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Laptops with a physical CD/DVD drive feel like relics of the past. But they do still exist. And no, they are not necessarily weird, unknown branded ones made from completely outdated hardware; if you’re lucky to find one, you can buy some made from trusted brands like Lenovo, Dell, and HP, equipped with fairly decent CPUs. The downfall is that some of these are hard to track down, and might not yield well to top-of-the-line stuff like AMD Ryzen 9, or even a new-gen Intel i9. Plus, if you are worried about size, these disc-equipped laptops will be bulkier than some of the newest ones on the market, as they are no longer capable of staying as slim and compact and now have to be fitted with a disc drive.
Thankfully, owning a laptop with an optical drive won’t terribly affect performance (they may allocate internal space and resources), since all specs are the same regardless of brand, but you should still keep your expectations in check. You’ll notice that a lot of the models with optical drives are being phased out, so the CPU/integrated GPU will be outdated regardless. Plus, you might have to pay a small premium and even an import fee if you can’t locate the older model from the manufacturer. Still, if you’re a fan of using discs, finding a capable one might be slightly difficult, but not impossible.
HP ZBook 17 G5
If you can track down an HP ZBook 17 G5 (2018 edition) and are willing to spend a pretty dime on it, as these laptops can range from $1700 to more than $5000, but can also vary if you find one second-hand. Once you find one and the price is right, you’ll be happy to know that this computer has a Blu-ray disc optical drive (it can play CDs and DVDs, too). Even though this laptop was released back in 2018, it’s still a powerhouse. That’s because the computer is classified as a workstation, which means it’s well-suited for video editing, engineering simulations, and other demanding applications.
This particular model also uses an Intel Xeon E-2186M, which is fairly good, even though the CPU is slightly outdated compared to modern budget options like the AMD Ryzen 5 5500U. However, even if it is an outdated CPU, it is still dependable to use as long as you aren’t using it for something like gaming. The downside of most aged hardware, like the HP ZBook 17 G5, is that securing one isn’t easy; you’re better off tracking down a refurbished one from eBay, Amazon, or even Best Buy through third-party sellers.
Dell Inspiron 15 5000 series
Like other entries on this list, the last time Dell included an optical drive with its Dell Inspiron 15 5000 series was in 2017-2018, with the 5570 and 5575, which were small, compact-sized laptops that featured 8th Gen Intel Core processors and the AMD equivalent (the 5575 model has the AMD CPU). The starting price of those models was around $600, but if you’re absolutely lucky, you’ll find one for dirt cheap if you’re fine with used electronics. Though these computers are a bit older, the processors aren’t going to be anything special. The 5570, for example, can have an i5-8250U or an i7-8550U, which is around mid-range, meaning it’ll be good as an everyday computer that excels at browsing and running different applications, but won’t be good enough to game on or handle demanding applications like AutoCAD.
An important note is that not all 5000 models have optical drives; many newer ones have them removed. But if you can find one that is of a 5565, 5567, 5570, or 5575, they may have a built-in CD/DVD drive. But to be extra sure, you’ll need to read the spec sheet to see if it’s included, and verify the laptop’s thickness (19.90mm versus 22.70mm), since the thicker variant should indicate that it includes the drive. Otherwise, you’re looking at much older 3000 series models.
Panasonic ToughBook 56
Panasonic unveiled a rugged laptop with a tray-loading option, so yes, some Panasonic models do support the long-forgotten optical drive. But as always, you have to be absolutely careful with reading the fine print. If you look closely at a specifications sheet for the Toughbook 56, you’ll see two asterisks next to the “Left expansion” section where the DVD Multi Drive is located. The two asterisks indicate that it is an “exclusive option, pre-configured or accessory,” meaning it might not be built-in, but there is space to add one. While this may not be a perfect solution, it’s still a fair compromise — since you can get one added in if you want, but the manufacturers don’t feel pressured to release one with a tray included.
This is also a fairly new laptop. Panasonic only recently revealed this device, so the processor is more modern, and the laptop is going to be built around being shock-resistant and staying impact-protected. It’s not a light laptop by any means, but it is mainly designed for travel and the outdoors. If you happen to be an outdoorsy person who wants to sneak in a movie or two in the wilderness, this portable computer would be a great fit for you.
Fujitsu Notebook Lifebook A3511
Fujitsu’s LifeBook lineup is aimed at business users, but luckily, the Japanese company still offers some budget-friendly choices, including models with optical drives embedded. Plus, if you’ve been upset about laptops removing ports/other hardware components in exchange for slimmer designs, you’ll be right at home with Fujitsu’s Lifebook A3511, which has a bulky design to accompany old features, like a disc drive. And yes, this particular model does have a DVD Super Multi drive. Also, thanks to its intended bulky design, it has extra room to include full-sized interfaces (extra ports), like LAN, USB (with USB-C), and HDMI.
And the good news is that this laptop isn’t over a decade old; it’s a late bloomer compared to many entries on this list, since it came out in 2021-2022. So that means the equipped processor isn’t incredibly outdated; the Lifebook A3511 uses an 11th-generation Intel processor, specifically the i5-1135G7 or i3-1115G4. While these processors aren’t particularly impressive by today’s standards (limited by four cores), they are fairly solid for a budget/mid-range option. The only awkward part is that Fujitsu laptops are distributed in Japan, so your best bet is either to import it directly, which can get costly, or to buy one secondhand from a third-party seller (on Amazon or eBay).
Lenovo ThinkPad E570
Lenovo is another top-tier popular brand for making very capable, fast laptops that work well for demanding applications. The ThinkPad has always been designed with power users in mind, and its higher-end models often cost a premium. The Lenovo ThinkPad E570 is a bit different. The ThinkPad E570 is a lightweight business laptop that specializes in productivity at an affordable price.
When Lenovo released this laptop, you could buy one on a budget if you settled for a lower-spec model (starting from the Intel Core i3, but you’ll most likely find the Intel Core i5-7200U one instead). But given that this computer was released back in 2017, you can no longer purchase it directly from Lenovo, and you can probably find an even cheaper option from a refurbished model online. Though if you luck in, you’ll be happy to know that this ThinkPad has a SuperMulti DVD Burner for its optical drive.
