Sony Bravia VPL-HW15

Projectors using LCoS technology are noted for their great color fidelity and excellent black levels, and the Sony Bravia VPL-HW15 is no exception. What is different is the price: The VPL-HW15 is the least expensive Sony LCoS projector to date and one of the best performers. Though the VPL-HW15 might not be the last word in terms of the blackest blacks, it is more than strong enough in that regard to remain in the conversation. Color accuracy is excellent even without calibration and can be dialed in to the point where it compares favorably even with reference-quality projectors costing four times as much. The picture is incredibly smooth, with no trace of pixel structure. That same attribute is one reason why some call the picture quality slightly soft when compared to some other projectors, but other reviewers say sharpness is perfect and more cinematic than what can be seen from the competition. Though the VPL-HW15 is called a bargain relative to its performance, some less expensive projectors deliver image quality that's nearly as good, and at a significantly lower price. One example is the Epson Home Cinema 8100 (*Est. $1,600), which costs nearly half as much and delivers strong picture quality highlighted by good color performance. Brightness with the Home Cinema 8100 is higher, but blacks are not quite as deep.

We found several reviews of the Sony Bravia VPL-HW15. The best are at ProjectorReviews.com and ProjectorCentral.com. Both projector enthusiast sites deliver reports that are extensively detailed and testing-based. The review at Britain's TrustedReviews.com is nearly as good and is also testing-based. The Sony VPL-HW15 is too new to have attracted much user feedback, but there is some discussion at AVSForum.com.