Projector Reviews Images

Sony VPL-XW7000ES 4K SXRD Home Theater Projector Review – Hardware

Posted on April 25, 2022 by Phil Jones

The XW700ES utilizes a new chassis that is noticeably more compact and lighter than its predecessors, the VW1025ES and VW995ES. The chassis measures approximately 18 inches wide, 8 9/32 inches high x 20 5/16 inches deep, and weighs about 31 pounds.

When I first pulled the XW7000ES out of the box, I was surprised by how light the unit was. The XW7000ES is about 20% smaller and nearly 30% lighter than the VW915ES sample that I had been using as a reference unit. Anyone installing the XW7000ES will appreciate the weight reduction, especially trying to mount it on a ceiling.

While the XW7000ES is still much larger and heavier than most DLP-based home theater projectors. Larger chassis is worth it for the benefit of better black levels, a motorized lens with horizontal/vertical shift, and quieter operation.

The XW7000ES control panel
The XW7000ES control panel

When looking at the projector from the front, the inputs are on the lower left side while the small control panel is located n the upper left side of the chassis as well. The XW7000ES also has dual 18Gbps HDMI inputs, which is more than enough bandwidth to support 4K@60P HDR with 10bit color. The power connection is located on the back of the projector on the lower right side.

XW7000ES Inputs
XW7000ES Inputs

The XW7000ES does not have 48Gbps HDMI 2.1 inputs so it doesn't support 4K@120fps playback. If you are a movie lover, this isn't a big deal as most movies are shot in 24fps because it looks more cinematic. While movies like The Hobbit, Billie Lynn Halftime Walk, and Gemini Man were shot at higher frame rates, most cinema lovers didn't like the "Soap Opera" look and preferred the lower frame rate version.

The high-end gaming computers and the latest game consoles like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X support gaming in 4k@120p. However, even the most powerful gaming systems struggle to render detailed scenes at that resolution and frame rate.

In GAME mode, the XW7000ES input lag is just 27ms when playing content in 4K@60fps and an incredibly low 16ms when gaming in Full HD@120fps. I would argue that the properly ray-traced gaming in HD would look better than poorly rendered 4K and the projector's ultra low lag will make the experience better.

Sony claims a very quiet 26 dB which is significantly quieter than most projectors that I have reviewed. The unit’s fan intakes are on the front flanking the lens, and the unit exhaust vents are located along the rear. Whether in a dedicated home theater, or a media room, it is very unlikely you will notice the nicely low-pitched background fan noise.

XW7000ES remote

The XW7000ES includes Sony’s standard backlit projector remote control that comes with all their consumer 4K projectors. Since it is bigger than many projector remotes, the buttons are large and well-spaced. You can use dedicated buttons to quickly switch between the Calibrated Picture Presets. To make quick, fine adjustments to the image, there are buttons to directly access many of the picture quality settings including MotionFlow, Color Temp, and Gamma Correction.

Having direct access to the HDR Contrast Enhancer via a dedicated button is especially useful when viewing HDR materials. It’s quick and easy to switch between the High, Mid, and Low settings to adjust the look of HDR content.

The XW7000ES is equipped with a 2.14:1 motorized ACF zoom lens which is center-mounted. When it comes to placement flexibility, the VW1025ES offers a lot of zoom range compared to most home theater projectors whose zoom lenses usually range between 1.1:1 to 1.6:1, depending on the brand and model.

The XW7000ES has a motorized 2.14:1 zoom lens
The XW7000ES has a motorized 2.14:1 zoom lens

The ACF lens used in the XW7000ES offers motorized focus and zoom as well as plenty of horizontal and vertical lens shift. Having a large amount of zoom and shift capability makes installation a breeze, especially when you are trying to replace an older unit that was previously fixed mounted.

Throw Distance for a 16:9 Screen

Screen Size (Diagonal)Min Screen Distance (in)Max Screen Distance (in)
80”                                     94 (358cm)198 (509cm)
100”118 (300cm)248 (630cm)
120”141 (358cm)297 (754cm)
140”165 (419cm)346 (879cm)
160”188 (478cm)396 (1006cm)
180"212 (539cm)446 (1133cm)

Throw Distance for a 2.35:1 Screen

Screen Size (Diagonal)Min Screen Distance (in)Max Screen Distance (in)
80”                                     99 (251cm)209 (531cm)
100”124 (314cm)261 (663cm)
120”149 (378cm)314 (798cm)
140”174 (442cm)366 (930cm)
160”199 (505cm)418 (1061cm)
180224 (569cm)470 (1194cm)

Even though the XW7000ES is utilizing a new chassis, it still uses a common menu system that Sony has used across their lineup of home theater projectors. While Sony has not changed the look and feel of their menus in years, they add extra menu items to control any new features and capabilities as needed.

Of course, the higher-end model projectors have more menus because of more features. For example, the step-up XW7000ES offers menus for Lens Memory which it supports, while the XW5000ES does not. The type is slightly on the smaller side, but you will still be able to easily read them from a normal seating distance. Overall, the menus are well-thought out and organized.

Latest Reviews

February 25, 2024

Introducing the Hisense C1: A cube-shaped 4K UHD lifestyle projector with an RGB triple laser light source and integrated JBL ...

February 19, 2024

The BenQ X3100i is a 4LED, 4K UHD (3,840 x 2,160p) 0.65" DLP short-throw gaming projector that offers a BenQ-rated ...

January 20, 2024

The BenQ V5000i is a $3,499 smart ultra-short throw 4K projector with RGB triple laser source. Ideal for vibrant, bright ...

January 2, 2024

The BenQ HT3560 is a 4K UHD projector offering vibrant colors and advanced features for $1,599. It offers a manufacturer-rated ...

© 2024 Projector Reviews

crossmenu linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram