Blu-ray Players / Sony UBP-X700U vs Sony BDP-S1700U
Sony UBP-X700U vs Sony BDP-S1700U
Sony UBP-X700U
Sony's first new UHD player in five years — SACD and dual HDMI for $300.
Wins overall by 1.4 points
Quick Verdict
A 1.4-point gap makes the Sony UBP-X700U the straightforward choice here. Sony's first new UHD player in five years — SACD and dual HDMI for $300.
The Sony UBP-X700U and Sony BDP-S1700U are both current-generation blu-ray Player models, and the Sony BDP-S1700U is $185 cheaper than the Sony UBP-X700U ($114.99 vs $299.99). On Disc Format Support, the Sony UBP-X700U leads (7.5 vs 4.0/10) — how many disc formats it actually plays, including SACD and DVD-Audio. On Audio Quality, the Sony UBP-X700U leads (7.5 vs 5.0/10) — DAC quality, analog output stage and bitstream support. On Picture Quality, the Sony UBP-X700U leads (7.5 vs 5.5/10) — disc playback quality and HDR handling. Overall, the Sony UBP-X700U scores 6.8/10 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 | Sony UBP-X700U | Sony BDP-S1700U |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $299.99 | $114.99 |
| Release Year | 2025 | 2025 |
| Disc Formats | 4K UHD Blu-ray, Blu-ray, SACD, DVD and CD. No DVD-Audio. Blu-ray 3D support differs between Sony's US and European specification sheets and is unresolved | Blu-ray, DVD, VCD and CD, plus recordable variants. No 4K UHD Blu-ray and no SACD |
| HDR Formats | HDR10 and Dolby Vision. No HDR10+, which Sony has never supported. HLG is not listed on the US sheet | None — this is a 1080p SDR player |
| Dolby Vision | Yes | No |
| SACD Playback | Yes | No |
| Audio Formats | Dolby Atmos and DTS:X bitstream output, plus Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio decoding to 7.1 channels | Dolby TrueHD and DTS lossless support; Atmos and DTS:X passthrough is not confirmed |
| HDMI Outputs | 2 | 1 |
| Analog Outputs | None — one coaxial digital output only | None — coaxial digital audio only |
| Streaming Apps | None — Sony deliberately removed them from this generation | Wired streaming apps are present, but Sony does not publish the app list |
| Upscaling & Processing | 4K upscaling up to 60p | DVD upscaling to near-1080p |
| Network | Ethernet only — no Wi-Fi, and the LAN port is essentially for firmware updates | Ethernet only — no Wi-Fi |
| Region Free | No — Region A and Region 1 as sold | No — Blu-ray Region A and DVD Region 1 as sold |
| Warranty | 12 months | 12 months |
| Colors | Black | Black |
Category Scores
Picture Quality
The Sony UBP-X700U leads clearly here, 7.5 against 5.5 — a 2.0-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 Sony UBP-X700U leads clearly here, 7.5 against 5.0 — a 2.5-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 Sony UBP-X700U leads clearly here, 7.5 against 4.0 — a 3.5-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 UBP-X700U leads clearly here, 6.5 against 6.0 — a 0.5-point margin on chassis rigidity, drive mechanism and finish. If that is what you are buying for, the Sony BDP-S1700U does not close the gap elsewhere.
Connectivity
The Sony UBP-X700U leads clearly here, 6.0 against 4.0 — a 2.0-point margin on HDMI outputs, analog outputs and network options. If that is what you are buying for, the Sony BDP-S1700U does not close the gap elsewhere.
Features
The Sony UBP-X700U 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 Sony UBP-X700U 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 Sony BDP-S1700U leads clearly here, 8.0 against 7.5 — a 0.5-point margin on performance and features relative to price. If that is what you are buying for, the Sony UBP-X700U does not close the gap elsewhere.
Best For
Choose the Sony UBP-X700U if…
- • Disc Format Support matters most to you — the Sony UBP-X700U scores 7.5/10 here (how many disc formats it actually plays, including SACD and DVD-Audio).
- • Audio Quality matters most to you — the Sony UBP-X700U scores 7.5/10 here (DAC quality, analog output stage and bitstream support).
- • Picture Quality matters most to you — the Sony UBP-X700U scores 7.5/10 here (disc playback quality and HDR handling).
- • Connectivity matters most to you — the Sony UBP-X700U scores 6.0/10 here (HDMI outputs, analog outputs and network options).
- • Upscaling matters most to you — the Sony UBP-X700U scores 7.0/10 here (how well it improves DVD and Blu-ray on a 4K display).
Choose the Sony BDP-S1700U if…
- • You want to spend less — it's $185 cheaper.
- • Your main use case is budget.
Pros & Cons
Sony UBP-X700U
Pros
- +SACD playback and dual HDMI outputs at $300 is a genuinely strong audiophile value
- +The newest mainstream disc player on the market, and actually in production
- +Dolby Vision support, which Panasonic reserves for its more expensive models
- +Decodes Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio internally to 7.1 channels
Cons
- −No Wi-Fi, no streaming apps, no Spotify Connect and no screen mirroring — all removed from the previous generation
- −No HDR10+, so HDR10+ discs fall back to HDR10
- −No analog audio outputs
- −Sony's US and European specification sheets disagree on whether it plays Blu-ray 3D
- −In some markets it launched above the old X700's street price for fewer features
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 Sony UBP-X700U or Sony BDP-S1700U better overall?+
Based on our 8-category scoring, the Sony UBP-X700U 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 Sony UBP-X700U or the Sony BDP-S1700U?+
The Sony UBP-X700U scores higher on Disc Format Support (7.5/10 vs 4.0/10) — how many disc formats it actually plays, including SACD and DVD-Audio.
Which is better for Audio Quality, the Sony UBP-X700U or the Sony BDP-S1700U?+
The Sony UBP-X700U scores higher on Audio Quality (7.5/10 vs 5.0/10) — DAC quality, analog output stage and bitstream support.
Which is better for Picture Quality, the Sony UBP-X700U or the Sony BDP-S1700U?+
The Sony UBP-X700U scores higher on Picture Quality (7.5/10 vs 5.5/10) — disc playback quality and HDR handling.
Which is better for Connectivity, the Sony UBP-X700U or the Sony BDP-S1700U?+
The Sony UBP-X700U scores higher on Connectivity (6.0/10 vs 4.0/10) — HDMI outputs, analog outputs and network options.
Is the Sony UBP-X700U worth the price difference over the Sony BDP-S1700U?+
The Sony BDP-S1700U is the cheaper option at $114.99 versus $299.99. 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 Sony UBP-X700U is the better fit if you mainly care about 4k-uhd or audiophile. The Sony BDP-S1700U is the better fit for budget.
What's the warranty on the Sony UBP-X700U vs the Sony BDP-S1700U?+
The Sony UBP-X700U 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-UB820-K — $549.99
Specifications and prices for both products last verified . Scores are calculated from published specifications — see how we compare products.