Sony BRAVIA Projector 7 review: a lesson in 4K HDR projection

The Sony BRAVIA Projector 7 completes the manufacturer’s range of native 4K laser projectors, positioned in between the VPL-XW5000 and its high-end models. Priced at €6,999, this projector promises an even sharper image, better HDR control and modernized connectivity, without completely rewriting the brand’s formula. It remains to be seen whether these evolutions are enough to justify its premium price tag… I tested it in real-life conditions to see for myself.

Presentation

An optimized evolution of the VPL-XW5000ES, the Sony BRAVIA Projector 7 (VPL-XW5100ES) shares the same fundamental elements, such as native 4K SXRD technology, an aspheric front lens element, a relatively compact chassis and a laser light source, while adding refinements dedicated to home theater and gaming.

This projector adopts an architecture with three 0.61″ SXRD panels in native 4K UHD resolution and a phosphor laser light source, with a maximum brightness announced at 2,200 lumens (compared with 2,000 lumens for the XW5000). On paper, this slight gain promises greater ease with large images, especially in HDR, while maintaining comfortable brightness in a living room with subdued lighting. Infinite dynamic contrast and laser light management promise deeper blacks and perfectly controlled gradation in dark scenes, provided of course that the projection environment is suitable.

The other major evolution is in video processing: where the VPL-XW5000 relies on the X1 Ultimate processor, the BRAVIA Projector 7 switches to the much more powerful XR processor, with functions such as Dynamic Tone Mapping, XR Deep Black, XR Triluminos Pro (95% DCI-P3 coverage) and XR Clear Image. This augurs finer HDR rendering, more nuanced colors and better upscaling of HD sources.

What’s more, the BRAVIA Projector 7 boasts HDMI 2.1 connectivity compatible with 120Hz 4K, with a latency announced at 12ms at this frequency, whereas the XW5000 is limited to 60Hz 4K with a latency of 13ms in 120Hz FHD on its HDMI 2.0 ports. The 1.6x zoom and lens shift, both manually adjustable, complemented by a keystone correction, ensure installation flexibility.

Among the projector’s distinctive features, Aspect Ratio Scaling deserves to be highlighted. It enables the projector to digitally adapt the image to the screen format, particularly with CinemaScope screens (2.35:1 / 2.40:1), by automatically deactivating unused areas of the panel, which correspond to the black bars. Switching from one format to the other is therefore done without any manual adjustment of the lens, simplifying everyday use while

Priced at €6,999, the BRAVIA Projector 7 is clearly aimed at discerning home theater enthusiasts looking for a native 4K laser projector that is more versatile than the VPL-XW5000, without tipping into the very high-end segment represented by the BRAVIA Projector 8. It’s ideal for a private movie theater, either ceiling-mounted or on a shelf at the back of the room, for very large screens, complemented by a sound system to match the visual experience.

Key specifications

• Triple native 4K SXRD panel
• Phosphor laser, 20,000 hours
• Brightness: 2,200 lumens
• Infinite dynamic contrast
• HDMI 2.1, 120Hz 4K
• Input lag: 12ms
• 1.6x zoom, horizontal and vertical lens shift

Included accessories

The Sony projector comes with its own power cable and a removable lens cover. I would have appreciated it if it had been built into the chassis and motorized, as is the case on certain Epson projectors, but it clips on and off by hand. The remote control is an infrared model powered by two AA batteries, with fully backlit buttons.

Test conditions and installation

For this test of the Sony BRAVIA Projector 7, I set up in the home theater room of the Son-Vidéo store in Nantes. I was able to install the projector about 3.5m from the 2.4m Lumene Capitol HD screen (100″ in diagonal) and connect it to a Panasonic DMP-UB820 4K UHD Blu-ray player and a PlayStation 5 using AudioQuest HDMI cables.

Thanks to its 1.6x optical zoom and vertical (+/-71%) and horizontal (+/- 25%) lens shift, this projector can be set up in a matter of moments. Note that the zoom and focus are adjusted manually, by turning the two rings on the projector lens.

The lens shift can also be adjusted manually using two dials that are accessed by lifting a small cover on the top of the device. This feature allows you to easily move the image up, down, left, and right without any distortion and without moving the projector.

By pressing the Pattern button on the remote control, I was able to project a grid pattern to make it easier to center the image and control the focus.

I would have appreciated motorized optical adjustments, accessible directly from the projector’s remote control, but for this you’ll have to turn to the much more expensive Sony BRAVIA Projector 8 and Sony BRAVIA Projector 9 (billed at more than double and triple the price of the BRAVIA Projector 7 respectively!).

📝 Note from the expert
To enjoy the best possible picture quality, I always recommend positioning the projector in line with the screen, whether it's set upright on a shelf or upside down on the ceiling. However, as the BRAVIA Projector 7 features a comfortably wide horizontal and vertical lens shift, you can safely shift the projector:  

- up or down, by a distance equivalent to 71% of the height of the projected image,
- to the sides, by a distance equivalent to 25% of the width of the projected image. 

It's worth noting that these lens shift values are among the best and are comparable to those found on Epson and JVC projectors. They also outperform those of DLP technology projectors, although the latter have improved significantly in recent years. This makes the Sony BRAVIA Projector 7 one of the most flexible projectors available today.  

This feature affects the alignment of the lenses, so there is no need to angle the projector toward the center of the screen: the image moves without being distorted, meaning there is no risk of deterioration or loss of sharpness and definition at the edges, as is the case with keystone correction.

A tried-and-tested design, but no significant changes

In terms of aesthetics and ergonomics, the Sony BRAVIA Projector 7 holds no surprises: it is based on the chassis of the VPL-XW5000, with an identical design in white or black finish, a relatively compact format and low weight for a native 4K laser projector. This more controlled size than that of previous Sony generations clearly facilitates integration, whether in a living room or in a dedicated home theater.

The lens also remains unchanged. Zoom and focus are still adjusted using two manual rings located around the lens, while the horizontal and vertical lens shift is done using the same dials, accessible under a cover on the top panel. These controls are satisfyingly precise, enabling rigorous image adjustment. The layout of the control interface and connectors is also strictly identical to that of the XW5000.

This continuity has the advantage of consistency and simplicity, but it is also a little frustrating. Given the BRAVIA Projector 7’s significantly higher price point (around €2,000 more than the VPL-XW5000), we would have appreciated the presence of a motorized lens, at least for focusing and zooming. Such an upgrade would have made installation easier and brought this model closer to the standards expected in this price range.

Unfortunately, Sony reserves this fully motorized lens for the much more expensive BRAVIA Projector 8, which retails at €16,000.

Modern connectors, designed for gaming

The Sony BRAVIA Projector 7’s range of connectors remains very similar to that of the VPL-XW5000, but it has improved in one essential respect: the adoption of full-speed HDMI 2.1 ports (48 Gbps). The projector features two HDCP 2.3-compatible HDMI 2.1 inputs, along with an RS-232C port, an Ethernet network socket, a powered USB port, an IR input and a 12V trigger output. The latter is designed to control the automatic unfolding and rolling up of the projection screen when the projector is turned on and off.

These connectors enable advanced home theater integration, even in home automation environments, while maintaining a certain simplicity of use. The fact that the connectors are on the side of the device also facilitates wiring, especially for ceiling installation: cables are more easily accessible, especially if the projector is installed very close to the rear wall.

Thanks to its two HDMI 2.1 inputs compatible with 120Hz 4K and ALLM, ensuring a latency announced at just 12ms in gaming mode, the Bravia Projector 7 is an exception in the world of home theater projection. Few projectors today offer such a combination of gaming performance, let alone in native 4K.

By way of comparison, most DLP projectors are structurally limited to 60Hz 4K, with some compensating with 1080p displays at 120Hz or even 240Hz, with a latency of between 1 and 12ms depending on the resolution chosen. The Bravia Projector 7 therefore stands out for its ability to combine ultra-high-definition native 4K, smoothness and low latency, without compromise.

An effective remote control, that is frozen in time

The remote control included with the Sony BRAVIA Projector 7 is strictly identical to that of the VPL-XW5000, and more broadly to that used by Sony for many generations of projectors. Its format remains consistent, even a little cumbersome, with a design and key layout that have remained virtually unchanged for almost twenty years. This will undoubtedly delight regular customers of the brand who want to stick with what they know, but it gives the impression that the manufacturer is stuck in a bygone era.

With no rechargeable battery, either via USB or solar panel, it is still powered by batteries, a choice that seems outdated given the competition and the projector’s price positioning. This may disappoint users accustomed to modern, more compact, rechargeable remote controls.

That said, its functionality is hard to fault. Fully backlit, it’s perfectly visible in a dark room and, above all, extremely comprehensive. All essential settings are directly accessible via dedicated buttons: selection of picture modes, colorimetry, gamma, video processing, contrast, brightness and sharpness settings. This approach eliminates the need for multiple menu entries, and makes it much easier to make quick adjustments during projection.

The BRAVIA Projector 7’s remote control is a perfect illustration of this model’s philosophy: tried-and-tested, functional and highly efficient ergonomics. However, it would benefit from further development to better reflect the standing and technological modernity of the projector it accompanies.

A strikingly realistic 4K HDR image

For this test, I used the Spears & Munsil Ultra HD Benchmark Blu-ray test disc, as well as the UHD 4K HDR Blu-rays of Mad Max: Fury Road and Ford v Ferrari. A particularly demanding trio of sources, tried and tested during many of our projection reviews, ideal for judging the real potential of the BRAVIA Projector 7.

From the very first test patterns and sequences on the Spears & Munsil disc, the projector shows signs of very high performance, provided I selected the Cinema 1 or 2 picture mode, Reference mode, or IMAX Enhanced mode. The image was characterized by exceptional precision and remarkable stability. Close-ups revealed an impressive level of detail: we could see each strand of the deer’s fur, the poppy’s pistil and stamens stood out with surgical precision, while the petals of the yellow rose dotted with drops of water stood out with exemplary sharpness against a black background, without a halo or noise. The wings of the leopard lacewing butterfly, meanwhile, had particularly convincing texture and depth.

The Sony BRAVIA Projector 7’s management of contrast and HDR confirmed this excellent first impression. The scene of the horses in the snow revealed a multitude of white hues, without clipping, while the yellow rose was displayed against a deep black background, its petals benefiting from subtle chromatic gradations. The image remained remarkably legible at all times, even in the most subtle areas.

The overall impression was one of remarkable realism, with perfectly saturated colors that were both vivid and natural, without ever being excessive. The sharpness was superb, the level of detail impressive, and the sense of depth almost constant. All this without having to adjust the picture settings, as the picture modes dedicated to cinema content are well calibrated. On Mad Max: Fury Road, the BRAVIA Projector 7 confirmed its ability to handle particularly demanding content. The image was dense, intense and richly textured. The texture of skin, hair, fabrics and mechanical elements were rendered with extreme precision. Hues appeared realistic and nuanced, particularly the desert ochres, skin tones and metallic highlights. Precise contours and sharpness enhanced the feeling of depth in every shot.

HDR dynamics were perfectly controlled. Dark areas retained their detail, while highlights remained powerful without ever overwhelming the picture, helping to maintain a constant visual balance.

With Ford v Ferrari, the Sony BRAVIA Projector 7 perfectly illustrated the best that 4K HDR projection can offer. This film became the ideal arena for revealing the projector’s potential, in terms of dynamics, precision and color accuracy.

The richness and nuance of the colors immediately impressed me, as did the variations in light on clothing, for example, on Matt Damon’s striped shirt at Willow Springs. The deep red of the official grandstands at Daytona, or the blue of the mechanics’ shirts in the pits, were rendered with remarkable intensity, without ever looking artificial. HDR dynamics were fully harnessed: details remained visible in the shadows, while highlights retained their impact without clipping, particularly on car body reflections or backlit light flares.

During racing scenes, the smoothness was exemplary. Sharpness, stability and motion management accentuated the feeling of speed without ever compromising legibility, further enhancing immersion. The work of the XR processor was remarkable with this type of content.

The film’s remarkably polished photography was perfectly showcased. The BRAVIA Projector 7 didn’t just reproduce it; it revealed its full richness, magnifying every detail to provide a true lesson in 4K HDR projection.

The Aspect Ratio Scaling also contributed to the perceived quality of the projection. By exploiting only the useful area of the matrix according to the film format, the BRAVIA Projector 7 improves framing consistency and image legibility. This cleaner format management enhances the cinema-like viewing experience, especially on a CinemaScope screen.

Technological consistency to enhance image quality

This picture quality is the result of a particularly sophisticated combination of technologies. The precision of the lens, combined with native 4K SXRD panels and XR processor, guarantees outstanding sharpness and stability. The XR Clear Image processing and MotionFlow technologies ensure highly effective management of sharpness, noise, and motion. HDR rendering benefits fully from XR Dynamic Tone Mapping and XR Deep Black, with dynamic laser control that preserves both the depth of blacks and the clarity of highlights. Last but not least, XR Triluminos Pro technology, covering 95% of DCI-P3, combined with Live Color Enhancer, ensures rich, nuanced, and natural colors.

All of this illustrates an extremely controlled approach to HDR projection, where technical performance is constantly at the service of clarity, realism, and artistic intent. Sony controls the entire film production chain, from shooting to post-production and distribution, ensuring flawless fidelity between the creators’ intent and what is projected in the user’s home.

My recommended picture settings

The Sony BRAVIA Projector 7’s settings menus are particularly comprehensive, offering considerable scope for adjustment. The many picture presets can be edited, and several of them are already perfectly calibrated. Cinema Film 1, Cinema Film 2, Reference and IMAX Enhanced are excellent starting points.

In a dimly lit living room, the Cinema Film 2 mode seemed the most balanced choice. It offers an excellent compromise between HDR dynamics, image clarity, and color accuracy, without tiring the eyes during long viewing sessions.

In a dedicated room with perfectly controlled lighting, the Reference mode is the most appropriate. It limits excessive variations in brightness while maintaining sufficient dynamic range and favors a more subtle, nuanced color reproduction. The image then gains in naturalness and visual comfort, without losing any of its impact.

As with previous Sony projectors tested, I recommend activating the Motionflow feature in True Cinema mode. This setting very effectively limits the judder inherent in cinema content, without generating artificial smoothness or visible artifacts.

Conversely, I preferred to deactivate noise reduction, which is pointless with high quality UHD sources, and leave HDR management on Auto, as the projector’s dynamic processing is intelligent enough to adapt the image without manual intervention.

These settings fully reveal the potential of the BRAVIA Projector 7 while maintaining an accurate, natural and comfortable picture, whatever the projection configuration.

A top-notch gaming experience

The Sony BRAVIA Projector 7 is one of the very few projectors capable of projecting a 4K signal at 120 frames per second, while maintaining a particularly low input lag, announced at just 12ms. What’s more, and this is rare enough to warrant mention, it supports Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), enabling it to switch automatically to gaming mode as soon as a compatible console is detected.

With the PlayStation 5, this technical combination provided a particularly convincing gaming experience. On Gran Turismo 7, the image was both ultra-smooth and perfectly responsive. The vehicle responded instantly to steering and late braking, with no latency, allowing for realistic, frustration-free sports driving. If you veer off the track, it’s not the projector’s fault, but the driver’s!

The fast-moving landscapes we passed through, the series of bends and the changes in perspective, for their part, remained perfectly legible, with no perceptible blurring or jerking.

The HDR rendering also played a big part in this immersion, thanks in particular to the highly realistic reflections on the cars, the richness of the colors, and the overall dynamic range of the image. The precision of the sharpness and the size of the projected image further enhanced this, giving us the impression that we were playing on a movie theater screen.

The BRAVIA Projector 7 is the ideal partner for new-generation consoles, combining ultra-high definition, a high display frequency and low latency—a trio that is still very rare in a projector.

However, we regret the absence of VRR compatibility, a function not yet widely available on projectors, but which would have enabled an even greater level of versatility for video games.

• Gaming projectors: Xgimi and Awol Vision change the rules of the game with ALLM and VRR

Sony BRAVIA Projector 7 compared with the Sony VPL-XW5000

The Sony BRAVIA Projector 7 is not intended to replace the VPL-XW5000ES, but to bridge the gap between the latter and the BRAVIA Projector 8. The two models share an almost identical chassis, lens, and ergonomics, making the price difference immediately noticeable and, inevitably, questionable.

The BRAVIA Projector 7’s main evolutions are in video processing and connectivity. The XR processor brings finer HDR management, more consistent tone mapping and more nuanced texture rendering than the XW5000’s X1 Ultimate model. The image gains in stability, depth and naturalness, particularly for demanding HDR content.

The presence of two HDMI 2.1 inputs compatible with 120Hz 4K and ALLM is also a decisive advantage for gamers, where the XW5000 is limited to 60Hz 4K. The BRAVIA Projector 7’s Aspect Ratio Scaling function also enhances its appeal for users of CinemaScope screens.

However, the absence of a motorized lens and the hardware similarities between the two models make the extra cost more difficult to justify for strictly cinema use. On the other hand, for versatile use combining home theater and next-generation gaming, the BRAVIA Projector 7 appears to be a logical and technologically more coherent evolution.

Who is the Sony BRAVIA Projector 7 designed for?

The Sony BRAVIA Projector 7 is aimed at discerning movie lovers looking for a very high quality native 4K HDR picture, without reaching the ultra high-end prices. It will suit both dedicated home theater installations and living rooms with controlled lighting. Its HDMI 2.1 compatibility, 120Hz 4K projection and low input lag also make it an excellent choice for gamers. On the other hand, fans of motorized lenses will have to turn to more expensive models.

FAQ – Sony BRAVIA Projector 7