I love 4K Blu-rays, and not just because of the superior picture and sound quality

There are some moments in a cinephile’s life that are always remembered.

One of mine is avidly searching the hallowed halls of CeX in Cardiff as a student, hunting for a DVD to add to my collection, and coming across an absolute gem.

Peeking out of the pile was a pristine Steelbook of Paddington 2, a favourite at the time, as I was missing home. The story of a little bear trying to fit into a new country really spoke to me.

If you are unfamiliar, a Steelbook is a collectible metal case most often made for 4K and standard Blu-rays.

My prized Paddington disc, for example, contains exclusive artwork made especially for the Steelbook on the back and front, as well as a little booklet with titbits of information about the film.

For £15, this was quite simply a bargain.

This kicked off a love for the Steelbook format, and now that I also have a love for the finer things in home cinema life, I'm always on the hunt for Steelbook editions of my favourite 4K Blu-rays. Mad Max: Fury Road and the first series of Arcane are two of my most recent purchases.

For many people, it's the enhanced picture and sound quality over streaming that makes 4K Blu-ray so appealing.

Unsurprisingly, I feel that way, too, but Steelbooks also act as a celebration of a film or TV show for me, and with them I feel as though I'm adorning my bookshelves with little homages to movies that represent different parts of myself.

An acquired taste?

I’m well aware that not everyone sees the point in Steelbooks, including numerous members of the team at What Hi-Fi?. After all, they do usually cost more than a 4K Blu-ray without all the bells and whistles.

But, to me, they celebrate the beauty of physical media, making the case a piece of art in itself.

There are usually some pretty neat details included in a lot of the designs, too. In the Steelbook for The Shining, for example, the inside of the case includes an eerie image of a maze that plays a key role in the final moments of the film.

Now, I obviously don’t have the disposable income to buy all the Steelbooks that tempt me.

But, in a landscape where we tend to own films on a screen rather than on our shelves, it feels really special to keep my favourite films in well-crafted cases and pass them down to the next generation.

MORE:

Here are the 30 best Dolby Atmos movie scenes to test your home cinema setup

These are the best Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray players

This is why we are holding out for the 4K Blu-ray of Sinners