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Best 4K Blu-ray Player: Because discs are better than streaming
In This Article
While streaming is convenient, if you all about the highest quality in your home, then you need to get the best 4K Blu-ray player.
Each year there are more movies and TV series popping up on 4K Blu-ray, offering the highest form of quality. If you want to see your favourite films looking at their best, then 4K Blu-ray offers that over the alternative of compressed streams to the home.
When it comes to testing 4K Blu-ray players, we assess their build quality, how easy they are to operate and what features they support. Although this is a digital format and in theory 4K players shouldn’t be able to tweak the 0s and 1s that form the image, we’d make sure that what does appear on screen is a faithful expression of what the film or TV series should look like.
4K Blu-ray players are a great source for 4K content, but to get the best out of them, tave a look at ourbest TVor check out ourbest projectorpage. Also have a look out ourbest surround sound speakerset-ups for immersive sound.
Best 4K Blu-ray player at a glance
How we test
We watch a lot of 4K Blu-rays, obviously. But before we get to the viewings, there’s the matter of plugging things in, and we spend time checking out whether a 4K Blu-ray player has the bare-bones single HDMI, or twin HDMI to separate out sound and vision, plus multi-channel analogue audio output. All that stuff matters if you’re going to set up a home cinema.When we do get to the discs, we care how quickly the disc tray loads, and whether it rattles. We care about loading times, how quickly you go from disc insertion to getting to the main menu. While things load, we’ll also take the time to scour the specs sheets to check for format compatibility.Then it’s time to watch 4K Blu-rays, and we pay attention to the picture and sound quality. No, they’re not the same. The discs all put out the same information but every 4K Blu-ray player processes them differently. We look out for the best balance of detail, subtlety, vibrancy and realism. If there are promises such as Dolby Atmos, we pay special attention to the precision of effects placement.After all this, we sweat the small stuff. Is the remote easy to use, particularly in dark rooms? Is the system interface easy to navigate?Finally, every element is judged against the price. If a machine represents good value generally, we’ll be a little more lenient on a bad remote. Pricier machines, however, had better be stunning.
Panasonic DP-UB9000
Pros
Cons
Panasonic’sDP-UB9000flagship 4K Blu-ray player is the most ambitious player we’ve tested from the Japanese brand, and for AV enthusiasts, investing in this battleship 4K player is a no-brainer.
The DP-UB9000 delivers best-in-class UHD video performance, courtesy of supreme image processing tech, as well as its HDR support that covers HDR10,HDR10+andDolby Visionformats. The images it produces exhibits both astonishing detail and supreme smoothness thanks to its second generation HCX, and we found the player performed a capable job of upscaling HD Blu-ray discs, too.
Our reviewer tested the player with a mid-range TV and found the results convincing, so pairing with apremium TVshould elicit even better performance from the Panasonic player.
This Pana player also boasts a level of construction that exceeds its (high) price; disc-loading speeds are decent while loading is smooth and quiet. Connectivity is extensive with dualHDMIoutputs (one audio only), two USBs (one is a fast v3.0), and optical and coaxial digital audio outputs, as well as a full 7.1 analogue channel output. There’s also balanced Neutrik XLR stereo connectors and Ethernet on hand to support the internal Wi-Fi.
When it comes to audio it sounds good – not quite audiophile in quality as the now discontinuedPioneer UDP-LX500, but it impresses nonetheless. If you’re looking for DVD-Audio and SACD support, the Panasonic doesn’t have it unfortunately.Reviewer:Steve MayFull Review:Panasonic DP-UB9000
Magnetar UDP900
Pros
Cons
There aren’t many new 4K Blu-ray players in production these days but recently there’s been a burst from the likes of Reavon and Magnetar at giving the marketplace a push forward. TheUDP900from Magnetar is expensive, but it is an exceptional player.
In the words of our reviewer, it is built like a tank but also sports an elegant design. It’s a player you’ll need to make some space for and you’ll certainly want to a solid surface to plant it on as it weighs 15.5kg. On the rear it has dual HDMI outputs, as well multi-channel analogue outputs for those who want to connect a sound system directly into the speaker. The remote control is backlit, which is a nice touch.
It’s a universal disc spinner, so whatever physical media you have it could conceivably play it, and withHDR10+andDolby Visionplayback, it supports the main forms of HDR too. Strangely, there’s no wireless connectivity, but it seems the Magentar wants to keep the focus on physical media rather than streaming. We’re not going to complain too much about that.
Its very simple to set-up and operate, and playback is incredibly quiet during operation. You can hardly hear the disc spinning.
The actual video performance offers impressive upscaling to 4K, bringing out the best in Blu-rays. Our reviewer felt he was watching a picture equivalent to HDR thanks to the MediaTek chipset’s processing. The look of 4K discs will depend onyour TV of choice, but we found the performance to be superb. Its audio performance is also very impressive, delivering a clean, detailed delivery with precise stereo imaging with analogue music. This is a high-end 4K player at a huge cost, but it’s worth it in our opinion.
For a less expensive but still premium 4K player, have a look at Magnetar’s ownUDP800.
Reviewer:Steve WithersFull Review:Magnetar UDP900
Magnetar UDP800
Pros
Cons
New 4K Blu-ray players are few and far between and appeal more to the home cinema enthusiast. If that’s you, then you’ll want to have a look at theMagnetar UDP800, a universal disc player and one of the best 4K players currently available.
You could go for the even more expensiveUDP900, but the only advantage is that you’ll get analogue 7.1 audio support. Otherwise the UBP800 will do fine.
It’s an elegant and well built player, weighing half as much as the UDP800 (a measly 8kg). The remote control is backlit, helpful if you’re watching in a dark room environment, though we’re not fond of the size of the buttons which make it very tricky to use in a darkened room.
As it’s a universal disc spinner it can play any disc you have at hand, whether that’s CD, DVD, DVD-Audio, SACD, Blu-ray, 3D Blu-ray, and UHD Blu-ray. In terms of HDR it supports HDR10,HDR10+andDolby Visionplayback. With audio tracks it is compatible with DSD64/128, multichannel DSD64, and 192kHz/24-bit PCM formats, and also supports media formats such as MKV, AVI, MP4, WAV, FLAC, and APE.
Boot up and loading times are very quick, and we found the Magnetar to be a simple and easy player to operate. Picture quality will depend on your TV’s capabilities, but we found the UDP800 relays exactly what’s on the disc with excellent fidelity. Conversion of Blu-ray and DVD discs is practically flawless, and while there are controls for altering the performance, we’d advise against using them.
In terms of audio, it’s an excellent performer too. It handled all the various discs our reviewer threw at it with no issue. The analogue audio performance is one we found to be exceptional, offering clean, detailed delivery with precise stereo imaging. The UDP900 is a fantastic player, but if you don’t have the dosh, then the UDP800 is a brilliant step-down model.
Reviewer:Steve WithersFull Review:Magnetar UDP800
Panasonic DP-UB820
Pros
Cons
If you own a TV that supports eitherDolby Vision,HDR10+or both, and you want to see your 4K collection presented in the best shape it can, then of the 4K player options below £500 / $500 thePanasonic DP-UB820warrants closer investigation over its cheaperDP-UB450sibling.
It features the same second generation HCR processor that’s included in the flagship model, and it helps to produce a performance that we found to be superb with UHD discs as well as making standard Blu-ray discs look beautifully crisp. Colours are more precise and detailed than they are on rival disc spinners, and with Panasonic’s Optimiser feature, brightness an contrast can be boosted without washing out the image, which our reviewer found made viewing HDR content in a brighter room more satisfying to watch.
Picture quality is complemented by a decent selection of streaming apps, though the user interface could use an overhaul. It’s also a classy frontman for aDolby Atmoshome cinema. When playing CDs we found it was worth experimenting with the Digital Tube up-sampler. It features a number of filters that mimic the warmth of tube amplification and it made our reviewer’s CD collection sound more homely.
Build quality is fine, and more in-keeping with Panasonic’s entry-level players, missing out on the premium metal finish the flagship UB9000 sports. We found the player looked presentable enough for the asking price. A remote is provided but if gets lost in the couch then there are manual buttons for power and disc loading on the player itself.
Reviewer:Steve MayFull Review:Panasonic DP-UB820
Sony UBP-X700
Pros
Cons
Despite its cheaper build quality, theUBP-X700retains many of the same features of the discontinuedUBP-X800but actually includes support forDolby Vision HDRthis time. It’s price has gone up over £200 since we first reviewed, but we still believe it’s a great choice for anyone who wants an Ultra HD Blu-ray player that can deliver excellent video and audio.We found picture performance to be terrific. UHD discs were flawlessly reproduced in minute detail, with the wider colour gamut andhigh dynamic range(HDR) of 4K discs all perfectly rendered by the Sony. Images are sharp and detailed with natural looking colours and no apparent artefacts. Our reviewer found the spinner even performed brilliantly with SDR content, getting the maximum out of every pixel.
The UBP-X700 is a digital transport (no analogue outputs), which means there is noDAC inside, just a digital signal being delivered either viaHDMIor the coaxial digital output. Choose HDMI and there is benefit from lossless audio and immersiveDolby AtmosandDTS:Xsoundtracks. While the X700 might not be the audiophile’s choice, we found it was more than capable of delivering a quality experience whether with CDs, SACDs or streaming.
There is a drawback at this more affordable price compared to more premium players, which is that the X700’s construction can feel flimsy when compared to theUBP-X800M2. It’s a rather cheap and largely plastic player, but this is unlikely to be of much concern if you’re not putting the player out in the open.
Reviewer:Steve WithersFull reviews:Sony UBP-X700
Panasonic DP-UB450
Pros
Cons
TheDP-UB450is the only player that featuresHDR10+andDolby Visionfor les, making it a consumer-friendly player for anyone on the hunt for an affordable 4K Blu-ray player.
Our reviewer didn’t find the build quality to be anything to write home about. It’s light, and the metal chassis feels thin giving it a rather anonymous looks. Like theUB820, there are a pair of power and disc loading buttons if the remote gets lost.
Connectivity is not as extensive as the spinners above the UB450 in this list, with just twin HDMI connections for separate video and audio signals, Ethernet LAN and a coaxial digital output. There’s no array of 7.1-channel analogue line-outs for home cinema speaker set-ups, nor are there any streaming apps in the UB450’s sparse menu interface.
The drop in price also means that the UB820’s HCX Processor is no longer among the features, but our reviewer still found picture quality to be good for the money, although it lacks the sharpness and precision of the step-up Panasonic player. Its HDR10 performance isn’t quite as good as theSony UBP-X700, but its implementation of Dolby Vision is much more friendlier than that player.
Our reviewer felt that audio was well served, delivered in a crisp and clean manner, handlingDolby Atmossoundtracks without issue. And with audio files, the UB450 does well enough, delivering good levels of clarity and detail.
Reviewer:John ArcherFull Review:Panasonic DP-UB450
Panasonic DP-UB150
Pros
Cons
There aren’t many 4K players that can be found for less than £150, but of the ones still kicking about, thePanasonic DP-UB150is the best of them.Like the rest of Panasonic’s affordable 4K spinners, we found the UB150’s build quality to be fine if bland. It’s a tidy, compact and anonymous looking unit that’s acceptable enough for the price but is distinctly utilitarian in appearance. The disc drive can be a little noisy during playback and the remote is a small and chunky affair that won’t favour those with big hands.
It’s not packed full of feature of connectivity options with only oneHDMIport on its rear and ethernet LAN in place of any Wi-Fi support. Like theUB450, there are no streaming apps included but 3D andHi-Res audioare among the features supported by this player.
There’s noDolby Visionbut there isHDR10+, so to get the most from this player, consider pairing it with a Samsung, Panasonic or Philips TV that supports HDR10+. Watching Alita: Battle Angel on a Samsung QLED, our reviewer found the UB150 spun rich, saturated and vibrant colours for a cinematic look, though like the UB450 it’s isn’t the most refined or subtle of pictures compared to more expensive efforts. Upscaling is good with decent colours and flesh tones
TheDolby Atmosperformance sounds big, though it is not as nuanced as the rivalSony X700. CD playback is fine too, showcasing good amounts of detail and clarity.
Reviewer:Kob MonneyFull Review:Panasonic DP-UB150
FAQs
Yes they can play older disc formats.
Currently we consider the Panasonic DP-UB9000 as the best 4K player with its HDR support and picture quality.
Yes, 4K Blu-ray players support multi-region for 4K discs, but for standard Blu-rays they limited to the region in which they were bought.
We also considered…
Physical media is still alive thanks to this universal 4K disc player
Sony finally adds Dolby Vision support to its mid-range 4K Blu-ray player. But is it enough?
Sony’s new flagship 4K Blu-ray includes some powerful audiophile and custom install features
We’ve reviewed
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Kob began his career at What Hi-Fi?, starting in the dusty stockroom before rising up the ranks to join the editorial and production team as the Buyer’s Guide editor. Experienced in both magazine and …
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We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Why trust our journalism?
Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.
Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
