It can get rather confusing with the differences between each format but note that a Blu-ray drive or player can play anything, while DVD drives cannot load up Blu-ray discs. While Blu-ray media isn't supported on DVD drives and is not backward compatible with DVD players, it is possible to load up and write to both CDs and DVDs with a Blu-ray drive. 128GB of data can be stored on a single disc, making it a versatile means of storage.
As for external units, you'll have to pay slightly more for the casing, which will increase the price to around $27. Prices for internal DVD drives, which can installed inside a PC, will set you back around $19.
#What is the best external cd dvd player Pc#
(Fun fact: Grand Theft Auto V is so big the physical PC version requires a total of seven DVD discs!) Pros:
Most games of today are also still released on DVD for PCs, which opens up an avenue of physical video game purchases. If you need to throw together a physical package containing a bunch of important files or media, DVD is the way to go unless you have more than around 10GB, whereby Blu-ray would make more sense. It's easy to check, simply watch out for "DVD+R DL" or "DVD-R DL." Not all players and drives will be able to access the dual-layered discs, so be sure to check before parting with any money. DVDs can be single- or dual-layered, with the latter supporting up to 8.5GB of data.
This also allows for vastly more content to be stored on the discs, making them ideal for smaller system backups. A DVD, on the other hand, will be able to hold just shy of 5GB (4.7GB) worth of data.Ī huge increase in available storage was driven by the need for physical media to house HD movies. With a CD, you'll get around 700MB at the most. The main difference between CDs and DVDs is the size of available storage. DVD drives are not only able to play and write to DVD media, but also CDs. It's rather difficult to pick up a new CD drive, but to be honest DVD drives are affordable so it really isn't an issue.