Sony has announced two new Native 4K SXRD Laser Home projectors, with the world’s smallest panel enabling it to deliver high quality performance in a rather less conspicuous package.
At the heart of this slimline design is the 0.61-inch Native 4K SXRD panel. It enables the VPL-XW7000ES to check in 20% smaller and 30% lighter than the VPL-VW790ES, which these new models will be replacing in Sony’s projector range (along with all other lamp-based home cinema projectors). The VPL-XW5000ES fares even better, with it being 30% smaller and 35% lighter, to officially take home the crown of the world’s most compact projector of its kind.
The models feature the likes of Triluminous Pro and Sony’s X1 Ultimate processor based on the same technologies used in its Bravia TV series but optimised for projectors. The benefits include the likes of Dynamic HDR Enhancer and Object-based Super Resolution to broaden the dynamics and increase clarity. The result is a pair of projectors “delivering the best in class, high-quality picture, vivid imagery and an exceptional immersive experience, even in ambient lighting.”
The VPL-XW7000ES is very much the leading light of the duo, boasting 3,200lm of brightness, along with more of Sony’s latest innovative technologies, such as Live Colour Enhancer, a new 70mm Advanced Crisp Focus (ACF) lens, and wide dynamic range optics. The VPL-XW5000ES comes in at 2,000lm, and a significantly lower price tag, plus a 30% reduction in power consumption per lumen. Among a long list of additional features, both models come with an input lag reduction mode, which is great for gamers with the projectors supporting 2K at 120Hz with 13ms of input lag.
It’s all a far cry from when Sony launched its very first video projection system back in 1972, leading up to the likes of its flagship VPL-GTZ380 released last year, with Christopher Mullins, home cinema product manager for Sony Professional Displays & Solutions, stating: “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.
“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 Sony VPL-XW7000ES is priced at £14,999, with the VPL-XW5000ES at £5,999. You can get the full list of specifications and more by heading to the Sony ‘Pro’ website. If these new arrivals can deliver on the promised performance, then there could well be a many a good home for them in the months ahead. Let us know what you think in the forums — does the price match the potential?
SOURCE: Sony (via press release)
IMAGES: Sony
