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Top 10 Best Video Players for PC

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Jul 17, 2024• Proven solutions

We often need video players for our Windows PC, but it is good to get some information about it before installing new software. It is good to pre-rate its performance based on supported video file formats and ease of use.

The article below will help you get detailed information about the top 10 video players that you can use on your PC. They can be easily installed on Windows. By the end, you will be able to choose a video player that best suits your needs.

Content

01 How To Choose the Best Video Player for PC 

02 Top 10 Video Players/Media Players for PC

03 Summary. Best Video Players/Media Players for Windows

04 How To Create an Attractive Video To Play Anywhere

FAQs About Windows Video Player/Media Player

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01 How To Choose the Best Video Player for PC

Not every Windows PC has built-in abilities to support certain video formats. Considering this, the internet is bombarded with ready-to-install movie players for Windows. Such variety confuses first-time video player users, for which we provide qualities of a good media player while searching for one:

  1. Ease of Use: A good video player should have a clean and intuitive interface for everyone. Some players also offer interface customization, such as themes and control layouts. Therefore, if you are a regular video player user, you should consider such easy-to-operate software.
  2. File Format Support: Another factor you should consider before selecting the software is its format support. Almost all software supports common video formats such as MP4, MOV, MP3, AVI, and MKV. Hence, it is suggested that you get a video player with diverse format support beyond common ones.
  3. Playback Controls: Look for a video player with playback speed controls and resume playback options. You can also consider frame-by-frame playback and support for multiple tracks. If you have a collection of videos, a player with media library management options would be great.
  4. Performance and Efficiency: Go for a player that runs smoothly without consuming much RAM and CPU. Plus, it must offer hardware acceleration to ensure smooth playback and HD video support. You can also consider the time a video player for a laptop takes to get started.
  5. Advanced Options: If you need a media player for professional use, you must look into its advanced features. Based on your needs, choose a video player that can edit the videos like Filmora can. In addition, a good video player can convert file formats, which is a useful feature to consider.

02 Top 10 Video Players/Media Players for PC

After discussing essential factors, it is time to explore available options to choose the best option. Whether you need a feature-rich tool or a lightweight video player offering simplicity, this section covers them all. Discover the best video player for PC to unlock the full potential of your PC’s entertainment library:

1 - VLC Player 2 - GOM Player 3 - Pot Player 4 - Media Player Classic
5 - MPV Player 6 - KM player 7 - AllPlayer 8 - Real Player
9 - Miro 10 - Plex

1 VLC Player

One of the key players in the media player software industry is the VLC video player for Windows. It’s an open-source, cross-platform media player developed by the VideoLAN project. This video player supports all file formats and can play discs, webcam content, and streams. VLC supports playback controls, multi-track audio, and SSA compatibility.

vlc player pc video player

Best For: Linux and GNU users 

Supported Video Formats: Indeo Video v3 (IV32), Sorenson 1/3, MPEG-1/2, Cinepak, Real Video, MPEG-4 AVC, MPEG-4 ASP, WMV 3/ WMV-9/ VC-1.

G2 Rating: 4.7/5

Price: Free

Pros
  • VLC can play DVDs and videos up to 8K resolution without lagging and playback errors.
  • It can even play videos in compressed and ZIP file formats without unpacking.
Cons
  • A significant learning curve is required to access and apply its advanced features.

2 GOM Player

This video player for Windows allows users to watch videos from 360 degrees by rotating. It boasts a user-friendly interface with customizable skins that show the functions you need. Moreover, it comes with various codecs and a searchable codec library. Users can control the playback speed, loop a movie section, and automatically sync subtitles.

gom player pc video player

Best For: Playing videos with subtitles and customizable interface.

Supported Video Formats: MPG, MKV, FLV, TS, and AVI.

G2 Rating: 4.6/5

Price: $22/year license (GOM Player Plus Business)

Pros
  • It supports screen casting, so you can connect your computer to a Smart TV for a bigger preview.
  • Using the MiniWeb Feature, it can play videos from YouTube in 8K video quality.
Cons
  • Users cannot play Blu-ray and DVD until they have installed the proper code.

3 PotPlayer

Another name for the best video player for PC is PotPlayer, which is known for enhanced H/W acceleration. It holds compatibility with Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 8, and 7 and uses minimum resources for maximum performance. Furthermore, it supports different types of 3D glasses to provide a 3D viewing experience on a PC. It can fine-tune sounds with the help of a built-in graphic equalizer.

potplayer pc video player

Best For: Video customizations with innovative playback controls

Supported Video Formats: MP4, AVI, MPEG, MKV, FLV, etc.

G2 Rating: 4.7/5

Price: Free

Pros
  • It supports various text subtitle formats such as SMI & SRT and DVD and Blu-ray subtitles.
  • Users don’t need to install different codecs as it supports OpenCodec, which downloads the needed codec automatically.
Cons
  • PotPlayer doesn’t support screen casting and online streaming of videos like some other players can do.

4 Media Player Classic

For a hassle-free media playback experience, it is the first choice of skilled professionals. Although this tool discontinued its service, it remains the biggest threat to the VLC video player for Windows. The reason is its open-source design, incredible features, and lightweight application. It provides support for all video and audio formats, which can be accessed through third-party sources.

media player classic pc video player

Best For: Watching and listening to any file, no matter what format it is.

Supported Video Formats: VCD, DVD, SVCD, Blu-ray, and DVB TV signals.

G2 Rating: N/A

Price: Free

Pros
  • If a tuner card is installed in your system, you can record television programs.
  • This classic player can customize toolbars and offers color management for video previews.
Cons
  • As it is a classic software that stopped development in 2017, it lacks advanced features.

5 MPV Player

MPV is open-source media player software that runs on almost all operating systems. This cross-platform video player strives for minimalism and provides a small controller on top of videos. It has OpenGL, D3D11, and Vulkan-based video output that is capable of many features. With popular high-quality algorithms, it can display frame timings, interpolate, and perform color management. 

mpv player pc video player

Best For: Advanced video rendering techniques

Supported Video Formats: MP4, MP3, and MKV

G2 Rating: N/A

Price: Free

Pros
  • It supports various video Codec, media file formats, and subtitle types.
  • MPV player offers straightforward APIs to integrate MPV into other applications.
Cons
  • Compared with other players, it is reported to drop or mistime video frames.

6 KM Player

Due to a user-friendly interface, KM player is considered an excellent video player for PC. It is known for playing all video formats, including ultra-HD with 4K resolution. Apart from that, it contains high-quality codecs to provide better video quality. KM player provides full control over playback such as post-processing effects, resizing, and codec configuration.

km player pc video player

Best For: Professionals who look for advanced features.

Supported Video Formats: MPG, MPV2, OGV, WMV, MOV, EVO, FLV, 3GPP, AMV, SKM, etc.

G2 Rating: N/A

Price: Free

Pros
  • It supports over 42 languages and can download videos from online content by adding URLs.
  • This video player comes with a hardware acceleration function to minimize CPU usage.
Cons
  • Some users report a steeper learning curve, while others say limited or customization options.

7 AllPlayer

With countless features, this video player for laptops is popular worldwide. The reason is its operational resemblance with mobile devices rather than the traditional Windows environment. Besides, it can download perfectly matched subtitles with the collaboration of subtitles services like Opensubtitles.org. For easy sharing with friends, it generates URL links to media.

allplayer pc video player

Best For: Parental controls and Subtitles

Supported Video Formats: AC3, MPG, 3GP, MP4, AVI, FLV, MOV, FLV, WAV, OGG, etc.

G2 Rating: N/A

Price: Free

Pros
  • Using this video player, you can adjust video colors, contrasts, brightness, and saturation.
  • From advanced sound settings, it lets you adjust the audio track and audio output.
Cons
  • Unlike its name, it doesn’t support Blu-rays and several other video formats to play.

8 Real Player

Do you want a full-screen theater and uninterrupted cinematic experience on your PC? If yes, this tool will prove worthwhile, as it supports ultra-HD quality videos. Moreover, it can automatically organize your videos with artists' faces on them. Users can browse duplicate videos, remove them, and create video playlists.

real player pc video player

Best For: Video library organization and playlist creation

Supported Video Formats: MP4, AVI, FLV, WMV, WAV, MKV, etc.

G2 Rating: N/A

Price: $4.99/month (Premium)

Pros
  • Real Player can cast and stream video content on the big picture to sit and watch on the couch.
  • You can build your video collection by downloading online videos on your computer.
Cons
  • This movie player for Windows offers limited features when using its free version.

9 Miro

Individuals consider Miro, an open-source video player that streams movies and shows on TV. It doesn’t require you to install separate players; it can play videos and audio of any format. Additionally, it allows you to download media from Amazon, YouTube, and podcasts. When two Miro devices are under the same Wi-Fi network, they can transfer music and video files.

miro pc video player

Best For: Fast torrent downloading.

Supported Video Formats: MPEG, Flash video, AVI, QuickTime, DIVX, etc.

G2 Rating: N/A

Price: Free

Pros
  • This video player can also be a media converter that can change video file formats.
  • A simple interface lets you organize your media content to navigate quickly afterward.
Cons
  • Miro offers varied services in different regions and provides varied video quality previews.

10 Plex

Technically, Plex is a streaming service with an extensive media collection of movies, TV shows, and videos. It lets you organize your personal collection of TV shows, movies, and new music. With this media player, you can watch media offline and screencast videos on a bigger display. This QuickTime movie player for Windows supports almost all video formats to play. 

plex pc video player

Best For: Movies, series, and music streaming

Supported Video Formats: AVI, MP4, MOV, MKV, DIVX, etc.

G2 Rating: N/A

Price: $4.99/month, $39.99/year, $119.99/lifetime

Pros
  • You can enjoy content offline on Android and iOS devices upon switching to its premium version.
  • Plex pass members can access multi-color themes and get an enhanced media viewing experience.
Cons
  • Accessing and using the video player software is challenging as it is primarily a streaming platform.

03 Summary: Best Video Players/Media Players for Windows

Analyzing and encoding all the above information abruptly in the brain is difficult. So, here is a summary of the earlier explained best video players for a clearer picture of the tools.

Player

Video File Format Support

Playback Customization Options

Video Quality Limit

Pricing

Video Downloading

VLC Player

Indeo Video v3 (IV32), Sorenson 1/3, MPEG-1/2, Cinepak, Real Video, MPEG-4 AVC, MPEG-4 ASP, WMV 3/ WMV-9/ VC-1.

Yes

8K

Free

No

GOM Player

MPG, MKV, FLV, TS, and AVI.

Yes

8K

$22/year License (GOM Player Plus Business)

No

Pot Player

MP4, AVI, MPEG, MKV, FLV, etc.

Themes, Skins, and Playback speed customizations

4K

Free

No

Media Player Classic

VCD, DVD, SVCD, Blue-rays, and DVB TV signals.

Only playback speed and keyboard hotkeys

8K

Free

No

MPV Player

MP4, MP3, and MKV

Only playback speed customization

4K and HDR

Free

No

KM Player

MPG, MPV2, OGV, WMV, MOV, EVO, FLV, 3GPP, AMV, SKM, etc.

Personalized player screen and color themes

4K

Free

No

AllPlayer

AC3, MPG, 3GP, MP4, AVI, FLV, MOV, FLV, WAV, OGG, etc.

Adjust colors, contrast, brightness, monitor details, OSD sizing

4K Ultra HD

Free

Download subtitles

Real Player

MP4, AVI, FLV, WMV, WAV, MKV, etc.

No

8K

$4.99/month (Premium)

Download videos online

Miro

MPEG, Flash video, AVI, QuickTime, DIVX, etc.

No

Not given

Free

Download videos from Amazon, YouTube, etc.

Plex

AVI, MP4, MOV, MKV, DIVX, etc.

Premium users can access multi-color themes

1080p

$4.99/month, $39.99/year, $119.99/lifetime

No

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04 How To Create an Attractive Video To Play Anywhere: Using Wondershare Filmora

It is quite evident that Filmora has all the functionalities to make your videos perfect. Although it has an intuitive interface, the following are steps to guide you in making an appealing video:

Step 1 Create a New Project on the Latest Version of Filmora

Launch Filmora and hit the “New Project” tab from its main interface. As you tap “New Project,” you will access the editing window to navigate towards the “Import” button. Using the “Import” button, bring your content to the media panel to drag and drop to the timeline section for editing.

drag video file to timeline
Step 2 Generate Music With AI by Assigning Desired Parameters

Go to the timeline toolbar, click the “Audio” icon, and select “AI Music” from the left panel. Hit the “Start” button and get the AI music generator screen to choose a music mood. Choose the “Mood,” “Tempo,” and “Music Duration” through their respective sections and proceed.

After assigning parameters, press the “Start” button to get the results on the right side. Later, hit the “Download” or the “+” icons to add video to the video in the timeline.

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Step 3 Make the Video Attractive With Filters and Stickers

To make the video appealing, move toward the media toolbar and pick the “Stickers” or “Filters” icon. Next, browse one and click the “Download” icon on your preferred one. Following that, press the “+ (Add)” icon on the filter or sticker to move it to the timeline. You can drag the corner of the added assets to apply it to the specific portion of the video.

add filters and effects for enhancement
Step 4 Export the Video in Your Selected Video Format 

Apart from filters and stickers, you can edit and polish videos from various aspects. When you are done editing the video, navigate to the top-right and press the “Export” button. You will get another window to choose the “Format” by extending its list. Finally, hit the “Export” button and get the video in the format you desire.

Conclusion

To summarize, selecting a video player is challenging because of countless choices online. Therefore, this article tries to help by providing comprehensive details of top-tier video players for PC. You can pick one platform based on your needs and enjoy immersive video watching. If you need to create videos, you should consult Wondershare Filmora. It can help you create videos effortlessly with AI features and provides you with high-quality previews.

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FAQs About Windows Video Player/Media Player

  1. What is a video player?

A video player is fundamental software designed to facilitate the playback of digital content. It is used mostly on smartphones and computers to enhance viewing experiences. Video players include playback options like play, pause, rewind, display time, fast forward, etc.

  1. Is VLC Media Player still considered the leading video player in 2024?

VLC media player is a good candidate in the video player realm but can’t count as a leading one. Although it supports all video formats, it can prove clunky compared to newer media players. Moreover, many emerging video players focus on users' advanced needs, making VLC players an older choice.

  1. Is there a better video player than VLC?

There isn’t a single better video player, as your needs will determine which one you need. You can look for a player that supports most formats and offers high-quality playback and customization options. In this regard, one can count Pot Player and MPV players as good options. Additionally, using Wondershare Filmora for video editing and previewing would prove worthwhile.

  1. Are there any benefits to purchasing a premium video player for Windows?

Free and open-source video players offer almost all the core functionalities of media previewing. However, if you need specific features like parental control and subtitle editing, purchasing a premium player is justified.

  1. How do I determine the best video player for my needs?

If you are confused about determining which platform is better for you, create a roadmap. Consider your needs regarding playback quality, file format support, and media library management. Besides, analyze what level of simplicity you need and which operating system you have. While looking at these needs, you can determine a suitable video player instantly.

  1. Why do some videos fail to play on my PC, and how can I fix it?

Playback issues on your PC might be caused by several factors, such as damaged video files, compressed video, or a lack of a codec to support the video format. To resolve this issue, update the software, install the required codec, or switch to another video player.

  1. What is the most common video format used today?

MP4 is among the most common video file formats that balances high-quality videos with small file sizes. Moreover, it is compatible with most OS and online video platforms.

  1. Does Windows 11 come pre-installed with any media player?

Yes, Media Player is a built-in video player for Windows 11, like Windows Media Player in Windows 10. It was released in 2022 for Windows 11 and supports the preview of common media formats. 

author avatar
Ollie Mattison
Ollie Mattison is a writer and a lover of all things video.
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