Samsung lowers Blu-ray player price to $499

It looks like Samsung has chopped $50 off the list price of its third-generation Blu-ray player to $499.

Samsung’s BD-P1400, originally expected to be tagged at $549, is now being sold at such retailers as Best Buy and Crutchfield.com at a price that matches the cheapest available Blu-ray set-top to this point, Sony’s $499 BD-S300.

Amazon.com was offering the latest Samsung model for $409 as of Monday. In its Sunday advertising circular, Best Buy singled out Samsung’s BD-P1400 for $499.

A spokesman for Samsung has not responded for comment.

The manufacturer might be feeling some pricing pressure in the format, as the Samsung player is streeting near the same time that Sony knocked $100 off its 80GB PlayStation 3. Now, for $499, people can pick up a gaming system and a Blu-ray player all-in-one.

Also next month, Sony will launch a $399 40GB PS3, representing a new pricing low for Blu-ray-capable players.