If we’re all streaming movies and TV shows with services such as Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video, what’s the point of owning a Blu-ray player? Well, as far as excellent sound and resolution quality, Blu-ray players are still one of the best ways to experience your favorite cinematic and episodic content — especially if you’re using an Ultra HD (4K) Blu-ray player.
There’s no questioning the convenience of streaming, but because you’re using an internet connection to access video-on-demand media, you’re beholden to things like available bandwidth, buffering, and other web-connected obstacles. With a Blu-ray player, there’s no networking required (unless you want to use your player’s smart features), because all of your audio and video info is stored on Blu-ray discs! Not to mention the fact that most Blu-ray players will play your old DVDs, too.
There aren’t as many Blu-ray players to choose from these days, which is why knowing your facts before making a purchase is more integral than ever. To help you along the way, we’ve put together this roundup of the best Blu-ray players for 2024.
The best overall Blu-ray player
Sony UBP-X700M
- Effective upscaling for older media
- HDR10 and Dolby Vision support
- Affordable
- Not as good as some of our other Sony picks
If you are looking for ways to make sure even your older Blu-rays perform as well as they can with your new 4K TV, this UBP-X700M model is a 4K Blu-ray player with excellent upscaling even for older formats. It's also highly compact, super-easy to set up, and includes dual HDMI ports if you prefer an audio-only HDMI option in your setup.
It's also a powerful audio platform, with support for 24-bit hi-res audio formats, as well as HDR10, Dolby Vision, and other support to ensure that you're getting the most cinematic results for your experience.
In addition to awesome disc playback, the player's powerful Wi-Fi chip and Ethernet port enable fast 4K streaming. Finally, Sony’s TV SideView app lets you control your screen from your smartphone, as well as share your entire smartphone screen with your TV, which is great for showing friends and family pictures and videos.
The best Blu-ray player for music
Sony UBP-X800M2
- Very strong format support
- Great specs for music and audio
- Simultaneous Bluetooth transmission
- A bit more expensive than some picks
There's a reason Sony's UBP-X800M2 is such a popular Blu-ray player. This player offers just about everything you could want, including gorgeous 4K resolution, high-end audio decoding that includes both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, and both HDR10 and Dolby Vision to bring the very best performance out of every disc in your collection.
While you'll pay a bit more for the UBP-X800M2 than for the UBP-X700M listed above, you'll definitely get your money's worth. That's because it offers the company's DSEE HX audio processing, which will make everything from MP3 to FLAC files sound absolutely astonishing, including the leading hi-res audio formats. So if your disc collection is as big on audio as video, this is likely the option for you.
Speaking of audio, the UBP-X800M2 has another trick up its sleeve that the UBP-X700M can't match: It can transmit audio simultaneously over Bluetooth to a wireless speaker or a set of headphones. It can do this in perfect sync with the audio being sent over HDMI, so there's no jarring lag-time, and if you own a Sony Bluetooth speaker or headphones equipped with Sony's proprietary LDAC audio codec, the quality of that stream will be up to three times higher than normal Bluetooth.
Whether you use the UBP-X800M2's feature to amplify the power of your favorite movies or simply use it for a wireless audiophile-grade connection, it's a big advantage for audio enthusiasts.
The best Blu-ray player for HDR
Panasonic UB820
- Beautiful HDR picture
- Fantastic 4K upscaling
- Compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant
- Separate HDMI and analog audio outputs
- Expensive
- No SACD support
Panasonic may not be producing TVs for the U.S. market these days, but what the company lacks in North American screens, it more than makes up for with some of the best high-end Blu-ray players on the market.
For those of us looking to experience the best of modern HDR picture standards, the Panasonic UB820 is outfitted to support all the leading HDR formats, including HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, and HLG. When pairing this 4K Blu-ray player with a UHD TV, HDR visuals are simply beautiful. Expect vibrant imagery, with plenty of color brightness and incredible richness and depth, too.
The UB820 also supports hi-res audio playback, and features a dedicated HDMI output for audio, along with analog audio outputs for up to a 7.1 surround-sound system.
It may not be the cheapest Blu-ray player on the market, but after factoring in all its amazing picture perks, compatibility with Alexa and Google Assistant, and built-in streaming apps like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, it becomes clear why the Panasonic UB820 is one of the best players you can buy.
The most fun Blu-ray player
Microsoft Xbox Series X
- Very gaming-friendly
- 4K and HDR support
- Plenty of on-board storage
- May be more than some are willing to pay
If you want a great Blu-ray player and you’re also into video games (especially with a subscription, such as Game Pass), the Xbox Series X is an excellent entertainment hub. An attractive gaming console with sleek looks, this version of the Xbox includes the latest and greatest 4K UHD Blu-ray technology.
Like most high-end Blu-ray players on the market, the console features three USB 3.1 ports, one Ethernet port, and one HDMI 2.1 port. A one-stop solution for everything from gaming to high-end AV viewing, the Xbox Series X offers 4K streaming and a beautiful picture, with HDR10 support that provides impressive contrast.
It's worth noting, however, that while Microsoft added support for Dolby Vision on the Xbox Series X/S for use with streaming media like Netflix and Hulu and playing games, it still hasn't added support for playback via Blu-ray. Microsoft could remedy this with a future update, but only time will tell. In the meantime, while you will definitely get some better picture and codec support from a stand-alone Blu-ray player, if you're a gamer and don't want to spend the extra money on an additional device, the Xbox Series X plays Blu-ray discs beautifully with great picture and sound.
The best Blu-ray player on a budget
LG BP175
- Excellent price
- Supports Blu-ray, DVD, and CD playback
- Has built-in streaming apps
- No Wi-Fi (Ethernet only)
- No 4K Blu-ray support
- No HDR support
For all our budget-restricted readers, the LG BP175 is one of the best no-frills Blu-ray players on the market, especially if you don't mind the fact that you won't be getting any kind of 4K playback. But for 1080p HD only (and don't forget regular HD upscaling for all your old DVDs), the BP175 is the player for the job.
In terms of features, there's not too much to write home about with this model. Audio-wise, the BP175 does handle regular music CDs, in addition to popular audio formats including WMA, MP3, and MP4, all of which can be loaded up to the player's interface using a USB thumb-drive.
You'll also be able to enjoy streaming content from the likes of Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and a few more platforms, but you'll want to make sure the player is located near your router because the BP175 cannot connect to Wi-Fi (you'll have to wire it directly to your router using the built-in Ethernet port).
If money is tight and you want a Blu-ray player without a bunch of add-ons, the LG BP175 is a great choice all around.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you like physical media, yes. Blu-ray isn't going to be replaced by anything any time soon. If you prefer digital downloads, you don't really need a traditional player.
Not on a technical level. Digital downloads and streaming have simply become so popular that Blu-ray players aren't necessary anymore, and in some home theaters, they have a very low priority. But those who like physical media can still easily find or use them, and common consoles like the Series X/PS5 still play them.
Yes, this shouldn't be a problem. Blu-ray players are generally backward-compatible with DVDs.
If your game console has a disc slot, then it almost certainly supports Blu-ray. But be careful — not all consoles have disc support these days. The Xbox Series S, for example, does not have a disc drive and relies entirely on downloads and streaming.
