Sony VPL-XW5000ES: price, specs & release date

Projector Central lab-tested · 2022-07-05

Peak brightness (Bright Cinema, Custom 5 CT): 2,146 ANSI lumens · Brightness (Reference mode): 1,591 ANSI lumens · Brightness (Bright Cinema, default D75 CT): 1,602 ANSI lumens · Input lag 4K/60 (Game mode, Input Lag Reduction on): 19.6 ms · Input lag 1080p/120: 11.9 ms · Input lag 1080p/60: 27.7 ms · Input lag 4K/60 (Input Lag Reduction off): 71.9 ms · DCI-P3 gamut coverage (Reference HDR, Rec.2020): 80.9% · DCI-P3 gamut coverage (Bright TV, Color Space 2): 84.3% · Peak white luminance (out-of-box Reference, 1.3-gain 100-in screen): 67.0 ft-L · Peak white luminance (post-calibration): 31.6 ft-L (108 nits) · Brightness uniformity (widest zoom): 86.7% · Zoom lens light loss (wide to telephoto): 14.1% · Fan noise (real-world, Laser Output default 80): 31.4 dBA · Fan noise (real-world, Laser Output max): 32.3 dBA · Post-cal grayscale average deltaE (SDR Reference): 1.0

the $5,999 XW5000ES now becomes the least expensive, true native 4K laser projector on the market

particularly with its non-motorized, less-than-stellar lens, which is hard to see as anything but a serious cut corner in this otherwise premium projector

Sony's advanced image processing, as executed by the X1 Ultimate for Projector processor and carried down here through the new line from the GTZ380 flagship, is what really makes this projector sing and deliver some absolutely spectacular images

What Hi-Fi hands-on · 2025-10-16

Despite being Sony's cheapest 4K laser projector, the XW5000ES still delivers gorgeously cinematic and detailed pictures

The step up it delivers over the already impressive VW290ES is so substantial that it redefines projector expectations at its price

its twin HDMI ports are still limited to 18Gbps bandwidths, which means they still don't provide support for the 4K at 120Hz graphics now available from the PS5