November 2021
Blu-ray Players: Aggregated Ranking Report
This report contains an aggregate consensus of Blu-ray Player rankings posted by key online experts, as of November 2021.
At a glance - November 2021 Ranking
| Rank | Change | Price | Blu-ray Player |
IndieWire
|
AnxietyTech
|
The Techlounge
|
Digital Trends
|
Wirecutter
|
Crutchfield
|
TopTenReviews
|
Fix the Photo
|
The Master Switch
|
What Hi-Fi
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
- | $198 |
Sony UBP-X800M2
|
4
|
8
|
2
|
2
|
-
|
-
|
3
|
2
|
7
|
4
|
|
2
|
- | $449 |
Panasonic DP-UB820-K
|
-
|
1
|
8
|
-
|
2
|
1
|
2
|
-
|
12
|
-
|
|
3
|
- | $188 |
Sony UBP-X700
|
-
|
6
|
-
|
1
|
-
|
2
|
-
|
7
|
6
|
2
|
|
4
|
- | $200 |
Sony BDP-S6700
|
-
|
-
|
6
|
5
|
-
|
-
|
4
|
8
|
2
|
-
|
|
5
|
- | $1181 |
Panasonic DP-UB9000
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
4
|
-
|
1
|
9
|
6
|
|
6
|
- | $94 |
Sony BDP-S3700
|
-
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
3
|
-
|
5
|
3
|
-
|
|
7
|
- | $78 |
LG BP175
|
2
|
5
|
5
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
5
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
8
|
- | $295 |
LG UBKM9
|
-
|
-
|
4
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
|
9
|
- | $580 |
Xbox One S
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
4
|
-
|
-
|
8
|
10
|
-
|
-
|
|
10
|
- | Check price |
PlayStation 5
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
7
|
11
|
8
|
-
|
|
11
|
- | Check price |
Samsung UBD-M8500
|
-
|
9
|
1
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
12
|
- | $201 |
Panasonic DP-UB420
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
1
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
4
|
-
|
|
13
|
- | Check price |
LG UBK80
|
-
|
2
|
3
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
14
|
- | Check price |
XBox Series X
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
6
|
-
|
5
|
-
|
We ranked Sony UBP-X800M2 #1 in November 2021 because:
- 8 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Blu-ray Players” rankings.
AnxietyTech
|
Pros
Dolby Vision
HDR10
Anti-vibration construction
4K upscaling
Dolby Atmos & DSEE HX audio output
Backwards disc compatibility
|
Cons
Some people find the Dolby Vision playback to overly bright
|
The Techlounge
Amazing Video And Audio In One
|
Pros
Amazing picture quality
Support for 4K Netflix and Amazon
Great sound quality
|
Cons
There is no analog stereo output
|
TopTenReviews
Best value 4K Blu-ray player
|
Pros
4K and HDR
Good value
|
Cons
Lacks advanced features
|
Fix the Photo
Virtually Silent
|
Pros
Dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support
High video quality
Good sound quality
Supports rare formats
|
Cons
No Dolby Vision support
No analog audio output
|
The Master Switch
Best of the Rest
|
Pros
Added support for Dolby Vision
|
Cons
Increased price doesn’t really match the feature set
|
What Hi-Fi
A great 4K Blu-ray player for the money,despite a couple of peculiar traits.
|
Pros
Crisp, detailed picture
Rhythmic, musical sound
Supports SACD and DVD-A
|
Cons
Lacks HDR10+
Odd Dolby Vision execution
Could be more vibrant
|
We ranked Panasonic DP-UB820-K #2 in November 2021 because:
- 6 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Blu-ray Players” rankings.
- Out of those, 2 experts ranked Panasonic DP-UB820-K as #1.
AnxietyTech
This is our top pick when it comes to 4K Blu ray players
|
Pros
HDR10 and Dolby Vision.
Amazing visual and audio performance
Dual HDMI outputs
Fantastic build quality
|
Cons
Doesn’t have XLR outputs
|
The Techlounge
A Great Value For The Money
|
Pros
Super-clear image and audio
Excellent compatibility and support
Great value for the price
|
Cons
Streaming services lack 4K and HDR
Average build quality
Not that user-friendly
|
TopTenReviews
Best premium Blu-ray player
|
Pros
4K compatible
HDR10 and Dolby Vision
Voice control enabled
|
Cons
Expensive
|
The Master Switch
|
Pros
Incredible audio and picture
|
Cons
Highly technical
Streaming options don’t have 4K or HDR
|
Methodology: combine opinions of key experts
Identify Experts
We identify key publishers and experts that consistently review and recommend Blu-ray Players.
Capture Rankings
For each publisher we find a currently recommended "top 10" list of Blu-ray Players, it must be updated in the last 9 months.
Aggregate Rankings
We put all those lists together and aggregate them. The more frequently a product is recommended, the higher it is in our ranking
Experts chosen for November 2021 ranking
IndieWire
AnxietyTech
The Techlounge
Digital Trends
Wirecutter
Crutchfield
TopTenReviews
Fix the Photo
The Master Switch
What Hi-Fi
We ranked Sony UBP-X700 #3 in November 2021 because:
- 6 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Blu-ray Players” rankings.
- Out of those, 1 expert ranked Sony UBP-X700 as #1.
AnxietyTech
|
Pros
4K picture quality
Upscaling
Smart functionality allows for streaming services
Dual HDMI outputs
|
Cons
No support for HDR10+
|
Fix the Photo
Easy to use remote
|
Pros
HDR 10 and Dolby Vision support
Perfect sound rendering
Compact form-factor
Small size
|
Cons
Can’t be used for streaming
A limited number of features
|
The Master Switch
Perfect for 4K Dolby Vision
|
Pros
HDR support
Great picture
|
Cons
Sound quality feels middling
|
What Hi-Fi
A brilliant 4K Blu-ray player,with an attractive price tag to boot.
|
Pros
Crisp, natural-looking picture
Excellent detail and colors
Dolby Vision support
|
Cons
Sound could be grander
No HDR10+ support
|
We ranked Sony BDP-S6700 #4 in November 2021 because:
- 5 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Blu-ray Players” rankings.
The Techlounge
A Cheap,But Super-Efficient Blu-Ray Player Packed With Features
|
Pros
Great access to streaming services
Cheap
Strong image quality
|
Cons
It lacks the HDR support
Poor design
No UHD disks support
|
TopTenReviews
Best HD Blu-ray player
|
Pros
Bluetooth compatibility
More than 300 apps
|
Cons
No native 4K
No display
|
Fix the Photo
Control by smartphone
|
Pros
Powerful Wi-Fi chip
Quick streaming
High-res audio format support
Wireless sound transfer
|
Cons
Doesn’t support Bluetooth
|
The Master Switch
Best Budget Blu-ray Player Under $100
|
Pros
Strong feature set
Solid picture quality
|
Cons
Poor design
App implementation
|
We ranked Panasonic DP-UB9000 #5 in November 2021 because:
- 4 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Blu-ray Players” rankings.
- Out of those, 1 expert ranked Panasonic DP-UB9000 as #1.
Fix the Photo
Our Choice
|
Pros
Four types of HDR support
Powerful display optimizer
New-generation processor
High-quality components
|
Cons
None
|
The Master Switch
|
Pros
Unbelievable picture quality
|
Cons
Can be tough to find in the US - you'll need to order from overseas
|
What Hi-Fi
A seriously capable 4K Blu-ray player for home cinema enthusiasts.
|
Pros
Crisp, insightful picture
Dynamic expressive sound
Good selection of features
|
Cons
Very little at this price
|
We ranked Sony BDP-S3700 #6 in November 2021 because:
- 4 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Blu-ray Players” rankings.
AnxietyTech
With full HD playback capabilities,the multimedia player works with a 1080p video resolution.
|
Pros
Region free
HD 1080P
1080p upscaling
HDMI output
Ethernet connection
|
Cons
Setup can be confusing for some
|
Fix the Photo
Compact design
|
Pros
Direct access to servers
Quick performance
Simple to navigate interface
High-quality sound
|
Cons
No video indexing
No RCA outputs
|
The Master Switch
Best Blu-ray Player for Streaming
|
Pros
An intuitive
Accessible way to get digital streaming
|
Cons
You definitely miss out on some options
|
We ranked LG BP175 #7 in November 2021 because:
- 4 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Blu-ray Players” rankings.
AnxietyTech
|
Pros
Region free
HDMI output included
1080P quality
DVD up-scaling
|
Cons
No output for surround sound audio systems
|
The Techlounge
It Just Works!
|
Pros
Good image quality
Well implemented 1080p upscaling
Easy to use
Versatile player
Amazing value for money
|
Cons
None
|
TopTenReviews
Best cheap Blu-ray player
|
Pros
Cheap
Full HD
Streaming apps
|
Cons
No 4K or HDR
|
We ranked LG UBKM9 #8 in November 2021 because:
- 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Blu-ray Players” rankings.
The Techlounge
Solid Blu-Ray For The Money
|
Pros
Feature-rich
Dolby Vision
HDR10 compatible
Streaming ready
Good value for money
Solid Ultra HD 4K image quality
|
Cons
None really at this price
|
Fix the Photo
4K Content Streaming
|
Pros
Supports many audio formats
Backward compatibility
Low price
Multi-HDR support
|
Cons
Doesn’t support DTS: X
Dated design
|
We ranked Xbox One S #9 in November 2021 because:
- 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Blu-ray Players” rankings.
TopTenReviews
Best cheap games console with Blu-ray player
|
Pros
Diverse Multimedia Options
4K Blu-ray Player
Xbox Game Pass
|
Cons
Lacking in power
Weakest exclusive lineup
|
Fix the Photo
Direct access to 4K Netflix
|
Pros
HDR streaming
An IR blaster
Small chip
No frame rate drops
|
Cons
Subpar GPU performance
Console interface
|
We ranked PlayStation 5 #10 in November 2021 because:
- 3 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Blu-ray Players” rankings.
TopTenReviews
Best PlayStation with Blu-ray player
|
Pros
Powerhouse games console
Controller battery life and features are top-notch
A strong selection of titles
Nearly silent
|
Cons
Divisive appearance
Rubbish UI
|
Fix the Photo
Stylish
|
Pros
Impressive RAM
High-speed drive
Powerful CPU
A lot of accessories
|
Cons
Expensive
Weighs too much
|
The Master Switch
|
Pros
Solid picture quality
|
Cons
Lack of Dolby Vision features make this a poor choice
|
We ranked Samsung UBD-M8500 #11 in November 2021 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Blu-ray Players” rankings.
- Out of those, 1 expert ranked Samsung UBD-M8500 as #1.
AnxietyTech
|
Pros
4K ultra HD movies
Wi-Fi included
Streaming
HDR
USB ports
|
Cons
No digital display on the player
|
The Techlounge
A Basic,But Affordable 4K Blu-Ray Player
|
Pros
Great 4K HDR image quality
Support for 4K Netflix and Amazon
Fast loading times
|
Cons
Noisy
Boring design
Not the best audio
|
We ranked Panasonic DP-UB420 #12 in November 2021 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Blu-ray Players” rankings.
- Out of those, 1 expert ranked Panasonic DP-UB420 as #1.
The Master Switch
A Great Player for Listening to Music
|
Pros
High-res audio support
Excellent audio quality
|
Cons
Build quality issues
|
We ranked LG UBK80 #13 in November 2021 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Blu-ray Players” rankings.
AnxietyTech
This is our second best 4K blu ray device.
|
Pros
Ultra HD picture quality
3D playback
4K upscaling
Ethernet input and USB port
|
Cons
Does not have smart features
|
The Techlounge
A Simple And Efficient Blu-Ray Player At An Affordable Price
|
Pros
Good value for the money
Great versatility
Excellent picture quality
|
Cons
No support for Netflix and other streaming services
No Wi-Fi
|
We ranked XBox Series X #14 in November 2021 because:
- 2 independent experts mentioned it in their “best Blu-ray Players” rankings.
TopTenReviews
Best Xbox with Blu-ray player
|
Pros
4K Blu-ray player
Affordable
Comes with free games console
|
Cons
Traditional remote is extra
|
The Master Switch
Best Blu-ray Player for Gamers
|
Pros
Dolby Vision compatibility puts this console over the top
|
Cons
Launch-day issues and missing features
|