Optical drives let your computer read and interact with discs like CDs, DVDs, and Blu-rays. While nearly every computer had them a few years ago, they're rare to see on new computers now. If you need ...

We independently review everything we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more› By Arthur Gies Arthur Gies is an editor for Wirecutter's tech coverage. He's ...

One of the most interesting parts of the recent Apple Mac Mini and MacBook Air refresh is that Apple is moving away from optical drives. Apple isn't the only company to do so, raising the question "Is ...

Slim is definitely in, just ask Samsung, who has gone and introduced one of the skinniest external optical drives you're ever likely to see before the technology is supplanted by whatever storage ...

Sometimes you may need to reinstall OS X on a computer, but the drive is broken, resulting in an obvious problem with reading the installation DVD. Here are some methods to install OS X around a ...

NEC was busy showcasing PC-based high-definition DVD players and recorders at CeBIT. NEC presented the HR-1100 multireader 3-in-1 drive that can play HD DVDs as well as normal DVDs and CDs. The drive ...

Recently I had a conversation with a coworker who asked me about CD-ROM drives. They purchased a new PC a year or so ago and it does not have an optical drive. This wasn’t a problem until they came ...

If you have an external optical drive in OS X, the built-in Eject key on the keyboard may not work with it, so here are some options for handling external discs on your Mac. Topher, an avid Mac user ...

There’s something very ironic about an optical drive for the upcoming space-shaped [1] Mac Pro, like adding a fax machine to an iPhone. Better still is the fact that it’s not just any old optical ...