Sony single-handedly won the format war with its timely release of the PlayStation 3. Up until the PS3 hit the market in November 2006, HD DVD was beginning to gain the upper hand with disc and player sales.

The Sony BDP-S790 replaces the BDP-S780 in Sony's Blu-ray player line-up. It's the top model in a series of four players, and what sets the BDP-S790 apart is its revamped feature-set.

The Sony BDP-S790 replaces the BDP-S780 in Sony's Blu-ray player line-up. It's the top model in a series of four players, and what sets the BDP-S790 apart is its revamped feature-set.

The Sony BDP-S790 replaces the BDP-S780 in Sony's Blu-ray player line-up. It's the top model in a series of four players, and carries a $200 premium over the lesser BDP-S590 .

Excellent features; Class-leading connectivity; Fast operation

4K is unnecessary; at the moment; Web browser is mediocre; Long text input is a chore

If you took the engine of a Lamborghini and shoved it into a Lada, you'd end up with a Sony BDP-S790 (not literally, you understand). Reflecting its price, build quality is average with operating noise and vibration endemic.

Outstanding image quality; Multimedia file support; Plenty of Smart TV choice

Noisy disc transport; Xrossmediabar UI looks dated; No FLAC audio file support

The

Excellent features and slick; user-friendly interface; subtle detail in picture is delivered with ease; refined sound; future-proofed for 4K displays; smooth motion handling

Nothing of note