We love that modern laptops have become so slim and light, but we aren’t happy about the disappearance of ports and features. It’s been forever since I’ve seen a laptop with an optical disc drive! If ...

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.

October 19, 1992: Apple launches the Mac IIvx, the first Macintosh computer to ship with a metal case and, more importantly, an internal CD-ROM drive. The last of the Macintosh II series, the Mac IIvx ...

We independently review everything we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more› By Arthur Gies Arthur Gies is an editor for Wirecutter's tech coverage. He's ...

This CD player offered a glimpse of Apple's post-desktop game plan. Photo: Jonathan Zufi March 22, 1993: Apple launches the PowerCD, the first device from the company that doesn’t require a computer ...

These days, very few of us use optical media on the regular. If we do, it’s generally with a slot-loading console or car stereo, or an old-school tray-loader in a desktop or laptop. This has been the ...

Apple has always been eager to dump technologies when the company feels they have outlived their usefulness. The original iMac came without a floppy drive. The iPhone 7 came without a headphone jack.

It's easy to make boot disks on old Macs for older hardware, but as the years have gone on, it's gotten a little more difficult. Here's how to make classic Mac OS 9 and early Mac OS X boot media on ...

The Apple SuperDrive is a beautifully designed CD drive for anyone who still needs an optical drive. With Apple’s design language and a premium aluminum enclosure, the SuperDrive is a great option for ...

It’s important to note that the methods outlined below will not work with Blu-rays. Those discs use a harder coating that’s more difficult to scratch and damage, which is good, but the downside to ...