VLC Media Player vs mpv : Which is Better?

VLC Media Player icon

VLC Media Player

A free and opensource very popular media player. VLC Media Player supports a wide variety of media formats and known for its stability. Developed by VideoLAN

License: Open Source

Apps available for Mac OS X Windows Linux Android iPhone

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mpv icon

mpv

mpv is media player software, based on MPlayer and mplayer2.

License: Open Source

Categories: Video & Movies

Apps available for Mac OS X Windows Linux BSD Xfce

VLC Media Player VS mpv

VLC Media Player is a versatile and user-friendly media player with extensive format support and a strong community backing, making it suitable for general users. In contrast, mpv is lightweight and highly customizable, appealing more to advanced users who prefer command line features and minimalist design.

VLC Media Player

Pros:

  • Wide format support and built-in codecs
  • User-friendly interface with easy navigation
  • Strong community support and frequent updates
  • Excellent streaming capabilities
  • Offers a variety of video and audio filters
  • Good subtitle support and customization options
  • Screen recording feature available
  • Cross-platform compatibility
  • Robust playlist management
  • Hardware acceleration support

Cons:

  • Can be resource-heavy on older systems
  • Some advanced features may confuse novice users
  • Occasional bugs with specific file types
  • Less control for advanced users compared to command line players
  • Might include unwanted bundled software during installation

mpv

Pros:

  • Lightweight and fast performance
  • Highly customizable through scripts and configuration files
  • Excellent command line interface for advanced users
  • Minimalist design focused on playback
  • Supports a wide range of video formats
  • Good for users who prefer a less resource-intensive player
  • Hardware acceleration support
  • Cross-platform compatibility
  • Strong performance with high-resolution videos
  • Active development with frequent updates

Cons:

  • Steeper learning curve for non-technical users
  • Less user-friendly interface compared to VLC
  • Limited built-in features without customization
  • Dependency on configuration files for full functionality
  • Less community support compared to VLC

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