I'm not saying I'm ready to abandon my life as a gaming hardware nerd just yet, but the idea of running off to live in nature after Prime Day can be appealing. And, while browsing the final wave of Prime Day deals to grace us this year, I found the perfect gadget to take with me into my almost screenless life.
I actually almost forgot portable DVD and Bluray players were a thing till right now, so I'm delighted to see a 14.1-inch model down to $219.99 from $299.99. The 20% discount brings the all-in-one system down to a new record low, and it's a price I'd be much more willing to pay before running away to my new cabin life.
All jokes aside, this is actually a nice price to pay for such a niche device. Optical discs are arguably to Gen Alpha what shellac records were to us '90s kids, so I honestly don't know how much longer we'll see portable Bluray players on the market. It's a fact well to keep in mind when working on why portability justifies a price point over $200, as while DVD-compatible alternatives have been around for decades, full HD devices like this are just not around anymore (even laptops have long ditched their disc drives).
Should you buy a portable Bluray Player this Prime Day?
Admittedly, there's one kind of person I can see getting lots of use out of a Bluray Player in 2024. If you're the type of media lover who still buys physical releases of everything, I'm talking about you (and in turn myself). Rather than giving into the demands of fluctuating streaming service subscription services and dodgy terms of use, I propose we all fall back to using actual DVDs and Blurays instead, which can be picked up relatively cheap at thrift stores and supermarket bargain bins. Plus, these players have video out, so it can double up as a device for your gaming TV or monitor.
I guess there are also a chunk of people out there who'd also like to spend less time connected to the big, bad web, and portable Bluray players could be perfect for that too. You don't even have to be the type who likes going camping up the Scottish highlands in a grassland devoid of signals, as I can see myself just retreating to the garden with a stack of movies and a blanket this summer. I'll even be able to stay outside for up to 4 hours on a single charge, which puts the old player 12-year-old me used to watch The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring on my way back from a caravan holiday to shame.
As for whether you should splash out on a full HD portable Bluray player or just stick with standard DVDs, that decision is kind of subjective. I'd argue that our eyes are too used to looking at 4K screens these days to tolerate a softer standard-definition LCD panel, but I reckon there will be people who find that charming. I mean, I'll respect that even if it's not really the same as enjoying the warm glow of CRT.
Recently, Sony announced it is starting to faze out Bluray production. The caveat for now is that it only applies to consumer products rather than the discs used to hold PS5 games and the latest movies, but the end could be nigh for physical media as we know it. So, I think picking up a portable player and making it clear we still love our discs is worthwhile, and Prime Day will help you with that noble goal.
Anyway, if you don't see any hardware news from me after this week, you'll find me in a small cabin binge-watching my fancy Arrow horror collection. Can't promise I won't have a gaming handheld with me, though (sorry, not sorry).
Looking for a living room screen? Swing by Prime Day TV deals for big display discounts. We've also got you covered with Prime Day monitor deals if you dwell at a desk, and Prime Day Asus ROG Ally deals will help you find portable PC price cuts.
