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The best portable DVD and Blu-Ray players support both formats with good quality, and have a screen size and resolution that doesn't compromise on portability. Perhaps most importantly, they should have a battery that lets you keep watching during long car rides to keep kids entertained. Our top pick with all these qualities is the SYNAGY A10 10.1-inch Portable DVD Player (view on Amazon). It's small and light at 3.3 pounds, have a 270-degree swivel, and provides support for all types of DVDs and CDs.
If you're looking for a Blu-Ray player of the less portable variety for your home theater setup, you should browse our list of the best Blu-Ray and Ultra HD Blu-Ray players. Otherwise, read on below to see the best portable DVD and Blu-Ray players we looked at.
Light and portable
Quality image and sound
Low price
No menu button on the control panel
Poor balance on soft surfaces
Leave the iPad and the Internet-connected world at home with the 3.3-pound SYNAGY A10 portable DVD and CD player. Featuring a 10.1-inch TFT 1024 x 600 resolution display that swivels a full 270 degrees, this unit provides plenty of reason to skip out on tablet life and solely focus on your newest DVD pickup. The SYNAGY includes support for all types of DVDs and CDs, as well as JPEG images for viewing pictures on-the-go.
With 2.5-3 hours of battery life, there’s only enough room to watch one DVD before requiring a re-charge, but you can maximize battery life by lowering the sound of the speaker. Fortunately, you can re-charge the unit while on-the-go in a vehicle through an included car charger to avoid the battery life limitations altogether. Additionally, there’s an added USB port and SD card, as well as a remote control to round out the feature set.
Portable build
Solid picture quality
Supports files from USB drives and SD cards
Sound could be better
For portable entertainment on a budget, a player with Blu-Ray support likely won’t be worth the significant extra cost. But a DVD player can still offer plenty of features and a quality viewing experience, which is what you’ll get with this Sunpin device. Its 9.5-inch TFT LCD screen delivers solid picture quality with enhanced brightness. You'll get decent audio from the built-in speakers, but as a bonus, dual earphone jacks let two people listen from separate sets of headphones at the same time.
Aside from playing most standard CD/DVD formats, the Sunpin player also supports a variety of digital media files from a USB drive or SD card. Included in the package is an A/V cable for sending the display to a TV, a headrest mounting case for watching in the backseat of a car, and a car charger for powering it up on the road. It weighs less than three pounds and can last up to five hours before needing to be recharged, so it makes a great travel companion. The player is available in black, blue, red, and purple color options.
Plays any DVD and CD format
Supports USB and SD card playback
Comes with travel accessories
Doesn't include headphones or game controllers
Movies are a great way to keep kids busy on long trips, and UEME offers a DVD player designed to do exactly that. It comes in two styles: blue with a racecar design or pink with a princess-and-unicorn design. The models are otherwise identical, with a nine-inch 800 x 480-pixel LCD display that can swivel 180 degrees. It plays essentially any DVD and CD format, as well as most digital video and audio files through a USB port and SD card slot that supports up to 32GB.
At home, you can power or charge it with the power cord and connect it to a TV with the included A/V cable. Some other DVD players geared toward kids come with bonus accessories like game controllers and headphones, but UEME’s device includes extras that make it perfect for travel — it comes with a canvas case to easily and securely mount the device to the back of a car headrest, along with a car adapter to keep it charged and a remote to control playback. When not plugged in, the battery can provide you with about four hours of entertainment for the kids.
Large screen size
Built-in card reader
Supports MP4 and DIVX formatted movies
Dual stereo speakers
Short battery life
There’s little question a 15.6-inch portable DVD player will have you doing a double-take, but Sylvania knocks it out of the park with this laptop-sized screen. Featuring 270 degrees of rotation, the 15.6-inch display offers plenty of screen space to enjoy the latest DVD releases in a package that’s just 5.1 pounds. While it has just 2.5 hours of battery life, the built-in card reader allows the addition of MP4 and DIVX formatted movies to go beyond the DVD space.
If you want to get comfortable, fold the Sylvania flat and watch it in any position that feels best. There’s an additional remote control for controlling the player from a distance, as well as a car-powered AC adapter included for all the power you need while on a road trip. Additionally, the built-in dual full-range stereo speakers offer crisp and clear sound. With a large display and anti-shock playback to help avoid skips, this portable DVD player is hard to pass up.
Unique design
Small and lightweight
Includes remote and earphones
Lackluster battery
Can't connect to TV or resume automatic playback
With many portable players sporting a similar boxy look with a swivel-screen design, the Sylvania SDVD7046 immediately stands out with its rounded shape and integrated carrying handle. Its vibrant color options—silver, black, blue, pink, red, and purple—allows you to personalize your pick beyond the standard black and silver.
This simple and lightweight device is built for on-the-go viewing and does the job well. It doesn’t have many extra functions, like the ability to connect to a TV or automatically resume playback from where you left off. It does, however, come with a remote and a set of earphones, in addition to its built-in speakers and audio input. Some users ran into issues with the battery not holding a long charge, but if you have opportunities to plug in and recharge, it’s a stylish and very portable companion for road trips.
Solid image quality
Can easily copy music from CDs
Long battery life
Long recharge time
Keep yourself, your kids, and your entire family entertained throughout long trips with the DR. J Professional 10.5-inch portable DVD player, which has a playtime of up to seven hours. The 10.5-inch screen can swivel up to 270 degrees and flip 180 degrees so it can easily be mounted on a car headrest while still offering a large amount of visibility, perfect for occupying multiple backseat viewers. Audio options include a speaker and a 3.5mm headphone jack, allowing viewers to immerse themselves without disturbing other passengers. If the trip stretches beyond seven hours, a car adapter lets you charge it on the go so the shows don’t stop until you do.
The player is compatible with a range of multimedia options — from CDs to DVDs to images and eBooks — and supports SDs cards and USB flash drives alike. The accompanying AV output cable lets you connect the device with another DVD player or a larger screen so more people can enjoy what you’re watching.
The best portable DVD and Blu-Ray player to buy is the SYNAGY A10 10.1-inch. This compact player has everything to keep the kids entertained on a car ride with a decent screen and sound, a portable and lightweight design, and affordable price. There are players with bigger screens like the Sylvania 15.6-inch if you want a more cinematic experience and we also like the DR J 10.5-inch for the long-lasting battery.
Format- Most portable players will only support standard DVDs, so if want to play your high-definition Blu-ray discs, be sure to check that the model you’re considering offers support for the format. Do note that Blu-ray players typically come with a much higher price tag than their DVD counterparts. You'll also want a player that can handle playback from a USB drive or SD card to maximize your options.
Screen size - Are you seeking out a small portable experience or something with a bit more viewing heft? Depending on your preferences, you can choose between players with smaller 9-inch screens or ones with laptop-style 15.6-inch displays for a more cinematic experience. Screen resolution and brightness is also important since this will help determine your viewing experience.
Battery life - The last thing you’d want is to have your player’s battery die before you’ve reached the end of your movie. Make sure that the unit you’re purchasing has enough battery life to make it through your next road trip or overseas flight. Most players last around 3 hours, the better ones will reach 5 hours and above.