While plenty of content is available for download or streaming online—and most of us carry around a whole library of movies and music on our phones and laptops—physical discs still have their uses.
So, if you need it, we’ve got a host of great picks, from compact and affordable to powerful and fully featured.
Best Overall
ASUS BW-16D1X-U Blu-ray Drive
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Pros
Plays CDs, DVDs, and Blu-rays
High performance
Unique, sleek look
Cons
Bigger and heavier than most
Might be noisy
Included software reportedly doesn't work well
While many of the best external optical drives go for a smaller form factor, making them easier to travel, this pick for top performance goes big. The ASUS BW-16D1X-U measures 2.48 x 6.50 x 9.57 inches, making it a bit of a desk hog, but with that extra size, you get serious performance for every task.
The ASUS BW-16D1X-U has fast access times on all types of optical media, so you’ll spend less time waiting around. It can access CD-ROM at 160ms, DVD-ROM at 170ms, and BD-ROM at 180ms. Its read and write performance is also stellar, with 40x, 16x, and 8x read speeds in CD, DVD, and Blu-ray, respectively. Likewise, it can burn CD-R at 40x, DVD-R at 16x, and BD-R at 16x.
So, whether you want to rip media from discs or burn data to them, the Asus BW-16D1X-U can do the job quickly. It also supports BDXL, allowing storage of up to 128GB on a single, compatible disc. Making the package even sweeter, the ASUS BW-16D1X-U supports Windows and Mac computers.
Budget Buy
LG GP65NB60 External Drive
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Pros
Reads and writes CDs and DVDs
Lightweight and very portable
You have color options
Cons
Cheap build quality
Poorly designed eject function
If you don’t need the Blu-ray capabilities offered by some of the more premium external optical drives, you can get a great deal on a CD/DVD drive. LG’s GP65NB60 is a low-profile and affordable combo drive that offers both read and write capability for CD and DVD. Measuring 0.6 x 5.4 x 5.6 inches and weighing just 0.4 pounds, it even gives our top compact pick a run for its money.
The LG GP65NB60 can read CD-ROM at 24x speeds and DVD-ROM at 8x speeds, meaning it’s not lagging behind most of the competition despite its budget price. Write speeds are also decent, with up to 24x on CD-R and up to 8x on DVD-R.
The LG GP65NB60 needs a single USB connection for all its power and data transfer needs. Further rounding out the package, the LG GP65NB60 supports Windows and Mac, can burn archival-quality M-Disc, and comes in various colors, with black, gold, white, and silver on offer.
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Pros
Solid metal case
M-Disc support
Comes with USB Type-C adapter
Cons
Doesn't include software
Isn't cheap
Fragile tray
Many modern laptops forgo an optical drive to trim their size and weight. But that reduction wouldn’t be valuable if you need an optical drive.
Measuring just 0.45 x 5.24 x 5.75 inches, the Verbatim 70102 is super compact. What’s more, the reduction in size doesn’t mean a bunch of compromises. It’s built with metal housing for a premium look and feel and is speedy.
It can write CDs at 24x, DVDs at 8x, and Blu-rays at 6x — even supporting M-Disc. It’s a CD/DVD/BD drive weighing less than half a pound. The Verbatim 70102 is a mobility champion, with power and data transfer over USB, so you’ll only need one cable.
Budget Alternative
Dell DW316 External USB Slim DVD Drive
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Pros
Works immediately
Includes DVD burning software
Easy to move around
Cons
A bit pricey for what you get
Flimsy exterior
The Dell DW316 measures 0.55 x 5.41 x 5.67 inches, making it both a budget and compact contender. Along with its slim profile, the device weighs just 0.44 pounds, so you’ll hardly notice it in your laptop bag. Running off a single USB connection for power and data transfer doesn’t take much to get the Dell DW316 up and running.
Support is confirmed for Windows, but reviewers have also mentioned using the Dell DW316 with Mac computers.
The Dell DW316 performs in line with what most of the competition offers. It boasts maximum read speeds of 24x for CDs and 8x for DVDs, and it can provide those same speeds for writing as well.
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Pros
Slim design
Optional encryption functionality
Ships with software included
Cons
Doesn't work with Blu-rays
Might be loud at times
Where a compact footprint counts, ASUS's ultra-slim ZenDrive is a quality pick. This simple CD/DVD combo drive does not support Blu-Ray, so it comes at a substantially lower price. It measures just 0.55 x 5.33 x 5.61 inches, and it needs a single USB connection for power.
The ZenDrive offers excellent performance for its size, with CD read and write speeds up to 24x and DVD read and write speeds up to 8x. Furthering that performance are quick access times; the Asus ZenDrive can access CD and DVD content in 160ms. For anyone who needs archival quality, the ZenDrive also supports burning to M-Disc for long-lasting data storage.
The Asus ZenDrive supports Windows and Mac, and it includes CyberLink software to help you get started storing content on physical media. The drive also comes with six months of free cloud storage from ASUS, so you can rip content from your CDs and DVDs and move it there as needed.
What to Look For
For people who own and consume lots of media, an indispensable external optical drive is one of your best bets. External optical drives allow you to store massive amounts of data, including photos, videos, and software from CDs and DVDs, with easy access whenever and wherever you need it.
With hundreds of external optical drives on the market, finding the right one may take a lot of work. However, we've narrowed our top selections to the top four. We evaluated using five criteria: connectivity, compatibility, read/write speeds, portability, and optional features such as low power consumption and M-Disc support.
Connectivity
Our preferred external optical drive supports USB 3.0 or higher for faster data transfer speeds. It should also be compatible with Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android OS, and FireOS,which is preferable for users with multiple devices running different file types of all sizes.
Almost all external optical drives have a micro USB port, although the larger mini USB can save more files.
Other areas to consider with connectivity include BDXL support, which allows you to store all your files on a 128GB disc.
Compatibility
In addition to supporting standard CDs and DVDs, bolster your data processing power by choosing models with Blu-ray disc support. Ensure your preferred format is supported to avoid any returns due to compatibility issues.
If you store a lot of precious digital data, like family photos, you may want to explore external optical drives offering M-Disc support. These drives promise to last 1,000 years versus 7-10 years for standard DVDs before losing image quality.
Read/Write Speeds
In short, the faster the read and write speeds, the quicker it will take to transfer large files or burn discs. Read speeds indicate how long it takes to open files, while write speeds indicate how long it takes to save data. At a minimum, look for read and write speeds of 40x (CDs), 16x (DVDs), and 16x (Blu-ray), although the higher, the better. No wonder why our Best Overall pick is the ASUS BW-16D1X-U Blu-ray Drive with read speeds of 8x (Blu-ray), 16x (DVD), and 40x (CD) versus write speeds of 16x (BD-R), 16x (DVD), and 40x (CD).
Portability
If you're constantly on the go, we highly recommend a slim and lightweight design that is easy to carry around. One perfect example is the LG GP65NB60 External Drive, which is only0.6 x 5.4 x 5.6 inches.It should be small enough to fit in a laptop bag, person, or backpack. Plus, many of them come with integrated cables, which keep your bags clutter-free and cord-free.
Optional Features
Other areas to consider when choosing an external optical drive are its durability and build quality. Check for ones with anti-scratch coatings, shock resistance, and sturdy construction to withstand wear and tear, especially when traveling, as they constantly get knocked in your luggage.
On the usability side, you may also enjoy external optical drives with silent operation and low power consumption, which offer a more comfortable working environment.
Kudos for any external optical drive with M-Disc support, as well as bundled backup software or free subscriptions to cloud services that offer even more robust backups.
FAQ
What are the advantages of an optical drive?
With media increasingly moving to digital rather than physical storage solutions, an optical drive may seem outdated. But there are still many reasons to invest in an optical drive, not the least of which is to access older media, a significant percentage of which still hasn't been shifted to a digital/online solution. This is especially true if you have games, videos, photos, or documents backed up on physical media. Optical drives can also be a handy way to create new backups quickly and inexpensively, and some programs require discs for emergency boot tools.
Can you read a DVD in a Blu-Ray drive?
Yes, both CDs and DVDs are compatible with Blu-Ray drives, and there are combo drives that can burn discs of all three types as well. By contrast, DVD drives cannot read Blu-Ray media.
How does an optical drive work?
Optical drives read and write data to discs using a laser. The laser creates pits in an organic dye layer on the disc's surface to write, the reflected light from which can then be read by photodiodes in the drive and converted back into the original data. The disc spins, allowing the laser to read the tracks on its surface consecutively. If you're not using a CD, dozens of supported YouTube andSpotifychannels specialize in Karaoke videos, such as Singtrix and Sing King. These channels are updated regularly and often organized by genre and artist.
