CDRW Drive - 52x/24x/52x CDRW Drive

A CD-RW Drive is a device that allows your computer to play and run CD-ROMs, record onto CDR disks, and record/erase and re-record onto CDRW disks.  The drive reads from, and writes to, a CD disk using a laser that reads the digitally stored information from little micro-patterns in the disk.

The specification of 52x/24x/52x refers to three different speeds.  The first number (52x) refers to the speed of writing onto CDR disks.  The second specified number (24x in this example) refers to the speed of writing onto CDRW disks.  The third number specified (the last 52x) refers to the speed of the drive when reading a disk of any type.

For more information on drives and how to deal with the various technologies, please read our CD Drive Technology data sheet.

Different Media for different purposes
The CD (Compact Disk Read Only Memory) is especially useful for installing software onto your system.  When you purchase software, typically, the software comes on a CD.  This provides the software manufacturer a way to send you large amounts of data (up to 650MB uncompressed) on a single disk, and it provides you an easy and quick way of transferring that data from the disk to your computer, by installing the software.

The CDR (Compact Disk Recordable) is useful for backing up data, by writing information onto the the disk.  Each disk can hold up to 650MB of data.  Even though the CDR can NOT be re-written over, it is an excellent way to backup since the disks are very cheap (less than 20 cents per disk) and that means you can create a backup, mark it with a date, and store the disk in a safe place for future needs.  It's a great way to "historically" catalog your data.

The CDRW (Compact Disk Re-Writable) is also useful for backing up data.  Unlike it's counterpart the CDR, the CDRW can record, then erase what it records, and re-write again.  It basically acts like a giant floppy disk.  Although CDRW's sound like they can do much more, the drawback is that CDRW's must be formatted before they can be used (which can take up to 45 minutes) and they don't provide that historical cataloging as mentioned in the previous paragraph.  They only provide a "snapshot" of what your data "currently" looks like, and they also cost a bit more.

Our recommendation is that you purchase a spindle of CDR's (not CDRW's) for backup purposes when you get your computer. 

Analogy - A typical compact disk can store up to 650 MB (mega bytes) of information on a single disk.   Each CD disk has the storage capacity equivalent to over 450 floppy disks!   If a floppy disk were an 18 wheeler truck, the CD would be the warehouse.

History - CD-ROM drives originally came out with a single speed unit.  Ever since that time, all other CD-ROM drives have been gauged based on that speed.  Hence, today, we have CD-ROM drives that are 52 speed (52x) and higher.  The CDR and CDRW drives (and disks) came out much later.  They were initially VERY highly priced.  Now, they come standard with every computer.

Manufacturers - There are numerous manufacturers including Sony, Mitsumi, AOpen and Hewlett Packard. 

What You Are Looking For - The main factor here is the general specification of speed or access time.  The only other consideration is price.  You're new system should include a CDRW drive with a drive speed of 40x or higher. 

Keep in mind that CD drives are slowly going out of style due to the emerging DVD technology.   You may want to opt for the new technology now and get a Digital Versatile Disk DVD player that not only read and writes DVDs but its predecessor, the good 'ol CD-ROM!