For fans of Blu-rays, the physical media format, there hasn’t been much good news lately.
In the past several months, Sony announced that after an 18-year run, it would stop producing recordable Blu-ray discs. And LG revealed it would stop production of its own Blu-ray players, joining the likes of Samsung and Oppo to do the same.
And even though sales have ebbed and flowed in recent years, typically coinciding with the release of a popular film, like Dune 2 or Oppenheimer, Blu-rays’ popularity has mostly declined. In 2024, DVD and Blu-ray sales dropped 26 percent from the previous year, according to reports.
But alas, a beacon of light. As reported by What Hi-Fi?, Sony is releasing its first new 4K Blu-ray player in over five years … however, there’s a bit of a catch.
Sony extends a lifeline
The upcoming Sony UBP-X700/K is a new version of the company’s UBP-X700, which has existed since 2019. It costs $260, but it is deeply discounted right now.
The Sony UBP-X700/K looks identical to its predecessor and functions largely the same. It can play UHD and standard Blu-ray discs, as well as DVDs. It supports the latest audio (such a DTS:X and Dolby Atmos) and visual (such as HDR10+ and Dolby Vision HDR) technologies, too. It even comes with the same remote.
