Want the best possible theater experience at home? 4k Blu-ray players can play Ultra HD Blu-ray Discs that feature the latest home theater technologies including HDR (Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+) for expanded color range and audio in object-based, 7-channel formats including Dolby Atmos and DTS-X. Here’s a list of the best 4k Ultra HD Blu-ray players of 2020 including models released in 2019 and 2018. Please keep in mind that prices and availability may change after the article publish date. [Prices updated Feb. 19, 2021]
1. Panasonic DP-UB820 4k Ultra HD Blu-ray Player (2019)
We rank this the best 4k Blu-ray player of the year. The $499 Panasonic DP-UB820 supports HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision, and HLG for HDR via digital, 4k Blu-ray, and live broadcast applications. For audio, the player’s 192-kHz/32-bit 4-DAC supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. And, the UB820 works with Alexa. Price: $396.26 Buy on Amazon
2. Sony UBP-X1100ES 4K UHD Blu-ray Player w/HDR (2019)
The Sony X1100ES is the company’s premium 4k Blu-ray player with Dolby Vision/HDR10, Dolby Atmos/DTS:X, and DSEE HX for MP3 audio enhancement. It’s a standard 19″ width for typical rack systems. The only caveats? All of the Sony 4k players require manually turning on/off Dolby Vision in the Settings (off if you want to use native HDR10 or not use DV at all). And, there still is no update for HDR10+. And, maybe the $599 price tag (Price drop to $498!) Buy on Amazon
3. Panasonic DP-UB9000 4K Blu-ray Player (2019)
It took a while for this Panasonic model to make it to the US, but the UB9000 was well worth the wait for the home theater guru who only buys the highest quality components. The UB9000 is a solid aluminum build compared to the UB820, and because of that construction has less vibration and is much quieter than its inferior, plastic competitors. The reference-class player features a 2nd-gen HCX (Hollywood Cinema Experience) processing engine and supports all the HDR and audio formats you could possibly need. The only reason we rank the UB9000 lower is its $1k price tag. Buy from Amazon (marketplace only)
4. Sony UBP-X800M2 4K UHD Blu-ray Disc Player (2019)
We did a review of Sony’s X800M2 (an upgrade to the X800) and found it a good value player priced at $299, the X800M2 offers both Dolby Vision and HDR10, Dolby Atmos/DTS:X, DSEE HX audio, and Bluetooth listening on headphones. It’s a standard 19″ width for typical rack systems. You’ve got to overlook the lack of auto-detect for Dolby Vision though (it has to be switched on in Settings if previously off). List: $299 On Sale $248 Buy on Amazon
5. LG UBK90 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray Player w/HDR10 & Dolby Vision (2018)
The upgraded LG UBK90 (Price: $299) supports both HDR10 and Dolby Vision, making it compatible with all Ultra HD Blu-ray discs regardless of HDR spec (although an HDR10+ firmware update TBD). And, while the UBK80 only has one HDMI port and only Ethernet (no WiFi), the UBK90 features two HDMI outputs (1 for video, 1 for audio) and built-in WiFi. High Resolution Audio is supported in Dolby Atmos, DTS-HD Master Audio, and FLAC formats. It’s a 16.9″ x 8.1″ unit (2″ wider than the Sony X700) that’s just shy of wider 19″ standard rack sizes. List: $299 On Sale $196.69 Buy on Amazon
6. Sony UBP-X700 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Player (2018)
Priced $100 less than the X800M2, Sony’s X700 is a great option for the budget-conscious. The player originally didn’t offer Dolby Vision but a firmware upgrade fixed that making this the better, and less expensive option over the older X800. It is, however, a smaller unit and not a standard rack size like the X800M2 or X1100ES. List: $249 | Price: $199 Buy on Amazon
7. LG UBKM9 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray Player (2019)
The LG Model UBKM9 (2019) supports HDR formats HDR10 and Dolby Vision as well as audio formats Dolby Digital, Dolby TrueHD, DTS, and DTS-HD Master Audio. This is a Region-free player and will playback Region A, Region B, & Region C discs. This is a 17″ x 9.5″ x 1.75″ component that fits nicely into standard audio/video racks. Price: $345 Buy on Amazon
8. LG UBK80 4K Ultra-HD Blu-ray Player w/HDR10 (2018)
The older, LG UBK80 is priced lower than the UBKM9, but you should know it does not support Dolby Vision or DTS:X audio. However, HDR10 is supported as well as Dolby Atmos and DTS-HD Master audio. It’s missing a couple features of the Sony X700, but it’s a 16.9″ width component (2″ wider than the Sony X700) that fits nicely into standard audio/video racks. Price: $179 NA Buy on Amazon
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