Sony VPL-XW5000 review: Sony’s most affordable 4K Ultra HD projector goes laser

The Sony XW5000 gets a new chassis that’s slightly more compact than the VW290ES, but above all 30% less bulky than the VW790ES (Sony’s previous laser model), while being 35% lighter. The VPL-XW5000 uses a laser light source that delivers 2000 lumens and a 54mm diameter aspherical optic (one in resin and nine in glass) with 10 elements for a ratio of 1:1.38 to 1:2.21. This model loses Lens shift and the motorized zoom of the VW290ES. The first is ±71% vertically and ±25% horizontally, like a 1.6x zoom, but you have to use the wheels on the chassis.

The previous models’ 0.73-inch SXRD chip, which displays a 4K cinematic definition of 4096 x 2160 pixels, has been replaced by a new, slightly smaller 0.61-inch SXRD chip, which includes native Ultra HD with a definition of 3840 x 2160 pixels. To fit perfectly with current Ultra HD content.

The Sony XW5000 is one of the very few projectors to have a native 4K Ultra HD chip. In fact, like Ultra HD DLP projectors Samsung The Premier (LSP9T) And this Wawa 4K UST Laser ProjectorIn our testing, either a 0.47-inch or a 0.66-inch DLP chip displays a native definition of 1920 x 1080 pixels. wobble 240Hz or 120Hz to display an Ultra HD image at 60Hz.

The Sony XW5000 uses the Sony X1 Ultimate video processor from Bravia TVs in a version optimized for video projectors. This processor is 2.8 times more powerful than the X1 in previous models, and allows high-performance image processing at several levels: noise reduction and scaling from the objects database, but also sharpness compensation in the corners of the image (digital focus optimizer) ) and optimization of HDR content.

The Sony VPL-XW5000 sells for around €6000 with a standard warranty of three years or 7000 hours of operation (three years at 6h 30min/day). The Sony VPL-VW290ES Currently sold for less than 4000 €; It was launched in 2020 at 5500 € and has become the cheapest SXRD 4K model in Sony at the moment.