I don’t remember the first time I ever used VLC. It has just been the standard for years and is one of the few apps that I install on every PC. It’s probably the only app I don’t remember troubleshooting or second-guessing. The rule has been simple: as long as a file exists, VLC plays it.
It was only when I started watching more 4K videos that I noticed cracks in this “flawless” tool. I needed a tool that was just as good as VLC but better able to handle 4K, so I settled on SMPlayer. SMPlayer is comparable to VLC and handles 4K much better.
- OS
-
Windows, Linux
- Price model
-
Free
SMPlayer is a media player for Windows and Linux. It can play a wide range of audio and video formats and runs on a modern engine.
VLC wasn’t struggling with everything
It just couldn’t stay smooth with my 4K files anymore
VLC hasn’t suddenly become unreliable. On my mid-range Windows machine, it’s a flawless option for 1080p files, older encodes, and random clips from many years ago. The only problem I see shows up when I play large MKVs, HEVC encoding, and high-bitrate 4K videos. Sometimes playback on these works fine, and other times it doesn’t.
It’s actually the inconsistency in results that frustrates me. The same file that played well yesterday may lag today when I’m seeking through it. Some tweaks help. I toggled hardware acceleration, changed output modules, and reset preferences. However, the improvement always felt temporary, and I never stopped tweaking.
SMPlayer handled the same files without breaking a sweat
The difference showed up in the first few seconds of playback
To be fair, when I turned to SMPlayer, all I was expecting was a similar experience with a different interface. My test was simple. I used the same files, same system, and made no adjustments.
I opened my first 4K video, and from start to finish, it played smoothly. I did not observe the minor stutters that I had come to expect with VLC. When I skipped forward, the response felt instant, and jumping backward felt the same. For the same files, I was experiencing more stable and reliable playback than with VLC.
However, since the problems did not show up on VLC in every session, I decided to make SMPlayer my default media player for a week. It was after this period that I confirmed I had found a better tool for 4K files.
The performance edge that SMPlayer has may be attributed to the engine it uses under the hood — SMPlayer supports both MPlayer and the more modern mpv. However, for the everyday user, all that matters is smoother playback. After you have experienced it, for these newer, high-demand files, it will be hard to return to VLC.
Based on actual use, here is what I can deduce:
|
Feature |
VLC |
SMPlayer |
|---|---|---|
|
4K playback |
Inconsistent (often needs tweaking) |
Smooth out of the box |
|
Seeking in large files |
Occasionally laggy |
Fast and stable |
|
Resume playback |
Inconsistent |
Automatic and precise |
|
Subtitle download |
Via extension (VLSub) |
Built-in and quicker |
VLC is about the most versatile media player. You can even watch Plex in VLC. However, versatility and optimization are not the same. SMPlayer doesn’t do all that VLC does, but it’s built around an engine that is better for performance. You wouldn’t notice a difference or need SMPlayer if your library mainly consists of older files and standard HD content.
I didn’t switch for the features, but they made it stick
Coming back to a video exactly where I left it changed my habits
Aside from the playback issues that VLC has with certain modern and demanding formats, it’s hard to beat. However, SMPlayer surprisingly packs certain features that make it an option for daily use.
Playback history is one of these features. It has perfect memory of where you left off with every file, including timestamp, audio track, subtitles, and volume. This memory works consistently.
This has been a feature I now rely on a lot. I can pause a movie and shut down my PC. Hours later, when I return, I pick up where I left off without the need for manual seeking or even enabling subtitles. Compared to VLC, which also has ways of resuming playback, this is far more reliable. However, other things made a real impact:
- Built-in subtitle search and download from OpenSubtitles.org, which is faster than digging through VLC’s extension menus.
- Easy playback speed adjustments and subtitle timing tweaks when something feels slightly off.
- Enough customization to fix small annoyances without digging too deep.
These features on their own are tiny conveniences, but together, they make the media-playing experience very pleasant.
SMPlayer is not as refined as VLC
Once you use SMPlayer, you almost instantly notice that the interface feels dated. The icons look oversized, and the design favors functionality over polish. I personally feel some of its default controls are a bit odd. For instance, I had to manually reconfigure left-click so that it pauses playback. Other quirks, like a rigid playlist behavior and features hidden deep within menus, don’t help.
However, the good news is that several of these defaults are fixable. SMPlayer is quite easily customizable, so if you are patient enough to spend a few minutes and make the right changes, it becomes a tool that gives a better experience for daily use. If the eye test were all that mattered, I wouldn’t have explored SMPlayer any further after installation. A minimalist player like MPV handles 4K well, but I’m glad I dug deeper and stuck with SMPlayer.
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