Media Playback And Software Installation

• An external DVD burner has the ability to play DVD videos and audio CDs. You can also use one to install software purchased from a computer or electronics store. This capability is particularly useful on very thin notebook computers, which often do not include internal optical drives.
  
  

Backup Device

• DVD-Rs are inexpensive, costing pennies each when purchased in bulk. An external DVD burner is an effective backup device, enabling you to copy the most important files on your computer to discs and retain them in the event of a computer crash. Because an external DVD burner is not tethered permanently to an individual computer, you can use one burner to back up the most important data on all of the computers in your home.
  
  

Portable Storage

• Most computers have internal DVD drives or burners, enabling you to bring data from one computer to another on the discs that you burn with an external DVD burner. If you need to transfer files to a computer without a DVD drive, simply bring the external DVD burner from one computer to the other. Using multiple DVDs, you can transfer a virtually unlimited amount of data in a short time.
  
  

Simple Upgrade

• An external DVD burner is a simple upgrade for an older computer that does not have the ability to burn DVDs. Recent Windows versions require no device drivers for most DVD burners, making an external DVD burner a plug-and-play upgrade that requires no computer upgrade experience. If you have a desktop computer and are nervous about opening the case to install an internal DVD burners, consider an external model instead.