Sony VPL-VW100 review

If you’ve a penchant for technological innovation, you’re in for a treat with this new Sony projector. The VPL-V100 uses Sony’s own SXRD (Silicon X-tal Reflective Display) panel technology with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 – meaning it can render all high-definition formats, including 1080p.

It also uses the company’s Advanced Iris System, which controls the shutter aperture, allowing it to deliver a massive (claimed) contrast ratio of 15,000:1. And we have to say, the Sony renders scintillatingly bright whites and deep, rich blacks with ease.

Size is everything

The VPL-VW100 has been designed with a small pixel size and inter-pixel spacing, and in action you can see (or don’t see) the results in the absence of ‘chicken wire’ effects and digital noise. Put simply, this projector delivers an extremely clean picture.

However, all the impressive specs and big numbers would count for nothing if the Sony didn’t deliver a fine image. But the fact is that it offers superlative levels of contrast, a hugely subtle and dynamic visual spectrum, vivid and realistic colours, and great stability with fast motion.

Detail

The relentless climactic scenes in Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King are rendered in spectacular style. Everything from the rich detail of the red and gold lava on Mount Doom, to the glint and detail of armour and sword in the final battle scene are reproduced with extraordinary precision and panache. Home cinema enthusiasts will be enthralled.

So, does the Sony achieve greatness? Yes. Categorically, This amazing projector is a technological tour de force, capable of delivering simply sublime pictures. The rest of your system will need to be up to scratch to make the most of it, but invest in a top-quality DVD player and hi-def TV and we guarantee you won’t be disappointed. Is it worth seven grand? The answer is another resounding ‘yes’. We want one. Badly.