TechRadar Tests 10 New 4K Blu-rays for September 2026

The reviewer said he is a collector and continues to add titles to packed shelves. For the September edition, the in-house sound system was upgraded from the Samsung HW-Q990C soundbar system used since the column began to a separate Denon and Bowers & Wilkins home theater system.

The new audio setup consists of a Denon AVC-3900H AV receiver, a pair of B&W 603 S3 floorstanders for fronts, a pair of B&W 607 S3 bookshelves for surrounds, a B&W HTM6 S3 centre speaker and a B&W ASW610 subwoofer. TechRadar described it as a 5.1 system for now, with plans to add two side speakers soon to create a 7.1 system.

The rest of the testing setup remains the same: an LG G6 OLED TV, which TechRadar calls one of 2026's best OLED TVs, and a Panasonic DP-UB820 4K Blu-ray player, which it calls one of the best on the market. Each disc is tested for picture and audio quality rather than for the movies themselves.

Among the detailed assessments, Warner Bros.' Supergirl follows Kara Zor-El, also known as Supergirl and Superman's cousin, as she is drawn into an unlikely alliance to hunt Krem, a space trafficker and outlaw, after he harms her dog Krypto. TechRadar said the 4K presentation looks superb, with punchy and true-to-life colors seen in neon bar signs, Supergirl's laser eyes, criminal weapons and the blue, red and yellow of her costume. Space scenes show rich black tones and strong contrast between the darkness of space and bright stars and the Sun, while textures are crisp and environments and objects are packed with detail.

The Supergirl disc has a Dolby Atmos soundtrack that TechRadar called a real showcase for object-based sound. As Supergirl flies, the trajectory of sound follows her movement on screen and is mapped precisely from speaker to speaker. Spaceship engines and the boom of Supergirl taking off deliver meaty but well-controlled bass, and fight scenes generate hefty impact from the front channels.

Disney's Star Wars: The Mandalorian & Grogu is a spin-off movie from The Mandalorian TV show. It follows the two titular characters as they are tasked with rescuing Rotta the Hutt, the only surviving heir to Jabba the Hutt. Presented in Dolby Vision, the disc looks excellent on the LG G6 OLED, according to TechRadar, with lifelike textures and detail that give characters a 3D-like depth. High-contrast scenes have rich black tones, and the balance between light and dark is superb, with the gleam of the Mandalorian's armor contrasting with dark surroundings. Reds of lasers and blaster fire look vibrant, while greens of trees on a wooded planet are lush and natural.

The Dolby Atmos soundtrack for The Mandalorian & Grogu is brilliant, TechRadar said. In the opening scene, as the Mandalorian infiltrates an Imperial warlord's hideout, gunfire sounds hefty with plenty of impact. Explosions generate a weighty rumble that rattled the testing room, but later fight scenes show tightly controlled bass. Sound placement is superb, with gunfire scattering from one end of a room to another accurately mapped from front to surround speakers.

Disney's Hamilton is a recording of the original 2015-2016 Broadway run of the musical, which follows Alexander Hamilton, one of the founding fathers of the United States, and is known for using different styles of music, primarily hip-hop. The 4K disc supports a Dolby Atmos soundtrack that TechRadar said sounds excellent. Vocals are cleanly delivered and well balanced with other elements, backing choirs and vocalists feed through the rear speakers, and individual instruments are precisely mapped to each channel. In the opening number, Alexander Hamilton, there is tight bass, punchy drums and strong use of Dolby Atmos' object-based profile. You'll Be Back demonstrates more delicate strings and pianos, while Guns and Ships shows the bass-driven hip-hop styling.