After a production-related delay of several months, Toshiba's second HD DVD player is now available in the UK.

The HD-XE1 is a step up model from the cheaper HD-E1, with Toshiba claiming it offers better features and better build quality - not to mention the all-important ability to output 1080p, the best form of hi-def video available today.

Along with these improvements comes a heftier £650 price tag, about £300 more than the HD-E1's. So is it worth the extra outlay?

Heavy-duty

One thing is immediately obvious when you pull the player out of its box: its build quality is indeed better - in fact, vastly superior - to that of the HD-E1.

Whereas that model felt plasticky, lightweight and, well, not really worth £350, the HD-XE1 is unmistakably a solidly built piece of kit. It's reassuringly heavy, with casing made of thick metal, a tough brushed-steel front panel and gold plating on all the connections.

It's a handsome product, too. The black finish will fit in with most home cinema setups nicely, and at a mere 74mm in height, it's helpfully skinny and unobtrusive. An LED display keeps you abreast of what's going on with your discs, and the front panel drops down to reveal a pair of USB ports - these don't do anything at the moment, but Toshiba says they'll be used for extension purposes in the future.

The only sour note in the build is the disc tray, which rather gives the impression that it might fall off if you look at it the wrong way. To be fair to Toshiba, it's probably strong enough - it just looks too plasticky and skinny compared with the rest of the player.

Another obvious improvement is the generous selection of sockets on offer. The HDMI output has the latest 1.3 specification (the HD-E1 has 1.2), which means it can carry Toshiba's new Deep Colour technology.

It will also carry 1080p video and lossless Dolby TrueHD surround sound to compatible screens, projectors and amplifiers. Other video options available include component (which enables you to output in HD resolutions up to 1080i here, but not 1080p) as well as non-HD S-video and composite video.