Internal Vs. External CD Burners

If you are shopping for a computer, particularly a laptop, you may wonder if it is better to get an internal or an external CD burner. While the ultimate answer depends on your particular needs, there are a few points you can consider.

Cost

The physical housing of an external burner costs more to manufacture, and that cost is passed on to the customer. You can shave a few dollars off by purchasing an internal burner instead.

Convenience

An external burner's portability allows you to more easily move it from computer to computer. In this sense, it can act as a portable storage device.

Power Consumption

If you have an older computer whose power supply is struggling to keep up with all its attached devices, an external burner can take off some of the pressure since you can plug it into a wall outlet.

Battery Power

Alternatively, you can obtain a battery-powered CD burner, which can also act as a portable CD player or be plugged into a car's nine-volt cigarette lighter plug.

Troubleshooting

If your internal burner appears to be having technical difficulties, attaching an external burner to diagnose the problem is easier than replacing the internal burner.

References

• DVDBurner.info: External Burners
• PCStats.com: Product Review