10 Best Blu-ray Players

Here are the best Blu-ray players currently available that fit any budget.

When considering the best Blu-ray Disc players available today, we looked at audio and video quality—high-end video processing with 12-bit or 14-bit Deep Color—aiming to reproduce the most realistic picture. But a few caveats to note when doing your own research as well:

• Most players now have Bonus View (a picture-in-picture capability for some discs) and BD-Live support for unlimited online special features.

• Quick start is a convenience feature on some Sony and Samsung players that eliminates that interminable wait for loading discs and menus on many players.

• New players from LG and Samsung offer not only Blu-ray Disc playback, but also add the ability to download Netflix movies. Samsung adds the online Pandora music player too.

That having been said, following are our best choices for quality and features in terms of what’s currently on the market. Although, as an honorable mention, don’t forget the Magnavox NB500MG9 either, a cost-effective way for anyone to get into the Blu-ray Disc world, even on a budget. Because given the magic of high-definition, online-connected movies, well… Let’s just say that, no matter which model you choose, the whole family’s a winner. Go to the next page to start our list of the top 10 best Blu-ray players.

Denon DVD3800 BDCI, $1295

Offers killer performance for high-end users. Skip down the list if you’re a mere mortal like the rest of us, however. This pricey unit’s guaranteed to keep up with leading home theater systems and make any HDTV look its best, given top A/V quality courtesy of its 10-bit Silicon Optix Realta chipset and Advanced AL24 audio processing. Check price

Pioneer Elite BDP-05FD, $799 

For the Elite, top of the line means more video adjustments, jitter-free pure sound and a premium home theater experience. Bonus: Paired with the manufacturer’s Elite AV receivers, there may be no better BD player than this on which to enjoy music from your ol’ CD collection. www.pioneerelectronics.com

Sony BDP-S500ES, $1979

This is Sony’s top-performing foray into BD players by way of advanced video processing called Super Bit Mapping. The technology analyzes every pixel to provide clearer picture quality and also includes Precision Cinema advanced upscaling of DVDs. It can output 14-bit Deep Color to smooth out color gradations on even standard 8-bit color HDTVs. www.sonystyle.com

Denon 1800BD, $489.95

Denon BD players are all about high-caliber picture and sound quality. Thankfully for budget-conscious consumers, the price drop on this model brings the manufacturer’s celebrated capabilities within the average household’s reach. A Burr-Brown digital to audio converter means cleaner sound reproduction as well. Check price

Pioneer BDP-51FD, $399.99

When coupled with a Pioneer Elite SC-05 AV receiver and a Pioneer Kuro TV, this player creates a sharp, beautiful clear picture with richness and depth of sound. The unit can also be set for 12-bit color output with a high-speed HDMI cable for more natural gradations of color. Only its Pioneer Elite big brother outperforms it, and the device also includes Pioneer’s Home Media gallery so you can easily stream photos, music and movies to your home theater. The system further includes Bonus View and BD-Live, with its only downfall the need for a quick start feature. Check price

Sony BDP-S350/S550, $249 & $349

Now selling for below $300, these quick start-enabled models not only load discs faster, but menus seem to load more expediently too. Both players listed have Precision Cinema for better upconversion of DVDs, and Bonus View and BD-Live functionality, although the BDP-S550 also comes with 1 GB of external memory so it’s ready for memory-intense downloads. The S550 additionally has a Precision drive, making it possible to play dirty or scratched discs. Check price

Panasonic DMP-BD35K, $239.95

Panasonic holds its own here and does a fine job of outputting clean quality 1080p visuals from Blu-ray Discs or upconverting DVDS. Better yet, prices on the system are presently dipping below the $200 mark for the holidays, which makes this solid player a great deal. Check price

Samsung BDP-2550, $299.99

We love this unit’s penchant for instant gratification, given that it can stream Netflix movies and Pandora music from online sources. Samsung further tells us that new upgrades will stream high-definition films in the near future. That said, for smooth playback of Netflix videos, you will need a minimum Internet speed of 3 Mbps, and high-definition content will certainly require an even faster connection. Check price

LG BD300, $299.97

LG models are always fine performers in terms of picture quality, and this player upholds the proud tradition. What’s special here though is that it was the first to include the ability to stream Netflix videos. Check price

Sony PlayStation 3, $399.99 (80GB)

Many would argue that the best choice for a Blu-ray Disc player is, in actuality, a certain high-definition video game console. With recent upgrades, the PS3 can now output 12-bit Deep Color and its audiovisual quality easily stands up to most of the players on this list. Online video downloads, the ability to screen photos on your TV, and support for streaming music and video add sex appeal to the feature-rich console. The ability to play 60-man multiplayer-ready favorites like Resistance 2 is just icing on the cake. Read our Playstation 3 review; Check price