Most modern laptops lack an optical drive, yet CDs and DVDs are still used in many households, whether for playing old movies ...

Bus-powered external DVD drives are convenient, but rarely reach their top speeds because of power constraints. OWC’s Mercury Pro transferred data more quickly and reliably.

External DVD drives are a lot cheaper than they used to be. NewEgg has a couple for $50-$60. Can probably find others on Amazon or Ebay.<BR><BR>Personally, I wouldn't go without one.

Likewise, external hard drives with their own power supply—ones that hook up to the mains—are probably going to work too, cabled up with an adapter dongle if needed.

Third-party external DVD drives can be had for as little as $20, and external Blu-ray drives start around $50, making the $79 DVD-only SuperDrive an iffy financial proposition.