6 Blu-ray players for less than $500

HD DVD was always the cheaper of the high-definition formats, but now that Blu-ray has won the format war, it's basically the only choice for high-definition on disc. While you won't find any Blu-ray players available for $99, there are at least some recent models available for less than $500. Out of the standalone players, the Panasonic DMP-BD30K is the best pick--it supports Blu-ray Profile 1.1, has bitstream output for high-resolution soundtracks and delivers excellent image quality on Blu-ray Discs. The other players have some significant flaws: the video quality of the Sharp BD-20U and Philips BDP7200 could be better, the Sony BDP-S300 takes forever to load discs, and even though Samsung was eventually able to fix nearly all of the earlier disc compatibility errors that afflicted the BD-P1400, we're always leery of problems cropping up on new, Java-heavy discs being released now and in the future. None of them are bad players--and the image quality from all of them blows DVD out of the water--but don't expect the same hassle-free experience you get from DVD.

But the main takeaway from this comparison should be clear: the PlayStation 3 is by far the best Blu-ray bargain on the market. Don't count it out just because it's a game console. It has excellent image quality, fast load times, and is Blu-ray Profile 2.0 compliant. Home theater fans will lament the fact that the PS3 lacks an IR receptor--making it tough to integrate with a standard universal remote--but overall it's a minor downside when you consider it's also a high-definition gaming system and media streamer.

Of course, the other option is to wait until prices fall even further, as Funai has promised to release a Blu-ray player for less than $300 in the second quarter of 2008. Even still, we're betting these low-cost Blu-ray players will have a tough time beating out the PS3 in terms of value.