DigiTimes: The global optical disc industry is experiencing a reshuffle which will continue into the first half of 2013 due to makers in Japan, as well as second- and third-tier Taiwan-based makers stopping production during 2012. Prices for optical discs are expected to increase by nearly 50% in the second half of 2013, according to Robert Wong, chairman of Taiwan's largest optical disc maker, CMC Magnetics.
Disc drives are being seen less and less – and that's a major problem.
I like Gigabyte's approach to optical drives. You can easily swap it out and add another 2.5 HDD. The process literally takes 10 seconds to do. This is the reason why I'm considering purchasing one. I still want an optical drive- mostly for films but I've got some old PC'games on disk too that I'm fond of.
I'll settle for a hard copy. No matter how convenient streaming media may be, no one can just simply revoke the license of a physical disc and turn it into a coaster. (not yet anyway)
Disc drives are going the way of 8-tracks and cassette tapes—and that's OK.
With the internet being regulate/severely gimped in different location a cd/dvd/blueray drive still needs to be included.
there are already plenty of PC without them now. OS can be installed via network or a usb device easily for quite some time now years and years
can't believe people are still buying these.
What year is 2H13?
There's nothing wrong with wanting tangible media.