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The Sony VPL-XW5000ES-B is an ideal home theater projector that’s excellent for hassle-free movie-watching at home. However, it doesn’t support 3D content and cannot render HDR10+ content.
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Table of Contents
Product Snapshot
Overview
First announced in 2022, the Sony VPL-XW5000ES is an entry-level home theater projector designed to deliver a native 4K image with no rainbow artifacts, the short throw projector has a 1,598-lumen brightness rating for SDR content, placing it in the top half of its category. It has a native contrast ratio of 20,000:1, and even though it lacks digital keystone correction like other top-end projectors, the XW5000ES still shines with dual HDMI ports and an infinity-to-one dynamic contrast ratio.
It also supports 4K signals at a 60Hz refresh rate and 2K signals at 120Hz, and its mechanical lens shift allows for both vertical (71%) and horizontal (25%) adjustments. The projector can also upscale HD content to 4K and has a throw ratio of 1.38:1 to 2.21:1, which translates to a maximum throw distance of 20.1”.
The Sony VPL-XWW5000ES-B is a true 4K home theater projector that comes with accurate color calibration out-of-the-box courtesy of its 81.725% coverage of the DCI-P3 scale. Its installation will require more involvement than most due to its mechanical lens shift and zoom functions, but the menu system is easy to navigate, and its 2000-lumen light output delivers strong picture quality.
The projector uses a laser light source with a 20,000-hour service life (check out our guide on laser vs. LED projectors), and it has a 20,000:1 contrast ratio for deep blacks and good shadow detail. The size of its projected image can also vary from 40 to 200 inches. Unfortunately, the projector doesn’t offer any 3D support or HDMI 2.1 ports for modern console gaming. It also cannot render HDR10+ content.
ReasonS to Buy
Great brightness rating
The Sony VPL-XW5000ES-B is an impressive home theater projector with a 1,598-lumen brightness rating for SDR content that places it in the top half of its category.
Images maintain good clarity even when viewed in a decently lit environment.
Good image quality
The Sony VPL-XW5000ES-B delivers an impressive image pre-calibration, courtesy of a 20,000:1 contrast ratio and good color accuracy with its 81.725% coverage of the DCI P3 color scale.
In this regard, it sits within the top 30% on our list of certified tested projectors.
Low input lag
The Sony VPL-XW5000ES has a 27.9ms input lag that places it in the top 50% of our certified, tested list, but this can be brought down to under 21ms through the projector’s Input Lag Reduction setting.
Reason to Avoid
Cannot render HDR10+ content
The Sony VPL-WX5000ES-B cannot render HDR10+ content.
No HDMI 2.1 ports
The XW5000ES doesn’t have HDMI 2.1 ports, and this limits connectivity to modern gaming consoles such as the PS5 and Xbox X Series.
Sony VPL-XW5000ES-B Specs
3D Ready
No
Aspect Ratio
16:9
Brightness
2000 Lumens
Contrast Ratio
∞:1
Depth
18.59"
Digital Keystone
No
Display Technology
SXRD
HDR
HDR10, Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG)
Height
7.9"
Integrated Speakers
No
Light Source
Laser
Light Source Life
20000 hrs
Max Distance
26.52"
Max Screen Size
n/a
Min Distance
16.56"
Min Screen Size
n/a
No
–
Noise Level
24 dB
Portable
No
Refresh Rate
60 Hz
Resolution
3840 x 2160 (4k)
Smart Functionality
No
Sync Technology
No
TV Tuner
No
ThrowType
Standard Throw
Video Inputs
HDMI 2.0
Weight
28 lbs
Width
18.5"
All Specs
Test Results
These are the most important criteria to test for Projectors based on our comprehensive Testing Methodology.
SDR Brightness (nits)
273.4352
HDR Brightness (nits)
273.2288
SDR Brightness (Lumens)
1,598
HDR Brightness (Lumens)
0
SDR Color Temperature (K)
0
HDR Color Temperature (K)
0
Contrast Ratio (x:y)
8,703.1
Color Gamut % (DCI P3 uv)
81.725
Color Gamut % (Rec. 709)
120.7
Color Gamut % (Rec. 2020)
54.7
Color Gamut % (BT.2020)
0
Color Gamut % (BT. 709)
0
Input Lag (ms)
27.9
All Tests
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First announced in 2022, the Sony VPL-XW5000ES is an entry-level home theater projector designed to deliver a native 4K image with no rainbow artifacts, the…
First announced in 2022, the Sony VPL-XW5000ES is an entry-level home theater projector designed to deliver a native 4K image with no rainbow artifacts, the short throw projector has a 1,598-lumen brightness rating for SDR content, placing it in the top half of its category. It has a native contrast ratio of 20,000:1, and even though it lacks digital keystone correction like other top-end projectors, the XW5000ES still shines with dual HDMI ports and an infinity-to-one dynamic contrast ratio.
It also supports 4K signals at a 60Hz refresh rate and 2K signals at 120Hz, and its mechanical lens shift allows for both vertical (71%) and horizontal (25%) adjustments. The projector can also upscale HD content to 4K and has a throw ratio of 1.38:1 to 2.21:1, which translates to a maximum throw distance of 20.1”.
The Sony VPL-XW5000ES has a higher 4K native resolution, which gives it a slight edge over the Sony VPL-PHZ61, which is rated at 1080p. The…
The Sony VPL-XW5000ES has a higher 4K native resolution, which gives it a slight edge over the Sony VPL-PHZ61, which is rated at 1080p. The XW5000ES also has an infinity-to-one contrast ratio that is much better than the PHZ61’s 500000:1 contrast ratio. However, the PHZ61 has a much larger 600” projection size compared to the XW5000ES’s 200” limit. Here’s our Sony VPL PHZ61 review if you’d like to learn more about it.
With a 1,598-lumen brightness rating, the Sony VPL XW5000ES fails to get significantly brighter than the JVC DLA-RS1100, rated at 1900 lumens. However, the JVC…
With a 1,598-lumen brightness rating, the Sony VPL XW5000ES fails to get significantly brighter than the JVC DLA-RS1100, rated at 1900 lumens. However, the JVC projector supports HDR10 and HDR10+ formats, which the Sony projector does not. If you want to see what else it has in store, feel free to review our JVC DLA RS1100 review.
In terms of size, the Sony VPL-XW5000ES is more compact and lightweight compared to the JVC DLA-NZ8, but the JVC projector offers a brighter light…
In terms of size, the Sony VPL-XW5000ES is more compact and lightweight compared to the JVC DLA-NZ8, but the JVC projector offers a brighter light output of 2500 lumens compared to the Sony projector, with a brightness output of 1,598 lumens. The JVC projector also has a higher native contrast ratio of 80,000:1 compared to the Sony projector, with a native ratio of 20,000:1.
