As video streaming services have taken over as the driving force behind a lot of the the video content we consume today, this has opened up opportunities to those of us who prefer physical formats. Blu-ray disc bargains can be found all over the internet whether you’re looking for the Full HD or 4K variety.
The only slight issue is that the pool of Blu-ray players you have to choose from has shrunk dramatically in recent years. Some manufacturers such as Samsung and LG pulled out of the market altogether but one brand still hanging on in there is Sony, one of the founding fathers of the format.
If you want to upgrade an ageing player or simply fancy taking advantage of all those Blu-ray bargains and want to own some of your favourites on disc, Sony has a great affordable player, the UBP-X700 which is £200 at Amazon, down from £250.
It’s a fantastic option if you don’t want to spend more on our current Award-winner, the Panasonic DP-UB820EB. The Panasonic deck has actually gone up in price over the past few years to £349 which makes this Sony offer all the more tempting. It Supports Dolby Vision HDR and HDR 10 and even features two HDMI outputs, just in case you need to feed a projector and TV.
In our Sony UBP-X700 review we were quick to praise the players image quality, saying “it displays a wonderfully subtle picture that’s impeccably judged while being hugely entertaining. Skin-tones are natural, action scenes are handled with smooth and stable motion, and there’s a lifelike quality to the picture that just draws you in.”
But we all know that picture quality is only half the equation when it comes to Blu-ray players. And sonically, the Sony doesn’t disappoint either: “special effects are flung about with agility and precision, and there’s a good amount of attack and punch”. If you partner the Sony with a suitable entry-level surround sound system, we don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
Given the dearth of competition, you have to credit to Sony for outlasting many of its rivals and keeping this player in production. It’s a great, affordable machine and one that’s even better value now, thanks to a £50 price cut at Amazon.
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