Optical disc drives are almost an obsolete feature on portable computers, especially now, when we’re moving into an era dominated by ultra slim and ultra light computers like ultrabooks. Data can be moved around and obtained in more ways than one- you can download it, hold it on a USB drive or on an external HDD.
Disc drives are hence less viable than other methods of storing data, so it’s only normal that netbooks, which are by definition ultra portable computers with screens up to 12.5 inches in diagonal, rarely have disc drives. These optical units occupy lots of space that is used on netbooks for other purposes- more ports, a bigger battery or a more robust build.
Also, disc drives tend to drain batteries faster and considering that autonomy is such an important part of the netbook ethos, optical units are usually left aside. Another reason for not having an optical drive on netbooks is pricing. Netbooks- with a few noticeable exceptions- are packaged as budget computers and thus any way of squeezing the asking price down is welcomed.
Most netbooks have poor screens and have a plastic chassis, so that many users can afford such a device. Companies market netbooks more in terms of “under $299” or “under $200” than in terms of specs, so not including a rather expensive component seems like a decent business move. But this doesn’t mean we don’t have our share of exceptions. Some netbooks pack optical drives, as enough users out there still need a DVD drive, especially for work.
Many work related documents and presentations are still moved around on discs and anyway, a good work netbook has to have all types of components for interacting with data. Also, casual users might want to enjoy a movie while travelling or at home. Sometimes you might not have access to a streaming service, but just a bunch of DVDs, and it’s a little frustrating not to be able to enjoy them just because you have a netbook without an optical drive.
Netbooks with DVD drives, like the Toughbook S10, are rare and usually aimed at business users
One of the first netbooks to pack a DVD drive was Asus’s Eee PC 1004DN, which was a 10 inch netbook with a very interesting configuration. It packs a N280 Intel Atom processor and HD Intel graphics, so packing a DVD drive is pretty normal, considering you can play more pretentious types of video. You might have not heard about the 1004DN because it wasn’t a very successful computer in terms of sales.
While it had a great configuration for late 2010, when it was launched, and a metal exterior, the 1004DN had a terrifying asking price of 1400 bucks. No wonder it was short lived, considering most people are willing to spend a maximum of 400-450 bucks on a mainstream netbook. A more recent entry in this tiny category is Panasonic’s Toughbook S10, a 12 inch rugged netbook aimed at Enterprise. It’s a small tank with a metal chassis and that has a DVD drive on the right side of the palm rest.
The fact that there’s an optical drive in there doesn’t seem to affect the battery too much, as the estimated battery life is over 12 hours. The most convenient way to have a DVD drive for your netbook is to go for an external drive.This type of peripheral is very popular lately, as it’s light, can be connected via USB and can be used with more than one type of device. You can hook it up to a HD TV, desktop PCs, some tablets even.
Asus’s 1004DN has a DVD drive- but also a scarry asking price
In conclusion, if you want the flexibility and portability of a netbook and the ease of use and mainstream attire of a DVD drive, you’re better off buying a normal netbook and an external DVD drive- it’s the easiest set up available, both in terms of pricing and effort. Or, if you’re a collector, you might dig up one of those very rare netbooks with built in DVD drives.
