Trying to make laptops slimmer and more compact has resulted in a lot of models ditching the optical drive altogether. And while we do not use CDs or DVDs as we used to 10 years back, they can still come in handy when you want to replay old discs or require it for work.
Our article covers some of the top laptop models you can get today which come with optical drives built-in. But we cover more than that! Besides just the optical drive, which all these review laptops have, we also discuss what other factors you need to watch out for.
The best laptop with optical drive is a considerably easy device to find. This product list here has a wide variety of models hailing from different price ranges, so there is something here for everybody.
Contents
| NAME | DISPLAY | CPU | RAM | PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASUS X555QA | 15.6-inch(1280×720) | AMD QuadCore A12-9700P | 8GB DDR4 | |
| ASUS GamingLaptop | 17.3-inch(1920 x 1080) | Intel Corei7-7700HQ | 8GB DDR4 | |
| DellInspiron 15.6 | 15.6-inch(1920 x 1080) | Intel Corei7-7500U | 16GB DDR4 | |
| LenovoIdeaPad 300 | 17.3-inch(1600 x 900) | Intel Corei5-6200U | 8GB DDR3L | |
| Acer AspireE 15 | 15.6-inch(1920 x 1080) | Intel Corei5-8250U | 8GB | |
| MSI GL62M7REX-1896US | 15.6-inch(1920 x 1080) | Intel Corei7-7700HQ | 8GB DRAM | |
| MicrosoftSurface Pro 6 | 12.3-inch(2736 x 1824) | Intel Core i5 | 8GB | |
| HP Envy 17t | 17.3-inch(3840×2160) | Intel Corei7-8550U | 16GB DDR4 | |
| Dell Inspiron 15 | 15.6-inch(1280×720) | 15.6-inch(1280×720) | 8GB | |
| 1TB HDD | 15.6-inch(1366×768) | Intel Corei5-7200U | 8GB DDR4 |
This ASUS laptop is well known to be one of the all-rounded devicesout there for both work and play. On the exterior, you have a stylish and slim design which makes it easy to carry even though it has an optical drive.
Speaking of the optical drive, you have the 8x Super-Multi DVD-R DL. It can accommodate two recordable disc layers which double the total disk capacity to form a total 8.5GB.
Besides the optical drive, you also get 2 USB 3.0 ports, 1 USB 2.0 port, 1 VGA port 1 HDMI, and 1card reader.
You also have the AMD Quad Core A12-9700P processor with turbo boost up to 3.4 GHz for increasing powers and high efficiency.
For the graphics, you have the AMD Radeon R7 integrated graphics unit which is adequate for all kinds of everyday work. This might not be the most suitable for some of the latest games, but you can surely use this for school or work.
The 8GB of RAM and a 1 TB hybrid HDD storage also make this a good choice for users who are simply looking for a solid and good laptop for their everyday usage.
If you are an avid gamer and you want a laptop that has a DVD drive as well, then the ASUS Gaming Laptop proves to be a good choice.
You have the Intel Core i7-7700HQ 7th generation processor. The 'HQ' in the end indicates a high-power processor for the finest performance at all times.
Moreover, it has a clock speed of 2.8 GHz plus a turbo boost of up to 3.8 GHz. All of these create a high-performance device suitable for gaming and all other work that requires similar levels of performance.
It wouldn't be a gaming laptop if it did not have a fine graphics unit. Here you get the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050TI with 4GB graphics memory. As one of the finest GPUs in the market today, you can rest assured that display graphics will never be a concern with this device.
For the optical drive, you have the DVD-R DL that has an 8.5GB capacity with its two recordable disc layers.
Other connectivity options include1 USB 3.1 Type C (Gen 1) port, 3 USB 3.0 ports, 1 USB 2.0 port, 1 Mini Display Port, the HDMI, Headphone-out jack, Microphone-in jack, and RJ45 LAN Jack.
The Dell Inspiron has been the go-to laptop from most students and workers thanks to its collection of simple yet effective features at a decent price range.
One of the first things we notice is the display. You get a 15.6-inch full HD true-life LED-backlit touch display for impressive and interactive display experience.
You can use this for gaming, watching videos, all of which will show up in their brightest forms on the screen.
The Intel Core i7-7500U 7th Generation processor has a clock speed of up to 3.5 GHz. This is a pretty great speed that lets one work on multiple projects simultaneously without any slowdowns.
Another factor that adds to this speed is the 16GB memory. It ensures that you can use a good number of Google chrome tabs, download videos, and continue to use other applications at once without experiencing any freezing screens.
The 1 TB HDD storage also helps since such a vast storage space can store pretty much every file the user has. You don't need to look for external drives, but in case you do, the laptop has a good number of connections to allow the transfer.
There is the tray load DVD+RW which can be used to both read and write DVDs and CDs. You also have an SD card reader as well as 2 USB 3.0 ports and 1 USB port 2.0.
This Lenovo IdeaPad 300 is the ultimate entertainment device. It sports a 17.3-inch HD LED-backlit display for a flawless screen viewing, Intel HD graphics 520 for vibrant and full of life graphics on the screen, and Dolby Advanced Audio stereo speakers which provide enhanced audio that has both volume and clarity.
Internal factors also affect how well the device can process information for the flawless output on the screen. For this, you have the Dual-Core i5-6200U processor with a clock speed which can go up to 2.8 GHz.
If you notice 'U' at the end of the processor, it tells us that the processor provides you with the required speed without dishing out all its power at once. So you get what you need, while the battery life is also saved.
Storage wise you have 1 TB HDD. This lets you store numerous media files and back up videos. You will not run out of space any time soon.
In case you do, however, you can simply use one of the numerous connectivity ports to transfer files. There is 1 USB 3.0 port, 2 USB 2.0 ports, the VGA port, and the HDMI output.
The DVD-RW optical drive has both reading and writing capabilities. This can be used to play all those old CDs and DVDs everyone treasures.
The Acer Aspire E 15 is a good choice for users who want a good and sturdy laptop for all their uses but don't want to break the bank.
You have the Core i5-8250U processor with a clock speed of up to 3.4 GHz. With this, you have more power, a higher battery life, and overall better performance.
For the graphics unit, you have the Nvidia GeForce MX 150 with 2GB VRAM. This creates vibrant and bold graphics on the screen which lets you enjoy videos and documentaries at their finest display quality.
When it comes to storage, you have 256 GB SSD and 8 GB of dual-channel memory. While these are not the highest of its kind, they are pretty great for everyday usage and still lets you play games.
If you feel, however, that you need more space, the laptop has a compartment door in the bottom which can be used to upgrade both the memory and the hard drive with ease.
Entertainment is great on this thanks to the Acer TrueHarmony feature that increases the audio's depth, limits distortions, and provides a wide range of bass for an exquisite audio experience.
For connections, you have 8X DVD Double-Layer Drive RW with 8.5GB capacity. As well as 1 USB 3.1 Type C (Gen 1) port, 2 USB 3.0 ports, 1 USB 2.0 port, and the HDMI Port with HDCP support.
You might be looking for an optical drive specifically, but that does not rule out other features that need to be just as solid for the laptop to function. And the processor is the primary feature you need to check.
Things to watch out for include the processor brand. We prefer Intel over AMD simply because it has better performance overall.
Look out for Core i5 or i7 processors, since these are suitable for almost all kinds of workout there and won't cost you an arm and a leg. For more high-end software-intensive work, go for the i7, otherwise the i5 will do for a brilliant performance.
The processor should also have at least 2 cores, and possibly more depending on the kind of work to be done. Clock speeds should not be less than 2.5GHz for regular work and should be 3.5GHz and above for gaming or work of similar caliber.
The best laptop with optical drive should come with DVD drives since it is 2020 and CDs are a story of the past. But even in this one category, you have some classifications.
Some drives are DVD-ROM (Digital Versatile Disk-Read Only Memory). These are capable of reading DVD-ROM, DVD-Video, DVD-Audio (sometimes), as well as CD-ROM, CD-R/RW, and CD-DA discs. So if you require no DVD writing jobs at all, this will suffice.
If you do require writing though, look to DVD+/-RW drives. These writers can be used for pretty much everything, be it writing DVDs or CDs.
You should also note that writing speeds are lower than reading speeds in general. With the DVD-RW drives, you can write multiple times. But with the DVD-R you can write it only once. So choose depending on which you need, even though we recommend the -RW drives since they have more flexibility.
These two features complete the laptop to give it the speed and boost required for flawless functioning. For the internal storage, you should get a 256GB SSD for proper speeds.
But if you require a high storage space but are short on budget, a 1TB HDD will work as well.
For memory, 8GB is the minimum, and you should increase this if work demands. For a moderate level of work, 16GB is what we recommend. 32GB is useful to only users who have to work on sophisticated software for animations, 3D design, etc.
The battery life drastically differs between laptops. Ones that consume a lot of power from having powerful processors naturally have a lower battery life, and you have to carry the charger. This does not pose a huge problem if you require the power, and vice versa.
However, you should still have a minimum of 6 hours on average even with high power consuming processors. And with low power consuming processors you can get up to 15 hours of usage as well.
Some of the top-performing laptops in the market that still carry the optical drive include the Lenovo ThinkPad E570 as a good budget choice. For notebooks, you can look at the HP Notebook 15.6 Inch Touchscreen laptop.
If you want a gaming laptop, then the MSI GL62M 7Rex is worth checking out. And for an overall fine one considering all features, the Acer Aspire E 15 (E5-576-392H) is what you should turn to.
Optical drives on laptops refer to the system which lets the device play CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray. These come with certain lenses which read and write the data on the discs using electromagnetic waves.
Optical drives are becoming less common in laptops, but the ones that do contain these drives mostly contain DVD-ROM/CD-RW drives.
While optical drives have not entirely become a thing of the past, they are getting there. For numerous reasons, they are becoming obsolete, and better mediums of storage are one of them. Other reasons also exist, such as reducing a laptop's overall size, dimension, and weight, and making them slimmer and easier to carry.
Acer Aspire E 15, 15.6" Full HD, 8th Gen Intel Core i3-8130U, 6GB RAM Memory, 1TB HDD, 8X - Walmart Link
Dell Inspiron 5770 Intel Core i7-8550U X4 1.8GHz 16GB 2TB 17.3" Win10, Silver (Scratch - Walmart Link
Dell Inspiron 5770 17.3in FHD Laptop PC - Intel Core i7-8550U 1.80GHz, 8GB RAM, 2TB HDD, - Walmart Link
Dell Inspiron 17 5000 Series 5770 17.3 Full HD Laptop - 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8550U 16GB - Walmart Link
Dell Inspiron 15.6" HD Laptop, Intel Pentium Silver N5000 Quad-Core Processor up to - Walmart Link
Dell Inspiron 15.6" HD Business Laptop PC, Intel Pentium Silver N5000 Quad Core Processor - Walmart Link
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 Series i5547-3750sLV 15-Inch Laptop - Walmart Link
5.Acer Aspire E 15 - Walmart Link
7.Microsoft Surface Pro 6 - Walmart Link
HP Notebook 15.6 Inch Touchscreen laptop - Walmart Link
Acer Aspire E 15 (E5-576-392H) - Walmart Link
Acer Aspire E 15, 15.6" Full HD, 8th Gen Intel Core i3-8130U, 6GB RAM Memory, 1TB HDD, 8X - eBay Link
Dell Inspiron 5770 Intel Core i7-8550U X4 1.8GHz 16GB 2TB 17.3" Win10, Silver (Scratch - eBay Link
Dell Inspiron 5770 17.3in FHD Laptop PC - Intel Core i7-8550U 1.80GHz, 8GB RAM, 2TB HDD, - eBay Link
Dell Inspiron 17 5000 Series 5770 17.3 Full HD Laptop - 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8550U 16GB - eBay Link
Dell Inspiron 15.6" HD Laptop, Intel Pentium Silver N5000 Quad-Core Processor up to - eBay Link
Dell Inspiron 15.6" HD Business Laptop PC, Intel Pentium Silver N5000 Quad Core Processor - eBay Link
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 Series i5547-3750sLV 15-Inch Laptop - eBay Link
5.Acer Aspire E 15 - eBay Link
7.Microsoft Surface Pro 6 - eBay Link
HP Notebook 15.6 Inch Touchscreen laptop - eBay Link
Acer Aspire E 15 (E5-576-392H) - eBay Link
O ptical drives may not be as popular as they once were, but don't let that stop you from scoring a good laptop that lets you play CDs or DVDs from the early 2000s. It gives the user peace of mind, simply having the drive. And quite frankly, it does not add much to the weight or thickness of the laptop either.
That being said, we have here a selection of laptop models with attractive features that will draw different users to different laptops.
We hope this article can help you find the best laptop with optical drive so you can continue replaying older discs for that nostalgia kick we all love once in a while.
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About Dror Wettenstein
Dror Wettenstein is a software engineer and entrepreneur with more than 15 years of experience in the industry. He is the founder of TechTreeRepeat, a company that enables technical writers to publish their work faster and share it with readers across the globe. Dror has a master’s degree in computer science from San Diego State University and a bachelor’s degree in physics from UC Irvine.
When he’s not working on software projects, Dror enjoys writing articles and essays on various topics. He also likes playing guitar and spending time with his wife and two young children.
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