CD-RW Drive or Zip 250

[Zacko10000]

I am pondering the question, what to buy, a internal CD-RW drive (CD Racer, its a 2x/2x/24x) or an External Iomega Zip 250 drive, both are the same price over at vauleamerica after vaule dollars, head over to steals and deals if you want the story on that. Which would you say is a better choice? I've been weighing the advantages/disadvantages for a few days now, and need to make a decision soon before my $100 value dollars expire. Please tell me any good, bad experiences you have had with either the Zip drive or CD-RW drives, Thanks. Zach

[smokin1]

Depends on what you want to use them for. I have both and the Zip is good for installing things on a computer that has no CD drive for example...but it is really slow...in fact the system will hang for up to a minute when accessing it...cd/rw on the other hand have a greater storage capacity and the media is cheap and they are fast...around here a zip disk is $18 and up and a cd is $1.89.....

[LED]

I agree with Smokin and another thing is most Puters have th CDROM so you can exchange data...I sent you email regarding my problems with the Zip deal

[welsh wizard]

Also agree with smokin1, Zip 250 are a bit thin on the ground compared with the number of CD roms out there, ask yourself who do you know who doesn't have a CD rom drive on their computer, then ask who do you know who has Zip 250 drive, should end up with an answer, plus which do you think will be around longer CD's or floppy type drives.
WW

[bdog]

Zip seems faster than CD to me. Not in reading, but definitely in writing. If you have a few files or directories that you like to back up on a regualr basis, a zip is better in my opinion. A CD offers more compatibility with others if you are sharing with them, but I know a lot more people with zip drives than burners, so getting files from others the zip may have the advantage. I have both drives, and enjoy the burner for backing up cd's and making my own custom music cd's, but I use my zip drive probably 20 times for every time I use the burner.

[Pantion]

It depends on the use you will give to either one of them. If you want to backup data or save like mp3, mpegs, etc. go for the CD-RW. Or if you want to exchange file from computer to computer the zip is more like it since you can install the drivers and take it anywhere (that is what I do).

Yes, only old computers don't have CD-ROM drives. But how many you know that have CD-R/RW drives? So you will be the only one who can send data, but you'll not be avaible to get from another computer unless it is an external drive.