A guide to buying a replacement CD/DVD drive

For many, CD/DVD drives are as important as a part of a personal computer's set-up as things, such as printers and monitors. However, optical disc drives do occasionally give up the ghost and a replacement will be needed. This article will guide you into making the best choice of replacement for your needs.

Types of drives

Just about every computer which uses optical disks has an internal drive. However, there are two options available for the user when it comes to replacing a faulty drive. These are internal or external. The pros and cons of both of these are discussed below in order to help you choose what is the right option for you.

External drives: Pros and cons

Pros
For those who are not of a technical nature, then an external replacement drive could be the best option for you. It will simply be a matter of plugging it into your computer and you'll be up and running again. These are connected to your PC usually by a USB or FireWire cable. Some drives are available that are powered by the USB port itself. This not only makes these sort of drives have a smaller form factor, but they won't require additional space or a plug socket for power. Cons Many drives come with a power adaptor, which will need to be plugged in and switched on. This will use more power than an internal option, especially for heavy drive users. Space will be required to enable the user to have easy access to the drive.

Internal drives: Pros and cons

Pros No additional room or power source will be needed, as you'll just be effectively replacing the old drive for a new one. Internal drives tend to be slightly cheaper than external drives. Cons Whilst not much technical know-how on what will be needed to install a replacement drive, some people might find this a daunting task and have to employ the services of a specialist to install it.

Other factors to consider

Drive speed There is a number of other factors to consider when buying a new drive. The main one is the speed of the drive. If you burn many DVDs for instance, then choosing budget DVD writers with a slow burn speed will be more of a chore than a reward. Cost For an extra 15 minutes, considerable savings can be made by comparing costs. Choose which drive is suitable for you, then shop around!