We’ve been reviewing the best Blu-ray player software since 2010. In that time, we’ve considered dozens of applications and spent hundreds of hours performing hands-on testing, conducting quality evaluations and comparing programs.
Nov 16, 2017 PotPlayer is Free Blu-ray Player software for Windows (8.1/8/7/Vista/XP), which lets you play Blu-ray, DVD, video and audio files with great quality. It has some cool features like the ability to take snapshots of the media you are viewing and save them as a JPEG file, and Blu-ray subtitle support. Leawo Free Blu-ray Player software contains all media playback solutions you need for your leisure entertainment. It acts as free Blu-ray disc player, free DVD disc player, free HD video player (free 4K video player), free ISO file player, and free audio player (free music player). Video Converter Ultimate. Convert DVD and video, burn DVD and download online videos easily. Blu ray player software free download - iDeer Blu ray Player, iDeer Mac Blu ray Player, Xilisoft Blu Ray Ripper, and many more programs. The free players like Windows Media Player and VLC Player don’t have Blu-ray decrypting function so that they don’t support playing Blu-ray movies. F2fsoft Windows Blu-ray Player software will be a good choice for us. We can free play Blu-ray folder, Blu-ray disc, and Blu-ray.
In our most recent assessment, we chose Power DVD as our top overall pick. This software performed the best in both our performance and usability tests. It also has every feature we look for in good Blu-ray player software.
1. PowerDVD: Best overall
SPECIFICATIONS
Supported OS: Windows 7/8.1/10 | Processor: 2.66 GHz Intel, 2.10 GHZ AMD | RAM: 4GB | Graphics Card: : Intel HD Graphics, ATI Radeon HD 5000, NVIDIA GeForce 9500GT | DirectX: 9.0
Reasons to Buy
Works well with touchscreens
Reasons to Avoid
Steep learning curve
Power DVD is a great program. Not only did it score the highest of all the programs we reviewed in our performance and usability tests, it also has all the tools we look for.
For example, this program enables simultaneous viewing options, so you can watch your Blu-ray on your computer as well as your television, smartphone, tablet or other mobile device. Additionally, you can download a mobile app and use your phone as a remote control, which is great if you’re watching movies on your computer in bed.
If you’re using a Windows device with a touchscreen, you can use it to control this software. Not all Blu-ray player software can do that. It also has powerful upscaling technology that allows you to watch a standard-definition DVD on your big screen with minimal distortion. You can even connect to social media and let your friends know what you’re watching. This program is light on your system resources; in our tests it consumed only 15% of our computer’s processing power. For comparison, other programs we evaluated took up to 45%.
2. Macgo Blu-ray Player: Best value
SPECIFICATIONS
Supported OS: Windows XP/Vista/7/8/8.1/10, MacOS 10.6+, iOS 3+ | Processor: 2.4 GHz or above Intel/AMD | RAM: 512MB
Reasons to Buy
Upscales DVDs to fit your HD TV or computer screen
Reasons to Avoid
No 3D upscaling
If you’re just looking for Blu-ray player software and nothing more, then Macgo Blu-ray Player is the way to go. It costs less than $30 and delivers an excellent experience.
It doesn’t have things like a power manager, virtual remote control, environmental settings and BD-Live support, but if those aren’t things you care about, there’s no need to pay for them.
Even though it lacks in some areas it does have the capability to upscale your standard definition movies to take full advantage of an HDTV or computer display.
When we tested this product, we noticed that this software upscales as good as our top choice, making it a great option for those who still have old DVDs lying around. However, while it’s great at HD upscaling, it lacks the ability to upscale for 3D movies. So, if you have an old 3D DVD, you’ll have to settle for the standard definition version.
3. Leawo Blu-ray Player: Lightest on system resources
SPECIFICATIONS
Supported OS: Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10 | Processor: 1 GHz or above Intel/AMD | RAM: 512MB (1024MB recommended) | Graphics Card: ATI Radeon HD 4000, Intel G45, NVIDIA GeForce 8-Series and newer | DirectX: 9.0c
Reasons to Buy
It can take advantage of touchscreen monitors and displays
Power manager allows you to maximize battery life without sacrificing video quality
Reasons to Avoid
Doesn't support BD-Live features
If you’re looking for a program to play Blu-rays while you do other things on your computer, the Leawo Blu-ray Player is the best choice.
When we tested this software, it used only about four percent of our system resources. Other programs we reviewed use nearly half of your processing power to play a movie. With the Leawo, you can watch movies on your computer and do other processor-heavy tasks without slowing down your movie or other programs.
Because it’s so lightweight, you’ll miss out on a lot of the extras found in the best Blu-ray player software. For example, you don’t get HD upscaling, environmental settings, simultaneous viewing options or BD-Live network support.
4. Aiseesoft Blu-ray Player: Fastest playback
SPECIFICATIONS
Supported OS: Windows XP/Vista/7/8.1/10 | Processor: 1 GHz or above Intel/AMD | RAM: 2GB | DirectX: 9.0c
Reasons to Buy
Starts playing movies within eight seconds of pushing the play button
Reasons to Avoid
It’s a major resource hog, using a whopping 44% of your CPU capacity
When we tested the best Blu-ray player software, we timed how long it takes from when you push the play button to when the movie actually starts playing. It only takes five seconds for Aiseesoft Blu-ray Player to start showing your movie.
This is the fastest time we recorded. For comparison our top choice takes up to 15 seconds to begin playing. The longest time we saw was in WinDVD, which took 22 seconds.
However, there are some serious drawbacks to this software. It lacks many of the features we look for in this category, including HD and 3D upscaling, as well as lossless audio playback. It’s also quite heavy on your system resources, taking up to 44% of your processing power.
1. Corel WinDVD Pro 12: Best HD upscalingWinDVD Pro
SPECIFICATIONS
Supported OS: Windows 7/8.1/10 | Processor: 2.8 GHz Intel/AMD | RAM: 1GB | Graphics Card: NVIDIA G8x and above, AMD M7x and above, Intel HD Graphics
Reasons to BuyReasons to Avoid
Takes an exceptionally long time to start playing a Blu-ray disc
It not only plays Blu-ray discs perfectly, but you can also use it to play DVDs and CDs. It can also upscale standard-definition DVD footage for HD screens.
And it effectively smooths out pixelation and artifacts that can result from upscaling.
You’ll still get great features, such as customizable skins, environmental settings, BD-Live network support, power manager, social media connectivity and more. However, you won’t be able to use your smartphone as a remote control or take advantage of your device’s touchscreen. It is worth noting that this is the slowest-starting Blu-ray player we reviewed. During our test phase, we timed how long it takes each program to begin playing a disc after the play button is pressed. WinDVD Pro took 22 seconds. Others we tested took as few as 5 seconds.
Why trust us?
We have been reviewing the best Blu-ray player software since 2010. In that time, we’ve considered dozens of applications, engaged in hands-on testing and ranked them accordingly. We tested each Blu-ray player program to determine the extent of its features, settings, functionality and ease of use. We evaluated the types of media discs and digital files they could process and the quality they produced. We looked for quality software that came with multiple types of customer support and was compatible with as many operating systems as possible.
How we tested Blu-ray player software
Performance tests:
This grade is based on whether the software accommodates a variety of disc and digital file types without excessive drain on the central processing unit. We judged programs on their capacity to play the video without lag, buffering or any other distortions or delays. We also judged them on the amount and efficacy of audio and picture optimization settings.
Usability:
This grade reflects how easy the software was to use, its important features and settings, and how well it performs each task. Good player software should have an interface that is immediately easy to understand and navigate, causing no doubt or frustration in accessing features. We also judged customization options and other features, such as the modifiable video effects.
CPU usage:
We played a test DVD and monitored our computer's CPU strain while running the software without any extra features or programs activated. The percentage shows the amount of processing power used while playing a movie in full screen. Higher percentages will mean that your computer may run slower if you are running multiple programs, or you may hear the computer fan running to keep the processor from overheating.
Further information:
It’s tempting to think that with the rise of streaming media and cloud storage for purchased movies and TV shows that things like DVDs and Blu-rays would soon be obsolete. However, in an interview with Twice, Blu-ray Disc Association representatives Dan Schinasi and Victor Matsuda paints a different picture.
They noted that physical Ultra HD Blu-ray players sales were up 133%. And the association is going to be broadening its efforts to spread public understanding of Ultra HD Blu-ray technology.
With Blu-ray here for the long haul it’s important to understand a few things about what makes the best Blu-ray player software for your computer.
Video & Audio: Quality Matters
The best Blu-ray player software can read a variety of discs, not just Blu-ray. Look for one that can also play DVDs, CDs and rewritable discs. It should also be able to handle digital video and audio files such as AVI, MKV, MP4 and MP3.
This kind of software has convenient uses beyond playing Blu-ray movies. Some programs have the capacity to upscale standard-definition movies to high definition, or 2D movies up to 3D. However, if you choose to create a 3D movie, you'll still need compatible equipment to properly view it, including 3D glasses and a 3D-capable TV.
Blu-ray movies are meant to sound as good as they look. Good Blu-ray player software provides Dolby and Digital Theater System support and lossless audio playback, even when you use headphones or connect your computer to another device via HDMI cable. Additionally, the software should be able to fully handle all intended DVD capacities, including multi-language output for any DVD that offers it.
Controls & Conveniences: Connect, Customize and Control
Tweaking various settings in a video player system can pay off when you finally get to enjoy a perfect-looking video. Most software offers modifiable video effects, letting you adjust picture hue, saturation and brightness. It should also look good when you are navigating the player; a few software options let you customize the player skin, layout and background.
Movie player software is a must-have for Windows 8 and 10 users, since neither of them come with a free native media player. Some of the software applications we reviewed have Windows 8 touchscreen compatibility for the interface, blending seamlessly with your computer system and letting you watch all your favorite movies.
Some of the Blu-ray player software in our lineup has social media connectivity, so you can post status updates and comments via Facebook or Twitter about any video you're watching. Some programs work with the BD-Live network to access special features via the internet.
Dead or alive 4 iso. Because we all have so many different and constant uses for our computers, it's important that your media player doesn't drain your battery or dominate your CPU capacity while you use it. The best Blu-ray player software offers a power manager to help preserve your laptop battery life and reduce CPU consumption if you need to run other programs simultaneously.
Help & Support: Don't Get Stuck, Get Help
Software should not only perform its assigned functions well, but also provide you with optimal customer service should there be an issue. A good software manufacturer offers several means of technical support, whether it's direct contact with the support representatives via telephone or email, or self-help resources. The latter option encompasses, typically on the manufacturer's website, simple tutorials, a frequently-asked-questions section, and a knowledge base or a user forum where users of the software can communicate and help each other. How much does Blu-ray player software cost?
You can expect to pay anywhere between $30 and $80 for Blu-ray player software. This might seem very steep just to play discs on your computer, but considering all the additional features you get, it’s worth the price.
The best free Blu-ray player software
VLC Media Player is a free, open-source program that’s been around since 2001. It has adapted quite well to new audio and video formats as they’ve been developed and released. If you want a free Blu-ray player application, this is probably your best bet.
Figuring out how to use VLC to play Blu-rays takes a bit of research and involves manually inserting DLL files deep in your computer’s directory. You also have to create special folders, download obscure files from third-party websites and more.
This kind of virtual surgery on your computer has the potential to cause major problems if you don’t do it properly, and you run the risk of getting malware if you download the needed files from an untrustworthy source. And you never know if the instructions you’re getting from the internet are correct until you spend a good deal of time trying to get the software to work.
If you don’t know what you’re doing in this regard, it’s best to stick with paid programs.
Best Overall
PowerDVD
This program scored high marks in all our tests. It’s the easiest to use, produces fantastic images and audio and has every feature you could ever need.
Lightest on System Resources
Leawo Blu-ray Player
This Blu-ray player uses only four percent of your computer’s processing power, which means you can use the player without worrying about slowing the other programs running on your machine.
Best Value
Free Blu-ray Player Software VlcMacgo Blu-ray PlayerFree Blu-ray Player Software Windows 7
For less than $30, it’s the best Blu-ray player software you can buy for the money. It doesn’t have all the extra features of our top choice, but it’s excels at playing Blu-ray discs nonetheless.
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