Sony Bravia Projector 7

Price

Occupying something of a performance sweet spot, the Bravia Projector 7 sits between the entry-level VPL-XW5000ES and high-end VPL-XW6100ES and VPL-XW8100ES. It sells for £6999 in the UK, $9999 in the US, and AUD$13999 in Australia.

While this is a good deal more toppy than rival 3LCD and DLP models from the likes of Epson and Optoma, but it does come with an impressive slate of features, as well as genuine 4K resolution imagery.

Design

• Manual focus and lens shift
• Two HDMI v2.1
• Low operating noise

Large by contemporary lifestyle projector standards (it dwarfs the Samsung Freestyle and XGIMI Horizon), yet actually more compact than previous Sony models, the VPL-XW5100ES is clearly intended for permanent installation.

Measuring 20 × 46 × 47cm, and weighing 13kg, you’ll not be whipping this out from the sock drawer for the occasional movie night.

The Bravia suffix may be new, but the projector looks much like previous generations of Sony projectors.

A centre-mounted 1.6:1 lens is flanked by ventilation grilles, while connections line the side, rather than to the rear. There are two HDMI inputs, both v2.1 specification, for smooth console gaming, plus an RS232 port for control and a 12v trigger for simple system integration.

As befits its dedicated theatre role, there’s no Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. All sources need to be hard-.

Installing the VPL-XW5100 requires planning: for a 100-inch image, you’ll need around 3 metres of throw distance; a 120-inch picture calls for roughly 4 metres. 

Image zoom, focus and lens shift are handled manually, via wheels concealed beneath a pop-up flap on top. These may be precise and tactile, but I’d still rather have some level of motorised adjustment, given the price point.

That said, build quality is excellent, and at 24dB, operational noise is subtle enough to disappear beneath typical home cinema din. You’ll certainly not hear the constant fan noise when kicking back with an Avatar double bill at reference level.

A substantial remote control offers direct access to picture modes and a handy Pattern button for alignment. The remote is backlit, albeit activated by the provision of a dedicated ‘light’ command. 

Remember, as there is no onboard sound system – no surprise in this category – a dedicated AV receiver or sound system is going to be required.

Two finishes are available – black (for light-controlled dedicated cinema rooms), and white (for multi-purpose living rooms and media spaces).

Features

• XR Dynamic Tone Mapping
• Aspect Ratio Scaling
• Comprehensive preset options

While the absence of motorised optics may be disappointing given the retail ticket, the underlying feature set is clearly built with serious home theatre users in mind.

A veritable ocean-going raft of image processing features are on hand to manage clarity, colour and contrast, all anchored by XR Processor for Projector, a computational engine derived from Sony’s premium Bravia TVs. 

This silicon doesn’t just apply a blanket enhancement to the image; it works scene-by-scene, analysing objects, highlights, shadows and colour dynamics in real time. Its influence can be seen everywhere, from the naturalistic way backgrounds seem to deepen, to the way detail and nuance are present in shadows and textures.

Processing finesse is varied and layered. XR Dynamic Tone Mapping is able to adjust brightness for both SDR and HDR sources, while XR Deep Black uses controlled laser dimming to bolster near-black detail without crushing shadows. Effectiveness is evidenced in scenes with minimal light sources, interiors lit only by candles or torches, that kind of thing.

Ensuring colour integrity, XR Triluminos Pro guarantees over 95 per cent DCI-P3 colour coverage, while XR Clear Image processing manages object-based upscaling and noise reduction.

One new feature not seen on the older XW5000ES is Aspect Ratio Scaling. This allows high-end users with Cinemascope screens to switch between 2.35:1 and 16:9 ratio content without adjusting the lens. Not something I could try, but an impressive embellishment all the same.

Sony has also ensured that the VPL-XW5100ES maintains broad compatibility with custom installation control tech. There’s support for a variety of ecosystems, including Control4, Crestron, Savant, URC and AMX; it can be monitored remotely through service platforms like OvrC and Domotz.

There are a few usability issues though.

As the back lighting on the remote control is not motion activated, I often had to resort to the light from my smartphone just to find the Light button on the remote. Which is clearly daft.

Also, the menu system features annoyingly small text. Even at large screen sizes, text taunts with its titchyness. I reckon there’s plenty of room for the font size to go up a couple more points. Given that multiple family members may need to access these menus, a little more accessibility would not go amiss.

Performance

• 2200 Lumens output
• Native SXRD 4K resolution
• Low input lag

This Bravia Projector 7 wows right from the off. Sony has all but negated the need for any additional calibration, as out-of-the-box image settings are excellent. On-screen is where the VPL-XW5100 justifies its asking price, quickly confirming its credentials as a serious home cinema contender.

There’s a wide range of well-judged picture presets available: User, Cinema Film 1, Cinema Film 2, and Reference, as well as TV and Bright TV, and Game. The projector also has Filmmaker Mode and is IMAX Enhanced certified.

Admittedly IMAX Enhanced content is rather thin on the ground – what you can feed this projector with is limited to the Disney+ streaming service, plus a smattering of disc content – but it certainly impresses.

When Bumblebee makes his escape from Sector 7 commander John Cena (on my IMAX Certified Blu-ray test disc), motion handling is flawless and the screen explodes with colours – the bright yellow Transformer, eyes blazing blue, is pure eye candy. Compared to the standard Cinema options, the IMAX enhanced preset is slightly brighter and bolder, but it looks spectacular.

Native 4K SXRD (Silicon X‑tal Reflective Display) panels, Sony’s proprietary LCoS technology, play a large part in the VPL-XW5100’s impressive clarity. There’s no pixel shifting here, as seen on DLP models. Instead, this three-chip Liquid Crystal on Silicone solution ensures textures are crisp, with details drawn as their creators intended, whether up close or in long shot.

HDR support covers HDR10 and HLG. It’s worth repeating that projectors handle HDR sources differently from TVs, so comparisons are not particularly useful or even relevant. My suggestion would be to stick to Cinema Film 2 for the best HDR presentation, as this makes full use of the projector’s HDR Tone mapping talents.

That said, one of the pleasant surprises here is the projector’s banzai performance with SDR content.

A Blu-ray of James Bond adventure Goldfinger allows the projector to demonstrate its upscaling talents, which are considerable.

During the opening setup, Connery’s transformation from frogman to spy in white tuxedo with a vivid red carnation, and the subsequent explosion, are all beautifully depicted. The disc may be SDR, but there’s no shortfall in dynamics or colour depth.

The projector does an absolutely stellar job with this Sixties classic. I’d even go so far as to say, this HD disc in SDR, as processed and delivered by the VPL-XW5100ES, actually puts much of my 4K HDR library to shame. Good news for those with large movie archives.

Contrast is consistently good. Blacks aren’t OLED-deep – no projector can achieve that – but within the context of projection, they are profound.

The opening title sequence of said Goldfinger disc, in which scenes play over a gold bikini model shot against black, is gloriously dynamic. There’s not a hint of intrusive grey in the presentation.

Similarly, at the climax of Venom, in which our favourite symbiote battles Riot on the rocket launch pad demonstrates just how well the projector can handle dark sequences; the detail retained in this fast moving sequence is mesmerising.

Gaming performance is also a cut above. With 4K/120Hz input support and low measured input lag, quoted at 13ms for 4K 60Hz,  the VPL-XW5100ES isn’t going to disappoint gamers.

A run through of Overwatch on my PS5 was smooth and deliciously responsive.

Overall, the VPL-XW5100 delivers an image that is bold yet refined, with the kind of colour accuracy, gradation control and native resolution that enthusiasts will immediately recognise as Prestige Cuvée.

Should you buy it?