The days when movie lovers would kill to download an SD video on a computer or mobile are long gone. That's because HD and UHD videos have taken over these days, giving movie buffs much finer details due to more pixels than SD. However, to enjoy an HD experience, you must also find the perfect HD movie player. So, this guidepost discusses the best all-around movie video player for desktops. You'll also learn some excellent alternatives.
Part 1. What is considered HD video?
HD video (High Definition video) is a TV set or video that boasts higher resolutions than an SD (Standard Definition) TV set or video. Generally, any video resolution higher than 480p (480-pixel rows) is considered an HD video. In other words, HD videos usually have 720 or 1080 pixel rows, thus the 720p or 1080p designations.
That said, viewing videos in HD resolution is very beneficial. HD videos offer superior picture quality than SD videos, thanks to more pixel rows. Typically, a 720p video is 1.5x more significant than a 480p video while retaining a similar pixel resolution. Note, however, that the difference may not be visible when viewing on a smaller display.
Below are some standard HD video modes:
HD video modes |
Pixel frame size (W x H) |
Scanning type |
Pixel per image |
| 720p or HD ready | 1,280x720 | Progressive | 921,600 |
| 1080p or Full HD | 1,920x1080 | Progressive | 2,073,600 |
| 1080i or Full HD | 1,920x1080 | Interlaced | 2,073,600 |
| 1440p or Quad HD | 2,560x1,440 | Progressive | 3,686,400 |
Part 2. 1080P vs. 4K: Which one is better?
As you may already know, HD is not the most superior video resolution out there. For example, you can stream Ultra High Definition (UHD) videos in 4K quality (3,840x2,160). In this case, you'll get 2,160 pixel rows, which is double what you get on 1080p videos. As such, watching 4K videos provides much finer details than 1080p videos. But remember, you'll need a 4K movies player and a compatible TV set or computer to enjoy a UHD experience.
Part 3. Best HD movie player to enjoy movies — Wondershare UniConverter
Wondershare UniConverter is indeed the best 4K movie player for PC. It's a lightweight and smooth software that runs on macOS and Windows computers. With it, movie lovers can open most video codecs such as , . H.263, MPEG-4, DivX, and more. Also, UniConverter supports the opening of all digital formats, including MOV, MP4, MTS, VOB, and others. In addition, movie lovers can play videos directly from DVD, Blu-ray, VCD, camcorders, and other connected devices. And interestingly, this HD movie player features a DVD burner to help you play movies on a home DVD player.
Key features:
- It supports a wide range of digital video formats like WebM, MP4, MOV, MKV, MTS, and more.
- Compatible with HD, UHD, and 3D quality videos like 3D Red-blue and 3D left-right formats.
- Compatible with popular web formats like YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Amazon, eBay, etc.
- Losslessly download movies from 10,000+ video hosting websites.
- Burn movies to DVD and Blu-ray discs without compromising quality.
- Best HD movie player for Windows 10/8.1/8/7/XP/Vista & macOS 10.9+.
Below is how to play HD or UHD movies on Wondershare UniConverter:
Step 1 Upload your films on UniConverter.
After installing and running the app on PC, locate the left taskbar and click the Player tab to launch the function. Now drag-n-drop your movie file on the window to play it automatically. Alternatively, press the drop-down arrow next to Open File and choose to upload videos from folders, files, or connected devices. Whichever the case, the movie upload speed is instant. UniConverter allows you to add multiple movie files at once to the Playlist to watch.
Step 2 Play 4K movies and enjoy.
After your movie begins playing automatically, you'll see usual movie player controls like the volume and pause buttons. However, UniConverter adds more controls for pausing audio, adding a subtitle file, and enabling/disabling subtitle playback. Also, you can speed up or slow down your movies easily. Have fun!
Below are some comments from excited UniConverter users:
"I used the conversion program from Wondershare, i.e., convert any extension to MP4 for its simplicity and the interface of the program is not complicated, the options are available for all devices and the speed of conversion, it is always recommended."
— By Casey, a student.
"I am so very happy with this product. It has allowed us to use another product to produce overheads and then convert the production to an MP4 format. Thank you, thank you, thank you."
— By Alex, a businessman.
Wondershare UniConverter — Best Movie Player for Windows and Mac
Security Verified. 3,591,664 people have downloaded it.Play movies of any format at HD/4K quality smoothly.
Download videos from more than 10,000 sites with a recording option.
Transfer video and audio files to iPod, iPhone, Android, and other devices.
Additional features support file DVD burning, CD ripping, image conversion, and more.
Original quality video conversion with full GPU acceleration. 90X faster conversion speed.
Part 4. Another 5 HD movie players recommended
1.Vidmore Player
If you want to play Blu-rays and DVDs on Mac or Windows, choose Vidmore Player. This software is 100% clean to install and offers seamless playback of most Blu-ray disc types. It supports BD-50, BD-25, BD-9, BD-5, and more. The supported DVD types include DVD-RAM, DVD+R/RW, and DVD-R/RW. Meanwhile, Vidmore Player also supports digital movie formats like MP4, MOV, MKV, etc. During playback, you can change or disable subtitles, adjust image effects, and switch audio tracks. However, users must pay a $39.95 yearly fee to continue using the program after the free trial period.
Pros
Simple and 100% clean to install.
It supports all Blu-ray and DVDs.
Compatible with SSA, ASS, and SRT subtitle formats.
Adjust video effects like during playback.
Cons
Not free to use.
No 8K support.
2.5KPlayer
5KPlayer is arguably the most advanced 4K movie player for Windows 10 and macOS. Here, users get a unique blend of a free UHD video player, AirPlay/DLNA media streamer, music player, and online downloader. 5KPlayer users can open UHD, HD, 360-degree videos, and DVDs. Users can also losslessly and wirelessly stream audiovisual content via DLNA and AirPlay and download videos from 300+ websites, including Vimeo and Dailymotion. However, beginners may find the user interface a bit intimidating.
Pros
It supports all UHD and HD video resolutions.
Stream videos via AirPlay and DLNA.
Play 360-degree videos.
Download videos from 300+ websites.
Cons
Intimidating UI for beginners.
It doesn't play Blu-ray.
3.VLC Media Player
VLC is arguably the most widely used media player out there. This software is 100% free to install and use and offers cross-platform compatibility on Mac, Windows, Linux, Android, and iOS. That aside, VLC can open both Full HD and UHD videos with minimal fuss. In addition to all digital video formats, users can also open DVDs, VCDs, audio CDs, and online stream videos with lossless quality. Interestingly, VLC also comes with video editing features for trimming and cropping. Oh, lest I forget, it packs an excellent media file converter and screen recorder.
Pros
Absolutely free to install and use.
No spyware or ads.
It plays most codecs and formats.
Cross-platform compatibility.
Cons
Outdated user interface.
Complex hidden features.
4.QuickTime
One of the reasons to use QuickTime Player is that this software comes bundled with your macOS. Initially, it had a Windows version, although the developer has discontinued it. As with all movie players on this list, QuickTime supports most video formats, including MTS, HEV, MOV, MP4, and others. Besides just watching movies, QuickTime users can also record screencasts with voice narrations. Also, users can trim and merge video clips quickly. However, QuickTime doesn't read SRT subtitle files.
Pros
It comes preinstalled on macOS.
Easy to use.
Compatible with iTunes files.
Excellent screen recorder.
Cons
No Windows support.
It doesn't open SRT subtitle files.
5.HD Movie Player
Sometimes, you may want to watch movies on the go using your Android mobile phone. In that case, HD Movie Player from SoniFile Group is the best bet. As its name suggests, this software can open all Full HD video formats like MP4, MOV, MTS, VOB, and others. In addition to playing HD movies, this software also plays most audio formats and live streams video URLs. Best of all, you can watch movies with English subtitles.
Pros
Free to download and use.
Open most video files.
Livestream online videos.
Watch movies with subtitles.
Cons
Only for Android users.
It contains annoying adverts.
Try Wondershare UniConverter Movie Player for free now!
Over 3,591,664 people have downloaded it to try the advanced features.
Conclusion
These are the best software to play 4K movies on PC. HD support should be your irreducible minimum when searching for a movie player since most videos come in 720p or 1080p resolutions. Also, the type of supported video codecs is essential. Fortunately, most of the programs above tick these boxes and many more like 4K support. And even better, using UniConverter allows you to burn DVDs and download movies. It doesn't get any better, does it?
* Some of the above codec formats may need to be supported by system.
