JVC DLA-NZ700 projector: two-minute review

The JVC DLA-NZ700 is a new mid-range projector from the brand, combining its existing BLU-Escent laser light source and redesigned D-ILA 4K chipset into a more compact and lighter body.

The result with the JVC DLA-NZ700 is a highly capable beamer that builds on JVC’s success with the previously released DLA-NZ800 and DLA-NZ900, while allowing its lineup to more effectively compete with the best projectors in terms of price.

The new lens may combine plastic with glass, but it still delivers a crisply detailed image, and the picture accuracy is superb with both SDR and HDR. The latter really impresses thanks to JVC's proprietary dynamic tone mapping, along with support for HDR10, HLG and HDR10+. The laser power setting also offers more precise control for dialling in brighter HDR without fan noise.

What is most remarkable about the NZ700 is that, despite its lower price, it delivers a brightness and contrast performance that matches the earlier, and more expensive, NZ8. It even includes a colour filter to cover the DCI-P3 colour space, along with the Deep Black function and Balanced dynamic laser mode. There’s also an effective remote, redesigned menus, and flexible installation.

Of course, JVC has dropped some features to shave off costs, although most probably won’t miss the lack of 8K or 3D support. On the other hand gamers will bemoan the lack of 4K 120Hz, along with a rather high input lag. Otherwise, this affordable and feature-packed native 4K HDR projector will give any other high-end beamer a run for its money.

JVC DLA-NZ700 projector review: price and release date

• Price: £9,499 / $8,999 / AU$14,999
• Release date: May 2024
  

The JVC DLA-NZ700 (DLA-RS2200) is the mid-range model in the brand’s revised line-up of 4K laser-powered projectors. It’s available now and retails for £9,499 / $8,999. The NZ700 replaces the outgoing DLA-NZ7 (DLA-RS2100), and sits between the equally new DLA-NZ500 (DLA-RS1200) at £6,499 / $5,999, and the higher range DLA-NZ800 (DLA-RS3200), which costs £15,999 / $15,999.

JVC DLA-NZ700 projector review: Specs

JVC DLA-NZ700 projector review: design and features

• World's smallest native 4K projector
• New 80mm hybrid lens
• Gen2 Frame Adapt HDR

The JVC DLA-NZ700 sports a completely new design inside and out, resulting in a more compact chassis that, along with the NZ500, makes it the world’s smallest native 4K projector. The NZ700 is noticeably smaller and lighter than its predecessor, especially when they’re placed side by side.

The NZ700’s size and weight have been reduced by utilising a new optical unit and 80mm hybrid lens. However, the build quality remains excellent, and the NZ700 is still finished in matte black, making it ideal for dedicated home theatre installations. It measures 450 x 180 x 479mm (18 x 7 x 19 inches) and weighs in at 15.2kg (33.5lb).

At the rear are a pair of HDMI 2.0 inputs that support bandwidths up to 32Gbps and are limited to 4K 60Hz (which isn’t great news for console or PC gamers). The HDMI ports can also handle HDCP 2.3, and high dynamic range – specifically HDR10, hybrid log-gamma (HLG), and HDR10+.

The provided remote is the same slightly tweaked version included with the NZ800 and NZ900, with its more luminescent light button, and small bumps on the on/off and enter buttons – all of which make this well-designed controller very easy to use in a fully blacked-out home cinema.

The JVC DLA-NZ700 incorporates the same third-generation D-ILA 4K chipset introduced on the NZ800 and NZ900. The new design is more efficient, allowing for brighter images, deeper blacks, and improved uniformity. As a result, despite using the same laser light source as earlier models, the NZ700 has a claimed peak brightness of 2,300 lumens and a native contrast ratio of 80,000:1.

In addition to the improved black levels offered by the upgraded D-ILA chipset, the NZ700 has the new Deep Black function with its revised algorithm to further enhance contrast without crushing shadows. In addition, the dynamic laser control includes the new Balanced setting for pictures that appear punchier without introducing the brightness fluctuations seen on earlier models.

The NZ700 has the improved sliding scale control in the laser power sub-menu, allowing for more granular adjustments as you gradually boost brightness without a sudden increase in fan noise, thus enabling the creation of more useful settings for HDR. There’s also the new “Vivid” mode that JVC added previously for watching SDR sports or gaming in a room with some ambient light.

The NZ700 retains the BLU-Escent laser diode light source with its claimed minimum 20,000-hour lifespan and greater consistency. Other features include motorised focus, zoom and shift controls, which makes installation easier, plus there are lens memories for different aspect ratios on a 2.35:1 screen. There’s also a Filmmaker Mode, along with ISF-certified calibration controls.

JVC’s tone mapping remains state-of-the-art, with the latest proprietary Gen3 Frame Adapt HDR dynamically analysing HDR10 content on a frame-by-frame basis to optimise the image, while 18-bit gamma processing results in smoother and finer gradations. However, JVC has dropped the Theatre Optimiser, which enhances tone mapping based on your screen’s size, shape and gain.

In addition to the existing analysis of an incoming HDR signal, the NZ700 now reads the Display Mastering Luminance (DML) metadata that tells the tone mapping the peak brightness of the display on which the content was originally mastered. This is useful because the more metadata the tone mapping has to work with, the better the results in terms of the displayed HDR images.

The NZ700 has a revised menu system compared to the NZ800 and NZ900, with a new main Setting Menu Select page. Here you choose between Picture Settings, HDMI Settings and Installation Settings. Once you’ve selected the Settings you want to adjust, you’ll find all the related sub-menus for those particular settings available, and you can move between them.

• Design and features score: 4.5/5

JVC DLA-NZ700 projector review: picture quality

• Detailed and cinematic 4K delivery
• Impressive HDR tone mapping
• Wide colour gamut filter

The JVC DLA-NZ700 is nothing short of a revelation, and delivers a performance that I could immediately see was comparable to the NZ800 I reviewed previously. There are similar components, such as the D-ILA chipset and laser light source, but I hadn’t anticipated the new lens producing such a sharp image, nor did I expect the black levels to be quite so impressive.

My first impressions were confirmed during testing, with the NZ700 delivering a contrast ratio of nearly 50,000:1, which is better than the earlier and more expensive NZ8. The laser brightness approaches the claimed 2,300 lumens, although you only hit these peaks in the Vivid mode, and in the preferable Filmmaker or calibrated Natural mode, this is closer to around 1,700 lumens.

The out-of-the-box SDR accuracy is excellent with the white point close to the industry standard of D65, an even greyscale, and colours hitting their saturation targets for BT.709, but this can be improved through calibration. I was able to get reference accuracy using the built-in controls, and anyone spending nearly nine grand should really get their new NZ700 professionally calibrated.

This accuracy also extends to HDR, with the NZ700 covering 97% of DCI-P3 with its colour filter in place. What’s even better is the filter only reduces the brightness by about 15%, although if you’d rather not use the filter (and with HDR10+ you don’t have a choice), then the brightness increases, but the gamut coverage now drops to around 83% of DCI-P3 instead.

The NZ700 may be more affordable, but it still includes JVC’s class-leading HDR tone mapping with the beamer not only accurately tracking the PQ curve standard, but also using dynamic tone mapping to get the best out of content based on the available metadata and real-time analysis of the HDR signal. The ability to read the Display Mastering Luminance also helps in this regard.

The Deep Black feature remains a useful addition, bringing slightly more detail out of shadows while keeping the blacks suitably inky. The Balanced dynamic laser setting is also useful, adding greater depth at the low end while also boosting the brightness at the other end without any ‘pumping’ in the image itself. The superior tone mapping ensures the highlights are also free of clipping.

This NZ700 is equally impressive with motion handling, producing smooth pictures that are free of blurring and unwanted artefacts. The projector may be limited to 60Hz, but the motion with games remains excellent, although the responsiveness suffers due to the lack of a low-latency mode. As a result, this projector’s input lag measures 51ms, which is probably too high for serious gamers.

When it comes to SDR content, the NZ700 is a fantastic performer, producing detailed and natural images that enjoy added depth thanks to the impressive contrast ratios. Watching Samsara on Blu-ray reveals a remarkably detailed image, and any concerns I had about the new 80mm lens using a combination of plastic and glass were dispelled by the finely rendered images on display.

Moving on to HDR, the NZ700 continues to dazzle with a spectacular delivery that retains all the fine details in the snowy landscapes of The Revenant. The colours of The Greatest Showman burst off the screen during the musical numbers, and the rain-soaked neon-lit streets of Gotham are bathed with beautifully rendered blacks, deep shadows and nuanced colours in The Batman.

The dynamic tone mapping is very adept at optimising the performance of the NZ700, and the resulting HDR is often comparable to high-end video processors that cost more than the projector itself. When able to use the dynamic metadata of HDR10+, the results are equally impressive, and the kinetic and colourful Motorball sequences in Alita: Battle Angel are brought vividly to life.

• Picture quality score: 5/5

JVC DLA-NZ700 projector review: value

• Exceptional value for money
• Has no direct competitor
• The sweet spot in JVC's projector line-up

The JVC DLA-NZ700 represents remarkable value, especially when you consider it offers much of the same image quality and feature set as the more expensive DLA-NZ800. Yes, you lose support for 8K 60Hz, 4K 120Hz and 3D, plus there’s no low latency mode, but in terms of overall picture performance there isn’t a significant difference between the two, making the NZ700 a great choice for film fans looking to save a few bucks without compromising on contrast and HDR tone mapping.

The NZ800 has a direct competitor in the form of the Sony Projector 8 (VPL-XW6100ES), which is priced at £15,999 / $15,999, while the flagship DLA-NZ900 goes up against the Sony Projector 9 (VPL-XW8100ES), which costs £25,999 / $31,999. However, the NZ700 currently has no direct competitor, and while it’s more expensive than the NZ500, Sony VPL-XW5000ES and Epson EH-QB1000, when you consider its performance and features, it may well be the sweet spot in the JVC projector line-up.

• Value score: 5/5

Should I buy the JVC DLA-NZ700 projector?

Buy it if...

Don’t buy it if… 

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How I tested the JVC DLA-NZ700 projector

• Measured with Calman calibration software
• Evaluated using SDR and HDR content
• Reviewed in a dedicated home cinema

As with all my TV and projector reviews, I use a combination of subjective viewing and objective measurements against the industry standards. For projectors, I also do all my testing in a dedicated home cinema with a completely blacked-out environment and high-quality screen.

The subjective testing is based around watching a variety of familiar scenes, primarily sourced from 4K and 1080p Blu-rays, plus the Spears & Munsil UHD Benchmark 4K disc. Any test scenes have been specifically chosen to evaluate a display’s black levels, contrast performance, colour accuracy, upscaling, image processing, motion handling, and HDR tone mapping.

For the objective testing, I measured the NZ700’s brightness, greyscale and colour gamut in SDR, before doing the same in HDR. I also evaluated the accuracy of the HDR tone mapping, along with the colour gamut coverage for DCI-P3. To do this, I used a pattern generator and colour meter combined with Portrait Display’s Calman calibration software. I measured the NZ700’s input lag in milliseconds using a specialised Leo Bodnar tester.

First reviewed: May 2025

Epson QL7000: two-minute review

The Epson QL7000 is a projector designed for situations where you normally wouldn’t use a projector: well-lit rooms free of the dark furniture and gray walls typical of home theater environments.

What makes the Epson QL7000 uniquely qualified for such situations is its brightness, which goes far beyond what you get with the best projectors and even matches some of the best TVs. The QL7000 has a specified 10,000 lumens brightness, where a typical home theater projector tops out in the 2,500 to 3,000 range. That’s one of the reasons why the QL7000 costs $29,999 (around £22,400 / AU$47,000), though there are other good reasons as well.

The QL7000 is a 'body-only' projector that needs to be outfitted with a separate lens. Epson offers a range of special lens options, including long-throw ones that let you position it far from a screen, and ultra-short-thow ones that let you install it super-close. This level of installation flexibility is unique for a consumer-grade projector, especially one as small and lightweight as the QL7000. It also has an attractive case design that will let it fit in with your living room’s decor.

The QL7000 uses a laser 3LCD light engine, along with pixel-shifting, to display 4K images. Epson’s 32-bit QZX Picture Processor is used for upscaling and other types of processing, and it supports the HDR10 and HLG high dynamic range formats (but not HDR10+, a format we’re seeing increasing support for in projectors).

A pair of HDMI 2.1 ports on the QL7000 support 4K 120Hz and ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode), making Epson’s projector, which also has a low 19.6ms input lag, a great option for gaming. But the real draw of the QL7000 is watching sports – its super-bright picture can easily hold up in rooms with the lights on, and games of all sorts have an incredibly immersive quality on a big screen (up to 300 inches max, in this case).

The QL7000 also looks great when you dim the lights for movie time, and with a variable laser light output adjustment, you can create a separate picture mode optimized for more traditional theater-style viewing. Epson’s high-lumen projector lacks the black level refinement seen in some of the top 4K projectors, but with such powerful brightness reserves aided by a dynamic contrast feature, movies watched on the QL7000 pack a strong visual punch.

Ultimately, the QL7000 is a specialized projector designed for multi-use environments, and it serves that purpose brilliantly. Between the projector itself and the separate lens, you’ll pay quite a bit to experience its stunning brightness in your home, but for some, it will be well worth the cost.

Epson QL7000 review: price and release date

• First available: March 2025
• Price: $29,999 (around £22,400 / AU$47,000)
  

The flagship model in Epson’s Q Series projector lineup, the QL7000 lists for $29,999 (around £22,400 / AU$47,000). Prices for Epson projectors generally remain consistent over time, though discounts are occasionally tied to sales events. This price is for the QL7000 projector body only, with four lens options available at extra cost.

Other Q series models include the Epson QL3000 (6,000 lumens, $14,999) and Epson QB1000 (3,300 lumens, $7,999).

Epson QL7000 review: Specs

Epson QL7000 review: design and features

• Compact and stylish for a high-lumen projector
• Multiple lens option, including ultra-short-throw
• Dual HDMI 2.1 ports with 4K 120Hz and ALLM support

The Epson QL7000 represents a departure from the massive, industrial look of typical high-lumen projectors. It’s not only smaller and lighter than such models, but it has a stylish, angled case that’s available in black or white. This sets it apart as a projector that can blend in with a living room setting rather than dominate.

The QL7000 is a “body-only” projector that requires a separate lens. Epson sells a range of lenses, which allow for everything from long-throw to ultra-short-throw installation options. For this review, the company sent me a middle-throw option with a 1-1.6 zoom, +56 to -56 vertical shift, and +16 to -16 horizontal shift.

A laser 3LCD light engine in the QL7000 uses separate red, green, and blue imaging chips and employs pixel shifting to display a 4K image. Light output is specified at 10,000 lumens (white and color), around four times as high as typical home theater projectors, and the QL7000 also supports Epson’s contrast-enhancing UltraBlack technology.

The QL7000 uses Epson’s proprietary 32-bit QZX Picture Processor for upscaling, frame interpolation, and dynamic HDR tone mapping. HDR support includes HDR10 and HLG, but not the HDR10+ format supported by some home theater projectors, including the Epson QB1000.

Gaming features on the QL7000 include two 40Gbps HDMI 2.1 ports with 4K 120Hz support and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM). A 3.5mm audio output is also provided (like other high-end projectors, the QL7000 lacks built-in speakers), along with dual USB-A, Ethernet, and RS-232C ports. There is also support for Crestron, Control4, and other home automation systems.

The QL7000’s setup features include horizontal and vertical lens shift, keystone correction, and point correction. Since I installed the projector on a table for my testing, the setup was simple, with the trickiest part being inserting the lens into the projector’s front. Four adjustable feet are provided for leveling the projector during setup, though most QL7000 installations will use a ceiling mount.

A full-size, fully backlit remote control comes with the QL7000. The buttons are large and well arranged, but the functions seem mainly aimed at installation, with no controls to make quick adjustments to basic picture settings like brightness and contrast.

• Design and features score: 5/5

Epson QL7000 review: picture quality

• Incredibly bright HDR images
• Impressive HDR tone mapping
• Very low input lag for gaming

First, let’s look at some measurements. With the QL7000 set to Natural mode (the most accurate picture preset) and a 100% laser light output setting, it measured 1,005 nits on a 10% white HDR pattern. It also measured 1,340 nits in Dynamic mode, which is the one I ended up using for most of my picture evaluation after calibrating the grayscale and color points. For the sake of comparison, the DCI (Digital Cinema Initiatives, a theater industry trade group) digital cinema specification calls for 300 nits brightness for projectors to properly display HDR.

Contrast ratio in Dynamic mode with Dynamic Contrast on and the laser light output set to 30% was 68,000:1. With laser light output set to 100%, that number was boosted to 253,600:1, an excellent result that many competing projectors, particularly DLP-based ones, would struggle to match.

The QL7000’s UHDA P3 color space coverage was 83.7% in Natural mode, and BT.2020 coverage was 61.8% in the same mode. Those numbers aren’t nearly as impressive as high-end home theater projectors like the JVC DLA-NZ800, which is capable of full P3 coverage, or certain triple-laser ultra-short-throw models like the Hisense PX3-Pro that can fully cover BT.2020. Even so, colors looked punchy on the QL7000.

Input latency tested with a Bodnar 4K Input Lag meter was 19.6ms with the QL7000’s Image Processing menu option set to Fast. That’s an excellent result for a projector, and combined with the QL7000’s ALLM feature, it sets the QL7000 apart as a great option for big-screen gaming.

The most exceptional aspect of the Epson QL7000’s picture is its stunning brightness. Even when watching in a bright room with light streaming in from windows, the crisp, clear 4K image beamed by the QL7000 had a true window-on-reality quality.

A main benefit to all that brightness is getting to watch sports on a very big screen. When I first saw a demo of the QL7000 at the 2024 CEDIA Expo, Epson had paired it with a 200-inch screen in a well-lit room, and the football games they were showing looked clear and bright. For my setup, I used a much more modest-sized 92-inch matte white, 1.1 gain Stewart Filmscreen Cima screen, with the projector’s lens surface situated at a 10-foot distance.

As luck would have it, both the NBA playoffs and the Stanley Cup playoffs were happening during my time with the QL7000. No shortage of sports to watch! Viewing in the daytime with room lights on, the QL7000’s exceptionally bright picture made a Pacers vs Bucks match look incredibly realistic, with the Pacers players' bright yellow uniforms retaining their rich yellow hue even in my brightly lit room. With a typical home theater projector, the same image would have had washed-out-looking colors, but that was not at all the case with the QL7000.

The same held for a Capitols vs Canadiens match, with the large, bright projected image giving me a rink-side seat. The red hue of the Montreal players’ uniforms popped against the rink’s icy, white surface, and the QL7000’s excellent motion handling made fast-action plays look completely solid.

With the lights in my room dimmed for movie viewing, the projector’s picture benefited from reducing its laser light output to 30%, which provided more balanced contrast. Watching a 4K Blu-ray of Dune, in a scene where Paul Atreides is tested by the Reverend Mother, her veil came across as a solid black, and there was good overall detail in the dark background.

The projector’s somewhat elevated black level – not unexpected in a model designed for high light output – caused some shadow details to be obscured. However, both lowering the gamma setting to -1 in the Advanced menu and setting black level to 0% in the Dynamic Contrast menu helped somewhat in this regard.

Watching a reference scene from the Bond film No Time to Die that I use to test motion handling, a panning shot across a craggy hillside cemetery showed only minimal judder and motion blur. With the QL7000’s Frame Interpolation mode set to Low, those artifacts completely disappeared, and there was only a slight motion smoothing penalty seen in the picture.

As a final test, I watched a few scenes from The Elephant Man on 4K Blu-ray. The QL7000 presented the film’s black-and-white image with excellent uniformity – there was no sign of tinting or variable brightness across various sections of the screen.

• Picture quality score: 4.5/5

Epson QL7000 review: value

• Provides a larger picture than biggest-screen TVs
• Picture brightness a match for some TVs
• Unique option for bright-room viewing

At $29,999 (around £22,400 / AU$47,000), the Epson QL7000 crosses over into the money-no-object realm for projectors, making value almost a moot point. Its main benefit is in projecting a 4K image onto screens as large as 300 inches, and with a level of brightness that’s so powerful you can watch during daytime hours with room lights on.

You can now buy super-bright mini-LED TVs in the 100-inch range for substantially less, a reality that would put something of a dent into any consideration of the QL7000’s value. But 100 inches pales in comparison to 300 inches, and yes, people actually exist who want screens that big.

• Value score: 4/5

Should I buy the Epson QL7000?

Buy it if...

Don’t buy it if… 

Also consider...

How I tested the Epson QL7000

• Tested at home, in a room with controlled lighting
• Measurements were made using Calman color calibration software
• A 1.1 gain Stewart Filmscreen Cima matte white projection screen was used for evaluation and measurements

When I test projectors, my first step is to use them for casual viewing to assess the out-of-box picture presets. The next step is to select the most accurate-looking preset (typically labeled Movie, Cinema, or, in the Epson QL7000's case, Natural) and measure the white balance (grayscale), gamma, and color point accuracy using Portrait Displays’ Calman color calibration software. The resulting measurements provide Delta-E values (the margin of error between the test pattern source and what’s shown on-screen) for each category, and allow for an assessment of the projector’s overall accuracy.

Along with those tests, I make measurements of peak light output (recorded in nits) for both standard high-definition and 4K high dynamic range using a 10% white window pattern. Coverage of DCI-P3 and BT.2020 color space is also measured, with the results providing a sense of how faithfully the projector can render the extended color range in ultra-high-definition sources. The final measurements are contrast ratio, which is the ratio of the brightest white to the darkest black that the projector can display, and input lag, which is measured using a Leo Bodnar 4K HDMI input lag tester.

First reviewed: May, 2025

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Sony Bravia Projector 8: two-minute review

The Sony Bravia Projector 8 (VPL-XW6100ES) is the latest addition to the company’s lineup of native 4K projectors, all of which use the Z-Phosphor laser light source. This new beamer, along with the flagship Bravia Projector 9 (VPL-XW8100ES), adds several key features that bring the brand’s higher-end models in line with their chief competitors among the best 4K projectors, the JVC DLA-NZ800 and JVC DLA-NZ900.

Brightness for the Sony Projector 8 has been increased to 2,700 lumens and both models now use Sony’s professional-grade XR Processor. One of the key benefits is genuine dynamic tone mapping for a superior HDR experience.

The Projector 8 and 9 retain the same chassis and Advanced Crisp-Focus (ACF) lens, motorised lens controls and lens memories as the previous generation, but unlike the JVC projectors, they don’t support HDR10+ high dynamic range or 3D.

The Projector 8’s design is the same as previous generations, but the compact chassis remains well-built. The menu system is easy to navigate, installation is flexible, and the backlit remote control makes this beamer a pleasure to operate. The connectivity has been upgraded and now includes two HDMI 2.1 inputs, which means the Projector 8 accepts signals with higher frame rates up to 4K 120p – great news for next-generation console and high-end PC rig gamers.

The inclusion of 4K 120p isn’t the only good news for gamers, with the Projector 8 supporting ALLM. As a result, it automatically goes into the game mode when a console is detected, and the input lag is an incredibly low 10ms. All of this finally makes this beamer the ideal companion to the brand’s own PlayStation 5 game console, as well as other consoles and PC gaming rigs.

It’s not perfect of course. There’s no HDR10+ or 3D support, the colour gamut could go wider, the black levels dig a little deeper, and shadows retain more detail, but overall this high-end beamer delivers the big screen goods. In fact, its smooth motion, superior processing, fast responses, and improved HDR are sure to please even the most demanding cinephile or competitive gamer.

Sony Bravia Projector 8 review: price and release date

• First available: October 2024
• Price: £15,999 / $15,999 / around AU$21,170
  

The Sony Bravia Projector 8 (VPL-XW6100ES) is the new mid-range model in the brand’s line-up of home cinema projectors and is available now in a choice of matte black or white finishes. The Projector 8 currently retails for £15,999 in the UK or $15,999 in the US.

Sony Bravia Projector 8 review: Specs

Sony Bravia Projector 8 review: design

• Advanced Crisp-Focus (ACF) lens
• Motorised lens controls and memories
• Backlit remote control

The Sony Projector 8 looks identical to the brand’s previous generations, with the same angled design and centrally-mounted lens. There are air intake grilles at the front, exhaust vents at the rear, and some basic controls on the left-hand side as you face the lens.

The Projector 8 measures 460 x 210 x 517mm (WxHxD), and weighs in at 14kg. Sony offers a choice of matte black or matte white, and you can also choose between a stand or ceiling mount. The build quality is good, although it feels less substantial when compared to the JVC NZ800.

The Projector 8 uses the Advanced Crisp-Focus (ACF) 70mm lens introduced on earlier models, which is designed to resolve more detail. The lens controls are also motorised, making setup easier, and there are lens memories to create different aspect ratios if you use a 2.35:1 screen.

The connections are all located in a recess along the bottom left-hand side as you face the projector. Here you’ll find two HDMI 2.1 inputs, which is a welcome addition, along with an Ethernet port and RS-232C connector, a 12V trigger, an IR input jack, and a USB port for power.

The provided remote is the same large and backlit zapper included with previous generations of Sony beamers. The buttons are laid out sensibly, it’s comfortable to hold and use with one hand, and includes all the controls you’ll need to set up and operate the Projector 8.

• Design score: 5/5

Sony Bravia Projector 8 review: features

• Z-Phosphor laser light source
• Dynamic HDR Tone Mapping
• Support for 4K 120Hz high frame rate

The Sony Projector 8 uses the brand’s current 0.61-inch SXRD chip to deliver native 4K (3840 x 2160) images. The projector has a refresh rate of 120Hz, and thanks to the addition of the two HDMI 2.1 inputs it can now support higher frame rates up to 4K 120p.

The Projector 8 also uses a Z-Phosphor laser light source, with an increased claimed brightness of 2,700 lumens and a claimed lifespan of up to 20,000 hours. That basically means you could watch a film a day for the next ten years without worrying about the image dimming like a lamp or bulb.

The inclusion of wide dynamic range optics and Sony’s XR Triluminos Pro technology promises deeper blacks, more saturated colours and improved contrast ratios. Sony’s professional-grade XR Processor also promises advanced image processing and real-time optimisation of the picture.

Thanks to the addition of the XR Processor the Projector 8 has XR Clear Image processing for intelligent upscaling and noise reduction, along with improved HDR thanks to image cross-analysis, depth mapping and focal point recognition. There’s also XR Deep Black laser dimming and XR Dynamic Tone Mapping for optimised HDR10 based on analysis of the incoming signal.

There’s Motionflow frame interpolation for fast-paced sports action and a low-latency mode for gaming. In addition to the support for 4K 120p high frame-rate gaming, the Projector 8 also has ALLM (auto low latency mode) that puts it into game mode when a games console is detected.

• Features score: 4

Sony Bravia Projector 8 review: picture quality

• Bright and detailed pictures
• Impressive HDR tone mapping
• Very low input lag for gaming

The Sony Projector 8 (VPL-XW6100ES) delivers awesome big-screen pictures thanks to its native 4K (3840 x 2160) resolution and Advanced Crisp-Focused (ACF) 70mm lens. This results in detailed and distortion-free images, along with wider dynamic range optics. All of this means you’ll get pin-sharp resolution across the entire screen – no matter how big that screen is.

If you have a really large screen, there’s no need to worry, because this beamer has a Z-Phosphor laser light source that can reach an extremely bright 2,700 lumens. It also has a claimed lifespan of 20,000 hours, so you’ll never have to worry about changing a lamp, plus the laser itself delivers a consistent colour performance and doesn’t dim significantly over its long average lifespan.

The Reference picture mode proves very accurate out of the box, and the extensive calibration controls can be used to dial in a near-perfect picture. The black levels are not as good as the JVC NZ800, and I measured the Projector 8’s contrast ratio at 12,000:1. Sony only quotes a dynamic contrast ratio of infinity to one, but this is achieved by turning the laser off, which doesn’t represent mixed content.

The big selling point of a Sony projector is its image processing, and the XR Processor doesn’t disappoint. When watching a high quality 1080p source, you’ll be rewarded with an upscaled picture that makes full use of the projector’s more than eight million pixels, producing images that are expertly rendered so they appear clean, detailed and free of unwanted artefacts or noise.

Sony’s Reality Creation detail enhancement applies sharpening to any resolution, including 4K, but is so sophisticated that it achieves this without introducing distracting artefacts. Motion handling is class-leading, appearing fluid and free of judder or other issues, even without engaging Motionflow. Although for fast sports the frame interpolation feature can be beneficial.

The Projector 8 supports HDR10 and HLG, but not HDR10+. The addition of dynamic tone mapping is most welcome, performing frame-by-frame analysis of incoming HDR signals, and adjusting the tone mapping dynamically through pixel processing and the laser power. The results are impressive for a projector, bringing out details in the darkest and brightest parts of the picture.

While I was generally impressed by the picture quality, I do feel that to get the most out of this beamer you need to use all the processing. The Reference mode, which bypasses a lot of the processing, often appeared flat and lifeless, but when switched to Film 1 or Film 2 it was a different story. The images burst into life with detail, depth and colour that really add to SDR and HDR.

Watching Passengers reveals a detailed native 4K image with well rendered HDR and rich colours that retain plenty of depth. The same is true with the saturated primaries in The Greatest Showman, which the Projector 8 handles with skill. It’s only when watching a darker film like The Batman that the weaker blacks of the Projector 8 are laid bare, but at least the shadows are free of crush and the peak highlights don’t suffer from loss of detail or clipping.

The Projector 8 is a great choice for gamers thanks to its bright and detailed images, as well as its peerless motion handling. The performance with SDR is superb, while HDR gaming is exceptional due to the laser light source and HDR enhancements. The overall gaming experience is smooth and responsive thanks to a dedicated game mode that delivers an input lag of 18ms with 4K 60p, and just 10ms with 4K 120p. Both these latency measurements are lightning-fast for a projector, and better than many TVs.

• Picture quality score: 4.5/5

Sony Bravia Projector 8 review: value

• Priced to directly compete with superior JVC NZ800
• Expensive when compared to very similar JVC NZ700

The Sony Bravia Projector 8 (VPL-XW6100ES) is priced to compete directly with the JVC DLA-NZ800, which also costs £15,999/$15,999. However, the NZ800 does have the edge due to its all-glass lens, deeper blacks, superior dynamic tone mapping, and support for both HDR10+ and 3D.

The Projector will also face serious competition from JVC’s DLA-NZ700, which currently retails for £9,499/$8,999. The NZ700 isn’t as bright at 2,300 lumens, but it delivers better contrast and HDR tone mapping, and it supports HDR10+. However, the Sony still has the edge with gaming thanks to its lower input lag and support for 4K 120p compared to the JVC, which is limited to 4K 60p.

• Value score: 4/5

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How I tested the Sony Bravia Projector 8

• Measured with Calman calibration software
• Evaluated using SDR and HDR content
• Reviewed in a dedicated home cinema

As with all my TV and projector reviews I use a combination of subjective viewing and objective measurements against the industry standards. For projectors, I also do all my testing in a dedicated home cinema with a completely blacked-out environment and high-quality screen.

The subjective testing is based around watching a variety of familiar scenes, primarily sourced from 4K and 1080p Blu-rays, plus the Spears & Munsil UHD Benchmark 4K disc. Any test scenes have been specifically chosen to evaluate a display’s black levels, contrast performance, colour accuracy, upscaling, image processing, motion handling, and HDR tone mapping.

For the objective testing, I measured the Projector 8’s brightness, greyscale and colour gamut in SDR, before doing the same in HDR. I also evaluated the accuracy of the HDR tone mapping, along with the colour gamut coverage for DCI-P3. To do this I used a pattern generator and colour meter combined with Portrait Display’s Calman calibration software. I measured the Projector 8’s input lag in milliseconds using a specialised Leo Bodnar tester.

First reviewed: February, 2025

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