Sony announces new native 4k laser projector duo

Sony has announced two new native 4k SXRD laser home projectors, the VPL-XW7000ES and VPL-XW5000ES.

The pair boast the world’s smallest native 4k SXRD 0.61-inch panel (3840 x 2160), with a new reflective silicon layer that provides better light control for shadows and blacks, and improved light durability. The also boast new wide dynamic range optics, with Triluminous Pro processing said to deliver 95 per cent of the DCI-P3 colour gamut.

Handling image duties is Sony’s X1 Ultimate for projector picture processor, with Object-based Super Resolution and Dynamic HDR Enhancer.

Enabled by the processing power of the X1 Ultimate processor, the Dynamic HDR Enhancer makes HDR bright scenes brighter and the dark scenes darker. Much like the technology seen on Bravia TVs, Object-based HDR remaster allows for real-time picture processing that analyses objects of each frame.

The VPL-XW7000ES and VPL-XW5000ES replace all lamp-based home theatre projectors as well as the VPL-VW790ES. The VPL-VW890ES, VPL-VW5000ES and VPL-GTZ380 remain in the range.

The VPL-XW7000ES is the brighter of the two models, rated at 3,200 lumens. A Live Colour Enhancer ensures vivid image delivery even in bright home living spaces, making it particularly suitable for sports and gaming in a media room setting.

The VPL-XW7000ES also introduces a new Advanced Crisp Focus (ACF) lens with a 70mm aspherical front lens providing a wider 4K-level focus area, and stable image performance from corner to corner. Extra low dispersion glass is used to reproduce the crisp images without colour deviation.

The VPL-XW5000ES is a 2,000lm laser model, which is said to deliver higher contrast and resolution with a 30 per cent reduction in power consumption per lumen. It also offers object-based HDR remastering. It’s probably more suitable for light controlled home cinema rooms.

“We have been delivering the highest quality projectors for our customers to enjoy immersive entertainment experiences for 50 years this year, and our Native 4k SXRD projectors have been market leading in providing these experiences for over a decade,” said Christopher Mullins, Home Cinema Product Manager for Sony Professional Displays & Solutions.

“We are so excited to bring the world’s most compact and high brightness laser projectors to our customers, with a sophisticated new design that blends with many home environments and enables more flexibility for use in dedicated rooms as well as media or living rooms with ambient lighting. These new models show our continued commitment to developing products that provide extraordinary viewing experiences whilst delivering more value to the consumer with each generation”.

The two new models should also be a better fit when it comes to residential installations. A chassis design rethink means the VPL-XW7000ES is 20 per cent smaller in size and 30 per cent lighter in weight than the VPL-VW790ES, while the VPL-XW5000ES is 30 per cent smaller in size and 35 per cent lighter.

As with the model’s predecessors, these new projectors also feature an input lag reduction mode, able to support a 2k 120Hz input with a claimed 13ms lag.

The VPL-XW7000ES will sell for £14,999, and the VPL-XW5000ES £5,999. Expect the new models to launch Summer 2022.