Media Players are the finest way to improve the quality of any video, such as its brightness, contrast, and orientation, and make it more spectacular. The importance of media has increased at an exponential rate over time.
With the growing number of newer media formats, not all free media players are capable of playing all common file formats such as MKV, FLV, AVI, MP4, MOV, and others.
However, we need the best media players for uninterrupted enjoyment, but before installing new software, it’s a good idea to learn more about it. We all know that the quality of one’s media consumption experience is determined by the media player one is using.
Some Media Players don’t support specific audio codecs, while others are afflicted by bugs, performance problems, and a bad user interface, among other issues. One of the main challenges in selecting a media player is that every manufacturer would like you to believe that their products can play all formats, but this is not the case.
A excellent media player must be simple, intuitive, and lightweight in addition to being feature-rich. Thankfully, there are a plethora of excellent free or low-cost Media Players available; however, selecting the perfect one for your computer can be difficult. However, you’ve come to the correct place if you’re seeking for the greatest media player.
15 Best Media Players
1. VLC Media Player
VLC Media Player is the world’s most popular video player. VLC is one of the top open-source and free media players available. Other players provide less and aren’t even available for free. Although the VLC Media Player may not have the same aesthetic as some of the other players, one of the best features is that it is entirely free.
If you have a media file that you can’t open, VLC Media Player is likely to be able to play it. It supports all common media formats, including CDs, DVDs, and the most popular video formats like as MP4, AVI, and MKV. There’s no need to download, install, or mess around with codecs.
VLC Media Player may also be used to transcode video files between different formats, download YouTube videos for offline viewing, and record your own films using your camera. If you like music, you can use VLC Video Player to listen to it and create VLC music playlists.
Feature:
- Media converter and streaming capabilities.
- Ability to play Internet radio and TV.
- GPU and DSP decoding
2.GOM Player
Gretech Online Movie Player, or GOM player as it is more generally known, is regarded for providing an excellent user experience. For playing back videos, GOM Media Player has a lot of complex features. The Video Player software supports 360-degree and 8K videos, as well as the ability to watch Youtube videos on your computer.
The GOM Media Player comes with all of the essential features, including screen capture, video player capture, speed control, and A-B repeat. It can play a variety of video formats, including MP4, FLV, AVI, MKV, and others.
Aside from that, the Media Player has a number of customization options to meet the needs of users. Overall, GOM is an excellent alternative for anyone searching for a completely free Windows media player because of its simple navigation and user-friendly layout.
Features:
- supports 360-degree video.
- Clean and simple UI.
- Ability to play damaged files.
3. Pot
Pot Media Player includes a plethora of features and specialties that can easily compete with VLC. Kakao, a South Korean internet firm, created this video player for PC. In recent years, this competent media player has grown in popularity.
PotPlayer also supports all of the most popular media formats, and OpenCodec allows users to add different codecs to suit their needs. Pot Video Player provides dependable performance and hardware acceleration via DXVA, CUDA, and QuickSync, all of which improve the entire video watching experience.
Features :
- Ability to choose between two sound cards.
- Users can bookmark a favorite scene or chapter.
- Supports various devices such as DVD, TV, HDTV.
4. 5K Player
5KPlayer is one of the more comprehensive free solutions for managing your entire video library, not just watching them. You can integrate your whole computer video library to the Media Player software, so you can choose videos from within 5KPlayer rather than searching your hard drive.
Furthermore, you may stream videos directly from Youtube and use Apple’s AirPlay to display videos across numerous devices from this media player. 5KPlayer should be at the top of your list of go-to video players for ultra-high-resolution videos like 4K, 5K, and 8K.
Ultra-high-resolution appears to be the way of the future, with an increasing number of TV and movie companies adopting the technology. As a result, you’ll need strong software that allows you to watch such a film at your leisure.
5KPlayer, unlike some other free media players, allows you to convert between file kinds, capture snapshots of moving video, and even create radio stations.
Features:
- Airplay Mirroring
- 5K video support
- Free video and audio download
5. KM Player
One of the most popular places to watch videos and find new material!
The Media Player is well-liked for its high viewership and ability to function as a stand-alone video player. You can use external codecs to boost compatibility even more.
Users may watch high-definition videos on their devices thanks to support for 3D, 4K, and UHD. KM Player is also noted for its extensive format compatibility. When it comes to audio and visual effects, this Media Player offers a wide range of options, ensuring that no function or support is overlooked.
You may favourite parts of videos, have them repeat, remap the keys for the remote interface, and so on. In addition, you can edit subtitles from inside the media player.
Features:
- smoother playback with its internal codex files.
- Extends support to 36 languages.
- Available for free.
6. Media Player Classic
The new version of the classic Windows standby, Media Player Classic – Home Cinema, is available. It’s gone a long way since it initially debuted over a decade ago, and the latest version is a powerful competitor to free playback choices like VLC Media Player.
This Video Player programme is also incredibly light, which is quite useful. It’s designed to run on the same PCs as the original Media Player Classic, so it’ll only use a little amount of computing power. Despite this, it can play practically any media format, including 360-degree and 8K videos.
Features:
- Customizable toolbar.
- It requires very low resources.
- Simple and clean UI.
7. ACG Player
ACG Media Player includes all of the necessary features, such as audio and video effects, a music visualizer, art font subtitles, gesture control, and background music, among others. The simple UI and touch-based controls are the first things you’ll notice about this Media Player.
Toggle the controls by tapping the bottom half, then the top half for Play/Pause. Rewind and fast-forward by swiping left-right, and volume by swiping up-down. This app was obviously created for Windows 10 tablets, but keyboard shortcuts are also available.
Gesture customizations, multiple window mode, playlist management, online stream playback, and the option to alter subtitle appearances and animations are all included in this Media Player’s advanced features.
You can alternatively use Ax-Lite Video Player, which is a stripped-down version with less capabilities. In short, ACG Media Player is one of the few apps worth installing from the Microsoft Store. It’s barebones, but it’s more than adequate.
Features:
- Gestures based customizable playback controls.
- Supports many media codecs.
8. DivX Player
With this fantastic and free Windows Media Player, you may have complete control over online media. It is well-known for supporting a wide range of video formats.
The capacity of this Video Player to play HEVC videos, which ensures a high-quality media experience, is its most notable feature. It is absolutely free of bothersome advertisements and has a number of advanced converting capabilities.
Features:
- A lot of features
- DivX To Go feature
- DLNA streaming support is great
9. Kodi Media Player
Kodi Media Player was created specifically for movie buffs. It has a full-screen design that is user-friendly, and you may listen to music while using it. Images can be viewed while watching the movie, however this is only useful if you have a rich media browsing experience.
Kodi Media Player, like VLC, is capable of playing almost any media file you throw at it. It can easily manage network-attached storage devices, allowing you to stream your whole TV and movie library across your home network.
As previously said, third-party add-ons help to expand Kodi’s capabilities by allowing you to watch content from other websites. There are add-ons for Netflix and YouTube playback that aren’t all piracy-related.
Features:
- A good number of add-ons
- Cross-platform support
- Simple and clean UI
10. Media Monkey
It’s possible that Media Monkey is the king of video and music library management. MediaMonkey video player can handle over 100,000 music and video files without missing a beat thanks to its built-in, well-organized database.
The Media Player also has some useful functions, such as volume normalisation, which eliminates the need to adjust the volume when playing back files of varying sizes. As a result, this Media Player is ideal for parties and other occasions that require background music.
When you add in auto-tagging and auto-file renaming, Media Monkey can easily become the hub of any home media setup. MP3, OGG, MPC, WMA, WAV, VQF, FLAC, APE, and FLAC are all supported by the Media Player.
There’s also a paid edition that’s worth checking out for some of the other features it provides, such as sophisticated search and auto-playlist building.
Features:
- It allows iPod connectivity.
- convenient media library.
11. Plex Media Player
Plex Media Player attempts to simplify consumption by combining all of your services and devices into one unified platform. Users can add as many folders and files as they wish to their Plex library, which they can then stream to any Plex-enabled device.
Most people nowadays don’t just watch movies or listen to music from their own collection. Streaming services have become one of the most popular ways to consume media, and Plex recognises this by including Netflix and Spotify apps in its foundation.
Audio files open promptly and without any visible issues. Plex, which is based on the same XBMC software as Kodi, can play all of the common formats supported by the aforementioned programmes.
Features:
- Plex library
12. MPV Media Player
MPV Media Player is the simplest basic video player you’ll ever use, in my view. On the home screen, a delightfully minimalist UI with only the basic playing controls, a sleek bar, a subtitling tool, and a full-screen button.
The Video Player programme is a dream come true for people who desire nothing more than a simple, no-frills video player. The start screen of the MPV is completely blank, with no buttons or tools. To play a video file, you must drag & drop it.
But, believe me when I say that MPV Media Player starts playing a movie at a breakneck pace, faster than any other video player I’ve ever used. The software is also extremely light and does not hog system resources.
The open-source video player is popular among Linux users and is gradually gaining traction in the Windows ecosystem, particularly among those looking for a simple, fast, and dependable video player, which MPV excels in.
