What's The Cheapest Blu-Ray Player That's Actually Worth Buying?

Nowadays, you can find just about any movie or TV show through online digital streaming. However, if you want to actually own the movies and shows you purchase, unlike the ones you buy on Amazon Prime, investing in a Blu-ray player may be the best route. They aren't all that expensive, and there's surely one that's worth spending some cash on to enjoy your next movie night.

Sony is known for the PlayStation video game console, but it's also the inventor of Blu-ray players and the Blu-ray format, as weird as that seems now that Sony plans to do away with physical PS5 video game discs. If you're looking for a Blu-ray player to watch your Blu-ray disc collection, or ones you plan on buying once you have a player, one of Sony's cheaper models is the Sony BDP-S1700U. It'll cost you around $113 through Amazon.

It plays both Blu-rays and DVDs, and has a USB port to view photos and play music from a connected device. It includes an HDMI cable that connects to your TV, so all you need to do to start watching your favorite movie or show is plug it in, insert the disc, and hit play. You won't be bogged down by logging into a streaming service, searching for a movie or show you want, and possibly sitting through ads.

There's one major feature that the Sony BDP-S1700U is lacking. It's not capable of playing 4K UHD Blu-rays. If you really want to get the best quality image from a Blu-ray player, you realistically want to get a 4K Blu-ray player. After all, they generally aren't that much more expensive, although that depends on whether you want true native 4K or upscaled 4K quality. One of the cheapest 4K upscaling Sony Blu-ray players is the Sony BDP-S6700 for around $141.58 on Amazon. For a native 4K Blu-ray player, the Sony UBP-X700U is $328, depending on where you look.

As for what owners think about the Sony BDP-S1700U, there are over 1800 reviews on Amazon from those who've bought one. The general consensus is that it's a good Blu-ray player that provides a great quality image, is easy to set up, and has a remote that's simple to use. They also enjoy that it doesn't connect to Wi-FI like other modern devices, making it even simpler to setup and start watching a movie.

Another benefit of the Sony BDP-S1700U is that people enjoy its price. Its low cost of $113 on Amazon and $114 through Sony's website, make it a tough deal to refuse. There are other Blu-ray players available with features such as upscaling — which the S1700U can do for standard definition DVDs — but Sony's stands out.

If you aren't a fan of Sony, you can find Blu-ray players made by other companies such as Samsung and Panasonic, two other brands known for releasing good tech. Both make a Blu-ray player at a more affordable price that doesn't feature 4K quality and will set you back less than $120.

The Samsung BD-J5700/ZA Blu-ray Player is still quite affordable, costing around $115 on Amazon, and coming with more features and functionality than the Sony model and Panasonic listed below. It comes with upscaling for DVDs, an HDMI cable, and connects to Wi-Fi so you can access apps and streaming services if you want to watch any you're subscribed to.

The Panasonic DMP-BD84P-K Blu-Ray Player sits at a price of $118 on Amazon, which is still good, but not as low as the Sony or Samsung players. Alongside being able to play upscaled DVDs and Blu-rays, it comes with an external storage slot that allows you to connect a hard drive to share your movies and photos. If you do own or want to get a Blu-ray player, there are five essential gadgets you should consider getting to expand your experience.