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CD / DVD Rom Information
Optical drives are pretty much a standard part of computer systems these days – they’ve come a long way from the luxury they were in the mid 90s. The years have also brought new optical technologies beyond just the simple CD, so here is some info on the basic terminology involved in selecting one of these drives:

CD – Compact Disc – This is the optical format that has been around the longest, and is still the standard for music and small data storage (up to 600-700MB). Every optical drive out there can at the very least read this format.

DVD – Digital Versatile (or Video) Disc – This is a format that can store a lot more information than CD, and can support two layers for even more data. It was popularized by movies, as a digital replacement for VHS tapes, but has also caught on as a good format for storing backups and large amounts of data (4GB+ per layer, over 8GB on a dual-layer disc).

BluRay – This is the latest optical format to gain widespread use, and is most commonly used for high-definition movies. Like DVD it can support multiple layers, with up to 25GB of storage per layer, and it can accommodate normal data just as well as video.

ROM – Read Only Memory – This is a term applied to optical drives which can only read discs and cannot write to them. The most basic drives will be labeled as such, or alternatively as a “reader”-type drive (though a reader of one format may still be able to write to others).

RW – Read / Write – This is the term for drives that can both read and write a given format (or formats), and in more recent times the phrase “burner” has come to have the same meaning.



8x DVDRW for Puget M525i

This is the standard optical drive that Puget laptops are equipped with. It can read and write both CDs and DVDs, which covers the needs of most users. If you want to also be able to watch Blu-ray movies, then you will likely want to upgrade.
8x DVDRW for Puget M730i

This is the standard optical drive that Puget laptops are equipped with. It can read and write both CDs and DVDs, which covers the needs of most users. If you want to also be able to watch Blu-ray movies, then you will likely want to upgrade.
Lite-On 18x DVD-ROM SATA

This is a basic read-only drive that is compatible with CDs and DVDs. It is ideal for systems where no burning of discs will be required, like a server, but if you are unsure about your needs then a DVD-RW model would be safer (and not much more expensive).

Puget Professional Advice:
Jeff Stubbers (Customer Service) Says:
This DVD-ROM drive only reads DVD and CD. To be able to write to DVD and CD as well as read them, you will want to get a DVD-RW instead.

Pioneer 22x DVD-RW SATA

 Puget Preferred Part!		This is the standard optical drive that Puget desktops are equipped with. It can read and write both CDs and DVDs, which covers the needs of most users. If you want to also be able to watch Blu-ray movies, or possibly even burn Blu-ray discs, then you will likely want to upgrade.
Sony Slim 8X DVD-RW Drive

This is the standard optical drive that Puget Echo-series desktops are equipped with. It can read and write both CDs and DVDs, which covers the needs of most users. If you want to also be able to watch Blu-ray movies, then you will likely want to upgrade.
8x External DVDRW USB Drive

This is a slim, portable optical drive. It is designed specifically with small laptops in mind - those so small that they don't have room for a built-in drive. It provides the ability to read and write CDs and DVDs when needed, but can be stowed away when not in use to save battery power.

In practice this could also be used with a larger laptop if an addition drive is needed, or even with a desktop; any computer with USB ports should be able to use it.
8x DVDRW for Sager NP8850

This is the stock optical drive for the Sager NP8120. It is capable of reading and writing CDs and DVDs, but not Blu-ray discs.
Lite-On 8X Blu-Ray Player SATA

 Puget Preferred Part!		This is a Blu-ray player, which can also read and write both CDs and DVDs. Due to its relatively low price it is a great solution for systems where watching Blu-ray movies is desired, like a home-theater computer, but if you need to also be able to burn Blu-ray discs then you will want to upgrade.

Puget Professional Advice:
Jon Bach (President) Says:
This is a great drive. We used to carry a Pioneer model, but they bundled it with WinDVD for Blu-Ray playback, and we have found that software to be buggy and unreliable. This Lite-On unit comes with PowerDVD. We've tried all the major blu-ray playback software titles, and PowerDVD is by far the most reliable.

6x External Blu-Ray USB Drive

This is a slim, portable Blu-ray drive. It is designed specifically with small laptops in mind - those so small that they don't have room for a built-in drive. It provides the ability to read and write CDs and DVDs when needed, but can be stowed away when not in use to save battery power. It also plays Blu-ray discs, so it is a great way to add playback of newer movies to an existing system (though you may need software for that, too).

In practice this could also be used with a larger laptop if an addition drive is needed, or even with a desktop; any computer with USB ports should be able to use it.
Pioneer 12X Blu-Ray Burner SATA

 Puget Preferred Part!		The BDR-205 Blu-ray Disc/DVD/CD writer is the next generation Blu-ray Disc writer from Pioneer. This writer allows users to test & author high-definition Blu-ray Disc content while also delivering the ability for high-capacity data storage. The drive can read BD-ROM discs, read/write dual layer BD-R & BD-RE discs, read DVD-ROM, and read/write most DVD and CD recordable media formats.
Blu-Ray Player for Puget M730i

This is an upgraded optical drive for Puget laptops that allows reading of Blu-ray discs, in addition to reading and writing CDs / DVDs. If you want to be able to watch Blu-ray movies on the go then this is the drive for you.
Blu-Ray Player for Puget M525i

This is an upgraded optical drive for Puget laptops that allows reading of Blu-ray discs, in addition to reading and writing CDs / DVDs. If you want to be able to watch Blu-ray movies on the go then this is the drive for you.
Sony Slim Blu-Ray Burner Drive

This is an upgrade available for Puget Echo desktops, to allow use of Blu-ray discs. It can read and write BluRay media, as well as CDs and DVDs. If you want to be able to watch Blu-ray movies it is a great choice, but please note that it does not include software for doing so - you'll need a 3rd party program like PowerDVD Ultra to enable that.
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