External Vs. Internal DVD Burner
When shopping for a DVD burner, there are two primary options as to how the drive connects to the main computer: external and internal. Each of these options has its own benefits and faults.
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Space
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An internal DVD burner may be installed without needing any additional desk space. An external drive is in a separate enclosure, so it requires additional work space.
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Convenience
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When you install an internal DVD burner in your computer, you will have to open your case, mount the drive, and connect it up to the power supply. If you use an external drive, you simply connect it to the USB or FireWire port, then plug in the power.
Portability
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An external DVD burner can easily be disconnected and transported from one place to another, or transferred between one computer and another. An internal drive that is physically mounted into the case cannot be moved to another site on its own.
Speed
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Unless you are using an older USB 1.1 interface to connect your external DVD burner, you are going to see very little performance difference between an internal and external drive.
Cooling
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When a computer case has additional components added to it, it becomes more difficult to keep cool. An external DVD burner does not contribute to such issues.
- Photo Credit "Old media" is Copyrighted by Flickr user: john_a_ward (John Ward) under the Creative Commons Attribution license.
