Best Video Player For Windows 10 PC

Videos are a popular part of digital content. Media consumption has largely evolved over the years, especially video content. Going to the movies is now almost a thing of the past. Nowadays, the majority of people enjoy watching videos at home during their downtime. 

They aim for an amazing movie-binging experience at the comfort of their home without having to dress up and go out. 

With video consumption showing a massive increase rate, people will inevitably look for the best video player for Windows 10, which is the latest version of the Windows Operating System. Additionally, a great cinematic experience depends on many factors, including the video player you use.

Video players are media players that can play video data from various types of sources, including local disc, DVD, CD, VCD, etc. The software supports a plethora of video formats like mp4, MKV, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, and more. For your convenience, we have listed out here the best video players for Windows 10. 

VLC Media Player

VLC Player is a legendary cross-platform video player that is highly popular among youth. It is an open-source media player boasting of more than 26 million downloads that can play most media files as well as VCDs, DVDs, and Audio CDs.

VLC Player is largely known for its “play everything” nature. Designed by VideoLAN, this software can support almost all kinds of audio and video compression files you can think of. VLC Media Player is the app you turn to when your media file is not playing on your default video player.  

The best thing about VLC Media Player is that it functions optimally on multiple platforms, such as Windows, Android, MAC, iOS, and more. VLC Media Player is quick to download and easy to use as well. There are no complicated steps for installation. The UI also follows a simple and streamlined approach. Basically, VLC Media Player is the staple video player across several platforms, including Windows 10.

Moreover, VLC is equipped with subtitle synchronization functionality and filters for audio and video. And considering its simple interface and the fact that it can be used to view 360-degree videos up to 8k resolution makes it probably the best media player.

Pros 

• Free and easy to use
• It runs on multiple platforms like Windows, Android, MAC, iOS, etc.
• It can play most of the video formats like mp4, MKV, etc.
• Does not allow add-ons and is free of virus.
• It has an in-built equalizer that allows the user to boost sound without distorting the quality.

Cons

• It is difficult to find music from the library
• To play a file, you have to open it from their respective folder
• The program interface cannot be customized. 
• It cannot play encrypted DVDs.

GOM Media Player

Open-source and user-friendly, GOM Player comes highly recommended by all software developers. This audio and video player suite can play almost all formats and can even support 360 degrees VR. Gretech Online Movie Player or GOM Player is very flexible because of its high level of customization of skins and other appearance aspects. 

This movie player, though an underdog right now, has every chance of becoming the best video player for Windows 10 judging by its array of advanced features like Media Player Capture, A-B repeat, speed control, audio & video effects, screen capture. 

There are two versions of GOM Player – Free and Plus. The free version has plenty of brilliant features like playback of video while it is being downloaded and playing corrupted and damaged AVI files. 

Additionally, the fact that GOM Player has an extensive subtitle database scores major brownie points. It’s easy to use interface coupled with ad-free smooth playback is one of the best points of this player.

Pros

• Plays corrupted and damaged video files.
• Has vast inventory of subtitles
• Exciting features like A-B repeat, Media Player Capture, speed control, audio & video effects.
• Can play video of up to 4k resolution.

Cons

• It is not the best when it comes to the number of video formats it can play
• Not many go for the Plus version.
• The software is a little bulky.
• Occasional ads in the free version

PotPlayer

Developed by Kakao, a South Korean Internet Company, PotPlayer has the potential to be a great video player. The best thing is that they support even more video file formats than VLC Media Player does. An interesting part about this player is that it supports 3D viewing and can stream digital content directly to your TV provided it has the required setup.

PotPlayer not only supports a variety of file formats, it even supports many codec tools as well. Techniques like QuickSync, CUDA, and DXVA are built into the software. Using them, you can enjoy the maximum performance even when the hardware is low. 

You can also select between sound cards, bookmark your favorite scene, and preview them. Moreover, you can tweak its brightness, contrast, hue, and noise reduction using the multitude of filters PotPlayer is equipped with. Keyboard shortcuts and hotkeys are a bonus here. 

The OpenCodec feature of PotPlayer allows you to add any codec you want, enabling you to preview your favorite scene. It supports DVD, TV, HDTV. 

Pros

• Open-source media player
• Smooth video playback
• Videos are easily manageable
• Ability to select soundcards
• 3D viewing feature
• You can bookmark videos
• Supports devices like DVD, TV, HDTV
• Incredible subtitle support

Cons

• Difficult setup
• More suitable for advanced and professional users
• No help files
• Default automatic video renderer is not the best

Plex Player

Plex Player is another strong contender in our list of the best video player for Windows 10. This media player is also compatible with TV and is ideal if you want to enjoy your movies on your big TV screen. Plex Player has a free version as well as a premium version. It is equipped with several advanced features. 

With Plex Live TV and DVR, you will be able to watch and record high-definition TV broadcasts. Along with that, various apps are using which you can enjoy the best media experience. 

Plex Player is a media server, along with being a media player. So, you get added benefits with a Plex player. Using the server, you can download content on other devices as well as shared libraries via the Plex App.

Pros

• Capable free version
• Acts as a media server
• Easy setup
• Multiple intuitive apps

Cons

• No HTPC Support
• Lacks interface themes

Media Player Classic – Black Edition

Media Player Classic is a throwback to the now-defunct original Windows 10 Media Player. It has a touch of that vintage style that software applications during the last decade looked like. But at the same time, it is compelling and lightweight and has all the features of a contemporary app.

Media Player Classic – Black Edition stays true to its moniker with a dark-theme UI, also a hat-tip to the Windows Media Player’s legacy. MPC – BE was introduced in the market in 2012. Since then, there have been many updates and newer versions of the video player, each edition significantly better than the other. 

This is a perfect choice of a video player for anyone looking to relive a little bit of nostalgia and does not want to compromise with the quality or experience of video playing. The user interface is straightforward to navigate, and the player is commendably lightweight, given how smooth-functioning it is.

Pros

• MPC – BE comes with an inbuilt subtitle search 
• Seek bar previews make it easier to skip scenes
• Everything starting from logo to video color can be customized and changed 
• Works via Windows Command Prompt and includes
• Can fetch content from YouTube with inbuilt support 

Cons 

• Can be too old school for high tech-savvy individuals 
• Does not have an extra-ordinary feature to put it above its contemporary competitors

KM Player 

KM Player is a great mainstream free video player for Windows 10. It comes with a builtin codec pack for Windows 10. So, you do not need to install all the codecs separately. On the other hand, you can easily add other external codecs such as 3D or HD, or 4K support to enhance the viewing experience manifold times.

One of the best features of KM Player is that it has almost each and every one of the decoders required for any kind of media playback. Just like GOM Media Player, KM Player can also play damaged or corrupted media files. Sometimes we are stuck with partially downloaded files from the internet or a file with some kind of a bug in it. KM Player can process those as well.

KM Player now comes in a 64-bit version, and videos of up to 8K and 60 FPS can now be played. You would, of course, need the correct hardware support. It runs on Windows 10 and below versions like Windows 8.1, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.

Currently owned by Korean streaming company Pandora TV, KM Player allows you to choose and select certain segments of a video and mark them as favorites. You can run the favorite segments on repeat. 

Pros

• Extremely fast software 
• It supports all formats of media files 
• Subtitles can also be edited right within the software itself.

Cons

• Subtitle sizes can be haphazard and ruin the aesthetic of the video 
• Media buttons show up only in a pop-up
• Requires external codec for 5.1 videos

5K Player

5K Player is mostly used for its compatibility with different media file formats and video codecs, as the name itself suggests. It can play a wide number of music and video files without any plugin requirement. 

5K Player is often preferred by binge-watchers and professionals because of its clean and simple user interface. Complexity has no place in the user experience of this software. 

Moreover, you can import video content from online platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, MTV, etc. and play it in the video player itself. 5K Player allows you to go High Definition as well. 

One of the other excellent features of the app is its screen recorder tool. You can record anything running on the screen using this app and then use it for your other purposes. This solves the trouble of downloading large video files from online platforms – you can simply play the videos and record them using 5K Player. 

Pros

• It can access several online platforms
• Allows screen recording 
• Supports several formats of media files
• Files can be converted to MP3 format 

Cons 

• The downloading can be a slow process
• The software takes up a lot of CPU power usage 

Movies and TV

The Windows 10 Operating System comes with an inbuilt video player called ‘Movies and TV.’ While many people have initial misgivings about using a default app, Movies and TV is actually quite sleek and functional software.

The video player is minimalistic and offers you just what you need for a simple and hassle-free video content binging experience. It misses out on several other top-notch features you would find in the other names on this list. But on the other hand, it offers some unique features as well.

Movies and TV support Xbox and allow media sync for you to access from the mobile app. It does not have the format coverage range of software like VLC Media Player. But it can hold its own with features like a 360-degree video play option.

You manage your device’s video files right in this app. The browsing is also made very easy for your convenience. 

 Pros 

• No need for downloading – the app is inbuilt for Windows 10
• Sleek and simple UI
• Supports Xbox
• Features a mini mode which plays full video during multitasking

Cons

• Lacks significant features of other video players
• Supports limited format of media files 

Summing It Up

The final choice is yours to decide which one of these seven will suit you the best. People usually go with VLC Media Player because it is the most widely known and easy-to-operate tool out there. But you are free to select the one that you like more!