Dutch based A.C. Ryan have been receiving critical acclaim recently for their series of Playon!HD media devices. We have reviewed their full range so far on KitGuru and today we look at their latest edition, the Playon! HD Essential.

The Essential is the first ‘no network media player’ with the option to upgrade to a network. The onboard chip is provided by Realtek without networking, however A.C. Ryan have cleverly created an option in the player to upgrade with the additional purchase of the ‘Essential USB Wi-Fi Dongle’.