Customers appreciate the sound quality and long battery life of the INZONE Buds. Many also find them comfortable and easy to fit, with low latency making them ideal for gaming. However, some users note the bass could be improved, and the price point may be a concern for some buyers. The lack of standard Bluetooth connectivity was also a recurring negative comment.
This summary was generated by AI based on customer reviews.
The vast majority of our reviews come from verified purchases. Reviews from customers may include My Best Buy members, employees, and Tech Insider Network members (as tagged). Select reviewers may receive discounted products, promotional considerations or entries into drawings for honest, helpful reviews.
Page 2 Showing 21-40 of 367 reviews
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
If you do not like earmuffs this is a must
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Posted . Owned for 4 months when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
These earbuds are amazing! I highly recommend them for their incredible sound quality, excellent noise cancellation, and outstanding gaming experience. The touchpad feature makes it easy to toggle the microphone on and off.
Hi Gamerda, thanks for sharing your wonderful experience with the Sony - INZONE Buds, these particular pair has been designed not only for high sound quality but also for enhanced precision with low latency to help you get the edge over your rivals while gaming! Thanks for choosing Sony. Regards, - Dominick
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
The 1000-MX5’s of Gaming earbuds.
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Posted . Owned for 1 week when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Had my eye on some Gaming Earbuds and saw these and immediately got on the list for them. These use the same drivers as the top rated Sony 1000-Xm5 Headphones. These sound incredible, you’ll hear everything. For PS5 and Pc gaming I’d say these are a no brainer. You can use them on mobile devices but , They are not compatible with Apple so I can’t give any feed back on that end. If you want a high end set of earbuds for your PS5 go get a pair, you won’t be disappointed.
Hi Wineho888, Thanks for the 5-star rating and we appreciate your feedback/input regarding compatibility with Apple devices! We're thrilled to hear that you are impressed with the new Sony Inzone gaming headset. Experience a world of unparalleled sound precision. The INZONE Buds are meticulously crafted for gamers, with superior sound clarity and long battery life that keeps you playing for hours. Transform every gaming session into an elevated, immersive experience. Thank you for choosing Sony. -Craig
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Awesome earbuds
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Posted . Owned for less than 1 week when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I was a bit skeptical on using earbuds while gaming on pc but this sony inzone is actually pretty good. Light and very comfortable.
Hi, RoelH, We are delighted to hear that you are enjoying your Sony INZONE Gaming Earbuds! They have been designed for long gaming sessions, with a comfortable and secure fit to prevent discomfort or the need for regular readjustment and come with effective noise-canceling technology, allowing you to focus on the game without background distractions. Thanks for choosing Sony! -DiegoV
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Inzones are quite swell
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Posted . Owned for 3 weeks when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Fire all around no complaints except the resetting thing when the case dies
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from SonyListens
Posted .
Hi TamashiZen, Thank you so much for taking the time to share your feedback about the WFG700N! We're thrilled to hear that you're enjoying the performance. We truly appreciate your input regarding the resetting issue when the case dies. Your insights help us improve our products and we want to ensure you're having the best experience possible.
Thanks for choosing Sony! Best regards, - Stephanie
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
The Best earpods gaming ever.
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Posted . Owned for 2 weeks when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Perfect 3D sound , comfortable, long lasting battery, charging superfast to used it as soon as possible.
Hi Best, Thanks for your review on the Sony INZONE Buds! It's wonderful to hear that you're having an exceptional gaming experience with these earbuds, particularly with the 3D sound, comfort, and the convenience of a long-lasting battery with fast charging. This feedback is invaluable for gamers looking for that perfect audio solution. Thank you for awarding our product a perfect rating! -Jess
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Amazing!
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Posted . Owned for 1 week when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
My boyfriend loves these headphones so much! I gave them to him as an early valentines day gift! He uses them with his
Meta quest 3 and according to him the sound quality and noise cancelation are amazing. Better than any other earbuds he had previously tried with the vr
Hi Emalie, Thanks for the 5-star rating! We're glad you're happy with your purchase. Make sure to keep your device's firmware up to date to enjoy all its features. Thanks for choosing Sony! -Craig
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
4k
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Not bad. Recommend buy..100%%.....................10.28.2024.
Hi Mantas, we're glad you like our INZONE Buds! Thanks for choosing Sony! ~Earl
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Gaming buds over headset all day
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Posted . Owned for 2 months when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Ive always used gaming headsets. I decided to give gaming buds a shot and i do not regret my decision. Best decision ive made for gaming. Comfort, audio all amazing.
Hi KRAIZE, You've made a great choice! We're very happy to hear you like the comfortable fit and amazing sound quality of your Sony INZONE Buds. Thanks for choosing Sony! -Sam
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Love it!
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Posted . Owned for 2 months when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Coming from a novaa pro wireless and stealth pro headsets have to try these !!! amazing sound amazing comfort
Hi joesipr, You've made an excellent choice! We're glad you love the amazing sound and comfortable fit of your Sony Inzone Buds. Thanks for choosing Sony! -Sam
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Better than expected
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Posted . Owned for 1 week when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Just as great as I've heard about. Battery life is long charging times are quick and havent had any issues.
Hi Scuff, We're glad you're happy with your new gaming headphones. Make sure to keep your device's firmware up to date to enjoy all its features. Thanks for choosing Sony! -Craig
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Phenomenal
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Posted . Owned for 1 week when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Perfect for y'all who hate headphones... DONT GET THE PLAYSTATION PULSES. GET THESE INSTEAD!!!
MIC WORKS BUT IS crappy... STILL 100/10
Wonderful, BrycesPROGamerReview! We are glad that you are enjoying your Inzone Buds. Experience a world of unparalleled sound precision. The INZONE Buds are meticulously crafted for gamers, with superior sound clarity and long battery life that keeps you playing for hours. Transform every gaming session into an elevated, immersive experience. Thank you for choosing Sony. -Craig
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Best GAMING in ear buds
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Posted . Owned for 1 week when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Fit perfect, installed app. Good to go! Use on my cpu, iphone 15 (w/t dongle), and PS5.
Hi Escobar, We're glad that you like the headphones. Make sure to keep your device's firmware up to date to enjoy all its features. Thanks for choosing Sony! -Craig
Rated 1 out of 5 stars
Good sound not great charger designed to fail
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Posted . Owned for 4 months when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
After owning them for 2days…. I’ve noticed that the case itself DOES NOT HAVE a balanced charger inside of the case…. My right earpiece charges to like 75% and my left ear bud get 5mins of play time then”low battery” and have to throw onto case solo for hours to charge it, while the right one sits useless untill the other ear piece charges, my suggestion if they even offer it, is to buy a SECOND charge case, one for left piece one for right piece that way they will always be charged to their fullest potential not, 75% one 20% in other
No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Brand response from SonyListens
Posted .
Hi StonyBologner, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback regarding your experience with the WFG700N earbuds. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience you are encountering with the charging case and the battery performance of your earbuds.
If you haven't already, we recommend checking that both earbuds are properly seated in the charging case and also, you can use a soft dry cloth to gently clean the charging contacts on both the earbuds and the charging case to avoid any accumulated dust or debris. After cleaning and resetting, try using each earbud independently to see if one still drains significantly faster than the other.
Additionally, you can reset your earbuds. For this process, set the headset units into the charging case and leave the charging case lid open. Press and hold the reset button on the back of the charging case for about 20 seconds or more. After about 15 seconds, the indicator (orange) on the charging case flashes for about 5 seconds. Check that the indicator turns off, then release your finger and the headset will be reset. Detailed instructions can be found here: https://helpguide.sony.net/mdr/2977/v1/en/contents/TP1001273100.html
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
My husband Love them. He’s been using since they’ve arrived
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from SonyListens
Posted .
Hi WendyC, We are thrilled to hear that your husband loves his new Sony INZONE Buds wireless noise canceling gaming headphones. Thank you for trusting Sony! Vincent
Pros mentioned:
Battery life, Latency, Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
These Are Some Great Gaming Earbuds
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The Inzone Buds have been a pleasure to use from the moment I took them out of the box and they will become an essential part of my daily use. But before I tell you why let’s deal with what comes in the box. Once opened you’re greeted with the buds inside its charging case, a USB-C dongle(in between the earbuds), a quick start guide as well as the usual paperwork(warranty + manual), two INZONE stickers, a USB charging cable and, set of small, medium and large earbud tips.
Getting set up is straightforward, I just took the dongle out popped it into my PS5’s front USB-C port and it worked right away. There was no tinkering of settings needed. One might say hey this is a Sony product so by default it should work right away with another Sony product which is fair but I had the same experience when I tested with my PC, I flipped the switch on the dongle from PS5/Mobile to PC plugged it in and it worked right away. I did however delay testing to fully charge the buds which took around 1.5 ~2 hours. I also want to point out that connecting these to other devices such as Android phones and tablets via dongle worked flawlessly, just plug in and play, I even tried it with my Nintendo Switch and it worked well. I highly suggest downloading the INZONE Hub app on your PC and using it as part of your setup process. It isn’t required but to get the max out of the buds and to also customize them you’ll need to.
I’m sure most gamers would agree, that immersion into the worlds we escape to is of great importance as it heightens our experience and enjoyment. To that end, sound is a pivotal component to achieving this immersion and with these buds, Sony has once again demonstrated its mastery of audio technology as this performed extremely well at everything I threw at it. The sound was crisp, and clear, making every footstep, gunshot, crack, slam, directional sound, or dialogue pop with impressive detail. The deep bass ensured that explosions and dramatic moments packed a punch, enhancing the overall gaming experience. I tried this with God of War Ragnarok, Hogwarts Legacy, Spiderman: Miles Morales and of course, Call of Duty(Cold War and Mobile), and the audio in each was immense and impactful, especially given the fact that these buds feature ANC which ensured you were locked into the experience and free from external noise distractions. They also boast low latency which made it ideal for gaming. Also, these were very comfortable to wear for multiple hours at a time. They sat in place securely without slipping out easily and not once did I feel ear fatigue even after a 3-hour session. I didn’t strictly test the battery life but I can say these lasted over 10 hours easily on a single charge.
Finally, I want to touch on customizing the buds via the INZONE Hub app. First off the touch controls on the buds are intuitive and responsive, providing quick access to volume adjustments, playback, and call management. But if you connect to a PC( ensure the dongle is switched to PC) and fire up the app, these controls can be changed. The app is intuitive to use and easy to navigate and each bud can have a setting assigned to 1 of 4 touch actions ( i.e. 1-tap, 2-taps, 3-taps, long press). You can raise and lower the general volume, the chat or game volume, toggle between ANC and ambient sound, and even mute the mic right from the buds themselves( works well on the PS5). All of these options along with the equalizer settings you can tune your liking get two thumbs up from me and I recommend trying the app.
Sony's INZONE Buds are a marvel for gamers and audio enthusiasts alike and I’m sure both groups will enjoy using them. The ANC, audio quality, and comfort make them a top-tier choice and I highly recommend them to anyone looking for incredible audio performance in the gaming world and beyond.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from SonyListens
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Hi Jaydozrock Excellent choice! We also appreciate your detailed feedback of your experience using your new INZONE buds. We're also glad that you like the C, audio quality, and comfort. The INZONE Buds are perfect for gamers! Thank you for choosing Sony. Erin
Rated 1 out of 5 stars
Open Box Excellent is Not What it Used to Be
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Posted . Owned for 1 week when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I have had to return two Open Box Excellent products the past two weeks! The first return was an absolute nightmare in store and I had to end up returning through mail. And to add to it, I ended up having to pay out of pocket for additonal packing materials at UPS. As I was wrapping gifts today I made a concious decision to check the condition of the other Open Box Excellent item I ordered, these earbuds. I was shocked to open them and find earwax in and all over the earbuds. I have never had issues like this with Open Box Excellent items in the past. Never! So disappointed in the quality of these items I ordered. I will be returning these too.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Pros mentioned:
Battery life, Comfort, Latency
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
SONY INZONE BUDS!!!
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The new Sony INZONE earbuds are a new addition to the line of INZONE products offered by Sony. The INZONE earbuds are a pair of wireless earbuds designed for gaming either on PS5 or your mobile or pc device. I have been testing these out for a few days now and I am impressed. Noise Cancellation, low latency, and comfort, it’s all there. So, let’s go over the features, PROS and CONS of the new Sony INZONE earbuds.
Setup:
Being a Sony product and using these on my PS5, the pairing process was seamless. Firstly, I downloaded the INZONE hub software on my pc and made sure the software was up to date and adjusted my settings to my preference and after that simply plugged the USB-C dongle into my PS5 and I was ready to go. Simple as that.
Comfort:
Iny my opinion, the most important aspect of any earbuds is comfort. If the headphones or earbuds that you wear are not comfortable, you will not be able to enjoy your gaming experience no matter how great they sound. This is where the Sony INZONE buds shine. The Inzone Earbuds are very comfortable to wear, even for long periods of time. They come with a variety of ear tips to choose from, so you can find a pair that fit your ears perfectly. The earbuds also have a secure fit, so you don't have to worry about them falling out while you're gaming.
ANC (Active Noise Cancellation):
The InZone Buds have active noise cancellation (ANC), which helps to block out ambient noise so that you can focus on your game. The noise cancellation is second to none blocking out pretty much everything around you so that you can concentrate on your experience. I find the ANC especially helpful when my kids are running around me yelling and screaming.
Battery Life:
The battery life on these earbuds is also amazing. You get 12 hours of use out of the earbuds and then another 12 hours from the charging case. One thing was disappointing though, the charging cable provided is rather small, 6 inches to be exact and the charging case does not support wireless charging, not a big deal but at the price point, I shouldn’t have to run around trying to find a longer charging cable so that the case is not hanging from my PS5.
Latency:
The Inzone Earbuds have very low latency, which is important for gaming. This means that there is very little delay between the time that you hear a sound in the game and the time that you hear it through the earbuds. This can give you a competitive advantage in games where every second counts.
Sound Quality:
The Inzone Earbuds sound great overall, with a clear and balanced soundstage. The bass is present but not overpowering, and the mids and highs are detailed and crisp. This makes them ideal for gaming, as you can easily hear footsteps, gunshots, and your teammates.
Pros:
• Excellent sound quality
• Low latency
• Comfortable and secure fit
• Long battery life
• Active noise cancellation
Cons:
• No Wireless charging and ridiculously small charging cable
Overall, these are amazing earbuds and a great addition to the Sony INZONE line of products. I would recommend the Sony INZONE Earbuds to any gamer looking for a great pair of wireless earbuds. They are comfortable to wear, sound amazing and even block out screaming kids.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from SonyListens
Posted .
Hi Hmirza, Amazing! We are happy to hear that you are enjoying your new INZONE BUDS. Your detailed feedback is greatly appreciated. Experience a world of unparalleled sound precision. The INZONE Buds are meticulously crafted for gamers, with superior sound clarity and long battery life that keeps you playing for hours. Transform every gaming session into an elevated, immersive experience. Thank you for choosing Sony. Erin
Pros mentioned:
Battery life, Sound quality
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Solid PC Gaming Buds - Good Software Support
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I’ve been messing around with the Sony INZONE Gaming Earbuds for almost a week. I’ve used them primarily for PC gaming, but I have broken them out to use with my Switch and phone. These are true wireless ANC buds that are focused on gaming performance. For gaming I typically use over the ear headphones with a boom mic, but I was willing to take a look at these buds to see how they stacked up.
Features
The INZONE buds are an ‘in-ear’ style without any ear hooks, and look almost like Bluetooth headsets from years ago. They come with a USB-C transmitter, charging case, USB-A to C cable, and 4 different ear tip sizes. The buds are held in entirely by the grip of the bud tip inside your ear. Each bud has flat outer surface which has a touch interface and the microphone inlet. The material used on the buds is a soft touch plastic that has a nice feel to it. The buds themselves are easy to grip and put in your ear, and the touch interface isn’t difficult to interact with.
The buds use a USB-C transmitter that functions over the 2.4GHz band to deliver around 30 feet of range. The buds can also connect to devices using a Bluetooth 5.3 radio. Battery life is dependent on the connection type – transmitter based connections get 12 hours while Bluetooth gets 24 hours. The case provides an extra 24 hours of charge (48 if using on Bluetooth), and charges to full in 2 hours. This battery life will drop if using ANC or Ambient Noise processing. I am easily able to walk around my house and remain connected to audio and voice chats. The case itself is a little chunky and reminds me of an engagement ring box. It holds the USB transmitter in the middle and the buds pop in with a magnetic hold. The rear of the case has the charge port as well as the sync button used for Bluetooth pairing
Using the buds with the transmitter was as easy as it gets on PC, Switch, and mobile. Plug it in, toggle the slider on the transmitter to the appropriate setting, and you are good to go. On PC there is the companion INZONE hub which lets you adjust and finetune the sound of the buds. Mobile and Switch are left with the default sound setup. I tried my hand at Bluetooth pairing but ran into issues. I paired it with my Pixel 7 Pro, but I couldn’t get any audio to play through it. I tried a couple different ways but was never successful. In doing all of this though I screwed up the buds. I unpaired the buds and deleted the connection – no huge deal for me since I have other buds to use with my phone. However, I found the next time I used the buds I was left with one bud stuck in transmitter mode and one bud in Bluetooth mode. I placed them back into the case thinking that would fix things – no change. I then did a full reset of the buds which requires putting them in the case and holding the rear sync button for 10-15 seconds. No change still. After messing around a bit I decided to pair them both to my phone again, which set both buds into Bluetooth mode. Once connected I switched the buds back to transmitter mode (press and hold both bud touch points for a few seconds). After they switched I was able to use them normally again.
Sound
The buds themselves have a great seal in my ear so the sound pressure generated by the drivers isn’t lost. That means that the sensation of bass is better felt and crisper. The listening modes affect sound quality to an extent, but its really dependent on your ambient noise levels. I found the ANC to be excellent. Fan noise from my tower, talking, dogs playing, keyboard clacking, etc. were successfully muted. I got jump scared a few times by my kids showing up right next to me with the ANC on – I could not hear them coming even if they were talking while they approached my work desk. With the buds in Ambient mode I felt the sound quality was just as good, but lighter sounds were starting to gets lost in the ambient noise. With ANC off as long as your ambient noise levels were low the sound reproduction felt the best. You don’t feel as isolated as you do with ANC on, and you are needing any extra sound processing going into audio in order to tune out your surroundings. The buds do a solid job of isolating you with just their fit alone, so the ANC is really only needed if you want absolute silence or if your ambient noise is elevated.
Sound quality/reproduction I would break into two categories – INZONE hub supported or not. The buds don’t have INZONE support on mobile or Switch, even with the transmitter. Without INZONE support you kind of fly blind, and you will need to rely on your devices EQ controls. The Default EQ for the buds is flat, which is what you want when using a device with its own EQ. My phone has a built in EQ so it can be tuned, but the Switch will be stuck with a flat EQ. Sound quality is great when adjusted on my phone’s EQ, and listening to music is enjoyable. The vocals are really clear and sound clarity across the range is great. Bass reproduction has a nice level of punch without sounding hollow. The highs and mids are handled well without sounding overexposed or thin/tinny. At the flat EQ level the music sounds a little brighter than I prefer, but its not a bad setting if that what you had to level with (like on the Switch).
On PC with INZONE hub support the sound processing gets a little more involved. You have settings for your EQ ranges with Custom or default profiles. There are toggles for spatial audio, dynamic range control (DRC), Ambient volume tuning. You can also configure the microphone settings like sidetone, mic volume, and gain control. Like I do for any other headset I have a few custom EQ’s depending on the game or media I am consuming. The INZONE hub lets you store these different EQ’s under sound profiles that you can cycle through. With the INZONE hub the sound quality for music and videos/movies remained similar to what I could manage with my phone’s EQ. The difference being the addition of DRC and spatial audio controls. The DRC worked great in instances where there are a lot of vocals were mixed with big loud events. DRC takes the punch out of those dynamic events, but it enables you to hear the dialogue without needing to adjust the volume up and down manually.
Gameplay with the buds was pretty good. I played some Starfield and Armored Core 6 with them. Both of these games have a large amount of dynamic and frantic audio at times. The buds kept up well and didn’t detract from the immersion. I tried out the spatial audio on both – Armored Core sounded better than Starfield, and I thought it added to the experience in that game while Starfield felt a little muted. Bass was still punchy on explosions and the streaking of gunfire and rockets whizzing by were evident. The ambient game sounds in Starfield were crisp, which can be hard to hear with desktop speakers and a spun up GPU fan.
Branching out into Discord I was able to test out the mic and get some feedback. The mics do a good job of filtering out my noisy keyboard strikes and the sound of my computer is filtered out. They picked up some louder background noises – especially random ones. My HVAC blower coming on gets picked up initially, but the mics eventually tuned it out. Background voices get picked up a bit, but they are pretty minimal. The sound, however, is that of an earbud mic. Its nothing special and it certainly falls short of headset boom mic with the wind sock. Compared to other earbud mics it does hold up a little better than most, and that’s thanks to some good background filtering that Sony has come up with.
Fit/Comfort
The buds are OK on the comfort. I’m not a huge fan of buds that rely on the friction of the tips to wedge them into place in your ear. I found that after wearing for an hour or 2 I needed to take them out to get a little break. I did the INZONE pressure check which found I had the correct tips installed (large). I tested the next smaller bud size and they were falling out of my ear. The buds come with 4 different sizes S, M, L and XL.
I have an average sized ear. My girlfriend has a decently smaller ear opening, so I always check the fit on her as well. I had her try the smallest size and although they fit she felt they were very uncomfortable to wear. Her complaint revolved around the earbuds need to wedge itself into your ear canal to hold itself in place.
Controls
The controls are a little funky without the INZONE hub. Default is the volume up is a single tap on the right ear while a press and hold lowers the volume. Single tapping the left ear cycles through the ANC settings (On, Ambient, and Off). The volume controls affect the buds volume, and not the system volume. On PC in the INZONE Hub I changed my settings to more closely match my other earbuds. There are a couple of pre-configured defaults depending on the activity you plan to use the buds for. You can use the buds one at a time, but you will lose the controls assigned to the inactive earbud. Overall I’m kind of on the fence on the controls. The touch pad is very responsive and it works great. I’m more meh on the act of tapping buds that are compression fit into my ear – its liking a drumming straight onto my ear drum. I have to make sure I tap lightly, which again the responsive touch pad allows.
Overall
I liked the INZONE buds for what they bring to the table. The sound quality is really good, and the ANC is top notch. I wish these were a little more comfortable for long term wear, but I can work around that. I was disappointed in the Bluetooth pairing, but I honestly wouldn’t plan to use these for phone connection. As an Xbox user I am jealous that these buds exist because I would love to use them for console gaming and as a chat headset.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from SonyListens
Posted .
Hi DaveW, We appreciate your detailed review and we're glad that you are enjoying your new INZONE Buds. Experience a world of unparalleled sound precision. The INZONE Buds are meticulously crafted for gamers, with superior sound clarity and long battery life that keeps you playing for hours. Transform every gaming session into an elevated, immersive experience. Thank you for choosing Sony. Erin
Pros mentioned:
Latency, Sound quality
Cons mentioned:
Bass
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Decent gaming buds marred by poor market placement
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
As a gamer with a small hearing disability (in my right ear, only around 15% hearing), I've always wanted a great pair of gaming earbuds. I've looked into the IEM (in-ear monitor) scene, as those have gotten popular for gaming, but none really got my interest. Gaming earbuds have always been so few and far between. When I heard about these, as well as the new ones coming out later this year by Sony, designed for gaming and PlayStation, I was super excited. I actually did not know that Sony had two official gaming earbuds lined up - these INZONE ones and a new "PlayStation Earbuds", as they're calling them - I think their real name is the "Pulse Explore" and is in partnership with Audeze, which Sony recently acquired. I kinda feel it's unnecessary to launch two very similar earbuds, which I will touch on later. For now, let's see what these new INZONE buds are about!
The unboxing is pretty standard - you get what you expect. Inside, you have your charging case with the earbuds and USB-C transmitter (which has a PC/PS5 switch), a rod with various sized ear tips included. I believe the Medium are on there by default, so on the rod, you get SS (Super Small), S (Small) and L (Large), as well as a very short USB-C cable. I didn't even take the cable out, as I have other USB-C cables that I use for charging things. However, I do wish they'd have included a USB-C to USB-A dongle/extension, as depending on what I'm using these on, an available USB-C port isn't convenient. Like my laptop for example, I had to plug the transmitter into a regular USB-A port with a spare A to C dongle I had from one of my other gaming headsets. A small niche complaint, but I feel it's valid.
The setup was pretty straight-forward. I set them up on my laptop (I fully intend to only use them on my PS5, however) and installed the Sony INZONE program/app. After plugging in the transmitter and launching the app, I was actually surprised to see that there was NO firmware update available. Very weird in this day and age where just about everything has a Day-1 update, haha. Anyway, the app is pretty simplistic and basic. You can do things like set your EQ (I changed it to Bass Boost, as I felt they didn't have enough bass by default), update your firmware and configure your Touch Sensor Function Settings. I left the sensor settings to default, but I'll have to reconnect them to change this as with this default, it doesn't NOT include the option to change your Game/Chat mix balance on the PS5 - they really should have had this defaulted in there. See the picture I included in the review - my PS5 says "To adjust the voice chat balance, try using the buttons on your headset". Initially, this was very confusing, as for the life of me, I could not figure out how to do this. So, I did some research and found the online manual and discovered I have to establish this via the INZONE appl. A minor annoyance.
The touch sensors on the headset are pretty good. Tap the right bud to raise the volume and hold the right bud to lower it. On the left bud, you take it to cycle between Noise Canceling, Ambient and Off and then hold it to turn the mic on and off. As far as the Noise Cancelling goes, I'm gonna be honest...outside of cycling between the 3 modes and hearing a different tone for each, I could not tell ANY difference whatsoever between the 3 modes. I guess I'm just spoiled by Airpods Pro, perhaps, with how they do their Transparency mode? Not sure, but I found it a little weird that I couldn't tell the 3 modes apart from one another.
As for sound and audio quality, I was actually a bit more impressed than I expected. Let me say up-front - do NOT expect a large amount of bass in these, even with the Bass Boost EQ. Other than that, as I believe these drivers are very similar to the Sony XM series earbuds. Music sounds pretty much "OK" on these, as you can tell they are clearly tuned for gaming, as a priority. I wasn't necessarily "wowed" by anything music related. However, I can verify that gaming is where these shine! I tried them on quite a few games: Diablo IV, Lords of the Fallen, Lies of P, Modern Warfare II and Mortal Kombat 1 and Cyberpunk. All of the games sounded great and the overall volume of this headset, which I think surprised me the most, is quite loud! I've noticed PlayStation headsets in the past have generally had an overall "lower" volume level than most others, which I why I never really used them much. All games I tried sounded great. Modern Warfare II was super punchy and footsteps were pretty good overall - you have your situations, like usual, where it can be hard to tell...but for most of the time, it works well. Cinematic games sound great and the combat sounds in Lords of the Fallen Diablo IV and Lies of P really shine! I never really felt that these sounded "tinny" in any way and everything had pretty equal volume, across the board. I've not yet encountered a game that sounded "lower" than the others. I also never experienced any drop-outs or stutters, etc. Latency is very much spot on and range is equally great! I also do love the fact that I can just use one earbud, if I want, since using one on my hearing impaired ear doesn't really make a difference for me, lol. I also love how they auto-disconnect from the PS5 when both are placed in their case and it just goes back to my audio system!
Really, the only "con" I can think of, outside of some small gripes over the app/setup around the game and chat balance, and overall low bass is the market placement for these earbuds. At $200 retail price, these will share the same price as the new Pulse Explore PlayStation Earbuds, coming out later this year. It is my understanding that the Pulse earbuds were made in partnership with Audeze and this has me very, very excited. I love their Planar Magnetic driver technology and the Audeze Maxwells are by far, my favorite gaming headset EVER. But for the kicker...and this is what gets me on these INZONE's...unlike the new Pulse earbuds coming out later this year the INZONE's do NOT use the new "Playstation Link' wireless technology. This basically means if, like me, plan on getting the new PlayStation Portal (I have my pre-order in), these INZONE buds will not work on it. You have to get the Pulse earbuds that support the new Link technology. This is a major bummer for me because that means well, given I love Audeze and I want the new Link technology to use with my new Portal in November...I've got to shell out another $200 for those earbuds. Ugh...the market placement and timing on these are just terrible...
So, overall - I'm giving these a 4/5 rating. Given the fact that I had to micromanage and set up the voice/chat game balance in the app and that it wasn't in there by default (which was very confusing when my PS5 prompted me to use the earbuds to adjust, but I couldn't figure out how), the lack of bass in the audio department and just very poor market placement on these earbuds - charging the same price, but not including the Link technology is a real stinker. My suggestion is: If you don't plan on getting the PS Portal at any time or if you do and just don't plan on using earbuds with it, then by all means, get these. I just hate getting the latest and greatest, only for them to feel obsolete in only a few months...
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from SonyListens
Posted .
Hi Namdnas, We're glad that you are enjoying your new INZONE Buds. We also appreciate your detailed review. Experience a world of unparalleled sound precision. The INZONE Buds are meticulously crafted for gamers, with superior sound clarity and long battery life that keeps you playing for hours. Transform every gaming session into an elevated, immersive experience. Thank you for choosing Sony. Erin
Pros mentioned:
Battery life, Comfort, Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Be In The Game!
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Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I’ve owned several types of gaming headsets in the past but I never delved into gaming ear buds. To me, it just didn’t seem ‘natural’ since all my gaming life, I’ve been accustomed to over the ear cups whereas I use earbuds when I’m riding on my skateboard or bike. Let me just say right here that I am now a believer in the gaming ear bud experience and I cannot think of a better way to jump in than with the Inzone Ear Buds.
For a lot of us, gaming is about being immersed into a digital world that allows us to escape from the struggles of the daily life. Whether you are diving your umpteenth match in Call of Duty or taking a moment to marvel at the environments of Assassin’s Creed Mirage, games are escapism. For me, the highlight of this escapism is the sound. Hearing the footsteps of an opponent that is running around upstairs in a Warzone match gives the player an advantage, allowing him or her to plan accordingly. Maybe competitive online gaming isn’t your thing and you like single player games, the sound is just as important to be part of those set pieces.
Set Up:
Typically, when I have unboxed ear buds, there’s substantial battery life to them out of the box. My Inzone Ear Buds needed to be fully charged before I could connect them to my PS5. Once fully charged, I plugged in the USB-C dongle into the front of my PS5 and then I placed the buds into my ears. What was amazing was that there was no complicated set up! My previous wireless headset that also used a Bluetooth dongle, required me to access the system settings, find the headset and allow the PS5 to pair with them. The Inzone Ear Buds just connect without issue. What’s even better is that if I decide to remove the ear buds and want to listen through my soundbar, the Inzone disconnects on its own, allowing my PS5 to switch to the soundbar without requiring me to press the crossbar menu, scrolling over to sound and manually turning off the Bluetooth. I would be amiss if I didn’t appreciate the design of the charging case as it has a slot for the USB dongle which fits between the two buds. This allows you to carrying everything together if you should need to take your Inzone somewhere.
Performance:
Okay, this is where I gush about the sound delivery. As I mentioned earlier, I’ve always used over the ear headsets for gaming and thought I had heard it all. I fired up Mortal Kombat 1 and let me tell you, I could feel that punches, kicks and Scorpion’s “Get Over Here!” in a more pronounced way than I had when using my reputable headset, the day before.
Later, I decided to jump into the Modern Warfare III beta that was taking place over the weekend. Again, I was hearing footsteps, the different types of gunfire and other fun chaos that comes with playing Call of Duty. Muting my mic was easy as all I needed to do was tap on the left ear bud briefly and the mic muted.
But the game that really exemplified the Inzone performance was Lords of the Fallen. Every drop of rain slamming against a brick wall, every groan from an enemy that thinks it’s cleverly hidden around the corner, and the howling winds as you push forward through a broken corridor are poured into your ears that doesn’t overwhelm the player.
The Inzone Ear Buds really embrace the PS5 3D audio in a way that I haven’t experienced with over the ear headsets. I cannot wait to use these when playing the upcoming Spider-Man 2 game!
Comfort:
I should also mention how comfortable these earbuds are. It comes with several ear tip sizes that fit comfortably into your ear. I need to also mention how comfortable these ear buds are. I’ve worn them for several hours and not once did I experience any discomfort. I’ll admit, it felt weird not having an actual headset resting over my head and ears. And if you wear glasses (standard or gaming) then you will definitely love that there’s no pinching or having to carefully slide the glasses between your head and a headset. The earbuds don’t get in the way.
Customize:
You can customize your Inzone experience but currently, you can only customize via your PC by going to the Inzone HUB and downloading the app. It’s easy to navigate. Even without having access to the Inzone HUB, the sound performance is INCREDIBLE!
Speaking of PC, you can use these if you’re a PC gaming. All you have to do is switch the dongle to PC instead of PS5 and you’re good to go.
Do they work on other devices? The Inzone Buds work with devices that allow a USB-C dongle to be plugged it. They don’t work on their own with devices like my iPhone 14.
No Regrets:
These earbuds are amazing and if there are other gaming earbud competitors, then they have their work cut out for them. I would even say that over the ear headsets should be looking over their shoulders.
You will not regret getting these gaming earbuds.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from SonyListens
Posted .
Hi Acadius, We appreciate your detailed review. We are glad that you are enjoying your Inzone Buds. Experience a world of unparalleled sound precision. The INZONE Buds are meticulously crafted for gamers, with superior sound clarity and long battery life that keeps you playing for hours. Transform every gaming session into an elevated, immersive experience. Thank you for choosing Sony. Erin