If you’re going to buy a new DVD player, we recommend going all the way with a Blu-ray player. Ultra HD Blu-ray players will future-proof your setup and provide picture quality that’s second to none at an increasingly affordable price point. Whether you’re looking to simply swap out a broken Blu-ray player or upgrade to a gorgeous Ultra HD unit, we’ve got an option for you. Streaming may be popular, but the disc isn’t dead yet.

Why you should buy this: It offers the most immersive cinema-style playback

Who it’s for: Those who want a player that will offer them the best possible 4k Ultra HD viewing experience, regardless of format.

Why we picked the Sony UBP-X500:

Sony’s UBP-X500 is an affordable home theatre masterpiece. With excellent video and audio processing, the player will play any of your favourite discs at their maximum possible fidelity. This model offers both Dolby Vision and HDR10 support, which means you’ll be able to enjoy the gorgeous contrast and wide colour gamut offered by both of the leading HDR formats.

Add in support for both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X object-based surround sound (in addition to a wide range of other established surround sound formats) and you’ll never have to worry about getting the most immersive experience possible in your home theatre.

Knowing that all that technology is available inside the UBP-X500 and you understand why this is our favourite player when it comes to sheer value on the market right now.

Why we love it:

Why you should buy this: It’s highly affordable but doesn’t sacrifice image quality.

Who it’s for: The audio and video enthusiast on a budget.

Why we picked the Panasonic DMP:

If you’re looking to enjoy your favourite Hollywood blockbusters in full 4K HDR glory but don’t want to tap into your rainy day fund to do it, Panasonic’s DMP-BD84EB is our go-to choice. This Blu-ray player is a perennial favourite. Like the UDP-X800, this Blu-ray player does not offer Dolby Vision HDR — an odd exclusion for Panasonic, which adds Dolby Vision to many of its top TVs.

You also won’t get streaming apps, but frankly, if you have a 4K Ultra HD TV (which you’d better if you’re buying a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray player), your TV’s onboard streaming is likely better than any Blu-ray player’s apps anyway. More to the point, we suggest those who want a great streaming experience buy one of these affordable devices tailor-made for the job. The DMP-BD84EB may be low on frills, but it offers speedy performance at a great price, and that’s a deal in our book.

Why we love it:

Why you should buy this: It will make standard Blu-ray discs pop on an HDTV or a new 4K TV.

Who it’s for: Viewers who don’t want to make the leap into 4K Blu-ray discs, but want to squeeze the best possible picture out of their current collection.

Why we picked the Sony BDP-S6700

If you don’t know whether you’ll ever make the leap into Ultra HD Blu-ray, but you want to view your current collection at the highest possible quality, there’s no better option on the market than Sony’s BDP-S6700. A standard Blu-ray player that also upscales 1080p Blu-ray content to 4K for the latest generation of TVs, the player takes your now-aging collection and makes it look prettier than ever on your new screen.

It’s also a powerful audio platform, with support for 24-bit hi-res audio formats, and Bluetooth streaming to wireless speakers or headphones using Sony’s LDAC audio codec.

In addition to awesome disc playback, a powerful Wi-Fi chip and Ethernet port enable fast 4K streaming. Finally, Sony’s TV SideView app lets you control your screen from your smartphone, as well as share your entire smartphone screen with your TV (for Miracast-enabled phones), which is great for showing friends and family pictures and video.

Why we love it:

Why you should buy this: Smart functionality along with great picture and sound quality for the full package.

Who it’s for: Anyone who enjoys multiple streaming services, but also wants the picture quality that a Blu-ray player offers.

Why we picked the LG BP250 Blu-ray Disc Player

Those on a budget will certainly appreciate what the LG BP250 Blu-ray Disc Player has to offer. You will undoubtedly be able to keep your current DVD collection and see your film upscaled to Full HD 1,080-pixel resolution. You can also access online content and say goodbye to pesky wires once you connect it to your Wi-Fi. Moreover, it is Smart Hi-Fi compatible, so you can opt to send music from your CD or USB to LG Music Flow Speakers.

Why we love it:

We begin each model year by bringing in the top-tier televisions from each of the major brands, including Samsung, Sony, LG, and Panasonic. These premium televisions help set the highest standard for the year, managing expectations for each model below them, and providing context among the competitors.

We typically test any media player with a number of these high-end TVs, checking compatibility and performance over a series of weeks or even months in our A/V testing room.

When possible, we’ll place two competing models side by side to analyse picture quality differences, providing real-world context to the specifications provided by each manufacturer.

We make a concerted effort to test every aspect of a given player, making sure to provide the most thorough feedback possible to our readers. After all, you’ll be living with your new player for years to come, and we only want to recommend devices that we ourselves enjoy.

Give your old collection of DVDs and CDs new life, and continue to enjoy the picture and sound quality that Blu-ray discs offer. Paired with almost any TV, these Blu-ray players offer long hours of film watching and music playing enjoyment.