The Sony INZONE H5 headphones are a great choice for gaming due to their 40 mm drivers and 360 spatial sound. When selecting gaming headphones, it's important to consider factors that differ from regular headphones.
High-end gaming headphones like the Audeze Mobius and HyperX Cloud Orbit S offer features that can give you an idea of what premium gaming headphones can do, but the Sony INZONE H5 is a mid-range option that delivers great sound, comfort, and battery life.
When reviewing gaming headsets, the top priority is user comfort during long gaming sessions. That's why I'll be focusing on the comfort level of the Sony INZONE H5 headphones in this review.
It's essential to determine whether a headset can be used for extended periods without causing any discomfort. Along with comfort, we are going to check some other factors which may help you to take final purchase decision. so let's review Sony INZONE H5 gaming headset.
What is INZONE?
I understand that you may be curious about the word "INZONE". To clarify, it is a brand of Sony electronics that specializes in creating gaming accessories such as gaming headphones, gaming monitors and more.
With the gaming industry expanding rapidly, it is no surprise that companies like Sony are focusing their attention on this market. Some of the popular gaming headsets in the INZONE category include H9, H7, and H3, which have been performing well in the market.
Pros:
Cons:
Sound
Build
Comfort
Value
Whatβs in the box?
- Sony INZONE H5 gaming headphones
- USB Charging cable
- 3.5mm to 3.5mm audio cable
- USB Dongle
Who should get Sony INZONE H5?
If you are a casual gamer looking for a budget gaming headphone, the INZONE H5 is a great option. If you prefer Sony's sound signature and prioritise ultimate comfort, INZONE H5 can be a good try.
Bottom Line:
Sony dominates the market for ANC headphones, as evidenced by the success of the WH-1000XM5. The company has also recently entered the gaming industry with its INZONE brand.
The Sony INZONE H5 is a mid-range gaming headset with a price tag of $149. It boasts a variety of features, including great comfort, an appealing design, good build quality, clear and balanced mids and highs with minimal distortion, and 360 spatial audio that significantly improves soundstage.
The headset has a battery life of 28 hours on a single charge, which is decent. The INZONE Hub software adds convenience and fun. However, there are some downsides, such as the lack of Bluetooth, active noise cancellation, and portability.
However, since gaming headsets are not typically taken on the go, portability is not a major concern. Additionally, Sony may want to differentiate between high-end and mid-range headphones by excluding Bluetooth from the latter.
Overall, I would rate the Sony INZONE H5 an 8 out of 10 for its design, sound quality, and value for money.
How is the Design and Build Quality of Sony INZONE H5?
INZONE H5 is a gaming headphone with a plastic build. Despite being made of plastic, it looks premium and is available in two colour variants, black and white. Personally, I preferred the white variant.
The adjustable headband, with lots of padding, provides comfort to the head, and the oval-shaped ear cups with plush cushion ensure no fatigue to the ears. When it comes to buying gaming headphones, comfort is my top priority, and these headphones feel pretty lightweight, weighing just 260 grams.
The bidirectional microphone is an essential component while playing a game, and it works fine, although it isn't detachable. Moving on to the package, INZONE H5 comes with a USB-C charging cable, a USB dongle, which works with PC and PS5, and a 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable.
Unfortunately, a carrying case is not included in the package. Near the microphone, you'll find the dial knob to adjust the volume, which feels good. At the downside of the same ear cup, you'll find the USB-C charging port and charging indicator. You can also connect a 3.5mm wire to use INZONE H5 as wired gaming headphones.
on the other earcup you get game and chat balance button and a power button to ON/OFF. Drivers of INZONE H5 are 40mm neodymium which produce good sound. The design and build quality of the product appears to be impressive, especially given its price point.
Additionally, the comfort level is high with no fatigue experienced by the ears and no excessive clamping force on the head, while still maintaining a snug fit. Furthermore, the product's lightweight design is another positive aspect of its build and design. After observing the product's build and design, I would rate it 8.5 to 9 out of 10 for its quality.
How is the Sound Performance of Sony INZONE H5?
INZONE H5 is a closed-back headphone with 40mm dynamic drivers that provide good sound quality. The ear cups are designed to offer excellent passive noise isolation.
it doesn't have an active noise-cancellation feature. The midrange is well-balanced and clear, making vocals easy to understand. I could hear the dialogue in the movie. Bass is good, but it doesn't have a lot of punch, which is important in gaming.
Sony's special 360 spatial audios is like a special treat, which provides an immersive soundstage, a crucial aspect in any gaming headphone. The treble or high is also good, and it's loud enough with low distortion.
Now, let's talk about the microphone. INZONE H5 has a bidirectional microphone that works well. My gaming partner could hear my voice clearly, which means that the microphone produced a clear sound.
It also has a flip-to-mute feature. Microphone has AI noise reduction technology which takes care to keep surrounding noise as low as possible.
Overall, it has all the ingredients to make the perfect dish, but the bass is slightly weak. However, it can compensate for this with the 360 spatial audio. I am satisfied with the sound quality and would rate it 8 out of 10.
How is the Charging and Battery performance of Sony INZONE H5?
The INZONE H5 headphones offer a battery playtime of almost 28 to 30 hours with a single charge when played at 60-70% volume. A full charge takes 3.5 hours. You can check the remaining battery status using the INZONE hub software.
A white light blinks for a second when the battery is more than 20%, while an orange light indicates that you need to charge your INZONE H5.
The Auto power off feature on the headphones automatically turns them off when they are not connected to any device for more than 5 minutes. This option helps save the battery life.
However, the INZONE H5 headphones do not have Bluetooth compatibility. You will need a wireless dongle to connect to the headphones or you can use the wired option.
It seems that Sony wants to maintain some differences between the premium and mid-range gaming headphones, and that's why they didn't provide Bluetooth connectivity.
to get the most out of INZONE H5 Sony offers INZONE Hub software which allows you to customize and save the settings. You can do this with Windows 11 or 10, if you have a lower Windows version, the software won't work.
You might be thinking about the benefits of using INZONE Hub software, let me count a few benefits.
- You can change the equalizer settings
- Adjust the volume
- the button on headphones which is known as game and chat balance can be used efficiently with the software
- you can adjust the sidetone volume and microphone volume
- set the spatial sound
to get the detailed about its benefits refer to this link
