10 Updated HEVC Video Players List for Buffer-Free Video Streaming

Brittany Garcia

April 17, 2024 10:15Updated by to Media Player

In today’s time, some formats continue to be upgraded or created to provide people with high-quality video output. One of the popular and most used video codecs is HEVC, or High-Efficiency Video Coding. It is also called and known as H.265, which is a video compression standard. It offers superior compression efficiency without compromising on quality. Yet, some struggle to find a player for their HEVC videos. We will introduce some of the best free HEVC players and those paid ones.

Best H.265 HEVC Video Player

Part 1. What is H.265, and H.265 vs H.264

H.265, or High-Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), is a video compression standard. It is one of the famous codecs that strives to provide video with high quality. H.265 is also the successor of the most used codec, which is H.264. That is why it gained popularity when it was developed and released. Another reason for its popularity is because of its advanced capabilities. The main goal of H.265 is to provide better video compression efficiency than H.264.

H.265 and H.264 are two different video compression standards. These codecs have their own characteristics you must know. In order for you not to get confused, we have made a comparison of these two below.

1. Compression Efficiency

H.265: Reigns supreme when it comes to data compression. Compared to H.264, it can deliver similar video quality at a much lower bitrate.

H.264: Although it is effective, it is not as efficient as H.265. This is especially true when it comes to compressing video while maintaining quality.

2. Video Quality

H.265: H.265 produces noticeably sharper and more detailed videos compared to H.264.

H.264: Provides good video quality but may require a higher bit rate to achieve the same quality as H.265.

3. Bitrate and File Size

H.265: It can produce smaller file sizes at the same level of video quality. Or it maintains similar file sizes with improved quality.

H.264: It tends to result in larger file sizes for the same quality. Or it sacrifices quality for smaller file sizes.

4. Hardware Support

H.265: It may require more modern hardware for efficient decoding, as it is a more recent standard.

H.264: Widely supported by a broad range of devices and hardware, including older equipment.

5. Applications

H.265: Commonly used for high-resolution video streaming, 4K content, and more.

H.264: Still widely used in various applications, including video conferencing, surveillance, etc.

Part 2. Top 10 H.265 Player

Player/Feature Supported OS Supported Formats Codec Playback Speed Control Features Resolution Supported Price
Free Blu-ray Player Windows/Mac Video and audio formats, like MP4, AVI, MPEG, MOV, MKV, MP3, AAC, etc., even Blu-ray and DVD HEVC, H.264, MPEG-2, VC-1, WMV, etc. Forward, Backward 1080p up to 4K resolution Free and Paid for $15.60
PotPlayer Windows AVI, 3GP, M4V, MOV, MP4, WMV, etc. HEVC, H.264, VP9 0.25× to 4.0× SD, HD, 4K Free
DivX Player Windows/Mac MKV, MP4, MPEG-4 ASP, and more. HEVC, H.264, and MPEG-4 0.5× to 4.0× SD and HD $9.99
5KPlayer Windows/Mac MP4, FLV MKV, AVI, and so on. HEVC, H.264, MPEG-4, VP9, and AV1 0.5× to 2.0× 4K, 5K Free
VLC Media Player Windows/Mac/Linux WebM, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, MKV, etc. HEVC, H.264, WMV, VP9, and AV1 0.5× to 4.0× SD, HD, 4K Free
MPV Windows AVI, MKV, MP4, MOV, MP3, AAC, etc. HEVC, H.264, VP9, MPEG-4 Forward, Backward SD, HD, 4K (Varies) Free
MPC-HC (Media Player Classic – Home Cinema) Windows MPEG, MP4, FLV, SWF, MKV, WAV, DTS, and so on. HEVC, H.264, VC-1, MPEG-2 0.5× to 2.0× SD, HD, 4K (Varies) Free
PowerDVD Windows WMV, FLV, MOV, MP4, AVI, VP9, etc. HEVC, H.264, MPEG-2, VC-1 0.5× to 4.0× Ultra HD, 4K, and 8K Price starts at $59.99
GOM Player Windows MOV, ASF, OGM, MP4, AVI, MKV, FLAC, AC3, and so on. HEVC, H.264, MPEG-4, AV1 0.5× to 2.0× High-definition Price starts at $22.00
Leawo Blu-ray Player Windows/Mac MP4, AVI MOV, MKV, MP3, WAV, OGG, etc., including Blu-ray and DVDs HEVC, H.264, MPEG-4, VC-1 0.5× to 8.0× High-definition Free and Paid version that price starts at $44.95/Year

1 Free Blu-ray Player

Free Blu-ray Player is a powerful media player that can also play HEVC files. With a few clicks, you can view H.265 files for up to 4K quality. Not only that, you can also play other formats like MP4 or MOV that are encoded using H.265 code. It also offers playback controls to customize the viewing of your file. Aside from that, a snapshot feature is available to help you capture your favorite part of your video. Finally, as we tried it, the tool maintains the quality of our file during playback. As the tool’s name implies as well, it is free. Hence, we consider it one of the best HEVC players.

Free Download

For Windows

Secure Download

Free Download

for macOS

Secure Download

Free Blu-ray Player Interface

Features:

Pros

  • Supports various audio and video formats.
  • Loads the file at a fast speed.
  • It has an easy-to-operate interface.

Cons

  • More of its advanced features are available in the upgraded version.

Bottom Line

All in all, Free Blu-ray Player is a powerful player for users who want a straightforward method to play their videos. Also, if you want free and basic playback controls, then this tool might be the right one for you.

2 PotPlayer

Another reliable HEVC player to consider is PotPlayer. It plays H.265 encoded videos while maintaining the quality. It is also one of the best ways on how to play HEVC files on Windows 10/11. It also offers customization and advanced settings that you might look for. But note that this tool is only available on Windows as we tried it.

PotPlayer Software

Features:

Pros

  • Supports tons of audio and video formats, including H.265.
  • Settings such as audio and video filters, subtitle options, etc., are available.
  • Efficient playback performance.

Cons

  • The interface may be complex for casual users.
  • Less frequent updates compared to some other players.

Bottom Line

PotPlayer is a powerful player for users who prefer customization. At the same time, those who prefer tools that have advanced options along with H.265 support.

3 DivX Player

Now, you can’t miss the DivX Player when it comes to playing HEVC files. DivX Player is a multimedia player that supports H.265 playback. It emphasizes high-quality video when you play it. Besides, slowing down and speeding up video playback is also possible with it. One more amazing thing that we noticed is that it offers some rewinding video options.

DivX Player

Features:

Pros

  • It is free to use.
  • Provides high-quality playback.
  • It can burn, flip, resize, and rotate videos.

Cons

  • It might include advertisements and promotional material.

Bottom Line

DivX Player is a tool that provides high-quality playback for the most common video files on the internet. It can also be a solid choice for those who want to play HEVC video up to 4K quality.

4 5KPlayer

One more reliable HEVC video player to try is 5KPlayer. It supports hundreds of audio-video codecs, including the HEVC/H.265 codec. It also supports streaming MP4, MOV, MKV, etc., for up to 4K and 8K videos. What’s more, it is lightweight and user-friendly.

5K Player Sofwtare

Features:

Pros

  • It allows streaming and saving online videos.
  • It offers a user-friendly interface.
  • It can play video with high quality.

Cons

  • Users encounter malware upon using it.

Bottom Line

5KPlayer is a versatile choice for everyone. This is particularly true for users who want a player with streaming and downloading features. More importantly, those who need a tool with H.265 support.

5 VLC Media Player

How to play HEVC files on Windows 11? You might want to try the VLC Media Player. Many of us are familiar with this software. Luckily, it has been updated and now supports videos encoded with HEVC/H.265. Yet, according to the user’s feedback, it faces limitations such as the inability to play HEVC in the hvc1 codec. So, we can’t completely rely on VLC.

VLC Player Tool

Features:

Pros

  • It is open-source and free.
  • Plays various multimedia formats.
  • It has customizable conversion profiles.

Cons

  • Some advanced features may require exploration.
  • The software crashes sometimes.

Bottom Line

VLC Media Player is also a reliable and free option for playing H.265 content. It will be a convenient option for those users who have it installed already on their computers.

6 MPV

MPV is another free and open-source video player to consider. It can play high-quality HEVC videos without any additional codecs. It also has extensive compatibility with various video formats. Further, uses different technologies to make videos play smoothly. However, when we used the tool, we saw that it can be challenging to operate it for beginners.

MPV Player Software

Features:

Pros

  • It has a minimalistic design, and it is lightweight.
  • It uses hardware acceleration and advanced decoding algorithms.
  • Offers a wide range of customizable settings, like subtitles, aspect ratio, etc.

Cons

  • Encounters difficulty playing 4K 10-bit HEVC on occasion
  • Experiences occasional maximum CPU usage.

Bottom Line

In summary, if you want a strong and customizable media player, MPV Player is an excellent option. It’s free, open-source, and can handle various video formats. Plus, it’s lightweight and quick.

7 MPC-HC (Media Player Classic – Home Cinema)

Next up, we have MPC-CH as another H.265 player. It is also free and open-source software that can play HEVC videos. It lets you play popular video and audio formats. When we tested it we saw that it cannot perfectly 4K videos. Yet, we were able to play 1080p HEVC videos with no issues.

MPC HC Tool

Features:

Pros

  • It is lightweight and fast.
  • It provides a simple and straightforward interface.
  • Beneficial for debugging frames in game development.

Cons

  • It only runs on the Windows operating system.
  • Development has been less active in recent years.

Bottom Line

MPC-HC is an excellent choice for users who prefer a lightweight player with essential features, including H.265 support. Yet, it only requires more detailed speed control and audio stretching to attain perfection in media playback.

8 PowerDVD

Moving on, we also have the PowerDVD as a method to play HEVC on your Windows PC. It is capable of handling a broad array of formats, including H.265/HEVC videos. It provides high performance to play videos from modern cameras like HEVC, AVC, AVCHD, etc., in 8K and 4K. Yet, as we tried it, there are only limited features that can be accessed.

PowerDVD Software

Features:

Pros

  • It supports a broad range of multimedia formats.
  • Offers advanced video processing features to enhance HEVC quality playback.
  • Play H.265 videos up to 4K resolution and HDR.

Cons

  • Requires a powerful computer with dedicated graphics.
  • Purchasing a license is a must to access all features.

Bottom Line

It is a premium multimedia player with excellent HEVC support. Also, it has 4K capabilities and a user-friendly interface. Although it’s not free, but offers a trial for exploring advanced features.

9 GOM Player

GOM Player is another HEVC video player you must try. It enables you to locate a codec for unsupported video formats. Also, it can play damaged or a file being saved. Moreover, it lets you enjoy 360-degree video playback with enhanced immersion. But the thing that amazes us the most about it is its Codec Finder.

GOM Player Tool

Features:

Pros

  • It is simple and free to use.
  • It can play high-quality videos without buffering.
  • Provides customizable skins.

Cons

  • Codec Finder may not always resolve all codec issues.

Bottom Line

GOM Player is a straightforward choice for users who want a simple yet capable player with H.265 support. Apart from HEVC, it supports most video formats and other codecs.

10 Leawo Blu-ray Player

The last HEVC player to complete the list is the Leawo Blu-ray Player. It is also compatible with different mainstream formats, like H.265. Apart from that, it offers other media playback, which you can try upon installing. Yet, when we tested the tool to play a HEVC file, there was an added watermark during playback. Thus, we find it a bit distracting.

Leawo Blu-ray Player

Features:

Pros

  • Provides a user-friendly interface.
  • Offers a free version with basic features.
  • It is available for both Windows and macOS platforms.

Cons

  • Limited advanced features in the free version.
  • Social sharing features and certain functionalities may require an internet connection.

Bottom Line

Leawo Blu-ray Player stands out for its robust Blu-ray and multimedia format support. It will be a considerable option for those who have a budget to access its full features and capabilities. All in all, it still offers essential features in the free version.

Part 3. FAQs About Best H.265 HEVC Video Player

Wrapping up

In the end, this is our complete list and guide to the best HEVC player. Now, it will be easier to play this type of file on your computer. Yet, if you prefer a straightforward method, we suggest you use Free Blu-ray Player. With it, you can simply open your file and let the tool play it for you in an instant. Plus, it doesn’t require any skills for you to operate it. So, try it today.

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