Have you known your Xbox as just a gaming console and nothing more? Until recently you heard from your friend that you could use it as a Blu-ray player. And now you’re wondering if you can play your old stack of Blu-ray discs on it? Well, in this article we’ll be exploring whether your Xbox can work as a Blu-ray player. So hang on tight as I pull the curtains off.
Can the Xbox Series X play 4K Blu-ray?
To put it concisely; Yes it can! Consoles like the Xbox One X and Xbox One S which have been around for a while, are able to read 100 GB Blu-ray discs with 4K content. And surely you wouldn’t expect any less from this latest next-gen Xbox Series X, right? To our luck, it does feature the 4K Blu-ray players to run those ultra-high visuals as long as you have the right screen for it.
How do I play 4K Blu-ray on my Xbox Series X?
Well, now you know that your Xbox Series X is capable of playing 4K Blu-ray but do you know how? Let me assist! First, you should know that the Blu-ray player is not pre-installed on your console and you have to download it from the Microsoft store. Maybe Microsoft wanted you to discover the realms of visual pleasure on your own. But I’m not leaving you alone in this! To download the 4K Blu-ray player;
- Head to the Xbox store on your console
- Search out the official Blu-ray player app
- Once you find it, download and install it to enjoy 4K binge-watching
After you get the app, you can play any 4K Blu-ray content you want. But there’s a catch here; before you go ahead and buy a pile of Blu-ray movies, you should be aware of the Xbox region locks. Most Blu-ray discs are region locked and can only be played on the console if it is from a compatible region. So before you buy any CDs, make sure that you check these region locks.
Region A: South America, North America, U.S. territories, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, and other countries of Southeast Asia
Region B: Europe, Middle East, Africa, New Zealand, and Australia
Region C: Asia (excluding Japan, Taiwan, Korea, and other countries of Southeast Asia)
Region-free: This isn’t an official class, but the disc with the region FREE symbol on it can be played on any console.
How’s the performance?
If we talk about the performance of Xbox Series X in 4K Blu-ray, I came across some issues that I think you should know.
Nowadays, the concept of discs has become old-school and everyone prefers to download rather than go for a disc. But to enjoy Blu-ray titles, you have no other choice than to pick a CD. And with that comes the whirring sound of the unit which isn’t much of a problem if you’re sitting at a considerable distance from the unit. But if you have a small space then you’re not going to like the sound very much. You can place the console on its side to dampen the sound but there’s no complete fix for it. You’re just gonna have to live with it.
Another thing I noticed about the Xbox Series X was that the image quality wasn’t as tempting as my PS5 or the dedicated Blu-ray player. But given that it’s a gaming console, I think it’s only fair. Although I wouldn’t recommend making it your primary player if you want to enjoy the best picture quality.
I’ve also gone through a few Reddit threads concerning some Blu-ray titles that don’t work with the console. Even though they’re not plenty but still you should take that into consideration while buying. But if you go for a dedicated player, you won’t face such a problem.
Takeaways
Now that I’ve made it clear that your Xbox Series X would work just fine with the Blu-ray titles. Should you make it your go-to device for all the 4K Blu-ray content? Well if you only have a few UHD movies then it would be ideal.
But if you have your shelves filled with Blu-ray discs and a high-end TV with Dolby Vision then using an Xbox wouldn’t be such a great idea. A separate dedicated player would do justice to your system.
Muhammad Allayhan, a gaming and PC hardware virtuoso, breathes life into pixelated worlds. A legendary overclocker, he unlocks hidden power in gaming rigs. Navigating from 8-bit realms to today’s masterpieces, Muhammad’s words immerse readers in an ever-evolving digital odyssey. Join him as he reveals the secrets of gaming’s cutting edge.
