Sony VPL-VW350ES Pro Reviews

At $5,000 less than Sony’s next-least-expensive 4K projector, the VPL-VW350ES is a seriously good value. Properly set up, it delivers a stunning picture, with accurate color, good contrast (despite its lack of a dynamic or manual iris control), and brightness to spare. Plus it comes with most of the amenities you’d expect from a high-end projector, including motorized focus/zoom adjustments and lens shift. If you’re considering scaling up to a screen size that will make an extra investment in 4K worth it, the VPL-VW350ES is worth your consideration.

When Sony released the HW40ES last year, they showed that a stripped-down version of a successful projector at a lower price point could be wildly successful. Applying those lessons to the VW600ES gets you the VW350ES, a super-detailed 4K projector at the lowest price point that resolution has ever seen. The VW350ES isn't perfect, and the HW40 comparison doesn't completely apply. As a high-budget projector, the VW350ES appeals to the kind of people who demand perfection from their projectors, and the lack of an automatic or manual iris makes it difficult to use the projector in a dedicated, blacked-out theater room without noticing the black level deficiency or adding an aftermarket ND filter. Still, it's difficult to find fault with the VW350ES, especially when it's one of only a handful of 4K home theater projectors on the market and the most affordable one to date. It retains most of the things we loved about the VW600ES, and the sacrifices it makes seem small in comparison to the enormous drop in price compared to the higher-end model. When all's said and done, we have no reservations about giving the VW350ES our Editor's Choice Award, because it is a fantastic value for the money.