Updated

Updated · Pocket-lint · Jul 20

Sony UBP-X700 Shows Little Online Value 4 Years After Its Last 2022 Firmware Update

Updated

Updated · Pocket-lint · Jul 20

Sony UBP-X700 Shows Little Online Value 4 Years After Its Last 2022 Firmware Update

2 articles · Updated · Pocket-lint · Jul 20

A test connection of Sony’s UBP-X700 found almost no practical benefit beyond checking for firmware, with the player still mainly useful as a dedicated 4K disc machine.
Sony’s latest listed firmware for the model dates to 2022 and chiefly improved color quality for some SDR content, giving owners little reason to keep the player online.
Streaming apps on the Blu-ray player were judged inferior to alternatives such as an Apple TV 4K or a smart TV, undercutting the case for using it as a media hub.
One exception remains firmware maintenance: users can briefly connect, install updates if needed, and disconnect again, since transformative upgrades are seen as unlikely for 4K Blu-ray players.
The conclusion reflects a broader shift in home entertainment, where smart TVs and streaming boxes handle internet features while Blu-ray players are valued primarily for physical media playback.

Sources

Sony's 4K players are known to freeze. Are firmware updates fixing this critical flaw, or is the hardware simply broken?

With PlayStation ditching discs, will Sony abandon the firmware updates its Blu-ray players need to function properly?

As streaming libraries shrink and costs rise, is Gen-Z's pivot to physical media a sign that streaming's golden age is over?

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