Best Portable DVD Players, Tested

Going on a road trip or just looking to keep your kids occupied while you’re in the car? The best portable DVD player can transform the back seat into a movie theater or gaming room. Although many modern cars come with screens pre-installed into the back of the headrests, this isn’t always the case.

A quality car DVD player can enhance passenger entertainment and keep restless children occupied during long drives. There are a number of options, with different features and functionality. Our product testing team researched and tested the top brands to recommend our favorites in this review.

1. Best Overall: Ainavi Multifunction Car TV
2. Best for Gaming: Vanku 10.1-inch Car DVD Player
3. Most Portable: MyDash Portable DVD Player
4. Best Battery Capacity: Boifun Portable DVD Player
5. Best for Multiple People: Wonnie 10.5-inch Two DVD Players

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The Ainavi Multifunction Car TV is as good as it gets in terms of portable DVD players. It can be used as a business tool by giving you access to LinkedIn and Gmail or for pleasure through one of the many social media or streaming platforms. If you’re a gamer, this portable DVD player has HDMI input and output ports so can be used with a gaming system.

This 13.3-inch portable DVD player has an in-plane switching (IPS) touchscreen with 1920 x 1080p resolution and supports 4K HD video playback. Featuring a built-in Google Play Store, you can download and install the apps you want freely. This product also supports screen mirroring as well as iOS Airplay and Miracast^®.

There is a built-in speaker on this car DVD player, but you can also use an FM transmitter to send audio to the car stereo speakers. Furthermore, a headphone jack allows you to use wired headsets.

Key Features

• Cost: Around $300
• 2.0 gigabytes (G) of random access memory (RAM)
• 16.0 G of read-only memory.
• HDMI input and output ports
• Built-in Google Play Store
• Supports Airplay and Miracast

What’s In The Box?

Customers who purchase the Ainvai Multifunction Car TV will receive the headrest video player itself, along with:

• Mounting bracket
• HDMI cable
• 12.0-volt car cigarette lighter connector
• ACC power connection
• 12.0-V DC adapter

Our Experience

The Ainavi Multifunction TV is multifunction by name and by nature. What really sets this product apart from the competition is its extensive list of capabilities and 13.3-inch screen size.

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This portable DVD player is good for gamers and audiophiles alike. With a built-in USB port, SD card slot, and SD card reader functionality, you can enjoy a variety of different file formats and a number of different media files without issue. The inclusion of built-in speakers and AV output ports makes the Vanku a great option for those who like music. Furthermore, gamers will love this portable DVD player as you can easily connect to your gaming system with no issues.

With 1024 x 600 resolution and built-in dual speakers to enhance your viewing experience, the Vanku 10.1-inch Car DVD Player is one of the best portable DVD players in the industry. This region-free car DVD player has a last memory/auto-resume function so that wherever you left off, regardless of if you power off or remove a disc, you will be able to pick it right back up. It should also be noted that this product comes with an 18-month warranty.

Key Features

• Cost: Around $110
• Flip clamshell design
• Built-in dual speakers
• 18-month warranty

What’s In The Box?

A Vanku 10.1-inch Car DVD Player comes with:

• Car charger
• Infrared wireless remote control
• AV link cable
• Mounting bracket
• User manual

Our Experience

In our experience, the Vanku 10.1-inch Car DVD Player was a joy to work with. Easy installation paired with an HD screen and a long list of capabilities make this a great choice for customers.

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The MyDash Portable DVD Player is good for those who are constantly on the go. If you’re more concerned about portability than you are about screen size, then the MyDash Portable DVD player might be for you. Some negative reviewers aren’t happy that there aren’t any buttons to adjust the screen’s brightness.

Featuring a 12.5-inch LCD screen with 270.0-degree rotation, you can easily adjust the viewing angle for the most optimal experience. This portable DVD player supports three power systems: A large-capacity rechargeable battery, UL listed power adapter, or a car charger. It should be noted that the battery is a lithium battery.

Break-point memory functionality allows you to pick up watching from where you left off without any hassle. You can also sync movies with a larger screen or to a TV by way of AV input and output ports. A headrest mount holder allows you to quickly store your portable DVD player while the adjustable straps let you secure it in place. It should be noted that this device is region-free, although it won’t support Blu-ray™ Discs or Blu-ray DVDs.

Key Features

• Cost: Around $90
• 270.0-degree screen rotation
• Rechargeable lithium battery
• Break-point memory functionality

What’s In The Box?

Upon purchase of the MyDash Portable DVD player, customers can expect to receive the DVD player machine itself, along with:

• AC adaptor
• Remote control
• AV cable
• Car chargers
• Car headrest bag
• Instruction manual
• Warranty card

Our Experience

The MyDash Portable DVD player may not be a portable Blu-ray player, but it makes up for it with its video quality and portability.

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With its 5000.0-mAh battery capacity, the Boifun Portable DVD Player is good for those who don’t have easy access to charging ports. Having the ability to watch up to six hours of video uninterrupted gives you the freedom to be wherever you want in the world, at least until you need to recharge your device.

The high-resolution 15.6-inch 1280 x 800 HD screen can swivel, relieving viewers from fatigue while watching videos. Further enhancing the viewing experience is the fact that this portable DVD player has 270.0-degree rotation and the ability to flip 180.0 degrees. It should also be noted that this device is region-free.

Featuring an anti-shock function, this portable DVD player protects the disc reading process and effectively reduces the video interruption caused by shaking. This device features dual speakers as well as an earphone jack, so you can choose how you want to listen. The Boifun also has a last memory function to allow you to pick up from where you left off.

Key Features

• Cost: Around $135
• Anti-shock function
• 5,000.0-mAh battery capacity
• Ability to flip and rotate

What’s In The Box?

Customers who purchase the Boifun Portable DVD Player can expect the video player itself along with:

• Remote controller
• AC adapter
• Car charger
• Three-in-one AV cable

Our Experience

In our experience, the Boifun Portable DVD Player is a great portable DVD player. Its reliability to play video without access to charging methods is what truly sets this product apart from its competitors.

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The Wonnie 10.5-inch Two DVD Players are good for families with two or more kids and for those who like road trips with friends. The inclusion of two screens that can play the same movie at the same time or two different movies simultaneously allows you to turn your backseat into a movie theater on a long drive.

This portable DVD player can operate for up to 5 hours without charge thanks to a built-in rechargeable lithium battery. Built-in dual speakers provide loud and clear audio, though you also have the option to connect to your car audio system via an aux cable. This region-free portable DVD player has 1024 x 800 resolution and can play HD video.

Key Features

• Cost: Around $200
• Last memory function
• Clamshell design
• Lifetime customer and technical support

What’s In The Box?

For customers who purchase the Wonnie 10.5-inch dual DVD Players, you will receive:

• Two DVD players
• Two remote controls
• Two AC adapters
• Two headrest straps
• Two car mounting brackets
• Car charger
• AV cable
• RCA cable
• User manual

Our Experience

While we appreciated the inclusion of two screens, our team members weren’t impressed that the Wonnie 10.5-inch Two DVD Players shipped with only one properly packaged screen while the other was left to rattle around the box.

Portable DVD players can vary, but they all have the same basic functionality – to play DVDs. After using this type of product and thoroughly researching the various options available on the market today, our team members came up with a list of a few things to consider.

Blu-Ray

Although none of the products featured in this review support Blu-ray discs, that doesn’t mean it should be overlooked entirely. Blu-ray discs were released in 2006 as a superseding of the DVD format, capable of storing many hours of HD video. On the other hand, DVDs were first released in 1997 – making them a product of yesteryear. We saw this as a major place of improvement for this type of product.

HDMI Input

HDMI input and output ports is ultimately what separated the top two products featured in this review from the rest of the pack. HDMI ports allow you to connect your portable DVD player to other devices, such as a gaming system or TV for example. Ultimately, an HDMI input port opens the door to a world of possibilities that can only be accessed via HDMI cable. This is what makes the inclusion of an HDMI port on your portable DVD player so important.

Screen Size And Resolution

Straining your eyes to look at a tiny screen is no fun. Passengers won’t be far from the car DVD player, so it doesn’t need to be enormous, but should be suitably wide. In addition to screen size, consider resolution, which determines the crispness of the picture quality.

Audio

Most portable DVD players don’t have good built-in speakers. To get the best audio from your car DVD player, look for something that allows you to output sound to headphones (wired or Bluetooth) or your car’s stereo.

Battery Life

Some portable DVD players run on batteries whereas others can be connected to your car’s power source. If you have a battery-powered player, make sure it can last long enough for your trip.

Installation Location

A car DVD player can be a portable DVD player you sit on your lap, a headrest DVD player, or mounted to the ceiling. Determine the best spot for your screen based on your vehicle.

Hands down, the Best Overall portable DVD player on the market is the Ainavi Multifunction Car TV. However, we believe the Vanku 10.1-inch Car DVD Player is the best option for those who are looking to play video games on their next road trip. If you’re always on the move and not always in your car, the MyDash Portable DVD Player was the Most Portable portable DVD player that we tested.

If you’re concerned about your portable DVD player dying in the middle of a movie, the Boifun Portable DVD Player has exceptional battery capacity. Some families might need more than one screen to keep two bickering children happy, in that case, we highly recommend the Wonnie 10.5-inch Two DVD Players.

Other Portable DVD Players We Recommend

After getting our hands on the five portable DVD players recommended above, we can undoubtedly say that these are the best of the best. However, if you need more options we also recommend the following:

DBPower 11.5-inch Portable DVD Player

4/5

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The DBPower 11.5-inch Portable DVD Player swivels 270.0 degrees and flips 180.0 degrees for your ease of viewing. Two integrated speakers offer powerful and crisp audio, but there’s also a headphone jack featured on the side of the portable DVD player to give the driver peace and quiet when needed. It should be noted that this portable DVD player is protected under a 12-month warranty.

Desobry Car DVD Player

4/5

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Protected under a 30-day money-back guarantee and a 2-year warranty, the Desobry Car DVD Player is built to last. Featuring a 5,000.0-mAh battery, this portable DVD player can power one monitor for up to 5 hours or both monitors for 2.5 to 3 hours. What makes this portable DVD player stand out from competitors is the fact that both monitors can connect via one singular cable, rather than a whole host of cables.

Sony DVP-FX1021 Portable DVD Player

4/5

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The Sony DVP-FX1021 Portable DVD Player packs a crystal-clear 10.2-inch screen under a durable aluminum hood. Charging is easy and accessible, as you have the ability to charge this portable DVD player in the car or via a wall outlet. This device’s lithium-ion battery can power this portable DVD player for up to seven hours, as long as you use headphones and turn the brightness down.

ieGeek 17.5-inch Portable DVD Player

4/5

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Featuring a 15.6-inch screen with a 1280 x 800 resolution, the ieGeek 17.5-inch Portable DVD Player truly has a high-quality display. The built-in dual speakers featured on this portable DVD player have been upgraded from previous versions of this product. Additionally, the physical buttons on this car DVD player have been enlarged and simplified to make life easier for children and elderly people.

Fangor 10.5-inch Dual Car DVD Player

4/5

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The Fangor 10.5-inch Dual Car DVD Player features upgraded speakers, as it now produces louder and clearer audio than previous versions. Last memory support means users don’t have to fast forward to where they were in the movie, as this portable DVD player will consistently resume where you last left off. It should be noted that Fangor will replace your device or refund you if there are any issues within the first 365 days after purchase.

The portable DVD players in this article went through two rounds of reviews. We started by searching Amazon for top products, looking at factors like Prime shipping eligibility, customer ratings, Amazon superlatives, and prices.

The five portable DVD players that best met these standards were ordered by our team for testing. A team member tested each product on a car, taking note of how easy the portable DVD player was to install and set up, how high quality the display is, and how many multimedia options are compatible with the portable DVD player. Each portable DVD player was given a rating out of 5 stars based on this criteria.

Portable DVD Players Testing Process

After our product testing team researched the best portable DVD players, we proceeded to test these products against the following criteria:

• Ease Of Installation: Our team tested for ease of installation by simply seeing how easy each portable DVD player was to install. This included fully mounting, securing, and getting the portable DVD player to full functionality.
• Video Quality: This is arguably the most important characteristic of a portable DVD player and it was treated as such. We rated video quality by factoring in the screen’s resolution as well as how optimal a viewing angle you could get the portable DVD player positioned in.
• Capabilities: This was a simple category to test. Our team compared what capabilities each portable DVD player had and then tested each capability’s functionality.

Why You Can Trust Us

Each year, we test over 350 auto products on vehicles and in our testing lab. Our team of product testers thoroughly researches top products, unboxes and puts our hands on each component, and tests the items on real vehicles before making recommendations to readers.

We publish hundreds of product and service reviews to bring car enthusiasts detailed guides on automotive tools, detailing kits, car seats, pet products, and much more. For more information on our testing methodology and how we evaluate every product, check out our methodology page here.

*Data accurate at time of publication.