If you’ve ever thought, “I’ll spend my Thanksgiving money on a stack of 4K Blu‑rays because it looks cooler than turkey,” you’re not alone. The latest “early Black Friday” hype train at Gruv is chugging along at a smug $12.99 per disc, and the marketing copy reads like a love letter to every disc‑collector who still believes the iPhone will never replace a physical media shelf. Let’s pull the plug on that glossy pitch and see what’s really going on.

## The “$12.99 a Disc” Claim Is Not the Breakthrough It Pretends to Be

**Reality check:** A standard 4K Ultra HD Blu‑ray still costs, on average, $24‑$35 at most retail outlets. Dropping it to $12.99 feels like a discount, but it’s *still* double what you’d pay for a monthly Netflix subscription. If you’re the type who hoards physical media, you probably already know that a 4K disc doesn’t magically become a “must‑have” because it’s cheap enough to fit on a coffee table.

– **Production cost isn’t disappearing.** Manufacturing a 4K disc involves higher‑grade glass, a sturdier polymer layer, and a more complex mastering process. That’s why the MSRP never fell below $25 for new releases. A $12.99 “sale price” simply means the retailer is willing to absorb a loss (or shift inventory that’s been gathering dust for months).
– **Price‑point psychology.** $12.99 is catchy; it feels “under $15” and therefore a “steal.” But the truth is the price is still *above* the price you’d pay for a digital download on iTunes or Google Play ($9.99 for most new releases).
– **Opportunity cost.** While you’re busy polishing your new shelf of discs, the rest of the world is streaming the same movies on ultra‑low‑latency 4K services like Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video, relying on broadband speeds that are, frankly, faster than the spin‑up time of a Blu‑ray drive.

## “New 2025 Titles at a Low Price” – A Misleading Hook

The blurb boasts titles like “Superman, Sinners, Jurassic World: Rebirth, and Lord of the Rings: War of Rohirrim” as if those are fresh, must‑own releases that *just* became affordable. In reality:

– **Release year isn’t a quality guarantee.** The fact that a film is from 2025 says nothing about its artistic merit or canonical importance. “Sinners” is a low‑budget thriller that barely scraped a theatrical release; the only reason you’d buy it on disc is if you’re a completist for the director’s filmography.
– **Bonus‑feature hype is overrated.** The article promises “digital copies, commentary, behind‑the‑scenes content, and deleted scenes.” Most modern streams already embed these extras as on‑demand extras (e.g., Netflix’s “Making‑of” sections). The only unique item you might actually get is a PDF of the director’s notes, which you could probably find online with a quick Google.

## “Buy Three for $30” – Because Nothing Says Value Like a *Math* Exercise

The three‑for‑$30 deal (effectively $10 per disc) seems like a no‑brainer, especially when it includes “classics” like *Scarface* and *Psycho*. Yet:

– **Classic discs are *already* cheap.** You can locate copies of *Scarface* (1995) and *Psycho* (1960) on the secondary market for $5‑$7 each, often in better condition than a brand‑new, barely‑scratched press run.
– **One‑off digital copies are redundant.** Most of these classics are already available on free or ad‑supported platforms (Tubi, Pluto TV) or are part of streaming bundles you probably already subscribe to.
– **Shelf space is finite.** Unless you have a dedicated media room that rivals a museum, those extra discs will end up as decorative paperweights.

## The Gadget Sidebar: A Distracting Side‑Show

The article suddenly veers into “more Verge‑approved gadgets on sale,” listing Sony WH‑1000XM6 headphones, Garmin Forerunner 165, and an Amazon Fire TV Cube. That insertion is either:

– **A classic “list‑icle” ploy** to boost SEO with unrelated product names, or
– **An attempt to mask the fact** that the Blu‑ray discount is a thin veneer for a broad “holiday tech sale” email blast.

Either way, it does nothing to justify why you should prioritize a $12.99 disc over a $430 pair of noise‑cancelling headphones that actually improve your daily commute.

## Bottom Line: The Sale Is a *Sale*—Just Not the One You Need

– **If you already own a 4K Ultra HD Blu‑ray player** and have a meticulously curated collection, grabbing the discounted titles might make sense—*if* you genuinely care about the physical artifact.
– **If you’re a casual viewer** who watches movies on a smart TV, the $12.99 price is still a *premium* over streaming, and you’ll spend more time dusting the discs than actually watching them.
– **If you’re a “deal hunter”** looking for the best Black Friday steals, aim for the $30 three‑disc bundle *only if* you can instantly justify the shelf real‑estate. Otherwise, redirect that budget toward a streaming subscription, a higher‑quality sound system, or, honestly, that turkey you keep forgetting to brine.

So, the next time you see a headline like “Superman, Sinners, and other 4K Blu‑rays are just $12.99 ahead of Black Friday,” remember that the only thing truly on sale is the retailer’s willingness to clear out inventory you probably don’t need. Your wallet (and your living‑room clutter) will thank you.

*Keywords: 4K Blu‑ray sale, Black Friday deals, best Black Friday tech deals, why buy 4K Blu‑ray, streaming vs physical media, discount Blu‑ray bundle*