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General discussion

CD VS DVD

by major82 Jun 16, 2007 9:30PM PDT

I am considering buying a new laptop PC. Do I need to include a DVD device? Do I need to Include a Combo Cd/DVD Drive? Thank you

Discussion is locked

2 Posts

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Depends.

by Kees Bakker Jun 16, 2007 11:21PM PDT

Depends on your needs. If you can foresee that you won't use any DVD in this laptop in the next 4 years, a CD would be good enough. But I wouldn't rely on that prediction and buy a laptop with a DVD-drive. My arguments:
- most laptops come with Vista nowadays, and Vista is on DVD
- most laptops come with DVD
- the price difference (if you can find one without) is minimal and neglectable
- all DVD-drives can read CD's

Even the price difference between a read-only version and a burner is small. Only if you've got a burner on your desktop, and will be able to backup files from the laptop across your home network or to a removable hard disk, so you won't really need it, you might have some difficulty to find a laptop without a DVD-burner.

Hope this helps.

Kees

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Agreed! Get The DVD+/-RW Drive...

by Grif Thomas Former Forum moderator Jun 17, 2007 10:46AM PDT

It gives you the ability to burn CDs, DVDs, and watch commercial DVD discs as well.. I've found very few machines offered with a CD burner only or a DVD reader only, and even when that's an option, there's little or no price difference..

I see no downside to getting the DVD burner.

Hope this helps.

Grif

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