And although DVDs are becoming less and less used nowadays, they’re still a popular way to watch films for many of us. But with new technology, laptops are trying to become thinner and lighter, and are getting rid of the additional DVD drive that they used to have.
Whilst this is understandable, it doesn’t help those who want to put a DVD on their laptop or even in your smart TV. The solution? A good external DVD drive.
This can help you link your laptop or computer up with the drive, whether you simply want to watch films, Blu Ray discs or burn CDs with it. And, here are some of the better options available right now.
Best External DVD Drives for Rewriting and Playing Discs
| Product | Image | Style | Get More Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hitachi-LG GP60NS60 |  | Perfect for Mac | Check Price at Amazon |
| ASUS ZenDrive U7M |  | Fast Rewriting Speeds | Check Price at Amazon |
| Piaek Drive |  | Good compatible | Check Price at Amazon |
| Cabletrans External Drive |  | Fair Price | Check Price at Amazon |
| Rioddas External DVD Drive |  | USB 3.0 | Check Price at Amazon |
Hitachi-LG GP60NS60
If you’re after the best external DVD drive out there, then you’ll struggle to find anything better than this Hitachi-LG GP60NS60. It’s definitely one of the better options if you’re after a drive with a solid build quality that will last you a long time.
One of the good things about this drive is that it can be used for playing DVDs and CDs, but it can also be used to rewrite and copy discs as well. If you’d like to burn some CDs or DVDs for other folks to watch (my parents often ask me to do this for them), then this would be a great tool to help you do so.
As well as having the ability to rewrite DVDs and CDs, this drive can also actually be integrated and used with a smart TV as well. But what this model is best for is likely to be it’s easy use with Apple Macbooks, which is what I’d recommended it for.
So if you’re looking for a good external DVD drive for Mac, then you won’t find a better and more easily set up option than this Hitachi drive. It is light and ultra slim, making it very easy to carry with you anywhere you go.
ASUS ZenDrive U7M
Another good high quality DVD drive is this ASUS Zendrive. Probably the best thing about this drive is that it’s very lightweight and portable, which makes it very east to carry around with you. It’ll fit into your laptop bag with ease, so you won’t have to worry about it weighing you down if you want to use it portably.
Something else to mention about the U7M is that it has excellent rewriting speeds, much better than most of the other DVD burners available. It also comes with a few blank DVDs that you can use to see just how fast the rewriter works.
You don’t necessarily need to use these kinds of DVD burners to store films anymore, although that’s probably what they’re most known for. They also provide a good option if you’re looking for somewhere to store other types of files, like images.
This drive is easily integrated with both Mac and Windows, so you won’t need to worry about anything in terms of integration and setting it up. It’s another good external DVD drive that you’ll want to think about if you’re looking for a new one.
Piaek Drive
This external DVD drive that is very easily used with pretty much any different operating system out there is this Piaek drive. It’s designed specifically to be easily used with the majority of different devices out there, including both Apple and Windows too.
Like most other drives, it’s very simple to set this drive up to use it. It won’t take longer than a few minutes for you to set it up, and it’s a great way for you to install new software on your computer or laptop if you don’t have a DVD drive.
Another thing to mention about this drive and why it’s recommended is that it’s next to silent. This means that you don’t need to worry about any loud generating noises when you’re using it, which can be a little distracting.
So, if you need a DVD drive that has good capacity to support different systems, and is made to last, then this could be the right one for your needs. It’s an ideal option if you’re looking for something that can read and write.
Cabletrans External Drive
Many cheaper DVD drives are pretty low in quality, and they won’t last long before they break. However, this model manages to combine the low price with a good quality of build, meaning that although it’s pretty cheap, it’ll still last you a good while too.
This drive uses a minimal amount of energy, which means that you won’t need to worry about it taking up a ton of your laptops battery life. It also has a no vibration functions, which is another contributor as to why it only uses a small amount of energy.
It’s also very fast and reading and writing discs, which is essential for a drive like this. It’s compatible with both the faster USB 3.0 technology, but will also work with USB 2.0 ports as well.
This drive is a pretty good price when you consider all that it has to offer. For this reason, it’s recommended as one of the best external DVD drives for those that are looking for something affordable.
Rioddas External DVD Drive
Another great drive for people that are looking for something cheap to do the job is this one made by the brand Rioddas. It’s a solid little drive that’s designed to be resilient and long lasting, which is exactly what we want from a DVD drive.
The style of this drive is a little different that the other options here. It has a more retro design, but that doesn’t make it any more solid. In fact, it’s shape might actually help it to be a little bit tougher than some others available.
This drive works very well with anyone that’s running the newer Windows 10 operating system on their computer or laptop. But just as much, it can also work with the Mac OS, or even with Linux if you’re using that as well.
This is another cheaper alternative for people that are trying to find a well priced DVD drive that can get the job done. It is pretty easy to use, and overall it provides excellent value for money.
Common Questions about DVD Drives
What are external DVD drives?
External DVD drives are, well, pretty much as they sound. They’re an additional drive that you can use with your television, laptop or other device to give you the ability to both watch DVDs and listen to CDs as well. The good thing is that whilst they were once pretty expensive, they’re now super cheap and easy to find.
Can an external DVD drive burn CD/DVDs?
Another common question about these types of drives is whether they can be used to burn new CDs and DVDs from the files on your computer. The answer? It depends on the DVD drive. Whilst there are many that have this ability, there are also a few that can only be used to play things too.
Do external DVD drives play CDs?
Even though it’s generally referred to as an external DVD drive, it’s pretty much accepted that they will also have the ability to play CDs as well if you want to. This can be a great way to get all of your old CD music onto your computer or laptop. Bear in mind that most of them aren’t Blu ray drives, and they can’t play Blu ray discs either.
Can an external dvd drive work on a TV?
In the past, external DVD drives didn’t have the capability to work with televisions, only with computers. However, newer models of drives along with the increase in smart TVs mean that nowadays, you can find drives that work with televisions as easily as they work with your laptop.
Why do laptops have no DVD drive?
Nowadays, new laptops are going to come without a DVD drive whatsoever. At one point in time, the majority of laptops being released did have an additional drive. So why the change? Quite simply, the switch from watching DVDs to streaming films via Netflix and other streaming sites has been pretty quick over the last decade. In the modern day, the DVD is much less used, whilst the way forward seems to be streaming instead.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are many different DVD drives out there that you can choose from. Whilst some of them will be able to write and rewrite discs, not all of them will be able to, so definitely bear that in mind beforehand. But if you’re looking for an easy way to watch DVDs, then this is a great way to do so.
