For all intents and purposes, the Blu-ray disc format vastly outshines its DVD predecessor. Blu-ray technology can store far more data on a per-disc level, all while featuring an excellent anti-scratch coating layer, and while also roping in advanced audiovisual features like high dynamic range (HDR) and spatial surround sound.
Resolution alone is enough to tip the scales in Blu-ray’s favor, with a standard disc containing 1080p high definition (HD) content (as opposed to the 480p standard definition (SD) video of DVD). With this in mind, I should be all in on Blu-ray, and yet I find myself still having an affinity for the decades-old DVD format instead.
Here are five overarching reasons why, even in 2026, I prefer the DVD format over its Blu-ray successor. Don’t get me wrong, I love Blu-ray and have a collection of HD discs in my possession, but the format doesn’t quite scratch that very prominent DVD itch of mine.
DVDs are ubiquitous
Inexpensive and readily available
DVDs are absolutely everywhere. Thanks to their market ubiquity, you’ll find them in book stores, libraries, pawn shops, yard sales, and across a ton of online storefronts. If there’s a show or film you’re looking to watch, chances are that it’s readily available on DVD. Now, Blu-ray has come a long way in recent years, and much of today’s new content can be had in the format, but DVD still holds its own with access to countless classics that still haven’t been brought over to newer optical disc standards. Plus, DVDs are a fair bit cheaper than Blu-rays, making them the better option from an affordability standpoint.
Infused with charm and character
Traditional DVD menu selection screens are absolutely bursting with personality. Back in the day, significant work was put into these menus, making for some very memorable designs. Colors, sounds, animations, buttons, and more were all custom-made to fit the movie or show in question, resulting in something truly whimsical from an experiential standpoint. More often than not, newer Blu-ray discs feature sterile, boring menu selection screens with static images that feel far less inspired, which is quite a shame.
DVDs are nostalgic
Fond memories of days gone by
Simply put, I have a soft spot for DVDs. Growing up, I remember visiting Blockbuster on Friday nights and sifting through rental DVDs, and the experience of handpicking a copy of a show or movie and bringing it home will forever stick with me. I also have fond memories of burning home videos onto DVD, back at a time when this could be done easily with a PC and a DVD-R or a DVD-RW. By the time Blu-ray hit the scene, PCs had started losing their optical disc drives, and recordable and rewritable Blu-ray discs never quite hit critical mass in the same way as their predecessors.
QuizBlu-ray and DVD technology
Trivia challenge
From spinning discs to high-definition glory — how much do you really know about Blu-ray and DVD?
HistoryHardwareFormatsCapacityStandards
In what year was the DVD format officially launched for consumer use?
That’s right! DVD was officially launched in Japan in November 1996, before rolling out to North America in 1997. The format was developed by a consortium of major electronics companies including Sony, Panasonic, and Philips.
Not quite — DVD launched in Japan in November 1996. It then made its way to North American markets in 1997, quickly displacing VHS as the dominant home video format over the following years.
What colour laser does a standard Blu-ray player use to read discs?
Correct! Blu-ray players use a blue-violet laser with a wavelength of 405nm. This shorter wavelength compared to the red laser used in DVDs allows data to be packed much more densely on the disc surface.
The answer is blue-violet, with a wavelength of 405nm. This is actually what gives Blu-ray its name. The shorter wavelength compared to the red laser in DVDs is what enables the significantly higher storage capacity.
What is the storage capacity of a standard single-layer Blu-ray disc?
Spot on! A single-layer Blu-ray disc holds 25GB of data. Dual-layer discs double that to 50GB, while newer BDXL triple-layer discs can hold up to 100GB, making them ideal for 4K Ultra HD content.
The correct answer is 25GB for a single-layer Blu-ray disc. Dual-layer discs hold 50GB, which is why most feature films are released on dual-layer media to accommodate high-bitrate video and lossless audio tracks.
Which format did Blu-ray defeat in the high-definition disc format war of the mid-2000s?
Exactly right! Blu-ray defeated HD DVD in a format war that concluded in early 2008. The turning point came when Warner Bros. announced it would exclusively support Blu-ray, prompting Toshiba to discontinue HD DVD shortly after.
The correct answer is HD DVD, backed primarily by Toshiba and Microsoft. The format war ended in February 2008 when Toshiba officially discontinued HD DVD after Warner Bros. threw its exclusive support behind Blu-ray.
What is the maximum video resolution supported by a standard Blu-ray disc (not Ultra HD)?
That’s correct! Standard Blu-ray supports up to 1080p (Full HD) resolution at up to 60 frames per second. It was a massive leap over DVD’s 480p standard definition, and helped drive widespread adoption of HD televisions.
Standard Blu-ray tops out at 1080p Full HD resolution. This was a significant upgrade over DVD’s 480p and helped establish the format as the premium home video choice — until 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray arrived to raise the bar again.
Which company originally developed the DVD format alongside JVC, Sony, and others?
Correct! Philips was one of the founding members of the DVD Consortium alongside Sony, Panasonic, Hitachi, JVC, and others. Philips had already co-developed the CD format with Sony, so its involvement in DVD was a natural progression.
The answer is Philips, which co-developed the DVD standard alongside Sony, Panasonic, JVC, and Hitachi among others. Philips had significant experience in optical disc technology, having previously co-invented the CD with Sony back in the early 1980s.
What laser wavelength does a standard DVD player use to read discs?
Well done! DVD players use a red laser with a wavelength of 650nm. This is shorter than the 780nm infrared laser used in CD players, allowing DVDs to store more data, but longer than Blu-ray’s 405nm laser which enables even denser storage.
DVD players use a 650nm red laser. For comparison, CD players use a 780nm infrared laser, while Blu-ray uses a 405nm blue-violet laser. The progression to shorter wavelengths is what has driven increases in optical disc storage capacity over the decades.
What does the acronym ‘BD-ROM’ stand for in Blu-ray terminology?
Correct! BD-ROM stands for Blu-ray Disc Read-Only Memory. It is the standard format used for commercially pressed Blu-ray movies and games, as opposed to BD-R (recordable) or BD-RE (rewritable) formats used for home recording.
BD-ROM stands for Blu-ray Disc Read-Only Memory. This is the pre-pressed, non-recordable format you find on commercial movie and game releases. The Blu-ray family also includes BD-R for write-once recording and BD-RE for rewritable discs.
Your Score
/ 8
Thanks for playing!
DVD’s picture quality is heart-warming
There’s something special about standard definition video
Now, this might sound sacrilegious to some folks, but I genuinely love the picture quality that comes with the territory of DVD’s 480p standard definition resolution. The softer image may be technically less impressive than high definition, but it’s visually charming, it has a lovely retro quality to it, and it feels authentic. There’s a certain element of je ne sais quoi here that I can’t quite explain with words, but it probably harkens back to my nostalgia for CRT television sets and for the pre-HD YouTube era. Plus, some older shows and movies were originally mastered for standard definition to begin with, making DVD more authentic to certain source materials.
DVDs are speedier
Faster loading times on the whole
One technical advantage that DVDs have over Blu-rays is in loading times. By and large, the average DVD loads up and starts playing quicker than the average Blu-ray, thanks to the former’s lack of high definition assets, heavy Java-based software layers, and relative data density. Blu-ray is technically faster from a transfer rate and reading speed perspective, to be sure, but it’s also hamstrung by the need to decode 1080p Full HD video and lossless audio codecs. DVD is plug-and-play at its finest, while Blu-ray often feels that bit more sluggish in my experience.
