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Why are 4k players so expensive? 4K Blu-Ray players are expensive because they are a premium home theater product that has essentially no competition.
A big reason the price of these players has not decreased is that there is not enough demand for them for companies to benefit from economies of scale.
In this blog post, I will go over the top 4 reasons why these players are so expensive as well as give out my top 3 picks for the best 4k Blu-ray players if you are interested in buying one.
1. Hardware inside 4k players is costly
To deliver the top-class picture quality that 4K Blu-ray players promise, manufacturers utilize high-quality components.
This includes precision-engineered laser mechanisms, premium-grade disc-reading assemblies, and advanced audio-processing chips.
These components ensure not only the clarity of the image but also the richness of the audio, resulting in an audio-visual experience second to none inside of your home.
2. Their quality is unmatched
4K Blu-Ray players are the most widely available premium media player on the market.
Kaleidescape is the only company that offers a better product but it is way more expensive than Blu-ray.
4K Blu-Ray players offer an array of benefits such as The integration of High Dynamic Range (HDR) technologies, including HDR10 and Dolby Vision, ensuring visually appealing images characterized by vivid colors, deep contrasts, and enhanced brightness.
HDR not only enhances the clarity of every frame but also brings to life subtle details that might be missed otherwise, creating a visual experience that mirrors reality.
In the realm of audio, 4K Blu-ray players support immersive sound technologies like Dolby Atmos and DTS:X.
These audio formats redefine the auditory experience, allowing sound to move freely around the viewer in a three-dimensional space.
With Dolby Atmos, sounds can be precisely placed in the environment, whether it’s a subtle rustle of leaves or a thunderous explosion.
DTS:X, on the other hand, provides an equally immersive audio experience, ensuring that every sound is heard with pinpoint accuracy, enhancing the overall cinematic immersion.
If you do decide to buy a Blu-Ray Player, I highly recommend getting one that supports Dolby Atmos. Personally, I use the Sony UBP-X800M2. I’m very happy with it.
If you want to learn more about audio, I recommend reading my article explaining why 4K Blu Rays have better sound quality.
- Bring the theater home: See the unrivaled visual clarity and detail of 4K UHD Blu-ray while watching your favorite content from the comfort of home
- Smart Functionality: With fast, stable built-in Wi-Fi, you can wirelessly access your favorite streaming apps and services including Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime & various others.
- Features Dolby Vision and HDR10 for incredible viewing detail and accuracy and DSEE HX
- Hear more detail with high-resolution audio, Dolby Atmos and DSEE HX
- Anti-vibration construction for clearer sound
- Play almost any Disc and file format
- Stunning picture with 4K upscaling up to 60p
- In the box: instructions manual, remote control (rmt-vb310u), batteries (Type AAA x 2), customer registration card, card
- See the unrivalled visual clarity of 4K UHD Blu-ray
3. Licensing and Royalties
Another factor contributing to the high cost of 4K Blu-ray players is the licensing and royalties associated with the technology.
Manufacturers have to pay substantial fees to acquire licenses for various codecs and technologies used in 4K content, such as Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and Dolby Atmos.
These expenses are inevitably passed down to the end-users, further increasing the overall price of the player.
4. Not enough demand means the product cannot be produced at scale
Compared to standard Blu-ray players or streaming devices, the market demand for 4K Blu-ray players is relatively niche.
This limited demand means that manufacturers cannot benefit from economies of scale, a phenomenon where production costs decrease as the volume of units produced increases.
With a smaller market, the production costs per unit remain high, which translates into higher prices for consumers.
Comparison to standard Blu-Ray Players
Unlike standard Blu-ray players, 4K players are equipped to handle ultra-high-definition content (4K HDR), which means they require advanced processors, graphics cards, and intricate circuitry to decode and display superior-quality images.
The development and integration of such sophisticated components significantly drive up production costs.
No 4K, No HDR, No advanced audio formats
A standard Blu-Ray player is not going to have the same level of picture or audio quality as a 4k player. You are not going to be able to play HDR 10 or Dolby Vision content with a normal player.
You also won’t be able to play immersive audio formats like Dolby Atmos or DTS:X.
Best 4k Blu-Ray Players (My top 3)
- Bring the theater home: See the unrivaled visual clarity and detail of 4K UHD Blu-ray while watching your favorite content from the comfort of home
- Smart Functionality: With fast, stable built-in Wi-Fi, you can wirelessly access your favorite streaming apps and services including Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime & various others.
- Features Dolby Vision and HDR10 for incredible viewing detail and accuracy and DSEE HX
- Hear more detail with high-resolution audio, Dolby Atmos and DSEE HX
- Anti-vibration construction for clearer sound
- Play almost any Disc and file format
- Stunning picture with 4K upscaling up to 60p
- In the box: instructions manual, remote control (rmt-vb310u), batteries (Type AAA x 2), customer registration card, card
- See the unrivalled visual clarity of 4K UHD Blu-ray
- Premium home entertainment enjoy high-dynamic range playback in three 4K/HDR formats HDR10+, HDR10 and hybrid log-gamma (hog)
- Panasonic HCX Processor (Hollywood Cinema experience) delivers powerful, precise Chroma and HDR processing for beyond-dazzling color and detail in your 4K/HDR content
- Works with Alexa command a variety of operations without your remote with Alexa, Plus Access a wider variety of 4K content with 4K VOD streaming from Netflix, YouTube and prime video; Also works with Google Assistant
- 4K high-precision Chroma Processor 4K image color signals (4: 2: 0) are interpolated into 4K (4: 4: 4) by a multi-tap Chroma process for stunning color and details, Natural textures and depth
- Hi-res sound Connect to your audio system for Hi-Res studio Master sound from DSD (5. 6 MHz/2. 8 MHz/11. 2MHz) and ALAC music files and WAV/FLAC/MP3/AAC/WMA/AIFF formats
- 4K VOD Supported: Designed for Comfortable and Smart Image Viewing. Designed for high-resolution audio as it was meant to be heard
- TWIN HDMI PURE AV (Twin Isolated Output): High-Quality Sound
- 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc playback - the Blu-ray Disc player provides the ultimate in audio/video quality with a stunning 4K picture and state-of-the-art audio
- Blu-ray & DVD backward compatible - this LG UHD Blu-ray Disc player is backward compatible supporting both of these popular legacy standards, so old favorites and new discoveries won’t be left behind
- Hi-res audio playback - Supports high Resolution audio. Enjoy lossless sound audio playback that can deliver a Dolby Atmos experience, DTS-HD Master audio and FLAC file formats
- Wide body design - the 17-inch Width of this LG UHD Blu-ray player matches the standard for home Theater components, so it will fit seamlessly into the most elegant equipment stack
Which should you buy?
I’m biased so I’d recommend the player I own which is the UBP-X800M2.
However, if you do not care about Dolby Vision then the LG UBK80 makes a lot of sense.
Personally looking back I could have seen myself buying this player as all I need is HDR 10 and Atmos, both of which it provides.
I’m not the biggest Dolby Vision fan, in fact, I wrote an article explaining why Dolby Vision is mostly a gimmick.
