Sony UBP-X700 review: a brilliant budget player that's great for Dolby Vision

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Sony UPB-X700 review: One infinitesimal review

The Sony UBP-X700 is an affordable 4K Blu-ray subordinate ($199 /£199 / AU$369 astatine nan clip of penning six years connected from its release) that supports Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos and DTS:X soundtracks. It besides supports a wide scope of media, including 3D Blu-ray discs, SACDs, DVDs and CDs and has Wi-Fi for streaming from apps specified arsenic Netflix and Prime Video.

Performance-wise, nan Sony UBP-X700 is an all-around superb player. It doesn’t rather negociate nan jack-of-all-trades excellence of nan Panasonic DP-UB820, but it delivers superb 4K images pinch punchy color, meticulous and refined textures and opposition up location pinch nan best 4K Blu-ray players, particularly erstwhile fed Dolby Vision discs. Upscaling is mostly effective – much connected Blu-ray alternatively than connected nan lower-resolution DVD format - and while it does heighten definite colors and applies immoderate artificial cleaning to movie grain, nan UBP-X700 still offers fantabulous image reproduction, particularly compared to nan Panasonic DP-UB154 – a solid, likewise priced player.

The UBP-X700 efficaciously handles Dolby Atmos soundtracks and has balanced and meticulous sound reproduction. CD playback is besides effective.

The UBP-X700’s interface is easy capable to navigate, though a small connected nan plain side. A bully number of settings for video and audio are provided. Design-wise, nan UBP-X700 is compact, making it perfect for smaller spaces, though its beingness creation is plain – an LED show pinch playback info would person been invited – and its distant feels very dated.

It’s reliable to reason against nan worth of nan UBP-X700 arsenic it’s an wide awesome performer for an affordable price. Pairing this pinch 1 of nan best TVs, peculiarly 1 of nan best OLED TVs specified arsenic nan Samsung S95D aliases LG C4, will lead to a lucifer made successful heaven.

Sony UBP-X700 review: Prices & merchandise date

• Release date: January 2018
• Prices: $199 / £199 / AU$369

The Sony UBP-X700 is simply a mid-range exemplary successful Sony’s 4K Blu-ray subordinate lineup, sitting beneath nan Sony UBPX-800MKII. At nan clip of its merchandise successful 2018, nan UPBX700 was priced astatine $249 / £249 / AU$399.

Several years connected prices person dropped overall, pinch nan UBP-X700 sitting astatine astir $199 / £199 / AU$369 astatine nan clip of writing, though it has antecedently sold for arsenic debased arsenic $149 / £149 / AU$225.

Sony UBP-X700 review: Specs

Sony UBP-X700 review: Features

• Dolby Vision HDR support
• Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support
• Built-in Wi-Fi and streaming capability

The Sony UBP-X700 supports 4K Blu-ray, regular Blu-ray, DVD and 3D disc playback. It besides plays not only audio CDs but SACDs – a disc format nan much premium Panasonic DP-UB820 and galore different 4K Blu-ray players don’t support.

The UBP-X700 supports nan Dolby Vision and HDR10 precocious move scope formats, but not HDR10+. For comparison, nan cheaper Panasonic DP-UB150 supports HDR10+, but not Dolby Vision, while nan pricier Panasonic DP-UB820 supports some Dolby Vision and HDR10+.

For audio, nan UPBX700 supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X soundtracks (bitstream only) and tin decode Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD soundtracks. There is besides support for High-res audio record formats including ALAC, DSD and FLAC.

The UBP-X700 isn’t arsenic good stocked pinch connections arsenic much premium 4K Blu-ray players specified arsenic nan DP-UB820, but has 2 HDMI ports – 1 for video and audio and 1 audio-only – arsenic good arsenic a coaxial integer audio output. There is besides an Ethernet larboard and a beforehand USB port. Built-in Wi-Fi allows entree to streaming services including Netflix, Prime Video and YouTube, and there’s BBC iPlayer for UK customers.

In position of performance, navigation was easy capable without immoderate stutter aliases slowdown. A bully number of settings are provided for some image and sound, including a 4K upscaling mounting pinch 3 different modes, a Digital Music Enhancer, audio move scope power and more.

One vexation I had progressive nan player’s Dolby Vision paper setting. With Dolby Vision turned on, nan UBP-X700 indicated it was displaying Dolby Vision movies moreover erstwhile it wasn’t – moreover leaving it connected erstwhile watching regular Blu-ray discs without HDR. I could spot nary evident related image issues, but it was still frustrating having to move this connected and disconnected arsenic location are immoderate SDR-specific image settings to amended value which are locked erstwhile Dolby Vision HDR is activated. If you regularly move betwixt 4K and modular Blu-ray/DVDs, that’s thing worthy base successful mind.

• Features score: 4.5 / 5

Sony UBP-X700 review: Performance

• Short disc load time
• Bold, vibrant colors
• Effective 4K upscaling

The UBP-X700 demonstrated amazingly short load clip for a cheaper 4K Blu-ray player. Loading a disc into nan disc tray to seeing nan first logos connected surface took astir 30 seconds – immoderate 5-10 seconds faster than nan Panasonic DP-UB820 and astir 30 seconds faster than nan Panasonic DP-UB154.

For testing, nan UBP-X700 was connected to a Panasonic MZ1500 OLED TV.

Starting pinch 4K Blu-rays, nan UBP-X700 demonstrated fantabulous image quality. In La La Land (HDR10 format) colors were agleam and vibrant, pinch plentifulness of move punch throughout. Colors pinch nan Sony had a much vivid look than pinch nan Panasonic UB820 and UB150, some of which had a much natural, subdued appearance. This isn’t to opportunity colors were oversaturated connected nan UPBX700, but they decidedly had a glossier look than connected nan Panasonic players.

I did announcement during nan ‘A Lovely Night’ segment successful La La Land that nan UBP-X700 favored a cooler colour palette, accentuating nan blues and purples of nan nighttime entity successful nan background. The colors were still meticulous and crisp, but it’s worthy noting.

Moving connected to The Batman connected 4K Blu-ray successful Dolby Vision, nan UBP-X700 demonstrated superb achromatic levels and contrast, pinch nan opening crime segment showcasing a awesome equilibrium betwixt nan lights successful nan room and hallways and nan darkened floors and walls. Shadow item was besides excellent, pinch specifications successful clothing maintained moreover successful nan darkest shots.

Moving onto modular Blu-ray, I utilized nan aforesaid segment from The Batman to trial nan effectiveness of nan UBP-X700’s upscaling. Although it was not arsenic bully arsenic nan Panasonic UB820, nan UPBX700 still did an awesome job. Textures were a touch softer and opposition wasn’t rather arsenic bully arsenic you’d find connected much premium players, but nan Sony’s upscaling did amended nan wide sharpness of nan picture.

The UBP-X700 moreover did a decent upscaling occupation pinch a DVD of The Amazing Spider-Man, improving textures and colors. It was much effective present than nan Panasonic UB154 but not arsenic effective arsenic nan Panasonic UB820.

I besides analyzed really overmuch movie atom nan UBP-X700 near intact pinch older movies. Watching a Blu-ray of Thief, peculiarly shots astatine dawn successful nan opening, nan UBP-X700 did support immoderate atom but location was little coming compared to nan aforesaid segment played done nan Panasonic UB820. I besides recovered this to beryllium nan lawsuit erstwhile watching 4K Blu-rays of The Batman and La La Land. Film purists whitethorn want to make statement of this.

For audio, I had nary rumor playing Dolby Atmos soundtracks done nan UBP-X700. I besides tested a CD successful nan UPB-X700 and recovered nary issues pinch stutter aliases load times.

• Performance score: 4.5 / 5

Sony UBP-X700 review: Design

• Very ray and compact
• No beforehand LED display
• Old-school, inexpensive distant

The UBP-X700 is simply a lightweight and compact subordinate compared to nan wider and deeper Panasonic UB820 and UB154, making it much versatile for smaller spaces. It feels little premium and uses cheaper materials than players specified arsenic nan UB820, but looks and feels sturdy capable for nan price.

One point to statement is location is nary beforehand LED show to notify of timing while watching a movie, a characteristic recovered connected nan Panasonic UB820. Timing and different info tin beryllium shown connected your TV by pressing nan info fastener connected nan remote, however.

The UPBX700 features 2 HDMI ports and a coaxial integer audio output alongside an Ethernet and a beforehand USB port. This is simply a respectable number of connections and while it doesn’t lucifer up to much premium players, it’s much than recovered connected nan fund Panasonic UB154.

The mini supplied distant feels a small dated and cheap. While I wasn’t expecting a premium remote, I recovered nan smaller buttons to beryllium a small much difficult to usage compared to those recovered connected Panasonic subordinate remotes.

• Design score: 4 / 5

Sony UBP-X700 review: Value

While nan Sony UBP-X700 isn’t going to hit nan workhorse-like Panasonic DP-UB820, it does connection awesome capacity and a bully number of features including Wi-Fi for streaming, which is simply a uncommon characteristic successful an affordable player.

At $199 / £199 / AU$369 – moreover dropping arsenic debased arsenic $149 / £149 / AU$369 – nan UBP-X700 is awesome worth for money and while it lacks nan afloat HDR support of nan Panasonic DP-UB820, Dolby Vision is an fantabulous characteristic successful a cheaper player.

• Value score: 4.5 / 5

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How I tested nan Sony UBP-X700

• Tested utilizing a assortment of discs formats including 4K Blu-ray, Blu-ray and DVD
• Tested pinch Panasonic MZ1500 OLED TV

To trial nan Sony UBP-X700, I connected it to nan Panasonic MZ1500 OLED TV, which supports Dolby Vision.

For image value testing, I chiefly utilized reference scenes from 4K Blu-ray discs I usage for testing TVs specified arsenic The Batman, La La Land, Top Gun: Maverick and more. I besides utilized a Blu-ray type of Thief to trial nan UBP-X700's movie atom accuracy.

I utilized modular Blu-rays and DVDs to trial nan UBP-X700's upscaling expertise and a CD to trial nan UBP-X700's audio playback.

I besides tested nan UBP-X700's package by navigating done different menus, testing consequence times, and exploring nan level of settings. I besides streamed contented via Netflix and BBC iPlayer to trial nan UBP-X700's streaming capabilities.

• First reviewed: October 2024
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