Streaming services like Netflix, Disney+, and Peacock sure are convenient. They offer up access to massive on-demand catalogs of movies and TV shows, which are all readily accessible at the tip of your fingers. It’s hard to deny just how impressive it is to be able to sit down on the couch and stream over-the-top content, and it’s clear that, in the internet age, streaming is the way of the world.
Of course, streaming does come with its own set of drawbacks as well. As time has marched on, it has become clear that there are simply too many services with competing catalogs out there, defeating the point of a one-stop-shop service model. Additionally, prices have increased exponentially in recent years, which has certainly soured the streaming experience to some degree.
Personally, my excitement for the streaming age is officially in the past. In recent months, I’ve rekindled my love for physical media products, which offer their own set of benefits when compared to streaming services. In particular, I’m on something of a DVD kick, and I have no plans on letting go of my discs anytime soon. Here are three reasons why, in 2026, I’m very much back on the DVD bandwagon.
DVDs provide a buffer-free experience
Network congestion is a non-issue
Streaming services rely on a stable internet connection to operate smoothly, which unfortunately isn’t always a given. If your Wi-Fi network is being used simultaneously by several people on different devices, then there’s going to be less bandwidth to go around, and your video stream might suffer from slowdown, graphical glitches, buffering, stutters, or a dip in resolution. By contrast, optical disc formats like DVD aren’t subject to the whims of a given wireless network. Content simply plays back entirely offline each and every time, with no ifs, ands, or buts about it.
DVDs offer up real ownership
Physical media products are yours for the keeping
When you purchase a DVD, it’s yours for the keeping. You own the physical product in its entirety, and you can choose to display it, to store it away, to trade it in at a later date, or to let a friend or family member borrow it. The contents of the disc, and the disc itself, are your property, and big corporations can’t make alterations to the digital 0s and 1s that are stamped or pressed onto it. Streaming services are the opposite — they’re subject to content being removed, censored, or altered, and you don’t own any of the films or shows you’re consuming.
DVDs create intentionality
Friction isn’t always a bad thing
Increasingly, I view the convenience of streaming services as being a double-edged sword. In a world where cognitive overload is prevalent, and where attention spans are shortening, the availability of too much on-demand content can cause decision paralysis and a lack of contentment. There’s less intentionality to watching content in the streaming era, and it makes me nostalgic for the era of picking up a single DVD and wholistically enjoying what it has to offer. Plus, there’s genuine charm in the added friction required to play back a DVD, whether it be getting up off the couch to insert the disc, sifting through its menu selection screen, or fast forwarding through its previews.
