Even in the streaming age, there are good reasons to watch movies on a Blu-ray player. A hardware player offers the best image quality and sound quality available, thanks to the enhanced storage capacities of Blu-ray discs. There are two types of Blu-ray player available: 4K UHD Blu-ray and 1080p Blu-ray. Both are a step up from a traditional DVD player, but getting a 4K model will let you play both kinds of Blu-rays and give you access to Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision, DTS:X and HDR10 formats. Even better, all of them will play your DVD disc and CD collections, too. Problems you encounter with streaming apps, like dropouts, bandwidth caps and buffering, are nonexistent. But if you miss those glitches, most of the best Blu-ray players can accommodate your streaming service of choice, including Netflix (some even in 4K), Amazon Prime Video and Hulu Plus.
Current gaming consoles like the high-end PS5 and the Xbox Series X can play both Blu-rays and 4K Blu-rays, in addition to the latest games. Plus, if you don’t have a 4K TV and a library of only regular Blu-rays, you can save money by buying a 1080p-only player like the Sony BDP-S3700.
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So, are you ready to make the most of your 4K content? Grab an HDMI cable and get ready to enjoy the excellent playback and top-notch viewing experience that Blu-ray players have to offer.
Best Dolby Vision 4K Blu-ray player
Sony UBP-X700
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The Sony UBP-X700 is at the cutting edge of 4K Blu-ray technology, thanks in part to its Dolby Vision compatibility. Throw in a bunch of streaming app services and the Sony Blu-ray player rewards you with a solid performance at a reasonable price.
Read our Sony UBP-X700 review.
$195 at Amazon
Best 1080p Blu-ray player
Sony BDP-S3700
Sarah Tew/CNET
If you want to spend the bare minimum on a Blu-ray player, then the Sony BDP-S3700 should be your choice. It offers a lot of features for little money, but as it’s only 1080p you’ll miss out on advanced features like 4K resolution picture quality and Dolby Vision.
Read our Sony BDP-S3700 review.
$110 at Amazon
Best Xbox for Blu-ray movies
Xbox Series X
Andrew Hoyle/CNET
You’ll have a hard time getting your hands on the Xbox Series X until later this year due to insatiable demand, but keep checking back on restock updates. This is the only current Xbox model that accepts optical discs. It can play DVDs, Blu-rays and 4K Blu-rays, in addition to Xbox game discs. It can also be used with standard IR remotes, unlike the PS5. (The cheaper Xbox Series S does not have a disc slot.)
Read our Xbox Series X review.
$500 at Best Buy
Best PlayStation for Blu-ray movies
PlayStation 5
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The high-end PS5 (the $500 model) includes an optical drive that accepts DVDs, Blu-rays and 4K Blu-rays, in addition to PS4 and PS5 game discs. The cheaper PS5 Digital Edition does not have a disc slot. Both models continue to be sold out at various retailers, but keep checking back for restock updates.
Read our PS5 review.
$500 at Best Buy
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