Here at T3, we've got a growing population of writers (myself included) who wish that the best streaming services had just a little bit more to give in terms of bitrates – because it's still hard to argue with the fact that a 4K Blu-ray will always look and sound better than a streamer's fanciest subscription can manage.
So, when streamers do their own 4K Blu-ray releases, it's sort of the best of all worlds, offering a chance for mega-fans to own the best possible version of a show or movie, and one that they can watch whenever they like, regardless of their subscription status. That's exactly the offering Netflix has just made in cooperation with the physical media experts Arrow Video, in the form of massive new box sets of the entire Stranger Things series.
The collection, which can be pre-ordered now from Arrow Video in the UK here, or in the US here ahead of coming out on 27 July this year, looks like a fairly superb way to bring together everything Stranger Things brought to the table, across a whole heap of discs and in the format we'd most advocate for from a technical standpoint.
Let's not beat around the bush, though: the prices are steep, even with some pre-order bonuses cutting them right now. If you're okay to watch on standard 1080p Blu-ray, then the box set comes in at £135 in the UK (£150 at full price) or $180 in the US ($200 at full price), while the jump to 4K lifts the price to £145 in the UK (£160 at full price) and $200 in the US ($220 at full price).
To be honest, that makes the 4K look like way better value than the standard version, since it's likely to be way more future-proof, and the gap isn't too big. You can also spend a little more to get a Deluxe version that includes more printed material to accompany the box set, including some nice maps and posters.
Because it's from Arrow Video, the attention to detail here looks stellar, and everything from the individual season boxes to the overall collection box is gorgeously designed, with beautiful character art and easter eggs for fans.
For those who care about the details, it's worth knowing the audio mastering isn't identical across all seasons. Arrow Video says you'll get DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround and stereo audio for all episodes, but Dolby Atmos will also be available for Seasons 4 and 5, if you've got that capability.
Excitingly, the box set will also include (in all versions) some extra material on discs, including interviews with the cast and crew and behind-the-scenes featurettes. For collectors looking to spend this sort of cash, those are must-haves.
