Sony's new flagship Inzone H9 II gaming headset is here — and with a surprise feature
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Sony just launched its new flagship wireless gaming headset, the Inzone H9 II, alongside a new lineup of gaming peripherals and wired gaming earbuds. Priced at $349.99, the H9 II is available now.
The new PC gaming headset is part of an expansion of Sony's Inzone gaming lineup. The upgraded headset comes three years after the launch of the original H9 model and delivers some notable upgrades. Most importantly, the headset features the same 30mm drivers as the newest flagship Sony XM6 headphones, which means they sound just as good as the best headphones available in 2025. I was surprised that Sony included these drivers in a product that costs $100 less than the XM6, but I'm not complaining.
I've been testing the new headset (and the new Inzone gaming peripherals) for the past couple weeks, and so far, I'm impressed.
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Meet the Sony Inzone H9 II noise-cancelling headset
Let's start with the basics. The H9 II features upgraded specs in key areas compared to the original H9 headset. Designed for pro-level gaming, the headset has 360-degree spatial audio and Sony's signature active noise cancellation technology. Sony says the headset was designed around the 30mm drivers from the new XM6 headphones, resulting in high-quality, high-clarity audio across the sound spectrum.
Key specs include:
Noise cancellation: Yes
Driver: 30mm driver (same as WH-1000XM6 headphones)
Spatial sound: 360-degree spatial sound with FPS presets
App connected: Sony Inzone Hub (PC) and Sound Connect (mobile)
Weight: 260 grams
Ports: USB-C and 3.5mm headphone jack
Microphone: Unidirectional, detachable
Battery life: 30 hours
Quick charge: 5 minutes gives you 1 hour of charge
Travel case: Fabric pouch included
The H9 II was designed for professional gamers
At a press briefing, Sony stressed that the new headphones were tested with the esports team Fnatic. Sony worked with professional gamers in Tokyo and Berlin to design audio presets specifically designed for pro gaming and first-person shooters. Players can choose between audio settings that emphasize subtle sounds like footsteps or deep rumbles from sound effects. The EQ settings are also fully customizable, but thanks to the new driver, they sound fantastic right out of the box.
The H9 II was also redesigned for comfort. It's significantly lighter than the original H9, 260g versus 330g, and in my testing, it's comfortable for long periods of time. The new fabric headband, foam cushions, and lightweight design make it extremely comfortable, putting it on par with the most comfortable headphones from Bose.
For hardcore PC gamers, the Inzone Hub lets you fine-tune the audio so you can hear every detail in your game. The headset delivers 7.1ch audio and 360-degree spatial audio. Players also have multiple connectivity options, and you can plug in with included USB-C and 3.5mm audio cables. You can also simultaneously connect via Bluetooth LE audio with the supplied USB-C dongle, which offers a low-latency 2.4GHz connection and low-latency gameplay.
Finally, the headset has a new slider lock system to adjust the headband, and it's available in both white and black.
Sony Inzone H9 II: My first impressions
I'll say this, my PC gaming days are long behind me, so I can only review these headphones from a casual gamer's perspective. However, I was able to demo the new headset during a Call of Duty gaming session, and from what I heard, the headset delivers the full, rich audio Sony promises. You can hear a surprising amount of detail with the FPS audio presets.
So, the sound is fantastic, but that's not a surprise given what's inside. The Sony drivers and noise cancellation are extremely effective, and they make music, games, and movies sound incredible. In testing them on work calls, I've also found the microphone offers impressive clarity.
The headset is extremely comfortable, and I like the overall redesign, but I expect the new look to be controversial. The fabric headset and slider-lock system isn't as clean-looking as the original H9 headset, though the tradeoff is improved comfort for marathon gaming sessions.
Personally, I'd opt for the black headset, but to each their own.
Is the Sony Inzone H9 II gaming headset worth it?
Let's talk about the price: At $349.99, it's $100 cheaper than the flagship XM6 headphones. So, relatively speaking, that's not a bad deal. Of course, that's still a lot of money. If you're a serious PC and PS5 gamer, then I could definitely see this becoming your new daily headset, especially if you care about audio quality, noise cancellation, and comfort.
That being said, Sony has been lagging on battery life lately. The H9 II features lower battery life than its predecessor (the XM6 also failed to deliver battery upgrades). That may be because Sony is prioritizing noise cancellation and comfort over larger batteries, but you'll have to decide if the trade-off is worth it. Newer PC gaming headsets like the HyperX Cloud Alpha 2 offer 250 hours of battery life, for comparison.
With a three-year wait since the original H9 headset landed, the new model definitely offers enough new features to be worthy of an upgrade.
Timothy Beck Werth is the Tech Editor at Mashable, where he leads coverage and assignments for the Tech and Shopping verticals. Tim has over 15 years of experience as a journalist and editor, and he has particular experience covering and testing consumer technology, smart home gadgets, and men’s grooming and style products. Previously, he was the Managing Editor and then Site Director of SPY.com, a men's product review and lifestyle website. As a writer for GQ, he covered everything from bull-riding competitions to the best Legos for adults, and he’s also contributed to publications such as The Daily Beast, Gear Patrol, and The Awl.
Tim studied print journalism at the University of Southern California. He currently splits his time between Brooklyn, NY and Charleston, SC. He's currently working on his second novel, a science-fiction book.
