Samsung
Samsung The Freestyle 2nd Gen
$799Cheaper
Released 2023-08
Best Projectors · head-to-head
Samsung The Freestyle 2nd Gen vs Sony VPL-XW5000ES
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Samsung The Freestyle 2nd Gen is cheaper at $799. Every spec and price links to its source.
Sony
Sony VPL-XW5000ES
$5999
Released 2022-08
Which is better: the Samsung The Freestyle 2nd Gen or Sony VPL-XW5000ES?
On the specs we track, they're closely matched. The Samsung The Freestyle 2nd Gen is the cheaper at $799.
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Full spec sheet
✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| Spec | Samsung The Freestyle 2nd Gen | Sony VPL-XW5000ES |
|---|---|---|
| US price | $799 | $5999 |
| Brand | Samsung | Sony |
| Released | 2023-08 | 2022-08 |
| Resolution | 1920x1080 | 3840x2160 |
| Brightness lumens | 230 | 2000 |
| Light source | LED | laser phosphor |
| Throw type | portable | standard |
| Smart OS | Tizen | — |
| Contrast ratio | 100000 | — |
| HDR | HDR10+ | HDR10 |
| Release | 2023-08 | 2022-08 |
Sources — Samsung The Freestyle 2nd Gen: projectorcentral.com (verified 2026-06-15). Sony VPL-XW5000ES: projectorcentral.com (verified 2026-06-15).
What's the difference between the Samsung The Freestyle 2nd Gen and Sony VPL-XW5000ES?
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (5 of 7). Matching specs are omitted.
- Resolution: Samsung The Freestyle 2nd Gen 1920x1080 vs Sony VPL-XW5000ES 3840x2160
- Brightness lumens: Samsung The Freestyle 2nd Gen 230 vs Sony VPL-XW5000ES 2000
- Light source: Samsung The Freestyle 2nd Gen LED vs Sony VPL-XW5000ES laser phosphor
- Throw type: Samsung The Freestyle 2nd Gen portable vs Sony VPL-XW5000ES standard
- HDR: Samsung The Freestyle 2nd Gen HDR10+ vs Sony VPL-XW5000ES HDR10
What reviewers say
Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.
Samsung The Freestyle 2nd Gen
Two whitelisted outlets cover this exact model. TechRadar lab-measured the projector and praises its compact design, Tizen streaming and built-in Gaming Hub while flagging weak brightness (6.6-7.3 nits on a 100-inch screen) and its single micro-HDMI port. What Hi-Fi's IFA 2023 hands-on was positive on portability and picture detail but was explicitly unmeasured and could not judge black levels or contrast. (2 sourced reviews, 1 lab-tested.)
Praised: Compact, versatile, portable design; Strong streaming (Tizen) and cloud Gaming Hub features.
Flagged: Limited brightness / dim image on large screens; Pricey and only micro-HDMI for external connections.
Sony VPL-XW5000ES
Two whitelisted testers cover this exact model: Projector Central lab-measured it (brightness, input lag, gamut, fan noise), and What Hi-Fi did a hands-on review. Both call it the cheapest true native 4K laser projector and praise its sharpness, black levels and X1 Ultimate processing. Both flag the imprecise non-motorized lens, the lack of HDR10+ and no 4K/120 gaming. RTINGS and other whitelisted outlets were not found for this model. (2 sourced reviews, 1 lab-tested.)
Praised: Stunning native 4K detail and sharpness (aided by Reality Creation); Excellent, deep, neutrally-toned black levels and contrast for the price; X1 Ultimate processor delivers class-leading picture processing and motion handling.
Flagged: Poor, imprecise non-motorized manual lens controls; No HDR10+ or Dolby Vision support; HDMI 2.0 only; no 4K/120Hz gaming support.