Do You Still Need a DVD Player in 2026? A Complete Buying Guide

Streaming has taken over, but DVD players haven't gone anywhere — and for good reason. Whether you've got a shelf of films you don't want to lose access to, a long car journey with the kids ahead, or a favourite show that's disappeared from every streaming service you pay for, a DVD player still earns its place. Here's everything to know before you buy one.

• You already own the films. Streaming licences move around constantly — a film available on Netflix today can vanish next month, or get moved behind yet another subscription. A DVD collection is yours, permanently, with no ads and no "this title has left the service" surprises.
• No wifi, no problem. Long car journeys, campsites, static caravans, and spots with patchy signal are exactly where a DVD player still beats a tablet full of downloads.
• Keeping kids entertained on the move. A portable player with its own screen means no fighting over the family tablet in the back seat, and no risk of little hands wandering into app stores or YouTube autoplay.
• Region and availability quirks. Plenty of TV box sets and films — especially older, niche, or foreign titles — were never released on any streaming platform at all, and never will be.
• It's simple. No accounts, no logins, no buffering wheel. Put the disc in and press play.

You could load a tablet up with downloaded films instead, and for some people that works fine. But it comes with its own hassles: you need to plan ahead and download everything before you leave (no signal, no downloads), storage fills up fast with more than a couple of films, and a shared tablet often turns into an argument over whose turn it is. A dedicated DVD player sidesteps all of that — grab a stack of discs from the shelf on your way out of the door and you're set, with nothing to charge, download, or fight over in advance.

Screen size and resolution. Portable DVD players typically range from around 7 inches up to 15+ inches. A smaller screen suits one child in a car seat; a larger one is better for sharing between two passengers or for close-up desk/kitchen use. Resolution matters more than size alone — DVDs themselves only hold a native resolution of 720 x 576, so anything beyond that is about screen sharpness and clarity, not disc quality. A bigger screen with a low resolution can actually look softer than a smaller, sharper one, so check the pixel resolution, not just the screen size, when you compare models.

Swivel and flip screens. A screen that rotates and flips — rather than being fixed in place — lets you angle it for a headrest mount, a table, or a passenger seat without twisting your neck. Look for a wide rotation range (270 degrees is typical) plus a flip hinge, so the same player works flat on a table and clipped to a headrest.

Battery life and power options. Check whether the player comes with both a mains adaptor and a car charger — if you'll mostly use it on journeys, being able to run from a 12V car socket is essential so you're not dependent on a full battery or a plug socket. If the player has an internal battery, running time varies a lot between models, so it's worth checking how many hours of playback you'll realistically get before it needs charging again, especially for longer journeys or flights.

Shock resistance. DVDs can skip or glitch when jolted, which matters a lot on a bumpy car journey but not at all if the player mostly sits on a kitchen counter or bedside table. If you're buying primarily for travel, look for players designed with shock resistance built in.

Connectivity. Most portable DVD players include an RCA or AV output as standard, which lets you connect to a larger TV using a simple cable — handy if you want the big screen at home but still want portability for trips. Some higher-end players add HDMI output for a sharper connection to modern TVs, or USB/SD card slots so you can play downloaded video files as well as physical discs. Decide how much of that you actually need: if you mainly want something for the car and the odd film night, a simple AV output covers you without paying for extras you won't use.

Sound. Built-in speakers on any portable player are fine for casual, low-volume viewing, but a headphone output is worth having for use in the car or anywhere you don't want to disturb everyone else in the room.

What's in the box. Cheaper listings sometimes leave out the car charger or a proper AV cable, meaning you'll need to buy them separately before you can actually use the player the way you planned. Check the included accessories before you compare purely on price.

Which one should you choose? The DVD120 is the better pick if portability and value matter most — its smaller footprint is easier to mount in a car or pack for a trip, and it covers everything most people need at a lower price. The DVD175 is worth the extra cost if you want a genuinely sharp, larger picture for sharing between two people or for use as a compact bedroom or kitchen screen — its higher resolution makes a real difference on the bigger display.

Both come ready for the road, with a car charger and AUX cable included as standard, so you're not stuck buying extra cables separately before you can use them.

Browse the full range of portable DVD players at Maplin.