Blu-ray Players / Panasonic DP-UB150-K vs Sony BDP-S1700U
Panasonic DP-UB150-K vs Sony BDP-S1700U
Panasonic DP-UB150-K
The cheapest true 4K UHD player from a major brand — but no Dolby Vision.
Wins overall by 0.7 points
Quick Verdict
The Panasonic DP-UB150-K is the stronger all-round pick, ahead by 0.7 points. The cheapest true 4K UHD player from a major brand — but no Dolby Vision.
The Panasonic DP-UB150-K and Sony BDP-S1700U are both closely matched blu-ray Player models, and the Sony BDP-S1700U is $65 cheaper than the Panasonic DP-UB150-K ($114.99 vs $179.99). On Disc Format Support, the Panasonic DP-UB150-K leads (6.0 vs 4.0/10) — how many disc formats it actually plays, including SACD and DVD-Audio. On Picture Quality, the Panasonic DP-UB150-K leads (7.0 vs 5.5/10) — disc playback quality and HDR handling. On Upscaling, the Panasonic DP-UB150-K leads (7.0 vs 6.0/10) — how well it improves DVD and Blu-ray on a 4K display. Overall, the Panasonic DP-UB150-K scores 6.1/10 across our 8 scoring categories versus 5.4/10 for the Sony BDP-S1700U. Below, we break down the full spec sheet, category-by-category scores, and exactly who should buy which one.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Spec | Panasonic DP-UB150-K | Sony BDP-S1700U |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $179.99 | $114.99 |
| Release Year | 2018 | 2025 |
| Disc Formats | 4K UHD Blu-ray, Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, DVD and CD. No SACD and no DVD-Audio | Blu-ray, DVD, VCD and CD, plus recordable variants. No 4K UHD Blu-ray and no SACD |
| HDR Formats | HDR10 and HDR10+; HLG is not confirmed. No Dolby Vision | None — this is a 1080p SDR player |
| Dolby Vision | No | No |
| SACD Playback | No | No |
| Audio Formats | High-resolution file playback in FLAC, WAV, DSD, ALAC, AAC, MP3, WMA and AIFF; Atmos and DTS:X bitstream is not confirmed | Dolby TrueHD and DTS lossless support; Atmos and DTS:X passthrough is not confirmed |
| HDMI Outputs | 1 | 1 |
| Analog Outputs | None confirmed — HDMI only | None — coaxial digital audio only |
| Streaming Apps | Not confirmed; the absence of Wi-Fi makes streaming marginal on this model | Wired streaming apps are present, but Sony does not publish the app list |
| Upscaling & Processing | 4K upscaling with high-precision chroma processing and 4K 60p/50p 4:4:4 output | DVD upscaling to near-1080p |
| Network | Ethernet only — no Wi-Fi | Ethernet only — no Wi-Fi |
| Region Free | No — Region A and Region 1 | No — Blu-ray Region A and DVD Region 1 as sold |
| Warranty | 12 months | 12 months |
| Colors | Black | Black |
Category Scores
Picture Quality
The Panasonic DP-UB150-K leads clearly here, 7.0 against 5.5 — a 1.5-point margin on disc playback quality and HDR handling. If that is what you are buying for, the Sony BDP-S1700U does not close the gap elsewhere.
Audio Quality
The Panasonic DP-UB150-K leads clearly here, 5.5 against 5.0 — a 0.5-point margin on DAC quality, analog output stage and bitstream support. If that is what you are buying for, the Sony BDP-S1700U does not close the gap elsewhere.
Disc Format Support
The Panasonic DP-UB150-K leads clearly here, 6.0 against 4.0 — a 2.0-point margin on how many disc formats it actually plays, including SACD and DVD-Audio. If that is what you are buying for, the Sony BDP-S1700U does not close the gap elsewhere.
Build Quality
The Sony BDP-S1700U leads clearly here, 6.0 against 5.5 — a 0.5-point margin on chassis rigidity, drive mechanism and finish. If that is what you are buying for, the Panasonic DP-UB150-K does not close the gap elsewhere.
Connectivity
The Panasonic DP-UB150-K and Sony BDP-S1700U are level here, at 4.0/10 each. HDMI outputs, analog outputs and network options is not what separates these two — look to the categories where the scores diverge.
Features
The Panasonic DP-UB150-K leads clearly here, 5.0 against 4.5 — a 0.5-point margin on streaming apps, tone mapping controls and network playback. If that is what you are buying for, the Sony BDP-S1700U does not close the gap elsewhere.
Upscaling
The Panasonic DP-UB150-K leads clearly here, 7.0 against 6.0 — a 1.0-point margin on how well it improves DVD and Blu-ray on a 4K display. If that is what you are buying for, the Sony BDP-S1700U does not close the gap elsewhere.
Value
The Panasonic DP-UB150-K leads clearly here, 8.5 against 8.0 — a 0.5-point margin on performance and features relative to price. If that is what you are buying for, the Sony BDP-S1700U does not close the gap elsewhere.
Best For
Choose the Panasonic DP-UB150-K if…
- • Disc Format Support matters most to you — the Panasonic DP-UB150-K scores 6.0/10 here (how many disc formats it actually plays, including SACD and DVD-Audio).
- • Picture Quality matters most to you — the Panasonic DP-UB150-K scores 7.0/10 here (disc playback quality and HDR handling).
- • Upscaling matters most to you — the Panasonic DP-UB150-K scores 7.0/10 here (how well it improves DVD and Blu-ray on a 4K display).
- • Audio Quality matters most to you — the Panasonic DP-UB150-K scores 5.5/10 here (DAC quality, analog output stage and bitstream support).
- • Your main use case is 4k-uhd.
Choose the Sony BDP-S1700U if…
- • Build Quality matters most to you — the Sony BDP-S1700U scores 6.0/10 here (chassis rigidity, drive mechanism and finish).
- • You want to spend less — it's $65 cheaper.
Pros & Cons
Panasonic DP-UB150-K
Pros
- +Genuine 4K UHD Blu-ray playback at the lowest price any major brand offers
- +HDR10+ support, which Sony does not offer at any price
- +Plays Blu-ray 3D, which is increasingly rare
- +Handles hi-res audio files including DSD
Cons
- −No Dolby Vision — the single biggest gap against the DP-UB820
- −No Wi-Fi at all
- −Single HDMI with no separate audio output
- −No analog outputs
- −Panasonic's own US store currently shows several of its players sold out, so availability is uncertain
Sony BDP-S1700U
Pros
- +The cheapest way to play discs from a brand that still supports its hardware
- +Boots in under a second, which sounds trivial until you use a slow player
- +Genuinely tiny and draws almost no power
- +Replaced both the BDP-S3700 and the old UBP-X700 in Sony's line
Cons
- −1080p only — no 4K UHD Blu-ray support at all
- −No Wi-Fi, so streaming needs a cable
- −Single HDMI output with no separate audio out
- −No SACD or DVD-Audio
- −Sony does not publish which streaming apps are included
Shop by Need
FAQs
Is the Panasonic DP-UB150-K or Sony BDP-S1700U better overall?+
Based on our 8-category scoring, the Panasonic DP-UB150-K comes out ahead overall. See the full breakdown in the scores section above — the right pick still depends on which categories matter most for your use case.
Which is better for Disc Format Support, the Panasonic DP-UB150-K or the Sony BDP-S1700U?+
The Panasonic DP-UB150-K scores higher on Disc Format Support (6.0/10 vs 4.0/10) — how many disc formats it actually plays, including SACD and DVD-Audio.
Which is better for Picture Quality, the Panasonic DP-UB150-K or the Sony BDP-S1700U?+
The Panasonic DP-UB150-K scores higher on Picture Quality (7.0/10 vs 5.5/10) — disc playback quality and HDR handling.
Which is better for Upscaling, the Panasonic DP-UB150-K or the Sony BDP-S1700U?+
The Panasonic DP-UB150-K scores higher on Upscaling (7.0/10 vs 6.0/10) — how well it improves DVD and Blu-ray on a 4K display.
Which is better for Audio Quality, the Panasonic DP-UB150-K or the Sony BDP-S1700U?+
The Panasonic DP-UB150-K scores higher on Audio Quality (5.5/10 vs 5.0/10) — DAC quality, analog output stage and bitstream support.
Is the Panasonic DP-UB150-K worth the price difference over the Sony BDP-S1700U?+
The Sony BDP-S1700U is the cheaper option at $114.99 versus $179.99. Whether the pricier model is "worth it" depends on how much you value its lead in Disc Format Support.
Which is better suited to my use case?+
The Panasonic DP-UB150-K is the better fit if you mainly care about 4k-uhd. The Sony BDP-S1700U is the better fit for budget.
What's the warranty on the Panasonic DP-UB150-K vs the Sony BDP-S1700U?+
The Panasonic DP-UB150-K ships with a 12-month warranty; the Sony BDP-S1700U ships with a 12-month warranty. Always confirm current terms on the manufacturer's site before buying.
Should I wait for the next model instead of buying either of these?+
If either model is more than two years old, a successor may be close — check the "Latest Model" link on each product page. Otherwise, both are current, well-supported options and there's no strong reason to wait.
Premium Option
Panasonic DP-UB420-K — $297.99
Specifications and prices for both products last verified . Scores are calculated from published specifications — see how we compare products.