Customer Ratings & Reviews

I’ve had my Sony XW5000ES for 2 weeks now. After watching plenty of content both streaming and disc & comparing with my old Sony HW40ES, I’m very happy with this new projector. 4K content looks fantastic. Upscaled by the 5000, HD content looks amazing. It's a major improvement over my old projector. Black level, accurate detailed color, and overall picture quality all look fantastic. To really appreciate what this projector is capable of you will want to consider a 4K UHD disc player. But even if you just stick to streaming & Blu-ray’s, you will not be disappointed. Everything just looks so much better on this projector. Yes. Blacks are much darker than my previous projector, but the bright highlights and rich color? WOW!! That’s where the 5000 clearly shines. Another thing I really appreciate about the 5000 is how it handles gradients. My old projector had only 8-bit color depth which looked great 90% of the time until a scene came along with lots of gradients and then the 8-bit color-depth limitation reared its ugly head showing gradient-banding. Ahh, but the XW5000 gradients are as smooth as butter. HDR content is handled very well on the 5000. I’m quite relieved about that after hearing stories saying HDR looks too dark on projectors. I’m continually impressed how well the 5000 pushes plenty of light where the image calls for it while remaining dark in the same frame for the dark areas of the frame. Sony’s image-processing and its solid consistent “out of the box” calibration are why many people choose Sony projectors. You can select any of the pre-calibrated setting buttons to your liking and your set to go. I prefer “Reference” in my pitch black theater room, but if you have a little ambient light, you might prefer the Cine-Bright button for a bright calibrated image. For those of us who like to dial in the picture even further, Sony has you covered. All the familiar Sony menu settings are here with a few extras that give you plenty of room to make adjustments. Performance: After careful examination, I did not find any focus issues or streaking issues. The sharpness and clarity look great. Using test patterns and white movie titles on black background. Small-print end-credits look sharp and consistent across the screen with excellent black-level and crisp white text. The big selling point will be the laser light engine. This means no more lamp replacements for the life of the projector. That's big! The OEM replacement lamps are expensive and lose brightness fairly quickly. The XW5000 laser light engine is rated at 20,000 hours which may outlive the projector itself. If you watched 1 movie every day, the light-engine would last 27 years. Yikes! I’ll be ready to upgrade long before then :) ================ PROS: * True Native 4K * Tight sharp image with good black level. * Sony’s “X1 Ultimate Processor for Projectors” * Excellent and consistent “Out of the box calibration” * Brilliant specular highlights * Rich full 10bit color * Impressive HDR for a projector. * Laser light engine means no more lamps. * Smaller shell compared to last year's model. ================== CONS: * Fan-Noise. Louder than expected compared to the whisper of my old Sony VPL-HW40ES. Noise Level is not terrible, just noticeably louder. You can reduce fan noise by lowering the laser light output level to 50 with very little loss of light but a big drop in fan-noise. I personally set the laser where I want it and I’m already not noticing the fan when watching movies. I should also point out that my old 40ES kicked out some serious heat, but putting your hand near the exhaust of the 5000 is lukewarm at the most. * No 3D at all on the XW5000. I'm sad about that since I have a dozen 3D movies. But I understand Sony had to cut it to reach this price point. If 3D is a deal breaker for you, then you need to jump up to the XW6000. * Manual lens (focus, shift, zoom). For me it's no big deal. “Set it and forget it” and it's exactly the same as my HW40ES and I’m perfectly happy with the manual lens. Cut from the list to reach this price point. ===================== Sony’s cost cutting measures on the 5000 make total sense in my opinion and were absolutely the right call. The 5000 is the most affordable premium native 4K laser projector on the market today. Upgrading to the XW6000 at double the cost of the 5000 gets you a motorized-lens, a better lens, 3-D option, and an extra 500 lumens of brightness. ==================== Conclusion: The Sony VPL-XW5000ES is an excellent projector at an attractive price point. I suspect the 5000 will be very successful for Sony and I look forward to future models at this level from Sony. The attached screenshots are intended to show how the XW5000 handles some challenging images.

I had been looking to upgrade from my old 1,000 lumen 1080p to a laser 4k. This one went on sale, I read many reviews and then hit the stupid button. The price was still on the ridiculous side but it is sooooo nice. It's probably more projector than I can fully appreciate but the brightness and clarity is just superlative. One of the regular complaints about earlier 4k units was their inability to successfully upscale lesser content. With this unit I'm watching 720p broadcast TV and it's much better than on the old projector. 4k streaming content is crisp as can be. It's about twice the size and weight of my old one but still within the specs of my ceiling mount. The manual lens adjustment is kind of clunky but once you have it where and how you want it you won't be messing it with it much. I hear the cooling fan if the room is quiet but once the program starts I never notice it. I can see it just fine in the daylight but since the blackest black is the blackest part of my white screen, it still pays to pull the drapes. I'm gradually getting over the dent to my wallet and the enjoyment just gets better and better.

Was looking for a projector that could really give a wow factor when you saw the picture and this one sure reaches that bar. Has great color and brightness with deep blacks. The settings to customize the picture are very extensive and with 9 presets i can get things to look how I want for any situation. The response time when you turn on the setting to reduce input lag is perfect for gaming which I’ve been doing a lot of since getting it. Only complaint is with the manual lens shifting but that isn’t a huge deal. Right now I am using it on a 120in screen.

The Sony VPLXW5000ES 4K HDR Laser Home Theater Projector has truly revolutionized the way we experience movies and other forms of visual media in the comfort of our homes. With its Native 4K SXRD Panel and sleek black design, this projector is a brilliant addition to any home theater setup. However, there is one small drawback that potential buyers should be aware of - manual screen adjustments. Visual Quality: The VPLXW5000ES offers stunning visuals with its 4K HDR laser technology. The image quality is incredibly sharp and vibrant, ensuring that even the most minute details are visible on the screen. The colors are true to life and provide a level of realism that is truly unparalleled in the world of home theater projectors. Manual Screen Adjustments: While the projector itself is fantastic, one area that could use improvement is the manual screen adjustments. The VPLXW5000ES does not have automatic keystone correction or lens shift, which means that you'll need to manually adjust the screen for the best picture quality. This can be a bit time-consuming and may be inconvenient for some users, particularly those who are not tech-savvy. Stabilizer Recommendation: Due to the aforementioned issue with manual screen adjustments, it is recommended to install the VPLXW5000ES with a stabilizer. This will help to ensure that the projector remains steady and properly aligned, minimizing the need for frequent adjustments and allowing you to fully enjoy your viewing experience. Overall Experience: Despite the minor issue with manual screen adjustments, the Sony VPLXW5000ES 4K HDR Laser Home Theater Projector is a fantastic and high-quality piece of equipment that will truly elevate your home theater experience. Its 4K resolution and laser technology provide an unrivaled visual experience that is sure to impress even the most discerning viewers. With the addition of a stabilizer, this projector becomes an even better investment and one that is highly recommended for any home theater enthusiast.

I while I had The W5000, I was running a huge image on my wall - from 180” diagonal to over 200” for widescreen films. Looked really fantastic. Nice think about the Sony projectors is that they actually deliver the rated lumens even in a calibrated mode, unlike JVC, etc. While I did end up returning the W5000 and getting a W6000, I did like the 5000 for what it did. The lens in the w5000 isn’t very sharp, so Sony cranks up the reality creation to get better sharpness of of this unit. The lens in the w6000 is quite a bit sharper (which it should at double the price) and can run with no reality creation, or at much lower settings, making for a considerably cleaner image. It looks amazing on SDR material, but Sony’s tone mapping for HDR on the 5000/6000 leaves much to be desired. Highlights looks great but often images are way too dark otherwise. Please Sony, offer some firmware updates that help with HDR.

I've been looking for a projector for a while to replace my OLD epson projector but always ended up waiting. When this went on sale I decided to buy and I'm glad I did. The picture this projector puts out is onpar with some of the better flat screens. The colors pop off the screen snd the black levels are excellent. The HDR that its its able to produce is also impressive. Im using a 120" screen and the detail from 15ft away is incredible. As impressive as this projector is its hard to believe this is the entry model from Sony

I replaced a 7yr old Sony 1080P projector which still had a great picture. I’m blown away at how much better 4K looks on 135 inch screen. It’s fun to rewatch older titles now in 4K and in HDR. I had to replace my HDMI cable with an upgraded cable but, otherwise, it was a direct replacement with the older model. If I had anything to nitpick on, it can seem a little dim at times during dark scenes but the contrast in the brighter scenes really makes up for it.

Awesome projector very good quality good black detail I am very happy with this projector The only thing is not 3-D compatible and you have to adjust the Lens manually but your adjusted only one time.

I used before 3 digit cost projector after my own house & special theater room I bought Sony VPLXW5000ES 4K UHD Laser Home Theater Projector with Native 4K SXRD Panel | 2000 Lumens - Black with $1000 offer price. After 2 months I’m leaving here review. It is very satisfying with movies especially in busy time we are not going to watch movies in theaters but now very happy with is IMAX quality projector. Right now it is much enough for my budget. Right now I’m using on white wall not screen. And, nobody explain regarding sound related thing that is can we have must receiver with high quality speakers? No need I’m using Sony soundbar which is cheaper one via Bluetooth. Now I bought Nacamichi 9.4.2 with this I feel like in movie theater. In future I’ll plan to buy next generation Sony projector. Tq

Great projector! Getting the picture lined with our screen was a little hard but once we got that it looks great.

Sony is the best projector ever. Stunning colors and easy to use.

This is such a great projector, I had a EPSON 1080p projector from 2016, was waiting to upgrade ever since I made dedicated home theater room, feel like I am watching a big mac screen, its is easy to install and calibrate. Would definately recommend if you love watching movies and spending time in theater room, will recommend a darker room.

Best projector to own! Excellent picture quality. Easy install! Little heavy so need to get mount that handles projector weight

Crisp picture, great lines. Excellent color variation. Super happy w it!

Definitely worth the wait, put it up a week ago and haven't even put it through the motions yet...next step is ordering some UHD discs so I can test on my new Panasonic UB9000

This, my fourth Sony projector, hits it out of the ballpark. Amazing picture, amazing. I replaced my recently acquired 525es with this beauty and I'm amazed at the picture quality. This projector is an improvement over my 525es by about 35%. Well worth the money. I think that at this price point Sony is just giving this projector away to once and for all capture the mid-level home projector market. Hands down, you couldn't possibly do better. This unit is quiet and it is cool, something that was a major point of concern with my 525es. The 525 used to run hot because of the demand on the lamp. Well, we have a laser engine here. The 5000ES is about half the weight of the 525ES. Easy to set up, easy. There isn't too much calibrating to be done here. This is an out-of-the-box kind of deal. The picture setting, by factory default, is at mid-levels. So, all you need to do is tweek those levels to your liking. The only thing that I found to be better with the 525ES is the size of the picture. Given the exact same room and conditions, the 525ES produced a larger picture by about 10%. The bottom line, run, don't walk.

I have used projectors for years now I have had some pretty lame projectors but the last one I bought last year is the best one ever. Super bright lazier projector and right out of the box amazing picture. My last projector was a bulb and it was amazing when the bulb was new but it faded over time it was a long time I was going to buy my third bulb and I thought no more $800 bulbs the stars must have been aligned because there was a sale 1k off even my wife approved of the purchase That in itself is amazing it has been over a year now and it’s still amazing and I still haven’t touched the settings except to set the necessary things. It doesn’t get much better than that. That’s why I buy Sony and shop at Bust Buy for a perfect buying experience.

The 5000ES may be the perfect projector for an in-home media room. The install, by Best Buy, was seamless and every feature worked correctly the first time. The picture is simply amazing even on an older screen. The Black Friday sale made this s no brainer over the Epson 1100 but in retrospect, I would have paid full price for the Sony.

We had a Epson 5040UB (4K enhancement projector) for 5 years and was an amazing projector for the money. We upgraded to the Sony VPL-325ES (Native 4K projector) was blown away with the overall picture performance and HDR content recreation. When we saw the VPL-XW5000ES show up in the online store we gave it a shot and was even more impressed. All I can say is the contrast is even deeper for more realism, HDR content is out of this world. Sony had to make some decision to get this much performance at this price point. I think the decisions were spot on as the X1 Ultimate for Projector, laser light source, new SXRD chips, manual lens, and overall build-up quality is superb. For this projector, make sure it's in a dedicated room with exacting light control. I'm sure the VPL-XW6000ES must be amazing with the better lens yet the VPL-XW5000ES at $6,000 is a bargain. Enjoy!

I replaced a Panasonic PT AU4000. The Panasonic is/was a great machine. This one however BLOWS IT AWAY. If you are looking for a native 4k projector under $5k this is the one. Honestly it's stunning. I'm a DIY person. Easy ceiling mount and even easier settings adjustments. The 4k content is STUNNING!!! HD content is way better than my old Panasonic which is to be expected but WOW. I love this projector at the price point. You won't be disappointed. I'm using a 110" screen at the closest throw distance. It's bright. Colors are beautiful and black levels are amazing.