INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Popular streaming services, like Netflix and Amazon, increasingly offer movies and TV shows you can watch in 4K resolution – if you have a
4K TV to watch them on, of course
But if you're the kind of person who wants the best, uncompressed picture quality from your movie sessions and TV binges, you need to invest
in a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray player.Why's that? When you display video content from a disc you don't get the same risk of buffering or varying
resolution as over an internet connection, making for a more consistently high-quality picture
New 4K Blu-ray discs also tend to pack in the most advanced and premium HDR formats, such as Dolby Vision – or even Dolby Atmos surround
sound audio.A 4K Blu-ray player will still be able to play HD Blu-rays too, as well as regular ol' DVDs you may still have lying around –
with the capability to upscale those lower-resolution formats up to 4K before feeding them to your TV.Blu-ray is still in many senses a
niche market, but there are still some great choices for those opting for 4K Blu-ray discs – with the likes of Panasonic, Samsung, and
Sony all having a crack at the multimedia player
With Black Friday and Cyber Monday around the corner, too, you'll likely get a number of great deals on the 4K Blu-ray players currently out
there.As for the upfront investment of buying yet another media device, you can take some solace in knowing that these players really aren't
Sure, there are one or two premium players on our list that can do anything and everything, but most 4K Blu-ray players on the market right
now cost less than $300 / £300 / AU$450.Keep in mind, of course, that various games consoles come with Blu-ray or 4K Blu-ray players built
into the hardware – such as the Xbox One S, Xbox One X, or upcoming PlayStation 5
But if you want a standalone 4K Ultra HD player, here are the options for you.What else do I need to watch a UHD Blu-ray?That being said,
before you plunk down some money on a new player, make sure you already own a 4K TV in order to watch it – if you don't have one, then
check out our guide to the best 4K TV.If you don't have a 4K TV, your 4K Blu-ray player will still work, but it will only display images in
Buy a regular Blu-ray disc instead of a 4K version and it will still play in 3840 × 2160 resolution, but it won't be a native 4K image and
will be noticeably different to an Ultra HD Blu-ray.Best 4K Blu-ray players at a glancePanasonic DP-UB9000Panasonic DMP-UB700 Pioneer
UDP-LX500 Sony UBP-X800Panasonic DMP-UB900 Sony UBP-X1000ESPanasonic DMP-UB300 Xbox One XXbox One S Samsung UBD-K8500Best 4K Blu-ray
Panasonic DP-UB9000The first 4K Blu-ray player to support HDR10, HLG, HDR10+ and Dolby VisionSupported resolution: 3840 x 2160 | Smart TV:
Yes | Dimensions: 430 x 81 x 300 mm | Weight: 7.8 kg | UHD Upscaling?: Yes | Wi-Fi?: Yes | 3D support?: Yes | HDR Formats supported: HDR10,
HDR10+Fantastic image qualityFour types of HDR supportPowerful HDR display optimizerNo SACD or DVD-audio playbackCD playback is acebricThe
DP-UB9000 is Panasonic’s latest flagship 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray player and, after Oppo started winding down its competing devices, the new
model finds itself in one of the top spots in the high-end player market. That said, beautifully made and enviably specified, this flagship
4K disc spinner is unashamedly premium
The plastic and tin build, familiar on mainstream Blu-ray players, has been replaced with heavy metal and luxe design. Beyond its good
looks, however, the DP-UB9000 is also the first UHD deck from Panasonic to support all key HDR flavours: vanilla HDR10, its dynamic sibling
HDR10+, HLG and Dolby Vision
The latter is included, despite the fact that Panasonic isn’t supporting Dolby Vision on any of its 4K TVs. Not only is the player more
than capable with images, it has audiophile aspirations as well, sporting high quality DACs, two-channel and 7.1-channel analogue outputs,
Toss in a host of smart features, and the UB9000 ticks nearly every box in the book. Naturally all these flagship features don’t come
cheap - but, for those seeking the ideal replacement Blu-ray player after Oppo’s collapse, the Panasonic DP-UB9000 is a more than adequate
replacement. Read the full review: Panasonic DP-UB9000 review2
Panasonic DMP-UB700The best bang-for-buck 4K UHD Blu-ray performanceSupported resolution: 3840 x 2160 | Smart TV: Yes | Dimensions: 430 x 61
x 199 mm | Weight: 2.3 kg | UHD Upscaling?: Yes | Wi-Fi?: Yes | 3D support?: Yes | HDR Formats supported: HDR10Outstanding picture
performanceHi-Res Audio file playback4K Netflix and Amazon onboardNot as sexy as the DMP-UB900No Dolby Vision supportThe Panasonic DMP-U700
is the 4K Blu-ray player we end up recommending most often
It's more affordable than an Oppo deck, and still gets you the amazing picture quality of Panasonic's top-end DMP-U900
Streaming service support, with HDR-enabled 4K Netflix, is well worth trumpeting and the player does a swell job with 24-bit audio
It supports both FLAC and DSD files. There's no Dolby Vision support, perhaps the main reason to upgrade to the DMP-UB900
But as it stands the UB700 offers the best balance of price, audio visual performance and features. Read the full review:Panasonic
Pioneer UDP-LX500A premium player for your high-end A/V needsSupported resolution: 3840 x 2160 | Smart TV: N/A | Dimensions: 17-1/8 x 4-5/8
x 13-1/4 inches (435 x 118 x 337 mm) | Weight: 22.7 lbs
(10.3 kg) | UHD Upscaling?: Yes | Wi-Fi?: Yes | 3D support?: Yes | HDR Formats supported: HDR10, Dolby Vision, plus HDR10+ laterSolid image
qualitySupports numerous formatsNo streaming services on boardWhile its £999 ($999, AU$1999) price tag might be a bit intimidating, Pioneer
has produced a peach of a player with the UDP-LX500
This heavyweight home cinema hero deserves to be shortlisted by all high-end upgraders, and can comfortably claim to be one of the best
universal 4K Blu-ray players available for less than a grand. There are caveats though
It’s not quite as brilliant a video performer as its main rival, the cheaper Panasonic DMP-UB9000, and it’s not quite as well finished
However, if music is as important as movies to you, it’s clearly got broader appeal
Move over Bradley and Gaga, a new AV star is born.Read the full review: Pioneer UDP-LX5004
Sony UBP-X800Great video matched with exceptional audioSupported resolution: 3840 x 2160 | Smart TV: MediaTek platform | Dimensions: 17 x 2
x 10.5 inches | Weight: 8.4 pounds | UHD Upscaling?: Yes | Wi-Fi?: Yes | 3D support?: Yes | HDR Formats supported: HDR10Superb picture
quality4K Netflix and Amazon appsSACD, DVD-A and Hi-Res audioNo analogue stereo outputNo Dolby VisionSony might have been a little late to
the Ultra HD Blu-ray party, but its first player is a great machine
It's solidly made, and its overall image quality is superb. As an added bonus, the player also supports a wide range of audio formats, can
play SACDs, and even DVD-As. So why does the player sit the number three slot in our list? Well, unfortunately it lacks support for Dolby
Vision, the high-end HDR format that discs are increasingly offering support for, and which the Oppo UDP-203 does now support thanks to a
Its also more expensive than our top pick, the Panasonic DMP-UB700. If you want a UHD player that also doubles as a very capable music
player, then the Sony UBP-X800 is a great choice, but if you're after something focussed solely on playing movies, then there are better or
cheaper options out there. Read the full review:Sony UBP-X8005
Panasonic DMP-UB900Panasonic's DMP-UB900 is a must-have for AV enthusiasts Supported resolution: 3840 x 2160 | Smart TV: Panasonic OS |
Dimensions: 435 x 199 x 68mm | Weight: 5.29 pounds | UHD Upscaling?: Yes | Wi-Fi?: Yes | 3D support?: Yes | HDR Formats supported: HDR104K
Netflix and Amazon on boardFirst-class audio CD playbackClunky UIChassis is a fingerprint magnetThe DMP-UB900 will restore you faith in
In full 4K HDR guise it offers a level of performance that will have new 4K TV owners gasping
Ultra HD Blu-ray brings the experience of 4K digital cinema to the home, and rewards with brilliant colour fidelity, deep contrast and
almost three-dimensional clarity.Factor in solid file playback support, plus 4K iterations of Netflix and Amazon Instant Video, and you have
a machine that'll make your new 4K HDR TV look sensational.Read the full review: Panasonic DMP-UB9006
Sony UBP-X1000ESOffering superb video and audio, this high-end Sony is a star performerSupported resolution: 3840 x 2160 | Smart TV: N/A |
Dimensions: W430 x H54 x D265 (mm) | Weight: 3.9 kg (8 Lbs 10 Oz) | UHD Upscaling?: Yes | Wi-Fi?: Yes | 3D support?: Yes | HDR Formats
supported: HDR10Excellent 4K UHD performanceAccomplished audio playerPremium build quality UBP-X800 is the better value The UBP-X1000ES is
Sony’s premium 4K Blu-ray offering, a posh stablemate to the unfeasibly fine UBP-X800
In terms of performance and value, the latter can be considered one of the best value UHD Blu-ray players available, so clearly this more
expensive sibling needs to be rather special to warrant a premium. To that end, the UBP-X1000ES delivers pristine UHD Blu-ray images and
its audio performance is excellent, be it via HDMI or two channel analogue
The player is also artfully built, and incorporates a high-end 192kHz/ 32bit DAC and offers a gold-plated phono analogue audio output on the
rear. Ultimately, though, the X1000ES is considerably more expensive than the UBP-X800, and doesn’t quite have the feature roster of the
Dolby Vision-enabled, MQA-playing Oppo UHD-203 - and if you’re looking for a UHD player with comparable audio chops (although admittedly
not universal disc compatibility), then Panasonic’s DMP-UB900 provides cheaper competition. Read the full review:Sony UBP-X1000ES(Image
Panasonic DMP-UB300Supported resolution: 3840 x 2160 | Smart TV: Yes | Dimensions: 193 x 320 x 45 mm | Weight: 1.3kg | UHD Upscaling?: Yes |
Wi-Fi?: No | 3D support?: Yes | HDR Formats supported: HDR10Top notch video playbackGood compatibility modesNo Wi-FiBuild quality is
lackingYou'll make a couple of compromises if you want to take advantage of the DMP UB300's budget price-tag – there's no built-in Wi-Fi
for example, and rear ports are incredibly limited – but thankfully the machine doesn't scrimp where it matters. Picture quality is
excellent, it supports a wide range of audio codecs and formats, and there's also streaming services built in if you're willing to go down
the wired ethernet route. Read the full review: Panasonic DMP-UB300(Image credit: Xbox)8
Xbox One XMicrosoft's latest console plays games and movies in 4K UHDSupported resolution: 3840 x 2160 | Smart TV: Yes? | Dimensions: 193 x
320 x 45 mm | Weight: 1.3kg | UHD Upscaling?: Yes | Wi-Fi?: Yes | 3D support?: Yes | HDR Formats supported: HDR10Also supports Dolby
AtmosDoubles as a game consoleHad some issues at the outsetBlu-ray player app is a bit buggyThe Xbox One X is a beast of a gaming console
It offers 6 teraflops of performance, 12GB of GDDR5 RAM and an eight-core CPU clocked at 2.3GHz
By far and away, it's the most powerful device listed on this page. But despite all that power under the hood, it's not the best 4K Blu-ray
Sure, it can play 4K UHD discs – and it even supports Dolby Atmos audio – but the images that it produces aren't likely to blow you away
That's probably because the Xbox One X doesn't have the same level of picture-upscaling that some of the other dedicated media players on
this list have. While the Xbox One X might not be as good of a 4K Blu-ray player as the Oppo or the Sony, we'd like to see either one of
those players handle an Xbox One X game.Read the full review:Xbox One XImage Credit: Microsoft/Xbox(Image credit: Xbox)9
Xbox One SThe Xbox One S might be primarily a video game console, but it's also a stellar (and cheap) 4K Blu-ray player Supported
resolution: 3840 x 2160 | Smart TV: New Xbox Experience | Dimensions: 17 x 11.4 x 4.4 inches | Weight: N/A | UHD Upscaling?: Yes | Wi-Fi?:
Yes | 3D support?: Yes | HDR Formats supported: HDR104K/HDR streamingHDR gaming4K gaming limited to upscalingConsole interfaceNot holding
the title of a "proper Blu-ray player" doesn't stop the Xbox One S from being a great, cheap way to play 4K Blu-ray discs. Sporting a
Blu-ray disc drive and the capacity to run Netflix in 4K Ultra HD, Microsoft's latest iteration of the Xbox is a great 'jack-of-all-trades'
machine that's capable of satisfying your UHD disc needs as well as playing the latest console game released for the system. The downside
of it being able to do everything is that you'll be working with an interface designed primarily for gaming
The controller that comes with the console isn't the most efficient way to control movie playback, and the machine lacks support for Dolby
Vision. Regardless, if you want a machine that can handle both your gaming and your home cinema needs, the Xbox One S is the console for
the job. Read the full review: Xbox One S10
Samsung UBD-K8500 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray player4K playback on the cheap? Check out the UBD-K8500Supported resolution: 3840 x 2160 | Smart TV:
Samsung Smart Hub | Dimensions: 405 x 44.7 x 230 mm | Weight: 4.19 pounds | UHD Upscaling?: Yes | Wi-Fi?: Yes | 3D support?: Yes | HDR
Formats supported: HDR10Impressive 4K HDR image quality4K Netflix and Amazon onboardJourneyman build quality and noisyNot a great sounding
music playerThe K8500 is currently the cheapest route into 4K Blu-ray
It's also a useful hub for 4K OTT services from Netflix and Amazon, and while the design is a bit Marmite, you'll be consistently impressed
by its loading speed and colourful UI.You can get better image quality, support for more formats and better build quality by spending more
money, but if you want a cheap machine that covers the basics, then the Samsung UBD-K8500 is yet to be beaten on price. Samsung has since
stopped making Blu-ray players, but keep assured this one should last you for a while yet.Read the full review: Samsung
UBD-K8500gVVGSr4pWZcyh2wY37WE2D.jpg?#
