The DVD player in my Windows XP laptop died. Which DVD players will be compatible with XP? External is fine.
It would be nice if it was also compatible with a Windows 8.1 laptop, but not a must.
It depends on the laptop. If old enough, it'll be a IDE connection, if newer, SATA will be the connector. If you prefer external, just about any external drive with a USB connection will work.
Might want to reevaluate the optical drive necessity. An external USB CD/DVD drive is <$20 including delivery & tax, but why? What, if I may humbly inquire, were you using the drive for?