# Combo drive

> Optical disc drive capable of burning CDs and reading DVDs

**Wikidata**: [Q495265](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q495265)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combo_drive)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/combo-drive

## Summary
A Combo drive is an optical disc drive capable of burning CDs and reading DVDs. It combines the functionality of a CD writer and a DVD drive into a single unit.

## Key Facts
- **Aliases:** ComboDrive, Combo-Drive, Combo drive
- **BabelNet ID:** 02746413n (source: Q4837690)
- **Freebase ID:** /m/098wwg (source: Q15241312, published 2013-10-28)
- **Subclass Of:** CD writer, DVD drive
- **Sitelink Count:** 4 (across Wikipedia projects)
- **Wikipedia Title:** Combo drive
- **Fandom Article ID:** apple:Combo_drive (English, article ID 17281)
- **Wikipedia Languages:** de, en, pt, zh
- **Wikidata Description:** Optical disc drive capable of burning CDs and reading DVDs

## FAQs
### Q: What is a Combo drive?
A: A Combo drive is an optical disc drive that can burn data onto CDs and read DVDs. It does not support writing to DVDs.

### Q: How does a Combo drive differ from a SuperDrive?
A: A Combo drive burns CDs and reads DVDs, while a SuperDrive typically adds the capability to burn DVDs. The source material does not explicitly define "SuperDrive," but Combo drives lack DVD writing capability.

### Q: When were Combo drives commonly used?
A: Combo drives were prevalent during the transition period from CDs to DVDs, particularly in the early to mid-2000s, before DVD writing became standard in optical drives.

## Why It Matters
The Combo drive represented a significant transitional technology in the evolution of optical storage. It solved the practical problem of needing separate drives for CD burning and DVD reading during a period when DVD writers were expensive and not yet ubiquitous. By offering both essential functions in one unit, Combo drives provided a cost-effective solution for users who needed to burn CDs (for data, music, backups) and access DVD content (like movies or software) without purchasing multiple drives. This dual functionality made them particularly popular in laptops and budget desktops during the early 2000s, bridging the gap between the CD era and the rise of writable DVD technology.

## Notable For
- Combining CD burning and DVD reading capabilities into a single optical drive unit.
- Serving as a transitional technology before DVD writing became standard and affordable.
- Being commonly integrated into Apple computers (as indicated by the Fandom article ID "apple:Combo_drive").
- Offering a cost-effective solution for users needing both CD writing and DVD playback functionality.

## Body
### Functionality
- **CD Burning:** Capable of writing data, audio, or other information onto Compact Discs (CD-R, CD-RW).
- **DVD Reading:** Capable of reading data from Digital Versatile Discs (DVD-ROM, DVD-Video, DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW).
- **DVD Writing:** Not capable of writing to DVDs. This is a key distinction from drives like SuperDrives.

### Historical Context
- Emerged as a solution during the late 1990s and early 2000s when DVD writers were significantly more expensive than CD writers.
- Became a standard feature in many consumer laptops and desktops, particularly from Apple, during the early to mid-2000s.
- Represented a compromise between the established CD-R/RW technology and the emerging, more expensive DVD writable technology.

### Technical Specifications (Source-Limited)
- Specific models and manufacturers are not detailed in the provided source material.
- Speed ratings (e.g., 24x CD-R, 8x DVD-ROM) are not mentioned in the source.
- Physical form factors (e.g., slot-loading, tray-loading) are not specified in the source.

### Market Relevance
- Primarily served the consumer and prosumer markets where cost was a factor.
- Provided essential functionality for users needing to create CDs and access DVD content without investing in a DVD writer.
- Were eventually superseded by drives that included DVD writing capabilities as costs decreased.

## References

1. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
2. BabelNet