External DVD drive: Reviews & recommendations (07/21)

External DVD drive is a must in every household these days. Due to the continuously developing technology, fewer and fewer PCs with built-in DVD drives are being manufactured as the size and weight of the devices are being reduced more and more. Nevertheless, CDs and DVDs still play a major role in our everyday lives, and you quickly find yourself in situations where a DVD reader or a DVD burner would be necessary.

In the following, we have tried to give you a rough overview of the best external DVD drives and, with our external DVD drive test 2021, to introduce you to the special features, as well as the benefits and disadvantages of different external DVD drives and burners.

The essentials in brief

• External DVD drives offer the opportunity to play or burn DVDs and CDs and generate additional storage space since many modern PCs or notebooks no longer have an internal DVD drive.
• There are different types of external drives, and it is usually advisable to switch to one with an additional burner.
• In advance, you must think about which media types are to be supported and which connections are required for you to find a suitable drive.

External DVD Drives Comparison: Reviews and Recommendations

Here are a few different categories of external DVD drives. Depending on your ideas and wishes, you ought to inspire by the suggestions. And even find the perfect product for you.

 Best all-around external DVD drive.

Top external DVD drive for easy use

The top compact external DVD drive

Top external DVD drive in white

Best external DVD drive for easy use

The best external DVD drive for professionals

The best external DVD drive.

External CD DVD Drive ， DVD Drive USB 3.0 Type-c Dual Port DVD Burner Portable with SD-TF Card Reader Ultra Slim DVD-CD-RW-ROM Burner for Laptop PC Windows 7/8/10 / Vista / XP / Mac OS

The external DVD drive from Comter is simply switched, black and looks like its predecessors. Nevertheless, this model has some additional features that make it stand out from the competition. In addition to a USB-C port, the external DVD drive also has 2 USB 2.0 ports to plug in the U disk, to charge the phone or other electronic devices.

In addition, the device also has an SD / TF card slot and weighs a total of 420g. The external drive is perfectly compatible with Windows XP / Vista / 7/8/10, Linux, Mac OS 10.6 or higher. Suitable for MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, laptops and desktops. The drive can also read and write CD-Rs, CD-RWs, CD-ROMs, DVD-Rs, DVD-RWs, DVD-RAMs, and DVD-RWs.

Editor’s rating: The external DVD drive from Comter is an all-around talent and stands out from the competition due to its additional properties. The product is ideal to have around the house and to be prepared.

The top external DVD drive for easy use

External DVD Drive, Amicool USB 3.0 Type-C CD DVD +/- RW Optical Drive USB C Burner Slim CD / DVD ROM Rewriter Writer Reader Portable for PC Laptop Desktop MacBook Mac Windows 7 / 8.1 / 10 Linux OS Apple

This product is an external DVD drive from the brand Amicool, with the Linux operating system, in the colour black. The product is average with a weight of 340g and can be attached to PCs, notebooks, Macs and Macbooks.

Supported media types are CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-ROM, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD + RW, DVD + R, DVD + R DL, DVD-R DL, and DVD RAM -Drive. The external drive is practical and simple in design and consists of 2 buttons and a USB cable with an additional USB-C port. The device is connected to a VLC media player already installed free of charge on most PCs.

Editor’s rating: The Amicool external DVD drive is perfect for everyday use. Due to the simple design, the use of the product is as good as self-explanatory. With the built-in USB and USB-C connection, this model connects to any modern PC. However, this DVD drive is not compatible with the TV, car, Blu-ray, projector, tablet or smartphone.

Best compact external DVD drive

HP F6V97AA # ABB External USB drive (for CD, DVD) black

This model is an external DVD drive made by HP with the Windows XP operating system in black. Its compact, elegant design with a USB 3.0 interface, 9.5 mm height and a weight of 200 g speak in favor of this drive.

Furthermore, with this external DVD drive, it is sufficient to establish a connection to the laptop or screen via the USB cable without the additional installation of any video players.

Editor’s rating: The external DVD drive from HP fulfils its purpose as a quiet and compact gadget for everyday use. The DVD drive cannot be connected to televisions or smartphones and is also supplied with power through the USB connector.

Top external DVD drive in white

SALCAR Premium External Drive for DVD / CD Can Burn For Apple MacBook, Windows and other notebooks external DVD burner – white

The DVD drive with burner from Salcar weights 300g and is noticeable among other competing products with its modern design and clear white color. The visually appealing design of the external DVD drive speaks for purchase and its user-friendliness.

The DVD drive is very quiet and promises fast read and write speeds. There is a cable with a USB 3.0 connector on the back of the DVD drive, which can connect to PCs with Windows or MAC O. A format-compatible player is required for use. The manufacturers recommend the “Power DVD” player.

Editor’s rating:  The Salcar model is an eye-catcher and visually appealing. Unfortunately, the external drive is not compatible with tablets or iPads, and an additional USB-C port could be useful.

Best external DVD drive for easy use

BEVA External CD DVD Drive, USB 3.0 PC Drive Portable CD Player DVD-RW DVD / CD, Compatible with Win10 / XP / Win 7 / Win 8, Laptop, Mac, MacBook Air / Pro

The Beva product is also an external DVD drives with the Linux operating system. The model has a USB 3.0 cable and is ideally compatible with Windows XP / 2003 / Vista / 7 / 8.1 / 10, Linux, all versions of the Mac OS system laptop, notebook, PC, desktop and computer.

Furthermore, the external DVD drive has a simple design and does not require the installation of a video player. The Beva model can read CD, VCD, SVCD, CD-R / RW, DVD-R / RW and burn CD +/- RW, etc.

Editor’s rating: The Beva external DVD drives are a good option as it supports a wide range of media types and can read and burn many formats. If these are your requirements for a DVD drive, you should consider this model.

The best external DVD drive for professionals

techPulse120 External USB 3.1 Blu-ray DVD CD USB-C UHD 4k 3D M-DISC BDXL HDR10 100GB Drive Burner Burner Superdrive BD Imperator Package Bag 90cm Connection Cable Aluminum Silver

This TechPulse120 model is a very advanced DVD drive with some special features. The product already stands out with its aluminum-silver color and, with a weight of 800g, is by far the heaviest drive in comparison.

The product has the Linux, Windows, IOS operating system and has four different cables to connect to almost any device. In addition, the DVD drive is compatible with every computer, notebook, PC and Apple in the world and can read CD, DVD, Blu-ray Disc and UHD. Incl. 3D, 4K UHD, M-Disc, read and write.

Editor’s Review: The TechPulse120 external drive is stylish and advanced. As a result, the price of the device is a lot higher than that of the competition. It depends very much on the demands of the buyer whether this drive is worth the price.

External DVD drives: purchase and evaluation criteria

In the following, you will find some purchase and evaluation criteria that you can use as a guide to finding the ideal one for you.

• Weight
• color
• Supported media types
• connection

They distinguish from one another based on the criteria listed above.

Weight

Most external DVD drives are in the same weight class and only vary between a few grams, but there are still one or two outliers in this category.

It is important to note that the weight of your external DVD drive is a major factor, as a device that is too heavy is inconvenient and unwieldy. You may personally find a device that is too light, not pleasant. Think about the size and weight class of your drive in advance.

Before you buy, therefore, find out exactly how heavy the product is and compare the weight with the competing items to get a feel for it.

Color

The color of the external DVD drive only plays a secondary role, as the product’s functionality is not influenced, and it is only about the appearance of the device.

Nevertheless, you should buy a product that appeals to you visually and that you like. Most of them are simply designed in black.

If you don’t like black that much, you can inquire online and see other models. The product group is versatile, and you can choose between many styles and colors.

Supported media types

Ensure that you know what you want to use your external DVD drive for and which media types must support before you buy.

Different DVD drives do not necessarily support the same media types.

External DVD drives can usually read and burn all CD formats.

However, if you value a certain DVD format (e.g. DVD-ROM discs), check your product’s properties carefully before buying to see whether your desired media type is supported.

Connection

External DVD drives do not necessarily have the same connection options.

In most variants, the external DVD drive is connected with a simple USB cable.

Sometimes you can attach your external DVD drive to your laptop via a USB-C connector and supply it with power via a simple mains plug. So take a close look at which connections you need to use your external DVD drive and whether you want to charge the battery via your laptop or the socket.

Most external DVD drives have one or more of the following connectors:

• USB 3.0 port. This connection is completely backwards compatible, which means you can also connect a USB 2.0 cable if necessary.
• USB-C port. USB-C cables can transmit data, video and audio signals, and power at the same time and are much smaller than their predecessors at the same time. In addition, thanks to its symmetrical design, USB-C connectors can be used on both sides.
• Power cord. A few of them still draw their power from a power plug. It is simply plugged into the socket and takes care of the battery charging of the drive.
• SD card slot. In the higher price section, there are also some with properties like a card reader. Depending on the model, you can also insert SD cards or micro SD cards.

External DVD Drives: Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

In the following, we have selected a few important questions for you concerning the drives and answered them so that you get a complete picture and know your way around better.

What can an external DVD drive do?

They are connected to your laptop or television to read and write DVDs and CDs. Modern devices such as notebooks and tablets and some laptops these days often no longer have an internal DVD / CD drive. 

It means that additional storage space can use with an external DVD drive, and video or photo files can play from and to the laptop without any problems.

Don’t lose precious memories with your loved ones. With an external DVD drive, you can back up important photos and keep them forever.

The one can be connected and used on any number of devices. With an external DVD drive, you can keep important memories and easily back up your photos and videos.

{Know about Network cards}

What types of external DVD drives are there?

There are a few different types of external DVD drives. In the following, we have selected three of them to know the advantages and disadvantages of such products and weigh them for yourself.

Art- external DVD drive with USB port .

Advantages- USB connection is very common and is available on almost every device.

Disadvantage- Often, and a newer USB-C connection is also important.

Art- external DVD drive with power cord .

Advantages- The drive’s battery power is taken directly from the socket and does not have to be obtained from the computer.

Disadvantage- This can make the drive louder and inconvenient with additional cables.

Art- external DVD drive with burner .

Advantages-CDs and DVDs can not only be read but also written to and overwritten.

Disadvantage- possibly associated with higher costs.

Thus, for example, an external DVD drive with a USB connection is very helpful and, in many cases, sufficient. However, you should still consider in advance whether a device with an additional USB-C connection would make more sense for your needs.

External DVD drives with a separate power cable are becoming increasingly rare for the simple reason that the simple, compact design of the drive suffers greatly from an extra power cable. If you want your drive to have a power cord for whatever reason, you need to look for it when making your purchase.

Most of them n the market are also DVD burners. Because burners are very helpful when using external drives, most manufacturers have decided to build this feature directly into their devices. If you specifically do not need a burner, you have to specify this before your purchase.

What does an external DVD drive cost?

The prices for an external drive start at around 20 euros, depending on the quality. And go up to around 120 euros for certain brands and professional devices. DVD burners also tend to be a bit more expensive than simple DVD drives. A simple drive with a USB connection typically costs between 20 and 30 euros.

Drives with an extra power cord can sometimes be a bit cheaper but around 15 to 30 euros. With external DVD drives with burners, as with the other products, the model is very important. Thus there are inexpensive drives from around 25 and professional devices with additional features for over 100 euros.

Art- external DVD with USB port around.

Price range-  20 to 30 euros.

Art- external DVD drive with power cord around .

Price range- 15 to 30 euros.

Art- external DVD drive with burner around.

Price range- 25 to 120 euros.

Overall, you can assume that you will find a solid DVD drive between 20 and 30 euros, as long as you are specifically looking for properties that are important to you in the product and leave out additional features that you do not need.

Where can I buy an external DVD drive?

External drives are available: in specialist shops in department stores, in electronics stores, in supermarkets, on the Internet. The advantage of buying your drive in a store is that you can get advice and, if anything is unclear, you can contact the seller directly.

Of course, there is also a large selection of devices to buy online. Should you decide to buy something on the Internet, a simple Google search will be of great help.

Many modern devices do not have a built-in drive, but it also doesn’t work completely without DVDs.

Inquire beforehand what properties your product should have when making an online purchase and otherwise ask for help on online portals or directly from the seller.

What alternatives are there to an EDD?

It is difficult to find alternatives to external DVD drives as the product is virtually the only one to please the need for reading and burning DVDs. It is only in special cases that it makes sense to forego external DVD drives and instead opt for a product from the table below.

alternative- Product with internal DVD drive.

description–  Devices that are still equipped with an internal DVD drive is sufficient for everyday life, as the computer itself can read DVDs and, in most cases, also burn them.

alternative- External CD drive An external CD drive.

description-  can also be purchased as an alternative to a DVD drive if someone only wants to read and burn CDs.

A device with a built-in DVD drive can therefore eliminate the need to buy drives. Nevertheless, many computers are now built without an internal DVD drive to save space.

In special cases, the purchase of external CD drives can be sufficient to read and burn CDs only. However, since the price of such a product is not essentially lower than that of DVD drives, which can also read and burn DVDs, it often makes no sense to use such an alternative.

How can I connect an external DVD drive?

You can connect your external DVD drives to almost any computer and use it. Depending on the years and brand of your computer, you will have to choose a DVD drive with a USB or USB-C connection.

On your desk in the home office, at work, or in the nursery. An external DVD drive takes up next to no space and fits optically next to any electronic device.

The external DVD drive can connect to PCs, notebooks, tablets and much more. Furthermore, the power for your external drive is obtained either directly through the USB port. Another power plug connected to the socket. Therefore, find out in advance which drive makes the most sense for your device.

Conclusion

External DVD drives are practical and easy. Since many devices are not equipped with an internal DVD drive these days, difficulties arise in everyday life. Another way of accessing CDs and DVDs. With an external drive, it is child’s play to read DVDs and CDs, save them and fill them with new data.

External DVD drives used as additional storage space and save important memories intact. Depending on your wishes, you can choose simple models or slightly equipped models to integrate into your everyday life. The best thing to do is choose an external drive with a burner tailored to your needs.

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