Could the space on a disc-less console be used for something else?

I ask this because I am clueless on PC/console architecture

Could the space used for an optical drive be used to house more memory or better processors. I say this because my laptop disc player died and I am using a USB external optical drive through USB3 and I see no real difference in performance the few times I have had to use it - mainly for CDs. Could we theoretically have a optical - less console with the option to use an external drive for the old physical disks?

Are Microsoft doing this with their new consoles? Could laptops without optical drives use that space to make them more powerful?

Not really.

Yes, it could, and it could also do Sony, a massive favour. if they did it with their Ps5 so it does not sound like a jet engine when running some games.

Also, I don´t know the last time I actually used any drive and considering that 90% of PC's today come without any and no one who builds their own get a case where there is even room, it´s a good bet that the drive is useless.

Though it would be interesting to see some research on how many buy a console primarily because it´s a cheap decent Blu-ray player.

For laptops on you can buy a hard drive caddy and put another SSD or something in there instead of the disc drive.

sure, it could be a cup holder

Tiny frozen pizza microwave maybe?

Idickless xbox on.

Mini sandwich toaster.

They could have put another HDD in there. That's what they would have done if they were smart, anyway.

They could fit a Modified PS2 Slim inside it so it could finally have games.