An external optical drive is a great way to read and write DVDs if your computer doesn’t come with a built-in drive or the internal unit has ceased to work. They are also slim and lightweight, making them easy to store and carry.
Before an external DVD drive, make sure to check the compatibility of the drive with your computer’s operating system. You should also take note of the drive’s speed; does it utilise the newer and speedier USB 3.0 drive?
Once you’ve noted down those factors, it’s time to choose one! Here are some of the best external optical drives available.
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South Korean electronics giant LG have been making optical drives for a long time, and they’ve improved so much. It all shows here in this slim external DVD writer.
For starters, the drive is compatible with most DVDs and rewritable media. It also supports M-Disc protection recording, making sure to maintain data protection for a long time. There’s also Jamless Play for seamless playback even from scratched and smudged discs – 90’s music and gaming, anyone?
Whether you’re on Windows or Mac OS, the drive is compatible with whichever. It’s also great with digital TVs and photo frames. Need to burn a lot of CDs at once? The drive burns at 8X max speed for faster writing times.
The ASUS Zen Drive U9M Portable DVD Writer is designed to pair with the ASUS Zenbook. But it’s still totally compatible with other makes of computers.
U9M supports both USB type C and Type A interfaces directly without a need for convertor. So, it’s also well suited for direct use on Android devices that support the same type of USB via apps available for free on Google Playstore. Features include a burning speed of max 8X and M-Disc support.
Transcend’s Slim External Drive is USB 2.0 compliant, making it compatible with all devices with just one USB cable to draw power and transfer data. The drive is compatible with multiple CD types including reading and writing dual layer discs.
The Ultra Slim External USB EBAU108 is one of the lightest external DVD drives on the market at 220grams in weight and 13.5 mm in thickness, so it’s easy to carry with you anywhere.
This Liteon drive features driverless USB interface, Smart Burn Technology, automatic speed adjustment, multi OS and TV compatibility. All of which are CD-ripping-friendly features enclosed in a desirable slim package.
Samsung Optical Drive SE208 is a stylish and sophisticated portable optical disk drive that delivers supreme mobile performance bellying its svelte form. Its minimalistic curved design is both lightweight and aerodynamic, designed for elegance and sophistication wherever you bring it.
What makes this drive great for Mac users is its AV connectivity mode, which lets you access and display multimedia content directly without needing to plug to a PC quick and easy. It’s compatible with multiple OS’es including Windows 7 and MAC OS so you can also reap the same benefits.
The drive burns at 8X speed to a wide array of disc-based media and features T.A.C (Tilt Actuator Compensation Technology), which means no burning mistakes even when bumped.
Tinytech is a well-regarded producer of quality computing accessories and peripherals at a budget price. Their slim SATA based external DV RW external optical drive offers a no frills drive for desktop and laptop usage.
This drive features a separate 5V USB power cable that can be powered by a free USB slot or USB slot wall power plug power supply. There’s also a secondary SATA to USB cable for data exchange with your computer.
Winner of the prestigious 2011 IF Design Award and 2012 Taiwan Excellence Award, the ASUS EXT Blu Ray is one of the most affordable high-performance external blu-ray drives around. Supporting both MAC OS and Windows, everyone can enjoy its extreme 6X Blu Ray writing speeds.
The drive also features support for Dolby EX and DTS-HD (5.1 channels) with audio out, BDXL format, Blu Ray 3D and HDMI output for an enhanced multimedia experience.
Disclaimer: The pricing shown is just a good indication of how much these products are worth. The prices could change based on the e-commerce promotions that are going on. If some of the products are not available, do email us at [email protected]. Thank you!