One Of The Best Budget 4K Blu-Ray Players Has Been Discontinued

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Barely one month into the summer of this year, Sony disappointed gamers worldwide by announcing it would stop manufacturing physical discs for the PlayStation 5 and focus on digital games. However, Sony is more than a video game manufacturer; it's also a cornerstone of the Blu-ray player market. At least it was, and for presumably a similar reason.

Recently, the Japanese blog site Konkoku reported that Sony is ending shipments of its Ultra HD Blu-ray player, the UBP-X700/K. A shame, since outlets such as TechRadar and What Hi-Fi have given the device rave reviews. While Sony hasn't released any explanation, the company has quietly corroborated Konkoku's report, as the UBP-X700/K is now listed as "Out of Stock" on Sony's official webstore. If you visit the Japanese storefront in its native language (i.e., turn off automatic translation), the listing says the item won't be restocked.

Given several of Sony's recent moves (and the aforementioned lack of a press release), many people believe the UBP-X700/K's sunsetting is yet another symptom of Sony's pursuit of an all-digital future. Previously, Sony cut the cord on standalone CD players, and now it's doing the same with its Blu-ray players. If not for the rumors surrounding the PlayStation 6, one could easily assume Sony plans to exit the hardware industry.

While the Japanese Sony store isn't shipping the UBP-X700/K anymore, in-store stock isn't completely depleted just yet. You can probably find one at electronics retailers if you know where to look, but once they're gone, they're gone for good. But just because you can't buy the best of the best doesn't mean you can't purchase good Blu-ray players.

Even though Sony no longer sells standalone UHD players, the company hasn't fully exited the Blu-ray market. You can still buy Sony's BDP-S1700U ($113 through Amazon), which can't output in ultra HD but is still a worthwhile device. And if you want a UHD experience, Panasonic still has options. The Panasonic DP-UB820, for example, was arguably the best 4K alternative to Sony's Blu-ray players, although it is rather expensive ($599.99 on Best Buy). 

If you still prefer Sony for your UHD entertainment, you have one option that is the height of irony. With the UBP-X700/K discontinued, the PlayStation 5 is currently Sony's only UHD player. Of course, this only applies to PS5 models that include disc drives. You can add the drive to the PlayStation 5 Pro and the PS5 Digital Edition, but that's an additional $79 (via the PlayStation Store) on top of a device that is already more expensive than most Blu-ray players, UHD or otherwise.