Tips and advice

The best (Ultra HD) Blu-ray players from 2018/2019

Which best Blu-ray players of 2018/2019 can you buy the best? In this article the best (Ultra HD) Blu-ray players of of different price ranges discussed.
4.4/5 - (326 votes)

We have extensively tested more than 90 products this year, including several Blu-ray players from the big brands. Although we stream more and more, the physical disc is still preferable for many and you want to go for the best quality and the latest standards, the disc is still the best option. But, which best Blu-ray players of 2018/2019 can you buy the best? In this article we discuss the best (Ultra HD) Blu-ray players of 2018/2019, looking at different price ranges.

All about Blu-ray players

The Blu-ray player is a device that we have been using for years know and what the exciting is a bit off, but there are several things you can pay attention to before you buy one. Which connections do you need, which discs and media do you want to play and what is your expectation in terms of quality? You can read more about this in our article about everything you need to know before you buy a Blu-ray player. Since three years, however, we also see the next generation of players appear, the Ultra HD Blu-ray players. These devices are particularly interesting if you already have a 4K Ultra HD TV or want to purchase it. However, the top models of today are all Ultra HD Blu-ray players. You can read more about this latest generation in our article about Ultra HD Blu-ray discs and players . Do you want to know more about players, the connections and the possibilities?

The best Blu-ray players of 2018/2019

Honestly honest; it is not yet stormy with Ultra HD Blu-ray. In physical stores the supply of Ultra HD Blu-ray discs is still rather limited and the number of Ultra HD Blu-ray players does not really increase. The physical disc is still struggling, especially due to the increasingly higher quality that streaming services offer. But, in our view, there is nothing like a disc with the highest video and audio quality so we have an overview of the best Ultra HD Blu-ray players that you can buy.

We have seen a lot of players this year come, and a large number of them extensively tested. The overview below with the best Blu-ray players of 2018 is determined by looking at our own reviews, experiences of other experts and readers, the developments in the market and the prices of the relevant devices. We have not used any special order in the overview.

best Blu-ray players of 2018/2019 – Sony UBP-X700

The Sony UBP-X700 is a new Ultra HD Blu-ray player which is primarily a slightly stripped down version of the UBP -X800 seems to be, but on the other hand it offers support for Dolby Vision (the update is now in!). And that for a price of less than 190 euros.

Compared to the UBP-X800 you seem to only lose support for DVD audio, HiRes audio, and Bluetooth (with LDAC). In return, you get Dolby Vision support. The lighter chassis is not only an external adjustment, but also makes the player no longer perfectly silent, though you can not call him noisy.

It is an excellent player, for all your drives as well as all your media files. It is smooth, has a good interface and delivers excellent image quality. Thanks to SACD support you can almost call him a universal player. If we look at the price, then this is a very attractive player, with a feature set that will suffice for most people.

Also read our Sony UBP-X700 review .

Panasonic DMP-UB9004

The latest high-end player from Panasonic is an impressive appearance that has a lot for both videophiles and audiophiles. has to offer. From ample HDR support and remastering to Hi-res audio and balanced stereo outputs. The DP-UB9004 is a real sign for the technological knowledge of Panasonic. But, there is a price tag of almost 1,000 euros.

The DP-UB9004 is a top-end player, but still has room for improvement. First, it does not provide all major streaming services (or no HDR content as currently for Netflix). In addition, he can also use some improvement as a (video) media player. Whoever wants to connect it as the only source on his projector, still has to keep an alternative for some things. As an audio player he has a number of unique possibilities but you have to check very carefully whether you will use it in your specific setup. That point becomes all the more important if you also look at the price.

As a disc player, it delivers exceptionally good performance, thanks to the HCX processor, High Precision Chroma upsampling and the HDR Optimiser. Especially the latter is a real plus to retain all the color and white detail from your HDR images. In addition, he supports Dolby Vision and HDR10 + so that you truly get a universal HDR player. The excellent analog audio quality and the ability to play multichannel DSD, FLAC and ALAC are unique advantages on the audio side, and give it a clear audiophile signature. In the right setup this player delivers fantastic sound and vision.

Also read our Panasonic DMP-UB9000 review .

 

Sony BDP-S6700

Sony has also released an excellent performing Blu-ray player for smaller budgets. The BDP-S6700 scales video and Blu-ray movies to 4K UHD detail and is equipped with a wide range of applications for an optimal music and image experience at home. The system provides access to streaming services such as Spotify and Deezer, and the SongPal Link app creates additional listening options in-house.

Bonus: Oppo UDP-203

One of the best but also one of the most expensive Blu-ray players we have tested is the Oppo UDP -203. This player is hardly for sale anymore as Oppo has stopped production, but if you can find one, this is still a must for us. The player offers support for Dolby Vision and guarantees a very good picture quality. In addition, Oppo continues to fan-support the device, with an update for HDR10 + soon.

When we take everything together we have to conclude that the Oppo UDP-203 is currently the best Ultra HD Blu-ray player, at least in terms of possibilities and image quality. The player is not perfect because the remote feels old-fashioned, there are no streaming apps or techniques on board (purists might be a plus) and the HDMI input does not support HDR, but the most important thing is still the excellent image quality

Read more in the full Oppo UDP-203 review .