Optical Storage in 2026: Dead or Dead Useful?

ExplainingComputers just covered the current state of optical storage, and it’s interesting to see how these discs are still holding their own for long-term backups in 2026. The video walks through the practical side of using optical media, featuring hardware like the Buffalo MediaStation portable Blu-ray drive alongside various storage options. There is everything from 25GB Verbatim M-Disc Blu-ray recordables and standard 25GB BD-R discs to the specialized 4.7GB UltraLife Gold archival DVDs. It’s a wild look at how these older formats actually function for archival purposes today, especially since he tests out a new external Blu-ray writer to show exactly how the setup process works.