. While its coverage of the wider Rec. 2020 color space is limited, there aren't many tone mapping issues with either color space.

8.1
Picture Quality
HDR Color Volume
1,000 cd/m² DCI-P3 Coverage ICtCp
79.0%
DCI-P3 Picture Mode
Display HDR
10,000 cd/m² Rec. 2020 Coverage ICtCp
36.3%
Rec. 2020 Picture Mode
Display HDR

The HDR color volume is great. It displays dark colors well, but it struggles to properly display very vivid colors.

9.0
Picture Quality
Text Clarity
Pixel Type
IPS
Subpixel Layout
RGB

The Sony INZONE M9 II has fantastic text clarity. Even with ClearType off (bottom photo), text looks sharp, and enabling it makes letters look bolder (top photo). These photos are in Windows 10, and you can also see them in Windows 11 with ClearType on and with ClearType off.

7.4
Picture Quality
Reflections
Screen Finish
Matte
Total Reflections
5.4%
Indirect Reflections
3.0%
Calculated Direct Reflections
2.4%

The Sony INZONE M9 II has decent reflection handling. The matte screen coating diffuses light fairly well, but reflections are distracting if you place it in a very bright environment, like opposite a sunny window.

9.7
Picture Quality
Gradient
Color Depth
10 Bit

The gradient handling is fantastic. There's some banding in darker shades, but it displays bright areas of similar color properly.

Motion
7.5
Motion
Refresh Rate
Native Refresh Rate
160 Hz
Max Refresh Rate
160 Hz
Max Refresh Rate Over DP
160 Hz
Max Refresh Rate Over HDMI
144 Hz
Max Refresh Rate Over DP @ 10-bit
160 Hz
Max Refresh Rate Over HDMI @ 10-Bit
144 Hz

Despite trying different cables, computers, and graphics cards, the maximum refresh rate over HDMI is 144Hz.

Motion
Variable Refresh Rate (VRR)
Variable Refresh Rate
Yes
FreeSync
Compatible (Tested)
G-SYNC
Compatible (NVIDIA Certified)
VRR Maximum
160 Hz
VRR Minimum
< 20 Hz
VRR Supported Connectors
DisplayPort, HDMI

NVIDIA - G-SYNC Compatibility
ConnectionVRR MinVRR Max
DisplayPort<20Hz160Hz
HDMI<20Hz144Hz
AMD - FreeSync
ConnectionVRR MinVRR Max
DisplayPort<20Hz160Hz
HDMI<20Hz144Hz

On top of supporting FreeSync VRR and G-SYNC compatibility, this monitor also supports HDMI Forum VRR.

7.7
Motion
VRR Motion Performance
Recommended VRR OD Setting
Fast
Variable Overdrive Advertised
No
Avg. CAD
170
Best CAD
142
Worst CAD
227

Frame RateCAD HeatmapRT ChartPursuit Photo
159HeatmapChartPhoto
144HeatmapChartPhoto
120HeatmapChartPhoto
100HeatmapChartPhoto
80HeatmapChartPhoto
60HeatmapChartPhoto

The motion handling is good across the VRR range. Although there isn't much motion blur, the 'Fast' overdrive setting has inverse ghosting as the refresh rate drops. The 'Standard' overdrive is better if you want more consistency across the VRR range, but it has more blur. The 'Faster' overdrive has such high CAD that it passes the limits of the chart, as you can see in an alternative chart.

7.8
Motion
Refresh Rate Compliance
Compliance @ Max Hz
54%
Compliance @ 120 FPS
66%
Compliance @ 60 FPS
74%

The refresh rate compliance is good. Although its response time isn't fast enough to make full color transitions before the monitor draws the next frame at its max refresh rate, it's better at lower refresh rates.

7.9
Motion
CAD @ Max Refresh Rate
OD Transition Max Refresh Rate
Recommended Overdrive Setting
Fast
Avg. CAD
142
Best 10% CAD
81
Worst 10% CAD
248

Overdrive ModeCAD HeatmapRT ChartPursuit Photo
StandardHeatmapChartPhoto
FastHeatmapChartPhoto
FasterHeatmapChartPhoto

The CAD at the max refresh rate of 160Hz is very good. Motion looks sharp with the 'Fast' overdrive setting, as it has less blur than 'Standard' and less inverse ghosting than 'Faster.'

Motion
Response Time @ Max Refresh Rate
Recommended Overdrive Setting
Fast
First Response Time
4.9 ms
Total Response Time
5.9 ms
RGB Overshoot
2 RGB
Worst 10% First Response Time
9.4 ms
Worst 10% Total Response Time
10.0 ms
Worst 10% RGB Overshoot
13 RGB

Overdrive ModeFirst Response HeatmapTotal Response HeatmapRGB Overshoot Heatmap
StandardHeatmapHeatmapHeatmap
FastHeatmapHeatmapHeatmap
FasterHeatmapHeatmapHeatmap

7.7
Motion
CAD @ 120Hz
OD Transition 120Hz
Recommended Overdrive Setting
Fast
Avg. CAD
158
Best 10% CAD
89
Worst 10% CAD
267

Overdrive ModeCAD HeatmapRT ChartPursuit Photo
StandardHeatmapChartPhoto
FastHeatmapChartPhoto
FasterHeatmapChartPhoto

The CAD at 120Hz is very good. It's similar to its max refresh rate, but there's a bit more inverse ghosting.

Motion
Response Time @ 120Hz
Recommended Overdrive Setting
Fast
First Response Time
4.9 ms
Total Response Time
8.4 ms
RGB Overshoot
5 RGB
Worst 10% First Response Time
8.6 ms
Worst 10% Total Response Time
12.9 ms
Worst 10% RGB Overshoot
19 RGB

Overdrive ModeFirst Response HeatmapTotal Response HeatmapRGB Overshoot Heatmap
StandardHeatmapHeatmapHeatmap
FastHeatmapHeatmapHeatmap
FasterHeatmapHeatmapHeatmap

7.3
Motion
CAD @ 60Hz
OD Transition 60Hz
Recommended Overdrive Setting
Standard
Avg. CAD
190
Best 10% CAD
100
Worst 10% CAD
319

Overdrive ModeCAD HeatmapRT ChartPursuit Photo
StandardHeatmapChartPhoto
FastHeatmapChartPhoto
FasterHeatmapChartPhoto

The CAD at 60Hz is decent. Unlike at higher refresh rates, the recommended overdrive is 'Standard,' which has motion blur, because 'Fast' has too much inverse ghosting.

Motion
Response Time @ 60Hz
Recommended Overdrive Setting
Standard
First Response Time
8.9 ms
Total Response Time
8.9 ms
RGB Overshoot
0 RGB
Worst 10% First Response Time
16.8 ms
Worst 10% Total Response Time
16.8 ms
Worst 10% RGB Overshoot
0 RGB

Overdrive ModeFirst Response HeatmapTotal Response HeatmapRGB Overshoot Heatmap
StandardHeatmapHeatmapHeatmap
FastHeatmapHeatmapHeatmap
FasterHeatmapHeatmapHeatmap

Motion
Backlight Strobing (BFI)
Backlight Strobing (BFI)
Yes
Maximum Frequency
160 Hz
Minimum Frequency
120 Hz
Longest Pulse Width Brightness
591 cd/m²
Shortest Pulse Width Brightness
298 cd/m²
Pulse Width Control
Yes
Pulse Phase Control
No
Pulse Amplitude Control
No
VRR At The Same Time
No

The Sony INZONE M9 II has an optional backlight strobing feature to reduce persistence blur. It only works with fixed 160Hz or 120Hz signals and can cause image duplication. We didn't observe Sony's backlight scanning technology noticeably affecting strobing performance. As you increase the Effect setting from '0' to '2' persistence blur is less visible, as you can see below:

BFI SettingMotion Blur Photo  - 160HzMotion Blur Photo  - 120Hz
Effect: 0PhotoPhoto
Effect: 1PhotoPhoto
Effect: 2PhotoPhoto

9.2
Motion
VRR Flicker
Dark Gray Flicker
0.6 RGB
Middle Gray Flicker
0.7 RGB
Light Gray Flicker
0.7 RGB

This monitor doesn't have any noticeable VRR flicker with changing frame rates, which is fantastic for gaming.

10
Motion
Image Flicker
Flicker-Free
Yes
PWM Dimming Frequency
0 Hz

The backlight remains flicker-free at all brightness levels, which helps reduce eye strain if you're sensitive to flicker.

Inputs
8.9
Inputs
Input Lag
Native Resolution @ Max Hz
4.1 ms
Native Resolution @ 120Hz
4.6 ms
Native Resolution @ 60Hz
9.3 ms
Backlight Strobing (BFI)
4.2 ms

The Sony INZONE M9 II has low input lag, ensuring a responsive gaming or desktop experience at any refresh rate. Input lag changes slightly if the you use the Latency setting, as you can see below:

Latency Setting160Hz120Hz
04.3 ms4.6 ms
14.3 ms5.5 ms
24.2 ms5.3 ms

8.8
Inputs
Resolution
Native Resolution
3840 x 2160
Aspect Ratio
16:9
Megapixels
8.3 MP
Pixel Density
163 PPI
10
Inputs
PS5 Compatibility
4k @ 120Hz
Yes
4k @ 60Hz
Yes
1440p @ 120Hz
Yes
1440p @ 60Hz
Yes
1080p @ 120Hz
Yes
1080p @ 60Hz
Yes

The Sony INZONE M9 II is fully compatible with the PS5 and PS5 Pro. It also supports a few extra features specific to the PS5, including Auto HDR Tone Mapping, which optimizes your HDR experience to match the capabilities of your display.

Though it defaults to the 'Game' Picture Mode with the PS5, you can select another mode if you prefer. Additionally, while contrast is slightly improved with Local Dimming set to 'High,' there's blooming, and motion appears less smooth.

10
Inputs
Xbox Series X|S Compatibility
4k @ 120Hz
Yes
4k @ 60Hz
Yes
1440p @ 120Hz
Yes
1440p @ 60Hz
Yes
1080p @ 120Hz
Yes
1080p @ 60Hz
Yes

This monitor is fully compatible with the Xbox Series X|S. The Xbox doesn't support HDR with 1440p or 1080p signals, so this isn't a limitation of the monitor. Though it defaults to the 'Game' Picture Mode with the Xbox, you can select another mode if you prefer.

Inputs
Inputs Photos
Inputs
Video And Audio Ports
DisplayPort
1 (DP 2.1)
Mini DisplayPort
No
HDMI
2 (HDMI 2.1)
HDMI 2.1 Rated Speed
48Gbps (FRL 12x4)
DVI
No
VGA
No
Daisy Chaining
No
3.5mm Audio Out
1
3.5mm Audio In
No
HDR10
Yes
3.5mm Microphone In
No

This monitor's DisplayPort 2.1 port has UHBR10 speeds.

Inputs
USB
USB-A Ports
3
USB-A Rated Speed
5Gbps (USB 3.2 Gen 1)
USB-B Upstream Port
Yes
USB-C Ports
0
USB-C Upstream
No USB-C Ports
USB-C Rated Speed
No USB-C Ports
USB-C Power Delivery
No USB-C Ports
USB-C DisplayPort Alt Mode
No USB-C Ports
Thunderbolt
No

Unlike the original Sony INZONE M9 this monitor doesn't have a USB-C port.

Inputs
macOS Compatibility

ConnectionHDMI 2.0HDMI 2.1USB-C to DisplayPort
Max Refresh Rate60Hz144Hz
  • M2: 160Hz
  • M1: 144Hz
VRR RangeN/A48-144Hz
  • M2: 48-160Hz
  • M1: 48-144Hz
HDRYesYesYes

This monitor works well with macOS. If you’re using a MacBook, you can close the lid and continue working on the screen, and after reopening the lid, windows return to their original positions. While HDR works, it looks washed out.

Features
Features
Additional Features
Speakers
Yes
RGB Illumination
No
Multiple Input Display
No
KVM Switch
No

This monitor has a few extra features, including:

  • INZONE Hub: Allows you to adjust monitor settings from your computer.
  • 24.5-inch Mode: Decreases the content area of the screen to 24.5 inches, which some esports or competitive gamers may prefer.
  • Crosshair: Adds an undetectable virtual crosshair to any game.
  • FPS Counter: Shows the current frame rate from the source.
  • Black Equalizer: Adjusts gamma to make it easier to spot objects/players in dark scenes without adjusting bright scenes.
  • TÜV Rheinland Certified Blue Light Filter: The monitor has reduced blue light to help minimize eye strain.

Features
On-Screen Display (OSD)