Does anyone make Laptops with optical drives anymore?

PlacidCasual · 1 May 2019 at 10:39

Hi Peeps

I currently work away from home a few days a week so at least one night a week in a hotel. Currently I watch something on Amazon video on mu iPad or read but it is a lot of dead time.

I have many DVD's of old TV shows I haven't found time to watch and a fair number of good movies on BluRay that I could just take with me. I also have the Book + CD's for a Spanish Language course that I started a few years ago and could restart.

I've been writing a blog which I find easy on my desktop and a pain in the bum on my tablet.

Finally I have a Steam account with some games like Civ6.

It strikes me that a half decent laptop with BluRay drive would open up a wide range of evening productive activities that aren't just killing time. But does such a beast still exist?

Can anyone suggest likely manufacturers? I've checked the OCUK shop and haven't seen one. External BR drives exist but that seems like a faff to be avoided at first choice.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Zefan · 1 May 2019 at 10:59

They do exist, the last time I checked (bought my laptop without an optical drive a year ago), but it's always detrimental to something else, such as overall spec, the cooling solution, battery size or general size of the chassis. These things are far more important to me than the hassle of carrying around an optical drive some of the time.

Don't forget you can also use the optical drive across devices, which will save you buying again for a desktop if you own one.

PlacidCasual · 1 May 2019 at 11:42

That's a fair point, and gives me something to think about.

EsaT · 1 May 2019 at 20:16

Hardly any current models have them because of physical space consumption reasons.

MonkeyBasher · 1 May 2019 at 20:19

Lots of desktops dont even come with optical drives a any more due to the faff, space and cost reasons for something that most will not use that often.
Most people when buying a laptop would prefer an extra SD card or a bigger battery rather than an optical drive.

A decent external USB3 device that can read and write DVDs, CDs and BlueRays will cost 80-90 quid and will last you for years across many computers.

Yaayuh! · 2 May 2019 at 09:00

I have used external optical drives for several years now. Much prefer to carry them around.
I would suggest something along the lines of this: https://www.overclockers.co.uk/asus...berlink-power2go-8-sbc-06d2x-u-cd-066-as.html

foster grant · 2 May 2019 at 09:59

My Laptop has an optical drive, didnt even know when I got it...only found out after I took it out of the box lol

Double07 · 3 May 2019 at 13:54

External drive, they are cheap as chips these days and you can get some pretty sexy ones too

PlacidCasual · 14 May 2019 at 10:33

Thx or the replies guys.

I'm very close to pushing the button on a 17" Asus Laptop and external Asus BluRay Drive. Some stupid questions first and please forgive my ignorance it's been a decade since I seriously paid attention to PC stuff.

I have a Steam account on my desktop, I assume I can add the app to my Laptop and download any games I want onto the Laptop too?
If I buy an external optical drive with Cyberlink Power 2 Go I'll be able to watch BluRays without any additional software?

chroniclard · 14 May 2019 at 10:55

PlacidCasual said:
Thx or the replies guys.

I'm very close to pushing the button on a 17" Asus Laptop and external Asus BluRay Drive. Some stupid questions first and please forgive my ignorance it's been a decade since I seriously paid attention to PC stuff.

I have a Steam account on my desktop, I assume I can add the app to my Laptop and download any games I want onto the Laptop too?
If I buy an external optical drive with Cyberlink Power 2 Go I'll be able to watch BluRays without any additional software?

Yes just install steam on laptop, login, install what you like. Yes can use windows media player or something free like VLC.

PlacidCasual · 14 May 2019 at 11:02

@chroniclard Thx, much appreciated.

chroniclard · 14 May 2019 at 11:24

Actually, not sure Windows Media player works for blu ray....VLC does I think.

Snoflo · 16 Sep 2019 at 23:33

Hi,
New person here. Just to chime in: HP ZBook 17 G5 / G6 will ship with a Blu-ray writer / player as an option. I have the G5 with the Blu-ray player option. To play Blu-rays directly I use CyberLink PowerDVD. You can also burn the Blu-rays to the laptop using free software if you prefer that.