Generally, portable DVD player reviews are done by both users and industry professionals. While reviews are carried in major electronics magazines, a good and ready source of reviews is the Internet. The reviews on the Internet are frequently updated. Moreover, it is easier for users to write their reviews online than to send their opinions across to a magazine publishing company by conventional mail.

There are many sites that run reviews of the top-selling brands of portable DVD players. ConsumerSearch, Inc is one such site. The website has reviews of medium- to high-priced models. Each model is analyzed in terms of its price, features, video and sound quality, and other relevant aspects. The reviews are done by experts and analysts and not by actual users. Reading these reviews written by experts is a good place for buyers to start their shopping process. Very often, buyers get confused with the variety of options available. The confusion is greater when the buyer is not technology savvy and is looking to buy a medium- to high-priced model.

There are also websites that let users write reviews of products. Most online stores that sell portable DVD players allow this feature. Many of the brick and mortar stores that also have a web presence run this feature on their websites. Based on the reviews, the particular product is typically assigned stars numbered from one to five, with more stars indicating more satisfied customers. This method is an effective way to elicit genuine opinions from users and also to assist buyers in arriving at a sound decision.

As effective as it may sound, there are also instances where two users might hold completely opposite views regarding the same model. Buyers can then base their purchasing decisions on the priorities that they assign to each of the features and how those particular features have fared in the reviews.