Streaming and broadcast versions often suffer from "crushed" blacks and pixelation in dark scenes because they use lossy compression to save bandwidth.

For those who have the Blu-ray discs:

Here is why the "lossless" hunt is worth it, specifically for this season.

: While streaming platforms like Max (formerly HBO Max) offer Dolby Atmos, it is typically compressed. The physical 4K disc provides a Dolby TrueHD 7.1 core, which is a lossless audio codec, ensuring every dragon roar and orchestral swell is heard exactly as intended. Best Ways to Own Season 8 in Lossless Quality