Beyond the Binge: Buying for the Netflix Power User

It is December 27, 2025. The wrapping paper has been shredded, the leftovers are dwindling, and we have collectively entered that strange, timeless void between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. If you’re like me, you’re not planning to leave the house. You’re planning to hibernate.

WIRED just dropped their list of the 48 best shows on Netflix for this month, and looking at the lineup—Stranger Things, the animated Tomb Raider, and the moody breakout City of Shadows—it’s clear that streaming isn't just a pastime right now; it’s the primary activity.

But here’s the thing: most home setups are terrible. We watch cinematic masterpieces on uncalibrated screens with tinny TV speakers, shivering under thin throw blankets. If you have gift cards burning a hole in your pocket, or you’re looking for a late gift for the professional couch potato in your life, don’t buy them merchandise. Don’t buy a Funko Pop. Buy them the gear that actually makes the experience better.

Here is how to translate the current streaming charts into products that are actually worth your money.

For the Stranger Things Loyalist: Audio That Isn't Garbage

Let’s be honest: Stranger Things is 50% plot and 50% synthesizer. If you are watching the Hawkins gang save the world through the down-firing speakers of a flat-screen TV, you are doing it wrong. The sound design is dense, retro, and crucial.

For years, I’ve told people to stop buying cheap soundbars that promise "surround sound" for $99. They lie. Instead, look at the Sonos Beam (Gen 2). It’s compact enough that it doesn’t dominate a living room, but it handles dialogue clarity better than almost anything else in its class. You actually hear what the characters are whispering without having to ride the volume remote every time an explosion happens.

If you want something more personal—say, for the viewer watching on a tablet in bed—skip the budget earbuds. The Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones are still the king of noise cancellation. I’ve worn these on long-haul flights and during loud construction next door; they create a bubble of silence that lets the synth-wave soundtracks shine. They aren't cheap, but they last.

For the Tomb Raider Fan: The Netflix Gaming Pivot

Netflix isn't just video anymore; they are pushing hard into games. With Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft hitting the charts, the natural leap is to play the mobile games included in your subscription. The problem? Touch controls on a smartphone are a miserable experience. They are imprecise and your thumbs cover the screen.

If you want to unlock the value of a Netflix subscription for a gamer, get the Backbone One. It snaps onto an iPhone or Android device and turns it into a legitimate handheld console. I was skeptical of this thing when it first launched—it looked like a flimsy piece of plastic—but the build quality is solid, and the tactile buttons change mobile gaming from a time-killer into a genuine hobby. It’s the perfect accessory for someone who wants to interact with the IP, not just watch it.

For the City of Shadows Binger: setting the Mood

I’ve been tracking the rise of "immersion lighting" for a while. Usually, it’s a gimmick. But with noir-style shows like City of Shadows or even the darker palettes of The Witcher, bias lighting actually reduces eye strain and increases perceived contrast.

The gold standard remains the Govee Envisual TV Backlight T2. It uses a small camera to scan your screen and syncs the LED strip behind the TV to the colors you’re watching. Is it necessary? No. Is it incredibly cool when the room floods with red light during a tension-filled scene? Absolutely. Unlike the Philips Hue Play Sync Box, which costs a fortune and has HDMI handshake issues, the Govee system works with everything because it’s vision-based. It’s a sub-$100 upgrade that makes a $500 TV look like a $1,500 experience.

The "Unsexy" Hero: The Network Fix

Finally, let’s talk about the one thing nobody wants to buy but everyone needs. You cannot enjoy 4K streaming if your router is the dusty black box your ISP gave you five years ago. Buffering is the enemy of immersion.

If you are trying to watch high-bitrate content in a bedroom far from the router, you need a mesh system. The Eero 6+ is my go-to recommendation for normal humans who don’t want to configure IP addresses. You plug it in, it works, and the dead zones vanish. Giving someone reliable Wi-Fi is technically a utility, but in the streaming era, it’s the greatest gift of all.

The Bottom Line

We are in the golden age of content volume, but the viewing experience has lagged behind. This winter, skip the novelty mugs and the graphic tees. Invest in the hardware that bridges the gap between the content creator’s intent and your living room reality. Your eyes and ears will thank you.