UHD Blu-ray player market sees new wave of brands

Laser, Thomson, Krovatar, GIEC, DpBlue and Gotham Audio are part of a new wave of brands making UHD Blu-ray players as optical discs return to the spotlight.

After years of decline, during which LG, Samsung, Oppo, Pioneer and Reavon pulled out of the optical disc player market and sales of UHD Blu-ray movies continued to fall, we witnessed UHD Blu-ray discs return to growth in 2025.

And just last month, we saw Australian budget brand Laser enter the market with its first UHD Blu-ray player.


More UHD Blu-ray player brands
Thomson is one of the brands that has flown under the radar. In partnership with France's DPA Europe, it launched the THB365 UHD Blu-ray player in late 2024. It supports 4K with HDR10 and Dolby Vision, features dual HDMI, and sells for around 260 Euro.

China-based GIEC launched its G5300 UHD Blu-ray player years ago in China, but has since expanded into some Western markets where it sells for around 600 Euro, being region-free. It supports HDR10, Dolby Vision and dual HDMI. A higher-end G5800 adds SACD support, analog 7.1, XLR and an internal HDD bay.

Australian HiFi brand Gotham Audio has launched the GA-BD801, which supports UHD Blu-ray discs with HDR10 and Dolby Vision. It also features analog 7.1 outputs in addition to dual HDMI. The GA-BD801 is typically sold through specialist AV retailers in Australia for 600 AUD. It is also region-unlocked for Blu-ray and DVD – UHD Blu-ray is always region-unlocked.

- "We saw a gap in the market as other brands stepped away, and we wanted to ensure cinephiles still have access to a premium, high-performance player at a reasonable price," Sean Bradford, Marketing for Gotham Audio, told FlatpanelsHD.


Krovatar, based in Shenzhen, China, launched the KBU-300 earlier this year. It plays UHD Blu-ray, Blu-ray, 3D, DVD, CD and SACD (stereo only), with support for HDR10, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, and uses a Panasonic drive. It also features dual HDMI. It sells for $370 in the US and 350 GBP in Europe, with a higher-end KBU-500 due to launch later with a more robust chassis and some other tweaks.

There is also the Chinese white-label brand DpBlue, which launched the DP-5300 in the US this year, selling for $340. It spins UHD Blu-ray, 3D Blu-ray, Blu-ray, DVD and CD, and supports both HDR10 and Dolby Vision in addition to dual HDMI.

One common trait for many of these is that they are produced in China and built on the MediaTek MT8581 chip, which is also powering, or has powered, players from Oppo, Pioneer, Sony and Panasonic.


Optical discs back in the spotlight
CDs are experiencing a notable resurgence, following the earlier revival of vinyl, but so far there are no signs that DVDs are making a comeback. Last year's growth for UHD Blu-ray is not conclusive yet – we will have to see what happens in 2026 – but there are some encouraging signs.

- "The reception has been very strong. What we’re hearing from consumers in the last 12 months is renewed appreciation for physical media. Enthusiasts are tired of compressed streaming quality and the unreliability of digital ownership. They want tangible media and hardware that can deliver the full cinematic experience, and our brand's customers are excited to see a capable, high-quality player entering the market to support their collections," said Sean Bradford, referring to the Australian market.

Regardless of whether a comeback materializes, optical discs are back in the spotlight after Sony announced plans to abandon game discs on PlayStation. The backlash has been intense and has led to a wider discussion about physical versus digital media.

- Source: @UltraHDBlu-ray on X, harrybalzac71 on Reddit, own sources