Blu-ray players that include support for the Blu-ray XL (BDXL) format can write disks up to 128GB. Although it has not completely replaced DVDs, it does offer many advantages, including high-definition movies and larger storage capacities. As a general rule, dedicated internal drives are faster and less expensive than portable ones.īlu-ray is a high-definition format that was originally intended to replace standard DVDs.

If you’re shopping for a DVD player for your desktop, you’re better off buying and installing an internal drive. As a general rule, you’re probably not going to use an external drive all the time, so it’s probably not worth spending a lot of money for upgraded speed. Most external DVD drives offer similar speeds. While all DVD drives make some noise, try finding one that’s as quiet as possible.Īnother factor to consider is the drive’s speed. There’s nothing more distracting than trying to enjoy a movie, only to have it interrupted by the sound of your DVD drive spinning. Noise is another factor to bear in mind when shopping for an external drive. Obviously, these will offer the best, worry-free compatibility, although usually at a premium. Some computer manufacturers, sell their own external DVD players. This is especially true if you run Linux. While compatibility issues are largely a thing of the past, it’s still worth double-checking to make sure your hardware and operating system of choice are supported. The most important factor to consider when shopping for a DVD player is compatibility. High-end DVD drives include software that improves reliability reading disks that have fingerprints or minor scratches. Since internal DVD drives may not be very popular in modern computer design, there’s never been a better time to buy an external DVD drive. Many individuals have years of backups on DVD, not to mention pictures, media, and older program installers. Just because they’re not a popular option in today’s computers doesn’t mean DVDs don’t have a place, as they are still one of the most popular formats for watching movies. Now, everything from shareware programs to operating systems can be downloaded, while many programs are web- or cloud-based. Before broadband internet became widespread, DVDs were the best way to install large programs, software packages, and operating systems.

The rise of faster internet speeds and cloud computing has furthered this trend. As laptop designs have become slimmer and sleeker, eliminating DVD players and optical drives proved one of the easiest ways to drop weight and free up additional space. Once one of the most sought-after features in many computers, DVD players are all but an afterthought on many current models, especially among laptops.

Buying guide for best external DVD drives

Best cd dvd external drive for mac