Major Laser
IN 2018, I reviewed Sony’s VPLVW885ES 4K laser projector, a $25,000 model that I hoped would be the successor to previous Sound & Vision Top Pick winners from Sony, the VPL-VW1000 and VPLVW1100ES, but it fell slightly short of expectations. At CEDIA 2018, Sony unveiled its VPL-VW995ES, a next-gen step-up model in the ES projector line that sported the high-end optics missing from the VW885ES plus a few new tricks. The VPL-VW995ES appears to be a true successor to the earlier designs, but at a steep $35,000, does it have the chops to command such a lofty price? Let’s find out.
FRESH FEATURES
From a design and hardware perspective, the new VW995ES is nearly identical to the VW885ES that I reviewed last year. It features the same native 4K (4,096 x 2,160) SXRD panels, blue laser phosphor light engine (with a rated light output bumped up from 2,000 to 2,200 lumens), and signature Sony chassis. Connections are also identical: two full bandwidth HDMI 2.0b inputs, along with a pair of trigger outputs, a LAN connection, and a USB port for updates. One notable exception is the significantly larger lens that protrudes from the front of the VW995ES.
While the VW885ES used the same lens found throughout the bulk of Sony’s projector lineup—a fact I wasn’t thrilled with given its $25,000 price—the VW995ES features Sony’s ARC-F (All Range Crisp Focus) lens, the same one provided on its flagship VW5000ES projector. This is a much larger, all-glass version that delivers the performance I would expect from any projector sitting at a price point north of 15 grand.
RATING
Sony VPLVW995ES LCOS Projector
I was expecting the ARC-F lens to deliver an image quality improvement, but ended up surprised at just how much of a difference it made. Focus was excellent across all areas of the screen—a performance parameter the VW885ES fell short on. Chromatic aberration was also significantly reduced, with convergence patterns showing almost no color fringing. The only artifact that presented some concern was the slight blue streaking that showed up with white text on a black background, or
