Sharing the design of its high-end wireless sibling, the InZone H9, the meat-and-potatoes $100 InZone H3 also comes from Sony’s new PC gaming line, where PC takes priority and PlayStation takes the backseat. It shares some of the best aspects of the H9, including the exceptionally comfortable design, a high-quality mic and effective spatial audio that can be customized to your ears, and it works with the PS5’s Tempest 3D audio technology.
Like
- Really comfortable, even with glasses
- Very warm-sounding mic
Don’t Like
- No analog splitter included
- Analog volume is independent of system volume
The headset connects either with a short analog cable via a 3.5mm jack to a PC or controller or via USB to a PC or the USB port on the PS5.
The flip-up mic rotates elegantly.
Lori Grunin/CNETAs you’d expect, it has a pared-down feature set compared to the H9. In addition to the spatial audio customization, it has the same dynamic range control, mic and mic sidetone and EQ presets. The mic sounds equally good, though it could also use a foam filter, and the lack of noise cancellation screams, “Back away from the mechanical keyboard.”
The nylon on the ear padding means the headset can slide a little, but overall it stays cool, and the headset is otherwise as comfortable as the H9’s. It does mean that the earcups don’t naturally block as much sound.
The audio sounds good with nice separation. It’s too bad I tested it right after the H9, because it can’t help but pale in comparison; it can get louder, but it clearly has a narrower soundstage. It nevertheless stands up well in its peer group. Over the analog connection you lose some bass compared with via the USB, partly because you can’t use the equalizer in the software.
It definitely gets loud, but strangely the volume is disconnected from the system volume. When the system is at the max, you can still go louder using the on-ear volume dial. (It goes to 11!) I couldn’t hear any distortion on the highs or lows, though.
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The headset definitely looks different than much of its sub-$100 competitors, and not just because of the PS5-matching materials. Where most of those are all strong angles and flashing lights, the H3s look more like traditional headphones, albeit a bit more bulbous. Depending upon your tastes, that might be a big point in their favor.
The InZone H3 is a nice little gaming headset. Probably not the best in class, but definitely worth a look, especially for the mic and comfort level.
