An optical drive is a piece of computer hardware that allows you to read and write to CDs, DVDs, and sometimes Blu-ray discs. In the past, optical drives were a standard component in desktop and laptop computers, but their necessity has diminished over the years. Nowadays, many computers ship without optical drives pre-installed. So do you really need an optical drive for your computer in 2023? There are pros and cons to having one, and the answer depends on your specific needs and habits.
What is an optical drive?
An optical drive is a disk drive that uses laser light or electromagnetic waves to read or write data to optical discs like CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray discs. The most common types of optical drives are:
– CD drive – reads and writes to compact discs (CDs)
– DVD drive – reads and writes to digital versatile discs (DVDs)
– Blu-ray drive – reads and writes to Blu-ray discs
Optical drives are different from hard disk drives which store data on internal magnetic disks. They are also different from flash drives which use flash memory to store data.
Early optical drives could only read CDs but later ones could both read and write to CDs (CD-R/CD-RW). DVD drives emerged in the late 90s and could handle the larger storage DVD format. Blu-ray came later in 2006 and offered even greater storage capacity.
The decline of optical drives
Optical drives used to be standard in most desktop and laptop computers. Back in the 1990s and early 2000s, they were the primary way to load programs, play music CDs, watch movies on DVD, and back up data. However, over the past decade or so, optical drives have declined in importance and prevalence for several reasons:
– **Internet bandwidth increased** – Higher internet speeds and bandwidth made it easier to download programs, stream music and video, and store files in the cloud. This reduced reliance on physical discs.
– **Software delivery changed** – More programs and software are now purchased by digital download rather than on physical discs. Many don’t even offer optical disc versions anymore.
– **Music went digital** – Music CD sales dropped off as digital downloads and streaming became more popular. Most new laptops don’t even have CD players.
– **Online video streaming** – Video rental stores are mostly extinct. Movies and shows are now readily available through on-demand streaming services like Netflix and Hulu.
– **Flash and cloud storage** – USB flash drives and cloud storage services like Dropbox provide convenient ways to back up and transfer files without optical discs.
– **Thinner laptops** – Laptops became thinner and lighter, leaving less internal space for optical drives. External USB drives can be used when needed.
As a result of these trends, optical drives went from a necessity to an optional extra. Most modern laptops and some desktops now ship without them pre-installed.
Reasons you may want an optical drive
While they are less essential than they once were, there are still some decent reasons why you might want or need an optical drive for your computer:
– **Watch/rip DVDs and Blu-rays** – If you have a large DVD/Blu-ray collection, you’ll need an optical drive to watch them on your computer. You can also rip them to digital files.
– **CD music** – You’ll need a CD or DVD drive to play audio CDs on your computer or rip them to a digital format like MP3.
– **Older software, games** – Access older programs and games you have on disc. Many discs from the 1990s and early 2000s can’t be downloaded.
– **Driver discs** – Installing drivers for peripherals like printers often requires the included driver disc.
– **Emergency boot drive** – An OS boot disc can help recover or repair an unbootable system.
– **Data backup** – Back up your files to blank CDs, DVDs or Blu-rays as an extra precaution. Discs have long shelf lives.
– **Disc burning** – Optical drives allow you to burn data to writable blank discs for storage, backups, sharing files, and more.
For certain use cases like these, having an optical drive can still be advantageous. Even if you go months without needing to use it, it’s there when you eventually do.
Reasons you may not need an optical drive
On the other hand, there are also several compelling reasons why optical drives are no longer essential for many people:
– **Rarely use discs** – Most software, media, and games are now available as direct digital downloads. Physical discs are only needed in rare cases.
– **Fast internet speeds** – You can quickly download programs and files rather than install from disc. Streaming replaces discs for music/video.
– **Cloud storage** – Services like Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive provide ample online storage without discs.
– **Flash drives** – USB flash drives with higher capacities are cheap and convenient for transferring files between devices.
– **External optical drive** – Compact external USB DVD/Blu-ray drives can be plugged in on the rare occasions you need disc access.
– **Software delivery goes online** – Programs like Adobe Creative Cloud don’t even offer disc installations anymore.
– **Thin and light laptops** – Many modern ultraportables are too thin to accommodate an internal optical drive.
Unless you have a specific use case that requires frequent disc access, you can probably live quite comfortably without an optical drive in your computer these days. For the occasional need, a cheap external USB drive is handy to have on hand.
Alternatives to optical drives
Here are some of the most common alternatives used instead of optical drives:
– **USB flash drive** – Small USB sticks that hold data like documents, photos, music, and videos. Very portable and reusable.
– **External hard drive** – Compact external hard disk drives that connect via USB and provide abundant extra storage.
– **Online storage** – Cloud services like Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive to store files securely online. Access them anywhere.
– **Digital downloads** – Downloading software, games, music, and video content over the internet rather than using discs.
– **Media streaming** – Streaming music, TV shows, and movies from services like Spotify, Netflix, Hulu instead of DVDs/Blu-rays.
– **Bootable USB** – Creating a bootable USB drive to install operating systems and boot into them rather than using optical media.
– **External optical drive** – Small and lightweight external USB CD/DVD/Blu-ray drives that can be plugged in when needed.
With all these convenient alternatives available, most computer users can comfortably go without an internal optical drive. When you do need to access the occasional disc, an inexpensive external USB optical drive is a good solution.
Do gaming PCs need optical drives?
For gaming PCs, optical drives are also generally unnecessary today. Here’s why:
– PC games are nearly all downloaded directly rather than bought on disc. Digital game stores like Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG, and Origin are the norm.
– Discs are primarily used just for original installation. After that, games live on your hard drive or SSD.
– Most gaming PC cases no longer have external bays for 5.25″ optical drives. Internal space is better utilized for cooling.
– Many high-performance gaming components like graphics cards now often overhang the motherboard, blocking internal drive bays.
– Console gaming has also shifted heavily towards downloaded and streaming content rather than physical discs.
– For the occasional need, an inexpensive external USB optical drive works fine to install from older discs.
– Most games these days require online account registration and large update downloads even when installing from disc.
Unless you have a large back-catalog of older titles on disc only, you can feel comfortable building or buying a modern gaming PC without an internal optical drive and not miss it at all. For the odd game install from physical media, a plug-in external DVD or Blu-ray drive gets the job done well. Or you can look into “virtual” software-emulated drives if needed down the road.
Do laptops still come with optical drives?
In laptops, optical drives are now mostly phased out on newer models:
– Recent ultrabooks and MacBooks do not include optical drives due to their thin, light designs.
– Many general use laptops also exclude them as more users prefer the reduced weight.
– Gaming laptops favor more powerful GPUs and cooling over optical drives in their tight confines.
– Budget laptops may still occasionally have DVD drives to cut costs by avoiding external peripherals.
– Business laptops sometimes retain optical drives for installing approved corporate software from disc.
– Specialized media laptops for audio/video production may still offer optical drives for CD/DVD usage.
But overall, perhaps 80% or more of new consumer laptop models no longer include built-in optical drives. The exceptions are mainly found in budget and business machines targeted at more conservative audiences.
Given the general downward trend, it’s likely that optical drives will continue disappearing from more and more laptop models as component space and user expectations continue evolving. External USB optical drives provide plug-in capability for the times you really require it.
Do desktop PCs still need optical drives?
The desktop PC market has seen a similar but slightly slower decline of internal optical drives:
– Pre-built desktops aimed at general household use often lack optical drives now.
– Enthusiast and gaming desktops tend to omit them as unneeded bulk.
– Mini PCs and compact boxes like Intel NUC don’t have room for internal optical drives.
– All-In-One PCs with the components behind the monitor shed optical drives.
– DIY custom desktop builders usually leave them out of new rigs unless specifically needed.
– Business-class desktops like Dell Optiplex may still retain optical drives for certain use cases.
– Specialized workstation PCs for media creation can benefit from optical drives in some workflows.
There is a bit more variance on the desktop side – about 50/50 currently. But the trend towards excluding optical drives in newer desktop systems is clear and likely to continue gradually moving forward. Unless you have some legacy need, they are easy to omit in modern desktops.
Conclusion
While optical disc drives like DVD and Blu-ray were once absolutely crucial computer components, most average users can comfortably go without one today in 2023. Faster internet, cheaper storage, digital delivery, streaming entertainment, and external drive options have rendered them optional even in just the past 5-10 years.
However, they can still prove useful in some specific situations:
– If you have a large existing library of optical discs for media, games, or software.
– If you prefer to purchase physical discs for new media or software.
– If you need to occasionally access the data on optical discs.
– If you want to create backup discs of your important data.
For these use cases, having either an internal or external optical drive can be beneficial. But outside of them, the average computer buyer can safely go optical drive-free without significant inconvenience.
When building or buying a new system, the need for an onboard optical drive is one more consideration to evaluate based on your own personal needs and preferences. But for most typical home and office users in 2023, it likely falls low on the priority list compared to elements like processor, RAM, storage, graphics capability, and connectivity.