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If your notebook is a couple of years old, it is likely that it hasn't got a CD-RW or DVD-Rom drive. If it doesn't have a USB port either, then your options for upgrade look a little limited.
However, many old models have a PC card slot. If your notebook has one, the Sony CRX85A will catch your eye.
The Sony drive comes equipped with all the cables and software you need to get started. Bear in mind that, if your notebook doesn't have a CDRom drive, you will need to download the software from the website as the drive will not read CDRoms until it is installed.
Installation couldn't be easier. The drive connects using a Type II PC card slot (something that all notebooks have) and Windows picks it up immediately. As it's external, there are no screwdrivers or cables to fit. The plug is simply pressed into a vacant slot and away you go.
The CRX85A is a CD-RW/DVD-Rom combination drive which lets you to record CDs, watch DVD movies and read huge capacity DVD-Rom disks. We had ours playing DVD movies in minutes.
The minimum specification is a 400MHz PC with at least 64Mb of memory and Windows 98. If you fancy watching DVD movies on the move, the graphics chip in the notebook is important too if choppy video is to be avoided.
The CRX85A is not much bigger than a CDRom, so it won't affect your notebook's portability. Or rather it wouldn't if it didn't need to be plugged into the mains to operate.
The read, write and rewrite speeds aren't at the cutting edge of CD-RW technology for desktop PCs, but they out do many other portable CD-RWs. The burn-proofing technology means that CDRoms should be recorded without problems.
Price: £349 (inc. VAT)
/b Sony 0080 0262 37669
www.sony-cp.com
See also:
Plextor's first portable CD-RW drive is ideal to share between desktop PCs in different locations. 17 May 2002
All Optical Drives (CD/DVD Drive)
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