In the ever-evolving world of electronics, it can be hard to tell when to leap into the fray. While Blu-ray Disc players are not exempt from that rule, the ten current models we tested illustrate why now is a good time to jump. Lower prices, a greater movie selection (1000 titles and counting), and a wider array of extra features make Blu-ray more attractive than ever before. There's a reason why Blu-ray has enjoyed notable momentum from late 2008 and into this year, even as the full impact of the economic downturn hit.

Indeed, what a difference a year makes. The models we tested for our previous roundup cost US$400 to $1000. Now, Blu-ray Disc players are also coming from Chinese manufacturers and other OEMs that specialize in producing midrange and budget-priced electronics. The trend has led to a more diverse selection of Blu-ray players, and has contributed directly to Blu-ray's breaching the $200 barrier--the point that often marks when a new technology has gone mainstream.

This time the cheapest model we tested was the $175 Memorex MVBD2510, with the $220 Sharp BD-HP21U close on its heels. The most expensive model we evaluated was Panasonic's DMP-BD55K, which was $400 at the time of this writing (close to the end of the model's life). Industry analysts expect to see a $150 Blu-ray Disc player this year--and that's not just assuming that aging 2008 models will drop in price to make room for new stock.

Among the ten models we evaluated in the PC World Test Center, we noticed a surprising trend: Yes, an inexpensive player can produce great-looking high-definition images. However, all three of the low-cost models we tried--the Insignia NS-2BRDVD, the Memorex, and the Sherwood America BDP-5003--had serious issues with upscaling standard-definition DVDs. If you plan to use your Blu-ray player for standard-def DVDs, too, you should choose a more expensive model.

Future Directions