Wait, a Blu-ray player in 2025? That might sound surprising at first. After all, we’re living in an era dominated by streaming platforms and on-demand content. Physical media seems like a thing of the past—or does it?
In reality, Blu-ray is quietly making a comeback. As subscription fees for streaming services climb and movie rights shuffle between platforms, more people are rediscovering the charm of owning their favorite films outright. No more endless searching across multiple apps to find a specific title. No more worrying about content being removed overnight. A Blu-ray sits reliably on your shelf, waiting for you to enjoy it anytime, in full, uncompressed quality.
But if you're ready to jump into this world (or revisit it), which Blu-ray player offers the best bang for your buck? Let's break it down.
Price: $88.00 at Crutchfield and Amazon
If you’re looking for a balance of affordability and performance, the Sony BDP-BX370 is an easy recommendation. This player delivers Full HD 1080p playback, offering an excellent viewing experience that’s leagues ahead of standard DVDs. But the real bonus? It upscales your existing DVDs to near-HD quality, so your older collection still looks fantastic on modern TVs.
One of my favorite things about this player is the TRILUMINOS color enhancement. It does a great job of bringing out vibrant reds, deep blues, and natural greens, making movies look more vivid and lifelike. Add Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD audio into the mix, and you’ve got a player that punches well above its price.
Sony has also done a great job with usability here. It boots up in under a second, making it perfect for those who hate waiting around. The built-in Wi-Fi with MIMO technology ensures smooth streaming from services like Netflix and YouTube, and if you want to share content from your phone, the screen mirroring feature is a handy touch.
If you’re in the market for an affordable, reliable Blu-ray player that offers great picture quality and streaming capabilities, the BDP-BX370 is a fantastic choice.
Price: $77.99 at Amazon
If price is your main concern but you still want solid performance, the Panasonic DMP-BD84P-K is your best bet. It doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of the Sony model, but it delivers smooth 1080p HD video and Dolby Digital sound, making it a solid upgrade from standard DVD players.
One of its key selling points is its compact design. If you’re tight on space, this small player will fit easily into any setup without adding clutter. It also has USB connectivity, allowing you to plug in an external hard drive to view videos, photos, or music files directly on your TV.
However, unlike the Sony BDP-BX370, this Panasonic model lacks built-in Wi-Fi and streaming capabilities. So, if you’re looking to access apps like Netflix or YouTube, you’ll need to look elsewhere. That said, if you just want an affordable Blu-ray player for disc-based content and don’t need smart features, the DMP-BD84P-K is a solid budget-friendly option.
Price: $258.00 at Crutchfield and $259.99 at Amazon
For those who want the best Blu-ray experience available, the Sony UBP-X700M is the way to go. This player takes things up a notch by offering 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray support, delivering four times the resolution of standard Blu-ray players. Pair it with an HDR-compatible TV, and you’ll get Dolby Vision HDR for breathtaking brightness, deeper blacks, and a much wider color range.
My favorite thing about this player is its BT.2020 color space support, which expands the range of colors for a much more realistic image. Even if you don’t have a 4K HDR TV, the HDR-SDR conversion ensures that content still looks fantastic on standard displays.
Beyond video quality, the UBP-X700M is a powerhouse when it comes to audio. It supports high-resolution music formats, including DSD and FLAC, making it a great choice for audiophiles. It also plays just about any type of disc, whether it’s Blu-ray, DVD, CD, or even SACD.
If you’re willing to spend a little more for premium picture and sound quality, this is hands down the best Blu-ray player you can buy in 2025.
No matter which one you choose, all three of these players offer great value in their respective categories. Physical media may not be as dominant as it once was, but for those who appreciate true cinematic quality, a Blu-ray player is still a worthwhile investment. Happy watching!
