Optical drives are still practical for many users, whether to play old CDs and DVDs, install software, or create backups—especially with modern laptops, which are usually supplied without a drive.

Music, movies, and books have gone from physical objects to digital files over the past 10 years, and computer designs have changed with the times. A lot of computers — laptops, all-in-ones, and ...

Optical drives no longer come pre-installed in most PCs and laptops, yet they’re still indispensable for many users. Whether for playing old DVDs, installing ancient software from CDs, or burning data ...