In recent years, laser projectors have taken the home theater scene by storm, revolutionizing the way we experience movies at home. These cutting-edge devices are celebrated for their dazzling brightness, extended lifespan, and minimal upkeep compared to their traditional lamp-based counterparts.
With the leap of laser technology, these modern projectors now deliver jaw-dropping 4K resolution, vibrant colors, and striking contrasts, making every movie night feel like a cinematic adventure. It's no wonder that movie buffs and casual viewers alike are clamoring for laser projectors to bring the thrill of the big screen right into their home theaters, and more impressively into living rooms.
Today, we're diving into a head-to-head showdown between two of Sony's heavyweights in the 4K laser projector arena: the Sony VPL-XW5000ES and it's big brother, the Sony VPL-XW6000ES. Both models promise to elevate your home theater game, but they each have unique perks and features that might tip the scales for different users.
Our projection experts will explore their specs, image quality, ease of use, and overall bang for your buck to help you decide which one deserves a spot in your cinematic setup.
Sony VPL-XW5000ES
Sony released their new lineup of 4K laser based home cinema projectors in June 2022. These include the premium Sony VPL-XW7000ES, the somewhat more budget friendly Sony VPL-XW6000ES, and today's competitor the Sony VPL-XW5000ES. Despite it being the relative "runt" of the litter, the XW5000ES is still one of the top 4K projectors you can get for your movie watching room. With a 2000 lumen laser light source, the Sony 5000ES model offers enough brightness output to enjoy content with some lights on in your room.
Sony VPL-XW6000ES
The Sony XW6000ES is the middle child in this laser projector lineup. But unlike most middle children, this one is far from ignored. With 2500 lumens of brightness, the 6000ES offers upgraded brightness for watching movies with the lights on. Combine that with a few other improvements and you've got a laser projector that's built to perform beautifully.
Sony XW6000ES Vs Sony XW5000ES
Whether you're after the brightest display, the most stunning color accuracy, or the easiest user interface, this Sony VPL-XW5000ES vs Sony VPL-XW6000ES comparison will give you the lowdown on which home theater projector is your best match. So, grab your popcorn and get ready to see which Sony contender steals the show!
| |
Sony VPL-XW6000ES |
Sony VPL-XW5000ES |
Our Thoughts: |
Brightness |
2500 |
2000 |
With 500 more lumens of brightness to offer, the 6000ES is more adequately perform in more well-lit environments. |
Max Resolution |
4K Native |
4K Native |
Both of these are native 4K projectors, no pixel shifting here. |
Throw Ratio |
1.35:1 - 2.84:1 |
1.38:1 - 2.21:1 |
The Sony 6000 offers a wider range for its throw ratio meaning you can place your projector closer or further from the screen as needed without changing the image size. |
Screen Size |
40.24" - 200.40"" |
40.24" - 200.40" |
Both projectors models can make the same gigantic 200 inch image size. |
Projector Lens Shift |
Horizontal +/-36% & Vertical +/-85% |
Horizontal +/- 25% & Vertical +/- 71% |
As another advantage, the Sony XW6000 offers more lens shift compared to the XW5000 increasing your installation flexibility. |
Chipset |
0.61" SXRD LCoS |
0.61" SXRD LCoS |
Both Sony projectors use the same SXRD chip offering 8.3 million individual pixels. |
Light Source |
Single Laser |
Single Laser |
Both of these Sony home theater projectors utilize a single blue laser. |
Color |
95% DCI-P3 |
95% DCI-P3 |
Both projectors offer a wide color gamut for home theater usage. This is wider than even the high-end JVC projectors. |
Contrast Ratio |
8:1 |
8:1 |
Sony claims an infinate:1 dynamic contrast ratio. It's good, but it's not infinitely good. Reviewers have measured a 10,000:1 native contrast ratio on the Sony XW5000Es. The contrast on the XW6000ES is even better! |
Input Lag |
21 ms |
21 ms |
Both high-end cinema projectors have the same low input lag for gaming. |
Price |
|
|
As one would expect, the Sony XW5000ES costs around $6,000 less. This makes sense given the better lens, higher brightness, improved contrast and other features on the XW6000ES. |
Sony VPL-XW5000ES
The Pros
- One of the sharpest pictures we've seen
- Fantastic black levels
- Wide color gamut with vivid colors
- Buttery smooth motion handling
- Native 4K LCoS chipset
- Can produce an image up to 200 inches
- Available in either white or black
The Cons
- Not as bright and isn't ideal in a well lit room
- The lens is not motorized
- Doesn't come with any built in streaming apps
- No 3D support
- No HDR10+ support
- Lacks 48Gbps HDMI 2.1 inputs for 4K@120 playback
Sony VPL-XW6000ES
The Pros
- Pictures is even sharper thanks to the improved lens
- Brighter laser light source
- Deeper black levels
- Wide color gamut
- Buttery smooth motion handling
- Native 4K LCoS chipset
- Uses Sony’s Flagship-level X1 Ultimate processing chip for Projectors
- Supports 3D
- More lens shift and screen size giving it more installation options for easier setup
- Motorized lens with Picture Positioning allows you to easily adjust your image
- Available in either white or black
The Cons
- Doesn't support HDR10+
- Higher price tag
- Doesn't come with any built in streaming apps
- Lacking 48Gbps HDMI 2.1 inputs for 4K@120 playback
So Which Projector Should You Buy, The Sony VPL-XW5000ES Or The Sony VPL-XW6000ES?
Our experts have spent hours upon hours watching all kinds of content of each of these Sony projectors. And their verdict is that both are outstanding 4K projectors that give you incredibly sharp and vibrant images that any home theater owner would love.
Now, if you're asking us which projector to buy between the Sony VPL-XW5000ES and Sony VPL-XW5000ES, our choice would be the………
Sony XW6000ES
Why Buy The Sony VPL-XW6000ES
As much as we always try to evenly match our combatants in our projector vs projector series, this one was never really a fair fight.
As the big brother, the Sony VPL-XW6000ES has overall better specs and produces the better picture.
The biggest difference between the two is the extra 500 lumens of brightness. With that extra light output the XW6000ES is better suited for more well lit environments. It's bright enough to take your projector out of the home theater and into the living room.
When watching content, the better contrast shows through on the 6000ES, giving you more detail. Especially in darker scenes. This also further enhances its abilities as a lights-on projector, since contrast is the qualities most deteriorated by ambient light.
The other major improvement that justifies the higher cost is the new ACF (Advanced Crisp Focus) lens, which is a floating lens system incorporating extra low-dispersion (ELD) elements. This design ensures the optimal convergence of red, green, and blue light, even at the screen's outermost edges. The result is exceptional focus and sharpness across the entire screen, plus a significant reduction in chromatic aberration (color fringing). Beyond enhancing the clarity of the image, the ACF lens guarantees that the screen receives the full intensity of the laser light source's brightness.
It also offers a 2.14x powered zoom and motorized focus. When you combine that with the wider lens shift capabilities, it greatly simplifies the XW6000ES set up process.
While by no means is this a portable projector, if you want to use your projector for outdoor movie nights, the Sony 6000ES is much easier to set up and put back into place thanks to the Picture Positioning, lens memory feature.
On top of all that, if you're a fan of 3D movies, the 6000ES is the right choice for you.
All of these extra features and the overall superior picture quality, more than make up for the higher price tag on the Sony VPL-XW6000ES.
Why Buy The Sony VPL-XW5000ES
While it doesn't win the side by side comparison, the Sony VPL-XW5000ES would still be a recommended projector for the home theaters of many potential customers.
The reason to get the Sony 5000ES over the 6000ES is fully based on price.
If money is not an issue and you want the absolute best picture possible with all the extra features, than the XW6000ES is clearly the way to go. (Though if cost really isn't an issue at all, then go with the even higher-end Sony XW7000ES.)
But if you'd be happy with a phenomenal, albeit lesser, image quality, and you've got a budget to stick to, then the Sony VPL-XW5000ES is the home theater projector we'd recommend for you.
With a price around $6,000 less, the Sony VPL-XW5000ES will make your wallet happier and still keep you and your family mesmerized for countless hours.
If this would be your first 4K projector, then go with the Sony XW5000ES. You'll be blown away by the image quality and will fall in love with every frame on your screen.
Being available in either a black or white chassis is also a nice bonus.
Which 4K Home Cinema Projector Do You Think Is Best?
Which laser home theater projector do you like better, the Sony VPL-XW6000ES or the Sony XW50000ES? Which one would you want to get for your home cinema room? If you own one of these two tell us what you think about it in the comments below!
Sign up for our newsletter and make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you can get notified when our new shootout goes live and other great content in our pipeline. Let us know which projectors you want to see go head to head next in our projector vs projector post.
Our Experts Are Here To Help At ProjectorScreen.com
If you've got any questions on these 4K home theater projectors or anything else projection related don’t hesitate to hit us up at ProjectorScreen.com. Thanks for reading and keep on projecting!
Need help picking the right projector for your home movie theater? Give us a call:
(888) 392-4814
Projector Resolution: | 4K |
Brand: | Sony |
Product Status: | Contact Us to Place Order |
Lumens: | 2000 |
Projector Type: | Standard Throw |
Light Source: | Laser |
Chipset: | LCoS |
Aspect Ratio: | 16:9 [HD] |
Throw Ratio: | 1.38:1 - 2.21:1 (D:W) |
Native Resolution: | 3840x2160 |
Lens Shift: | Horizontal & Vertical |
Input Lag: | 4K/60Hz: 21ms |
3D Support: | No |
Warranty: | 3 Years |
Standard Lens Focus: | Manual |
Wi-Fi: | No |
Projector Resolution: | 4K |
Brand: | Sony |
Product Status: | Contact Us to Place Order |
Lumens: | 2000 |
Projector Type: | Standard Throw |
Light Source: | Laser |
Chipset: | LCoS |
Aspect Ratio: | 16:9 [HD] |
Throw Ratio: | 1.38:1 - 2.21:1 (D:W) |
Native Resolution: | 3840x2160 |
Lens Shift: | Horizontal & Vertical |
Input Lag: | 4K/60Hz: 21ms |
3D Support: | No |
Warranty: | 3 Years |
Standard Lens Focus: | Manual |
Wi-Fi: | No |
Projector Resolution: | 4K |
Brand: | Sony |
Product Status: | Contact Us to Place Order |
Lumens: | 2500 |
Projector Type: | Standard Throw |
Light Source: | Laser |
Chipset: | LCoS |
Aspect Ratio: | 16:9 [HD] |
Throw Ratio: | 1.35:1 - 2.84:1 (D:W) |
Native Resolution: | 3840x2160 |
Lens Shift: | Horizontal & Vertical |
Input Lag: | 4K/60Hz: 27ms | 1080p/120Hz: 16ms |
3D Support: | Yes |
Warranty: | 3 Years |
Standard Lens Focus: | Motorized |
Wi-Fi: | No |
Projector Resolution: | 4K |
Brand: | Sony |
Product Status: | Contact Us to Place Order |
Lumens: | 2500 |
Projector Type: | Standard Throw |
Light Source: | Laser |
Chipset: | LCoS |
Aspect Ratio: | 16:9 [HD] |
Throw Ratio: | 1.35:1 - 2.84:1 (D:W) |
Native Resolution: | 3840x2160 |
Lens Shift: | Horizontal & Vertical |
Input Lag: | 4K/60Hz: 27ms | 1080p/120Hz: 16ms |
3D Support: | Yes |
Warranty: | 3 Years |
Standard Lens Focus: | Motorized |
Wi-Fi: | No |
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