Panasonic DMP-BDT460EB, £180
Best for All-round ability
First impressions of the Panasonic are not promising, with its plastic-looking, mock-metal finish and rear connections limited to just two HDMIs, plus a network port and a digital audio output. Things pick up, though, when you open a flap on the front to reveal two USB ports and an SD card slot. Connect the player to your home network over cable or wi-fi and you also get access to smart TV services and video streaming apps, albeit without some popular platforms such as the ITV Player and Amazon Instant (the Panasonic is not alone in these omissions — Blu-ray player apps can lag far behind their TV equivalents). Where this player really comes into its own is with the picture and sound quality it produces for what is, all things considered, a decent price. Its 4K upscaling is second only to that of the expensive Oppo, and its proprietary video and audio processors are exceptional at eking out every last drop of sound and video detail from Blu-ray discs.
Verdict A great performer for the money, with useful apps and multimedia features too.
★★★★★
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Samsung BD-H6500, £150
Best for Value
It’s the cheapest model here but the stylish H6500 offers a potent combination of features and performance. Especially welcome is its support for all the main UK TV channel catch-up services — something no other model here can offer. The player is also flexible when it comes to streaming multimedia from USB sticks and networked devices, supporting an array of file formats, and while its 4K upscaling isn’t as good as that of Samsung’s 4K TVs, its straight Blu-ray playback is excellent.
Verdict Cheap but far from second-rate.
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★★★★☆
Sony BDP-S7200, £220
Best for Streamed sound
The S7200 combines rich, sharp, colourful pictures with a detailed soundstage. It is unique in that it also supports many high-resolution digital audio formats, including downloads such as FLAC and WAV and the disc-based DSD format, so you could use the player as part of a hi-fi system. It looks rather drab, though — styled to fit in with Sony’s home cinema amplifiers — and its video streaming features don’t include the ITV Player and 4OD.
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Verdict An excellent player, but you’re paying extra for — and will need the other kit to exploit — its high-res audio support.
★★★★☆
Oppo 105D, £1,100
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Best for Picture quality
Yes, the 105D really does cost £1,100. Why? Well, it’s built like a tank and its specification is high. This includes 7.1-channel analogue audio output for use with surround-sound and playback of SACD and DVD-Audio discs. Its main attraction, though, is its stellar picture and sound: this is the only deck that beats a 4K TV’s in-built upscaling.
Verdict The best performing Blu-ray player — but £1,100 is a huge outlay when true 4K decks are just round the corner.
★★★☆☆
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LG BP740, £200
Best for Ease of use
The BP740 looks uncluttered and modern with its bold, two-tone finish and sharp lines. It performs just as keenly, producing clean pictures and crisp sound, and includes access to Sky’s Now TV subscription streaming service. There’s great flexibility too on streaming multimedia content from devices on your network. It’s easy to use thanks to LG’s “magic remote”, which lets you scroll through menus when you flick in front of your TV.
Verdict Good as it is, the LG can’t justify the extra £50 cost over the Samsung.
★★★☆☆
Buyer’s guide
What is 4K?
Also known as UHD (ultra-high definition), 4K TVs show images at four times the resolution of HD. There is little specially made content available, so these players upscale the HD video on a Blu-ray disc to 4K. The current range of very expensive 4K TVs can upscale pictures too but there’s no guarantee the next wave of cheaper sets will. These players will help futureproof your system.
Connections
If you want a player for use with a home cinema sound system, look for models such as the Panasonic and Oppo, which have two HDMI outputs so you can send high-res audio via one cable and high-res pictures through the other. If you watch downloaded video, make sure the player supports all the file formats you’re likely to use.
Smart features
Some of our players provide more apps than others, so if you have particular video streaming needs — say you want all four main UK catch-up TV services, or you subscribe to Netflix or Amazon Instant — check which platforms your player supports.