It's been a nail-biting time to be a 4K Blu-ray fan, as the players we rely on to spin our discs are beginning to show their age. Thankfully, Sony has given the format a vital lifeline, as it has just launched its first new model in over five years – a refreshed version of a five-star favourite that can be found on our best 4K Blu-ray players list.
The UBP-X700/K is an updated version of the UBP-X700, which we awarded five stars back when it was released in 2018. This new model doesn't appear to be a radical departure; it sports an almost identical design, support for both HDR10+ and Dolby Vision HDR, and it features DTS:X and Dolby Atmos audio support. It even comes with the same remote as the original version, and it supports Bravia Centre Sync audio if you have a compatible Sony Bravia TV.
However, in some ways, this new player looks like a downgrade from the original. It's reportedly losing network functions entirely, including video streaming services, Spotify Connect, and screen mirroring. These downgrades have been reported by Japanese publication Monohika (via FlatpanelsHD), and Sony's official website also lists that the UBP-X700/K does not have wi-fi built in.
Curiously, the player still features an ethernet socket for wired network connectivity, though this could be for firmware updates rather than accessing streaming services.
While fewer features on a new model feels like a sting on paper, we're not convinced that many people relied on their Blu-ray player for streaming services; we've also seen that the network streaming apps on Blu-ray players tend to get less attention when it comes to updates compared to their respective smart TV and media streamer apps, so we're not chalking this up as a great loss.
What's looking less promising regarding this new disc player is the pricing. Officially speaking, pricing is yet to be revealed, however, the player is available in Japan now with a reportedly 25 per cent higher retail price than the original model. Will we see this price rise translate to other markets? Only time will tell, as this player is set to release this April or May, depending on the region.
MORE:
Read our full Sony UBP-X700 review
As well as our Panasonic DP-UB820EB review
4K Blu-ray is on the verge of dying out, and no one seems to care
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