(Nov 20, 2009)
Matthew Moskovciak
Now that HD DVD is dead, home theater fans have only one choice for high-def movie discs: Blu-ray. Blu-ray players can deliver outstanding image quality, with movies encoded in 1080p resolution and rich colors that put DVD to shame. This list consists of the best Blu-ray players on the market, including some older models that may now be discounted. In the past, Sony's PS3 offered the best value. While it's still a compelling option, the choice isn't as cut and dry as it used to be. With high-end standalone players offering a wide variety of streaming media services--such as Netflix, Pandora and YouTube--and matching the PS3's Blu-ray playback performance, non-gamers have a variety of alternative players from which to choose.
Oppo BDP-83
The Oppo BDP-83 is an outstanding universal disc player with excellent performance on Blu-rays and DVDs and lightning-fast operational speed, but most home theater fans will balk at the high price.
Price: $499.00 - $595.00 (check prices)
Review date: Sep 2, 2009
Outstanding
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LG BD390
The LG BD390's combination of excellent image quality, superfast loading times, and its currently unbeatable feature set make it our top choice among premium standalone Blu-ray players.
Price: $299.95 - $449.00 (check prices)
Review date: May 27, 2009
Excellent
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Sony PlayStation 3 Slim
With a smaller design, more energy-efficient operation, lower price tag, and built-in Blu-ray and multimedia capabilities, the PS3 Slim delivers a compelling package for an affordable price.
Price: $299.00 - $299.99 (check prices)
Review date: Aug 19, 2009
Excellent
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Samsung BD-P3600
The Samsung BD-P3600 is a huge leap ahead for standalone Blu-ray players, with blazing-fast operational speed, tons of features, and excellent image quality.
Price: $199.95 - $299.00 (check prices)
Review date: Apr 2, 2009
Excellent
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Samsung BD-P4600
Samsung's BD-P4600 Blu-ray player is packed with features and its unique design makes it wall-mountable, but most buyers will be better off with the step-down BD-P3600.
Price: $214.00 - $279.99 (check prices)
Review date: May 4, 2009
Excellent
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Samsung BD-P1600
The Samsung BD-P1600 has a great mix of features and performance for a standalone Blu-ray player, with only its annoying design holding it back.
Price: $129.95 - $199.95 (check prices)
Review date: Mar 31, 2009
Very good
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Samsung BD-P2500
The Samsung BD-P2500 adds Netflix to an already well-featured and top-performing Blu-ray player, with only some minor disc compatibility issues giving us pause.
Price: $209.95 - $219.99 (check prices)
Review date: Nov 26, 2008
Very good
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LG BD370
LG's entry-level Blu-ray player packs Netflix and YouTube at a reasonable price, but the BD370's image quality is a step below the best.
Price: $149.00 - $249.95 (check prices)
Review date: Apr 8, 2009
Good
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Panasonic DMP-BD60K
The Panasonic DMP-BD60 offers excellent image quality and reliable Blu-ray playback, but it doesn't have as many features as the competition.
Price: $119.95 - $299.00 (check prices)
Review date: Mar 27, 2009
Good
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Sony BDP-S550
The Sony BDP-S550 offers excellent image quality and a solid feature set, but only consider it if you need the multichannel analog outputs.
Price: $684.99 (check prices)
Review date: Nov 17, 2008
Good
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Panasonic DMP-B15K
The Panasonic DMP-B15 is the world's first portable Blu-ray player that can function as a standalone player, too, but ultimately it has too many caveats and costs too much.
Price: $579.98 - $799.99 (check prices)
Review date: Jun 22, 2009
Good
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