Best external DVD drives for laptop & desktop In 2022
Let's find you the perfect external DVD drive
DVD drives used to be an essential part of our lives when it came to installing games, watching movies, and everything in between. However, it’s no secret that the technology is a bit outdated – one of the main reasons that most modern computers no longer include a pre-installed DVD drive.
Even though online downloads and USB Flash drives are now the more popular choice, there are still a bunch of people out there that prefer to use a DVD drive over more conventional options. So, for those individuals, we’ve compiled this list of the best external DVD drives the market has to offer.
Let’s jump straight into and check out the top recommendations:
Our Top Picks
The Best External DVD Drives
In-depth Review
LG 8X Multi Ultra Slim GP65NB60
LG 8X Multi Ultra Slim GP65NB60
If you need something that gets the job done as cheap as possible, then this is most likely your best bet.
Sure, it doesn’t come with Blu-Ray support and the USB 3.0 speeds that more expensive options offer. But, at the same time, there’s not a single DVD player at this price point that does.
Other than that, it’s slim while offering a simplistic look and it works with nothing but a single cable. So, we imagine that this is going to be more than enough for most of you.
Last, but not least, LG mentions that Cyberlink is included as a bundle while you also get M Disc support. For the most part, they are not needed. But, still, you technically get it for free, so, why not?
Asus ZenDrive
Asus ZenDrive
The Asus ZenDrive is another great budget offering that should work with every modern computer.
You can expect it to read and burn most DVDs and CDs without any issues. However, you can obviously forget about Blu-Ray at this price point.
The build quality may feel a bit cheap and, well, full of plastic. But, there haven’t been any major reports about durability issues – which is enough for us.
Apart from the standard stuff that you can expect to get from a cheap drive like this one, Nero Backup and M Disc support are also included in the bundle – which is always a plus. One small downside is that it needs two USB ports for power and data. So, make sure that you’ve got an extra slot to spare.
Pioneer BDR-XD05B
Pioneer BDR-XD05B
If you’re willing to spend a premium for an external DVD drive that can handle not only DVDs and CDs (with blazing fast speeds) but also Blu-Ray discs as well, then the Pioneer BDR-XD05B is pretty much playing in a league of its own.
It’s an all-round great DVD/Blu-Ray drive. If there’s one downside, then that’s going to be the price and, for some of you, the fact that it requires 2x USB ports to work.
Other than that, if you don’t mind spending a ton of money on an external DVD drive, this is quite possibly the best that you can get.
Dell DW316
Dell DW316
If you need a mid-range pick that gets the job done, this is the one. It’s generally a bit more expensive than our cheap picks without offering anything extra – which is quite possibly its only disadvantage.
The good part about it is that it only needs a single USB port for both power and data. So, for those of you who are using a laptop with limited I/O ports, you’ll definitely be able to take advantage of this design.
Also, let’s not forget to mention that it feels much more robust as well.
Apple USB SuperDrive
Apple USB SuperDrive
If you’re using any sort of Mac, this is quite possibly your best pick as it’s specifically made for Apple’s products. Just keep in mind that it uses USB Type-A. So, those of you who only have USB Type-C will need an adapter to get this to work.
Other than that, it’s pretty much just another external DVD drive. No Blu-Ray, no USB 3.0, and no extra software.
If the SuperDrive was at a 3rd of its retail price, that would make sense. But it’s not. So, many of you may find it to be overpriced and not worth the money.
Final Word
That’s about it for now. Hopefully, we managed to cover every category, every need, and every query when it comes to choosing the best external DVD drive out there.
If you think that we may have missed an important detail, recommendation, or anything like that, feel free to leave us a comment down below. We hope it goes without saying that questions are always welcome!
Other than that, you can also check out our Community Hub where you can openly talk about anything that’s tech-related – including DVD drives.