Sony UBP x700 vs x800: Which One for Better Display (2024)

If you are looking for a fully immersive video experience at home, the UBP x700 and x800 are two great blu-ray options manufacture by Sony. But between the sony ubp x700 vs. x800, which one should you get?

There are many things to consider before getting yourself the right blu-ray player- starting from their construction to how they perform. In this article, we will discuss sony’s two most well-known Blu-ray players and point out the differences between them for you to find out which one to go for.

Let’s start with a comparison table. A quick glance at this table and you will know the exact specifications of both the blu-ray players, which may seem quite similar at first sight but deep down, are poles apart.

Comparison Table: Differences at a glance- Sony UBP x700 vs. x800

Sony UBP x700

If you are looking for the ultimate 4k HDR video experience, the Sony UBP x700 is just the right pick for you. It combines advanced technology such as HDR10 and Dolby Vision to deliver picture quality with impressive details, color correction, and balanced brightness. With this remarkably built blu-ray player, prepare to have an immersive and real-life theatre experience.

Pros

• Offers excellent and natural image quality
• Has special features such as Dolby Vision and HDR10
• Offers SADC disc playback
• It comes at a very good value

Cons

• Build quality is ordinary and not that premium
• The Blu-ray player is noisy in operation
• It does not include HDR10+ support
• DVD performance could be improved

Sony UBP x800

The Sony UBP x800 has a plethora of options such as unique chassis design, Dolby Atmos, and DTS:X technology as well as versatile connectivity for an enjoyable and three-dimensional movie and audio experience. With these versatile Blu-ray players, you can stream, watch or listen to anything that you desire and not be disappointed at all.

Pros

• Offers magnificent UHD picture quality
• Has excellent and unique build quality for superior performance
• Can be used to stream a wide range of platforms such as Youtube, Netflix, and Amazon Video
• Has high-resolution audio file compatibility

Cons

• Does not support Dolby Vision HDR
• Does not include analog stereo output

How Are The Design And Build Quality?

The Sony UBP x700 and the UBP x800 are quite similar when it comes to design, with a few subtle differences. The design of the blue-ray players is important not only for visual satisfaction but also for proper placement.

Sony UBP x700

The Blu-ray player is black in color, with a two-tone finish that gives off an elegant style. It is not entirely made of plastic, only the power and eject buttons are plastic whereas the player has thin metal wrapped around its body.

The x700 has no display and no controls except for the power and eject button- the design being purely minimal. When the eject button is pressed, the front panel drops down and a disc tray slides out so that a disc can be inserted for music or movie.

The connections are mostly in the back, with the USB port being situated in the front. The back includes one 2.0 with HDCP 2.2 support output and one HDMI 1.3 output, especially for older soundbars and receivers. The blue-ray player also has a coaxial digital output and an Ethernet port.

Lastly, it includes a small and lightweight remote control build of plastic. The buttons are placed effectively for convenience in use, with the place of the more frequently used button in the center.

Sony UBP x800

The Sony UBP x800 has a clean a minimalistic design with black glossy finishing. The Blu-ray player has a similar build to that of its predecessor, but only a little more advanced. It has a textured steel build with a glossy stripe across the middle which feels smooth to the touch.

The UBP x800 has the same frame and beam design that was previously seen in the UBP x700 but in this new model, reinforcement has been added so that resonance can be managed better. You will observe beams that have been introduced in the player’s feet and new internal 1.2 mm bracing struts.

The front of the x800 features a Sony logo and buttons which are specially designed for power and eject options. There is a USB 2.0 port on the front. At the back, there are several connectivity options. These include one v2.0 HDCP 2.2 enabled HDMI output and one audio-only v 1.4 output. There is also an Ethernet LAN jack. Moreover, the payer includes a single digital audio coax.

The remote control has quite accessible and easy buttons for control. The home button is placed near where the thumb rests for ease of use.

Sony UBP x700 vs x800: Design and Build Quality

It is true that the two models look quite alike at first sight, leaving difficulties for proper differentiation. Nevertheless, the x800 calls for a better and effective design when compared to the x700.

If we look at the specifications, the x800, weighing about 3.8 kg is heavier than that of its predecessor which weighs about 1.4 kg only. Perhaps this difference is due to the build quality of the new model, which is constructed of better quality steel. Sizewise, the x700 is about two-thirds the size of the sony ubp x800.

Design is more of a matter of preference, and since both the models are quite identical in appearance, it is quite difficult to pick one from the two. Hence, we will look at the build quality to come to a conclusion.

The Sony UBP x700 is fallen behind when it comes to construction quality. It has poor construction when you compare it to the bigger and better x800 blue-ray player. The Sony UBP x800 feels more premium to the touch- and it has new and advanced features which are more accessible. This, however, comes at a price. And frankly speaking, the x700 isn’t that bad in the budget it has been limited to.

Winner: Sony UBP x800

Sony UBP x700 vs x800: Additional features

What really sets apart the two models is the additional features that they have to offer. Usually, the more features a device has the more attractive it is. Both Sony ubp x700 and x800 have their own unique features to share.

Sony UBP x700

Sony’s UBP x700 has the following special features:

4k Ultra HD

You’ve heard this once, not twice but a number of times if you are looking for a television or any home theater systems, but what does it actually mean?

4k Ultra High Definition means that the resolution is about a minimum of 3840 pixels wide and 2160 pixels which makes it equivalent to two 1080p screens in height and two 1080p screens in length.

Put more simply, the 4k ultra HD is the name given to a screen with a resolution that is four times that of a full high definition television. Whereas your full HD TV will have 2 million pixels, the 4k UHD means that the pixels will be four times smaller to achieve about 8 million pixels being crammed into the same space.

The Sony UBP x700 offers four times the resolution to that of the ordinary blu-ray players, which leaves room for exceptional video quality with impressive details and color contrasts.

HDR10

HDR stands for high dynamic range. The HDR10 is found in many UHD blu-ray players. It supports luminance values up to 1000 nits, making the picture appear brighter and more detailed. This feature uses SMPTE ST 2086 static metadata and information such as Maximum Frame Light levels and Maximum Content Light level which is used by the display to adjust the brightness for the content.

To summarize, the HDR tries to create a picture that resembles and is closes to that seen by the human eye. What this means is that the picture you will be seeing on the screen will have a wide range of colors with different contrasts between light and dark shades. It also controls dimming and adjusting brightness levels and produces pictures in the highest nit levels.

Dolby Vision

Dolby Vision is a type of HDR which is more advanced. The difference is that Dolby Vision carries an extra layer of metadata that contains frame by frame instructions, ensuring that the content being produced has a maximum level of accuracy. The result of this is improved brightness, accurate contrast, and precise color performance.

With the Dolby Vision incorporated in the sony ubp x700, the picture quality is remarkable, bringing each scene to life with vibrant and striking color details. This feature makes your cinema experience more exciting than ever, ensuring an immersive and realistic picture quality.

BT.2020 Color Spaces

The BT.2020, also known as Rec. 2020 is a set of specifications that cover various aspects of video broadcasting for ultra-high-definition television. This technology allows access to a much wider range of colors, which means that the picture will have more saturated and realistic colors of different hues and contrasts.

High-Resolution Audio

The x700 offers high-resolution audio so that you can enjoy the music of premium quality. The Blu-ray player also supports a range of music formats from AAC and PCM audio to 11.2 MHz DSD.

Sony UBP x800

Sony’s UBP x700 has the following special features:

4k HDR

The 4k High Dynamic Range features allow detailed picture quality with extreme precision and flawless clarity. Thanks to this technology, the brightness and contrast are adjusted to enhance the picture quality-making it appears as if it is in real life. The details of the picture are thoroughly enhanced, thus making the entire video experience immersive and enjoyable.

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2.4k Streaming services

The Sony UBP x800 allows a wide range of streaming options. You can enjoy 4k video streaming from a plethora of services using the versatile blu-ray player fast and with convenience. The wireless and dual-band MMO technology make the whole process even easier and accessible.

4k HDR to SDR conversion

Although the terms HDR and SDR may seem new to some, they are heavily used in tech lingo. First of all, as discussed above, HDR means High Dynamic Range which allows for color clarity and realism in videos. But what is SDR?

SDR stands for Standard Dynamic Range, which is basically the current standard for videos. When the two are compared, the HDR is definitely better in the sense that it offers more colors and details than the SDR. However, for non-HDR televisions, a conversion from HDR to SDR will help improve contrast and color for optimized playback. Hence, this feature is a very useful one.

Dolby Atmos and DTS:X

Dolby Atmos is a surround sound technology that expands upon the current 5.1 and 7.1 surround sound and emulates a three-dimensional audio effect for an immersive audio experience.

The DTS X technology is similar to the Dolby Atmos, it also offers immersive surround sound for a real-life audio experience.

With the Dolby Atmos and DTS x technology combined, the Sony UBP x800 offers a three-dimensional audio experience that can make you feel as if you are inside the television, in the scenery itself.

Versatile Connectivity

The Sony UBP X800 is very versatile in terms of the connectivity it allows. Firstly, it allows Bluetooth wireless audio so that you can watch your favorite movies all by yourself. The simultaneous HDMI and Bluetooth audio transmission ensures that you hear the audio from far away, or even close with total clarity. Rest assured because you won’t be missing one dialogue with this technology.

The LDAC is also a useful addition since it transmits three times the data of the regular Bluetooth. Lastly, the blu-ray allows Wi-Fi connectivity. This means that you can stream your favorite movies on Netflix as well as hear your favorite playlists on Spotify.

Unique Chassis Design

The design of the Sony UBP x800 blu-ray player is rather unique. It has a frame and beam chassis with a rigid structure. This ensures that micro-vibrations are eliminated and it offers effective electrical shielding, thus giving you premium audio and picture experience.

Sony UBP x700 vs x800: Performance

Although design and features are important, the major thing to consider before getting these blu-rays is how they perform and how enjoyable the entire experience is.

Sony UBP x700

The x700 delivers a superb picture performance, flawlessly reproducing the 4K resolution, 10-bit video depth, WCG and HDR encoded on the discs.

There is plenty of detail which are accurate and the sharp images with vivid colors bring them to life. Fantasy films, especially, produce an impressive and natural look- not overemphasizing the striking colors. The sound is crisp and clear, with the vocals being accurate and easy to listen to. Overall, the performance of the Sony UBP x700 is great.

Sony UBP x800

The sony UBP x800 offers first-class 4k picture resolution.

The blu-ray player interpolates UHD with a 4:4:4 sub-sampling to deliver every accurate detail from a 4k resolution test disk. The sharp images and accurate color rendering ensure that the viewer enjoys a fully immersive video experience.

Winner: Sony UBP x700

Sony UBP x700 vs x800: Product Differentiators

Sony never fails to amaze us with their natural performing blu-ray players. The sony UBP x700 really stands out from the rest, in fact, it even performs better than the x800 in terms of its picture display. The color balance is perfect- it captures each and every detail flawlessly with accuracy. The vibrancy of the natural sceneries is put up with realism, skin tones are natural and the motions in action films are extremely stable and precise.

Whilst the picture quality of the x800 is bright, saturated, and enhanced, the x700 feels more natural. With the x800 you will get glossy and rich picture quality, and an impressive display indeed but you will certainly miss the naturalistic look that you can get with the x700.

The x700 does a wonderful job of subtly bringing out the details, without them screaming too much. It naturally handles the gradations of hues- preventing the contrasting colors from clashing with each other, but allowing for a nice blend and distinction at the same time. Overall, the audio quality and video are impeccable with the x700, more balanced and refreshing than that of the x800.

Winner: X700

Final Verdict: Sony UBP x700 vs x800

Both the Sony UBP x700 and UBP x800 are wonderful choices for blue-ray players, but each has its own pros and cons.

At first, if we look at the x700, our only complaint is the build quality. Customers have pointed out that the construction of the UBO x700 is quite flimsy and could definitely be made better. Whilst that is an issue, the sound performance really drives our attention away from it. The reason why we loved the x700 is that it offers an exciting and impressive picture quality at such an affordable price range.

On the other hand, the x800 is a much-upgraded version of the x series by Sony and it also includes a variety of different exciting and useful features. Though some might suggest that the picture quality has been improved in the latter model, the enhancement may be too much for others. Nevertheless, Sony had listened to its users’ complaints and wowed them with the premium build quality of the x800.

So which blu-ray player should you pick?

To summarize, the X700 supports Dolby Vision and is less expensive whilst the X800 has better build quality, plays HiRes audio CDs, and plays 3D blu-rays.

If you want Dolby Vision, it is suggested that you go for x700, since it offers an immersive and three-dimensional theater experience at a great price. But if you can push a little more, the x800 has a lot more to offer.

Frequently Asked Questions: Sony UBP x700 vs x800

This part is going to answers some of your confusion that might arise while walking on the pavement of the DVD Player. Let’s see what’s new here!

What can I do if no sound is being played in by blu-ray?

Check that all the cables are securely connected. Switch the input selector on your AV amplifier (receiver) so that the audio signals of the player are output from your AV amplifier (receiver). If the audio signal does not come through the DIGITAL OUT (COAXIAL)/HDMI OUT jack, check the audio settings.

What discs can be played in the UBP x700?

Here are the following discs:

Blu-ray Disc: Ultra HD Blu-ray, BD-ROM, BD-R*2/BD-RE*2

DVD: DVD-ROM, DVD-R/ DVD-RW, DVD+R/DVD+RW

CD: CD-DA (Music CD), CD-ROM, CD-R/CD-RW, Super Audio CD

How do I play a disc on my blu-ray?

First, you have to press (open/close) and place a disc on the disc tray. Place the disc’s side with character or image facing up. For double-sided discs, place the side you want to play facing down.

The next step is to press (open/close) to close the disc tray. Playback starts. If playback does not start automatically, select [Video], [Music], or [Photo] category in (Disc), and press ENTER.

How do I set the 4k UHD blu-ray?

First, you have to prepare for 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray playback. To do this, follow the steps:

• Connect the player to your 4K TV using a Premium High-Speed HDMI Cable.
• To view 4K Ultra HD 60p content, make sure that the proper setting is selected in HDMI settings on your TV.
• If you use BRAVIA TV that supports 4K60p, set the TV’s “HDMI signal format” setting to “Enhanced format”.

Next, insert a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray disc. The operation method differs depending on the disc. Refer to the instruction manual supplied with the disc.

What can I do if I cannot connect Bluetooth?

• Set Bluetooth mode to on
• Make sure the Bluetooth device is turned on and the Bluetooth function is enabled.
• Move the Bluetooth device closer to the player.
• Connect the player and the Bluetooth device again. You may need to cancel the connection with the player using your Bluetooth device first.
• Delete pairing information once from the device list and connected the device, before retrying the connection.
• The connection may not be possible if other Bluetooth devices are present around the player. In this case, turn off the other Bluetooth devices.
• The connection registration information has been erased. Perform the connection operation again.