Toshiba BDX5200

Toshiba BDX5200

Just a year ago, it seemed like a sub-$200 Blu-ray player with a decent selection of features was a dream. Now, nearly every player on the market offers up oodles of Web apps, and Toshiba has gone a step further, also offering 3D support and built-in Wi-Fi in its $179.99 (direct) BDX5200. On paper, it's a full-featured, bargain-priced Blu-ray player that would make a nice addition to most home theater systems. Between its price, features, and performance make it stand out as the best choice on the market today available for less than $200. The 1.5 by 16.9 by 7-inch (HWD), 2.7-pound Blu-ray player is simple and elegant. The front panel is two-toned, with a glossy black upper half and a recessed, brushed gunmetal lower half. Besides the disc tray and the glowing indicator lights, the only thing that mars the glossy black half is an SD card slot for loading photos and videos and four invisible-unless-illuminated control buttons (Eject, Stop, Play, and Power, but Power is the only one that stays lit). The gunmetal half holds a Toshiba logo on the left side and a Blu-ray 3D logo on the right side. The back of the player is similarly simple, holding only HDMI and composite video outputs, a USB port, and an Ethernet connection.