Drive test 2023

Although drives are useful for loading and burning CDs or DVDs, they are becoming less and less important as modern storage media become more popular and CDs and DVs continue to die out. In our drive test you will find out everything there is to know about drives. In addition, you will find the features of the best drives 2023 here and we will introduce you to the best models. 

You will also find out which drive is right for your computer and how much the right drive will cost you. Enjoy reading the large drives comparison!

Drive test: The best internal drives at a glance

Most computers can be equipped with up to four internal drives. Usually two hard drives, a CD drive and a DVD burner. Here, in our drive comparison, you can find out which models are our favorites. These internal drives below have proven themselves in everyday use thanks to their user-friendliness and performance, and we can give a clear purchase recommendation for these internal drives.

Drive test: The best external drives at a glance

In addition to the four internal drives, you can also equip your computer with external drives. These external drives are very flexible because they can also be used on other PCs. You can also enjoy maximum mobility with these external drives, because they are now like that robustthat no longer stands in the way of taking it with you. External drives are usually connected to the computer via a USB 2 connection. In the following we present you the best external drives that are currently available on the market.

Drive Guide: Everything you need to know!

In this chapter we will answer your questions about drives. Here you can find out everything you need to know about buying a drive so that you are well prepared. We answer the question of whether a drive is still worthwhile these days, or what you should consider when buying a new drive.

What is a drive and is it still worth buying these days?

A drive (also called a storage drive) is a device that provides access to a storage medium for digital data. A drive can either be permanently installed in a computer (internal drive) or connected to the computer externally (external drive) via a USB connection. Drives are CD drives, floppy disk drives, DVD drives, partitions, USB memory, RAM Disks etc. called. 

Most of the ultra-flat notebooks nowadays do without an extra CD or DVD drive because of this fact. However, if you like to look at CDs or DVDs on the computer yourself or would like to give away a burned CD or DVD, then buying a drive is definitely worthwhile in this case.

How much does a drive cost me?

You can get a solid brand drive in stores for around 15-60 euros. But of course you can also spend a lot more money here. The only question is whether that is necessary. With the drives that we presented to you in the section above, you are well equipped.

Can I burn CDs and DVDs with one drive?

Of course, you can also burn these media with a CD burner or a DVD burner. However, the CD burner should only be used for burning CDs, as it is simply too slow for burning DVDs. In order to buy a drive that includes a burning function, you have to make sure that the word "burner" appears in the title or in the product description.

Buy a new drive? You should note that!

So if you have decided to buy a new drive, there are a few things to consider before buying so that you will be satisfied with the drive in the long term. Basically, you should keep your hands off supposed bargain offers. You should not consider drives under ten euros. Here you can lose a lot of nerves under certain circumstances. 

When buying a new drive, make sure that it is from a reputable manufacturer and that the appropriate drive drivers are available. If the drive is not recognized by the PC or laptop, this can often only be corrected after a laborious search. 

The next question to consider is the Blue-ray standard. The Blu-ray format is actually only worthwhile for absolute film lovers. A DVD drive is sufficient for all "normal" end users, as it can be used to read all CDs and DVDs, except for those in Blue Ray format.

Drive test: Our verdict

The Data transmission using a drive only works if the PC or laptop has recognized the drive. As a rule, however, this is not a problem at all with the appropriate, enclosed driver. The advantage of external drives is undoubtedly that they have become very robust in recent years and there are no longer any limits to mobility. 

Here, however, the internal drives have a clear advantage, because no additional device has to be transported here. If you opt for a CD drive, then you'd better put a few euros on top and choose a DVD drive right away - this also allows you to create backup copies.