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The best external DVD drives make it easy to watch your old favourites on newer devices. In fact, there are still a lot of good reasons to have an optical media drive, like being able to enjoy a library of old games and movies and make backups of important or sentimental data that will last longer.
Before broadband internet became more common, the best way to put large programmes, software packages, and operating systems on your computer’s hard drive was to use CD-ROMs and DVD-ROMs. We’ve looked at all the external DVD drives on the market and made a list of the best ones.
Best External DVD Drives
ASUS ZenDrive U9M

Specifications
Product Dimensions | 7.15 x 7.05 x 2.42 inches |
Item Weight | 8.6 ounces |
Batteries | 1 Unknown batteries required. |
Hardware Platform | Laptop |
The ZenDrive U9M is stylish and looks great, with a hairline finish that looks like a Zen garden. It also works well, with read and write speeds of up to 8x for DVDs and 24x for CDs. One of the best things about the ZenDrive is how well it works with desktops. The optical drive works with most major operating systems, like macOS, Windows, and Linux.
The ZenDrive also comes with two cables, so you can connect it to either a USB 2.0 Type-A port or a Type-C port, depending on what you have. There is also full playback and writing support for all types of CD and DVD discs, as well as support for M-Disc, which is the best way to store all your digital data.
Pros
- M-Disc support
- Stylish, slim form
- Bundled CyberLink software
- Plug and play
Cons
- Slightly noisey
OWC Mercury Pro

Specifications
Product Dimensions | 8.3 x 6.5 x 2 inches |
Item Weight | 4.73 pounds |
Operating System | macOS 10.12 Sierra |
Hardware Platform | PC |
The OWC Mercury Pro is much better off on your desk than in your laptop bag. This external DVD drive and its aluminium case weigh 5.73 pounds, which is more than some modern notebooks. Once it’s set up, you’ll also need to plug it into a power outlet. The OWC Mercury Pro isn’t as easy to carry around, but it makes up for it in performance.
Most external DVD drives can read and write at speeds of up to 8x, but the OWC Mercury Pro really puts the pedal to the metal. It can read at speeds of up to 16x and write at speeds of up to 24x, which are very fast. That works out to a data rate of about 33.2MB/s, which means a dual-layer DVD can be written in just four minutes, which is a third of the time it would take a typical 8x drive.
Pros
- Blazing read/write speeds
- M-Disc support
- Quiet, fanless operation
Cons
- Requires external power
- Pricey
ASUS BW-16D1X-U Blu-ray Drive

Specifications
Product Dimensions | 9.5 x 2.5 x 6.5 inches |
Item Weight | 2.6 pounds |
Operating System | Windows |
Hardware Platform | PC |
The ASUS BW-16D1X-U takes up a lot of space on your desk because it’s 2.48 x 6.50 x 9.57 inches, but it’s worth it because it can handle any task with ease. All kinds of optical media can be accessed quickly on the ASUS BW-16D1X-U, so you’ll spend less time waiting. It can access CD-ROM drives in 160ms, DVD-ROM drives in 170ms, and BD-ROM drives in 180ms.
It’s also great at reading and writing, with read speeds of 40x, 16x, and 8x for CD, DVD, and Blu-ray, respectively. It can also burn CD-Rs at 40x, DVD-Rs at 16x, and BD-Rs at the same speed. So, you can quickly rip media from discs or burn data onto them with the Asus BW-16D1X-U. Which lets you store up to 128GB on a single disc that is compatible.
Pros
- Fast read speeds
- Stylish design
- Useful software included
Cons
- Slower write speeds
- Problems with ejecting discs
LG Electronics 8X Portable DVD Writer Drive

Specifications
Product Dimensions | 5.67 x 5.41 x 0.55 inches |
Item Weight | 6.9 ounces |
Operating System | macOS 10.14 Mojave, Windows 10 |
Hardware Platform | PC, Mac |
The LG GP65NB60 can read CD-ROMs at 24x and DVD-ROMs at 8x, so it’s not too far behind most of the competition. There are also good write speeds, with up to 24x on CD-R and up to 8x on DVD-R. And the LG GP65NB60 only needs one USB connection to get power and send and receive data.
The LG GP65NB60 also works with both Windows and Mac, can burn M-Discs with archival quality, and comes in black, gold, white, and silver, among other colours. LG’s GP65NB60 is an inexpensive combo drive that can read and write to both CDs and DVDs. With dimensions of 0.6 by 5.4 by 5.6 inches and a weight of only 0.4 pounds, it is even smaller and lighter than our top pick for a compact.
Pros
- Widely compatible
- M-Disc support
Cons
- Pricy
Hitachi LG Universal Data Station Drive

Specifications
Product Dimensions | 5.51 x 59.65 x 56.69 inches |
Item Weight | 14.9 ounces |
Hardware Platform | Laptop |
Manufacturer | Hitachi-LG Data Storage |
The HLDS Universal Data Station is a slim and stylish USB multi-hub that turns a single USB Type-C port into two SuperSpeed Type-A ports, a Micro SD Card reader, a single HDMI 1.4 output, and an 8x read/write DVD drive. The DVD drive can also write to M-Discs for archiving, and it can read and write to CDs at speeds of up to 24x.
At just 0.52 pounds, the multi-hub is as small and light as most external DVD drives. This makes it great for travelling or quickly switching between devices. Most new laptops have USB Type-C ports, but many accessories still need USB Type-A. This means that a lot of people probably already have a USB hub.
Pros
- Widely compatible
- M-Disc support
- Multi-hub function
- USB-C compatible
Cons
- Pricey
Dell DW316 External USB Slim DVD Drive

Specifications
Product Dimensions | 5.41 x 5.67 x 0.55 inches |
Item Weight | 7 ounces |
Operating System | USB storage |
Hardware Platform | Laptop |
The Dell DW316 is both cheap and small, with dimensions of 0.55 by 5.41 by 5.67 inches. The device is thin and weighs only 0.44 pounds, so you won’t even notice it in your laptop bag. The Dell DW316 is easy to get up and running because it gets its power and data from a single USB port.
The Dell DW316 is confirmed to work with Windows, but reviewers have also said that it works with Mac computers. The Dell DW316 works about the same as most of its competitors. It can read CDs as fast as 24x and DVDs as fast as 8x. It can also be used for writing at the same speeds.
Pros
- M-Disc support
- Stylish, slim form
Cons
- Requires external power
FAQs
Do external DVD drives work?
An external disc drive works just like the one that used to be built into older computers, with the added benefit that you can put it away when you’re done. Use the drives below to store your family’s history or transfer your last CD to a computer.
Do external DVD drives burn CDs?
Any drive that can rip and burn Blu-rays can also handle DVDs, and any drive can play, rip, and burn CDs.
What is the disadvantage of DVD drive?
It uses digital compression. When audio or video is not compressed well, it can be blocky, fuzzy, harsh, or vague. When audio is downmixed for stereo or Dolby Surround, the dynamic range can be reduced.
Why pendrive is better than CD DVD?
How data is stored on a Pen drive is different from how it is stored on a CD or DVD. A pen drive works just like a hard drive in every way, but CDs and DVDs can’t be written over. This means that unless otherwise stated, the space on a CD or DVD that is used by files can’t be taken back.