If you have a computer, chances are that you have used it to play multimedia files. Even more so in recent times. Since watching videos or listening to music is one of the most popular tasks we use on the computer. Certainly Windows 10 comes with its own video player. But let’s face it, it’s not the best option. Therefore, we show you the best multimedia players to install in 2021. All of them are free, quality and widely used. Read on to find out the best media players for Windows in 2021.
KM Player 64X
The popular KMPlayer player has recently changed its interface completely. In addition, it has removed advertising. On the other hand, this program is oriented to modern computers. It is capable of playing video at 8K at 60 fps. It also supports modern standards, such as HEVC (h.265), h.264 and VP9. Which are hardware accelerated by the video card. It also processes most formats, including Blu-Ray and DVD. Additional features include downloading videos from YouTube and converting video clips into GIFs.
Advantages:
- 8K support at 60 fps
- HEVC (h.265), h.264, VP9, Blu-ray, and DVD
- Download video from YouTube
- GIF editor
Disadvantages:
- Variable image quality, depending on the codec
- Unclear interface
VLC Media Player
This application is backed by more than 90 million downloads. VLC Media Player is an open-source media player. In addition, it has no spyware, no ads, and does not track users. One of its main features is its huge compatibility. It plays DVD, Audio CD, and Video-CD. It is even able to process streams. We are talking about a free and cross-platform program. Additionally, it allows handling skins and extensions. It is certainly one of the best multimedia players.
Advantages:
- Open source and non-profit
- Plays almost everything that exists
- Hardware acceleration
- Plays DVDs
- Cross-platform
- Good subtitle support
Disadvantages:
- Lacks image optimization options
- Let’s be honest, the interface could be better
GOM Player
GOM Player has become very popular in recent years. Particularly in the mobile ecosystem. Indeed, it is a good player with support for all major formats. If it cannot play a video, then it notifies about the missing codec. It is also capable of playing videos as they are downloaded. It even plays broken videos. We can also download subtitles from its own database. In addition, it is possible to play two subtitles at the same time. Which is a good option for learning languages. Unfortunately, it comes with ads and the free version does not play 4K.
Advantages:
- Good image quality
- Codec detection
- Works with corrupted files
- The download of own subtitles
- Two simultaneous subtitles
Disadvantages:
- Has advertisements
- 4K version only for a fee
MPC-BE
If you are an old Windows user, you probably remember Media Player Classic. Indeed, this player was widely used years ago. Well, MPC-BE keeps the tradition. Since it is a minimalist open source player. Moreover, it takes up little space and consumes almost no resources. Therefore, it is ideal for older computers. However, it supports hardware acceleration and deinterlacing, and works with ISO backups.
Advantages
- Very low resource consumption
- ISO support
- Hardware acceleration
Disadvantages:
- Does not recognize some codecs
- Outdated interface
- Few customization options
PotPlayer
PotPlayer is a player of South Korean origin. It offers good hardware acceleration performance. In addition to the excellent image quality, it offers, including motion smoothing adjustment functions, and image sharpening. It is compatible with the MadVR image renderer. Which is free software that improves the image quality of certain codecs. With this intention, it applies different optimization and rescaling techniques. It also uses the OpenCodec codec pack, which can be downloaded from the application. It also plays DVD and Blu-ray.
Advantages
- Image quality
- MadVR support
- Integrated Codecs (OpenCodec)
- Screen Capture
- Blu-ray and DVD support
Disadvantages:
- Problems with some codecs
- Somewhat complicated configuration
Finally, we looked at the best media players for Windows in 2021. It is a comprehensive list with different options. So you have several options to choose from. See you later.
