Review on Sony INZONE Gaming Monitor Dimming 27", 144Hz, HDR, SDMU27M90, HD by Chris Woods

I consider myself a very tech savvy person and to be honest this monitor just wasn't for me. I've had many Sony TVs but never a gaming monitor. I usually prefer brands like Acer, MSI, ROG Strix because they can offer 240Hz. For competitive games, 240 Hz is preferred; However, a 144Hz monitor can be just as good if it delivers a consistent 1ms response time. However since this is reporting 1ms G2G I decided to give it a try! SONY INZONE It's pretty easy to set up. What surprised me is that this monitor lacks detailed instructions. Other high-end monitors in this price range usually come with instructions that not only tell you how to assemble them, but also how to get the video quality you want. Neither the Sony website nor the monitor indicate that you need to turn off the ECO settings to use some features. I would suggest putting this information in a brochure or website in the future. Installation was pretty easy, I don't really like the stand that comes with it as it's very bulky but it slides up and down nicely with a kind of push. He holds firmly to the table, doesn't swing; but the stand is VERY wide and it is inconvenient to put it on the table. I understand that Sony wanted to make a modern design, but ergonomically it's not comfortable. If you work with a PC, use the VESA mount as this monitor is bulky. SETUP With experience in this area, I hooked up a DPI cable and was able to get 144Hz readings on my Nvidia graphics card. With ECO off, I enabled screen reading for response time and got a crisp 1ms on my screen! I really liked that it has many features for the grid, like dots, crosshairs, etc. It's good if you're into FPS and need training wheels! Video quality was clear and vibrant, and games looked great on Steam after many tweaks. There are so many settings you can change including the color scheme! I haven't been able to use this feature successfully and haven't found anything online about how to set it up. This is another shortcoming that Sony needs to address. What use are functions if you can't use them? FINAL THOUGHTS To be honest I find this monitor to be above average at best. I love that it's advertised with features everyone needs; but I haven't had the same experience as using BenQ or MSI. When investing in a monitor at this price point, there shouldn't be any gray areas when using the product. In my opinion, this product lacks that. There is nothing that excites me about this monitor. It takes up a lot of space and is heavy for a VESA mount. APP You can use the INZONE app to manage features, but in my opinion some features work best with a native product. If you stream or use Twitch, OBS; Having to go to multiple places to adjust video settings is a nightmare. If you want to use GSYNC, NVIDIA or multiple monitors; This may not be the monitor for you. When it comes to streaming, even the smallest "Microsoft update" can break your settings. If you only use 1 monitor, then this monitor will definitely suit you! It has a beautiful color palette and a phenomenal 4K video screen. 4K doesn't look as good as my 5K iMac screen, but for PC and gaming it's the best option. If you play exclusively on console, this might work for you (although there are cheaper options). If you have 2-3 monitors set up, stream to Twitch, OBS or another platform; than it may not be for you!