Read and write capability: DVD drives must read and write DVDs and CDs, and Blu-ray drives must read and write Blu-rays, DVDs, and CDs. (We’ve found a few optical drives that can read, but not write, Blu-rays.). What is a SuperDrive? SuperDrive* and Super-MultiDrive DVD/CD Reader & Writers are standard in most computers today. These drives support DVD & CD for data/playback and allow writing (burning) of discs for backup, data sharing, even for Audio, Video, Photo discs that can be played / watched in standard DVD/CD players.
The drive comes with the pre-installed CyberLink Media Suite software so that you can perform basic operations on disks very quickly.
The glossy side of the drive can be splotched easily.
A simple but very elegant and lightweight external drive is perfect if you need to perform the operations with various types of discs quickly.
Into the Mac with the media drive, insert a data CD or DVD. On your MacBook Air, within the Remote Disc window, double-click on the name of the Mac that has the media drive. You’ll see an icon. CD Reader written for recovering data from corrupted CDs and DVDs. It can reread for recovery, but main goal of program is doing this very fast, also prevent computer become non-reacting.
detailed parameters- DVD - 8x
- CD - 24x
- DVD±R DL - 6x
- DVD±R - 8x
- CD - 24x
0.75 MB
- A square-shaped external CD/DVD drive with rounded corners
- Placed horizontally
- The disc tray is extendable
5.7' x 5.4' x 0.6'
0.44 pounds
1 year
The Buffer Under Run Free and Double OPC technologies help avoid writing errors and make the process more stable.
The provided software is suitable only for Windows.
This is a practicable external drive with a neat design. The Nero Essential software comes in the set. The device is ready for use almost right out of the box.
detailed parametersExternal Cd/dvd Drives For Macbook Pro
- DVD - 8x
- CD - 24x
- DVD±R DL - 6x
- DVD±R - 8x
- CD - 24x
1 MB
- A square-shaped external CD/DVD drive with rounded corners
- Placed horizontally
- Extendable disc tray
5.8' x 5.6' x 0.6'
0. 57 pounds
1 year
The device supports the M-Disk format, so you can store your data as long as you need.
Sometimes you may need to press the button more than once to open the tray.
This ultra-thin and almost noiseless optical drive can be used not only with computers but also playback the data on the wide screen of your TV.
detailed parameters- DVD - 8x
- CD - 24x
- DVD±R DL - 6x
- DVD±R - 8x
- CD - 24x
0.75 MB
- A square-shaped external CD/DVD drive with rounded edges
- Placed horizontally
- Extendable disc tray
5.6' x 5.4' x 0.6'
0.4 pounds
1 year
- DVD - 4x to 8x
- CD - 10x to 24x
- DVD - 5x to 8x
- CD - 16x to 24x
- A square-shaped external CD/DVD drive with a shimmering finish
- Top cover has a diamond pattern
- You can set this USB external CD drive either horizontally or vertically
- The disc tray is extendable.
1 year
Probably, it’s the best external DVD drive for Mac gadgets. This neat USB external CD drive is made of high-quality materials, it will be duly appreciated by the Apple users with no embedded DVD drive.
detailed parameters- DVD - 8x
- CD - 24x
- DVD - 6x to 8x
- CD - 16x to 24x
- An external DVD drive in a traditional Apple style, square with straight lines and rounded corners
- The housing is aluminum
- Placed horizontally
- No disc tray, it is a slot-loading drive.
1 year
Dell DW316
You Will Be Impressed
Dell really managed to surprise the users with the DW316 slim external DVD R/W drive. First of all, you will notice the simple but at the same time very graceful design of the drive. The upper part has a glossy black coating with a noticeable company logo in the center. You should just press the button and the disc tray pops out. Remember that the drive can only be used horizontally. This model offers both reading and burning for your CDs and DVDs at a fairly high speed. The DSB is 0.75 MB, so you will have quick access to all your information on the medium. To work with disks, you can use the pre-loaded CyberLink Media Suite or install additional software.
This external DVD drive is compact (only 0.6 inches thick) and quite lightweight (0.44 pounds). Thanks to that, you can use it both at home and on the go, especially taking into account the fact that the Dell DW316 is ready to work right out of the box.
You Can Forget About All These Wires
The drive is very easy to connect, you just need one cable with a USB 2.0 interface. The cable also acts as a power cable so there is no need for any additional batteries.
Height
Dell DW316: 0.55 in.
Samsung SE-218CB/RSBS: 0.6 in.
LG GP65NB60: 0.6 in.
ASUS SDRW-08D2S-U: 0.79 in.
Apple MD564LL/A: 0.67 in.
Key Specs
Reading/writing
Details
Samsung SE-218CB/RSBS
The Most Usable Device
Talking about convenience, the external SE-218CB CD/DVD drive from Samsung is surely the champion. Every detail serves the purpose of your comfort. You will see at the first glance the slightly concaved top over the eject button. Thanks to it, you will easily and quickly find and press the button to remove or insert a disk when needed. The case also has 4 small rubber feet which reduce vibrations and prevent sliding on the smooth surface.
Helpful Software Comes in the Set
The Samsung SE-218CB/RSBS external DVD writer comes with a boot disk containing the Nero Essentials to install on your Windows system. As a result, you will have all the necessary tools for working with disks from the very beginning.
Additional Info
Buffer Memory
Dell DW316: 0.75 MB
Samsung SE-218CB/RSBS: 1 MB
LG GP65NB60: 0.75 MB
ASUS SDRW-08D2S-U: 1 MB
Apple MD564LL/A: 1 MB
Key Specs
This program can read files and at the same time allows you to annotate each file in a simple way. Pdf reader for mac os x free download. Thus, it gives you the ability to open PDF files directly on the interface. Key Features Adobe Reader Mac performs the same function as Windows version. It is easy to use and all you have to do is to import the file into the interface and it does the rest.
Details
Reading/writing
LG GP65NB60
Your Tiny Multimedia Assistant
This external drive from LG will really expand the boundaries of the disk media use. Let`s start with the design. The device has a stylish and elegant case with an ultra-thin profile of 0.6 inches and a matte black finishing. For sure, it will perfectly match other gadgets in your home.
It should be mentioned that the model works not only with computers or laptops but also with TVs. To enjoy watching videos or photos on a large screen, you just need to connect the drive using the USB cable. As a plus, the drive gets power via USB, so there is no need for other cables or batteries. The model works with CD, DVD+R, DVD-R, and rewritable disks. The maximum data transfer speed is 3.6 MB/s for CDs and 11.08 MB/s for DVDs. Thanks to all these, you are able to play, copy, or write information on the disk effortlessly.
Best Cd/dvd Drives For Mac
This drive utilizes the Silent Play technology. Thanks to it, during the playback, the drive automatically determines multimedia type, adjusts the optimal reading speed, and reduces the noise. Don`t you think it is a great offer?
All Your Data Is Protected
The drive is compatible with the M-Disk technology so that you could save all your important information for a long time. This kind of disks are more durable and even in 10 years, all your data will be stored without distortion.
Additional Info
Weight
Dell DW316: 0.44 oz.
Samsung SE-218CB/RSBS: 0.75 oz.
LG GP65NB60: 0.4 oz.
ASUS SDRW-08D2S-U: 0.62 oz.
Apple MD564LL/A: 0.74 oz.
Key Specs
Details
Reading/writing
ASUS SDRW-08D2S-U
Drive Type
Asus portable DVD drive for laptops quickly and effortlessly burns and reads both CD and DVD discs. A wide range of features makes it an irreplaceable purchase for everyone. With the help of CyberLink software technology, you will easily write a disc with a movie or music you want to enjoy later. And the Disc Encryption technology is the way to protect your data from outsiders by using a password.
Speed
Design
A very stylish design of this Asus PC external DVD drive will surely draw your attention. Its diamond-cut design with a shimmering finish creates unmatched light effects on the top cover of the USB external CD drive. At the end of this external DVD writer review, we would like to stress that you will also receive a stand in the package. This stand will allow you to place your external DVD drive upright, thus saving some space on your desk.
Max. DVD Writing Speed
Dell DW316: 8 x
Samsung SE-218CB/RSBS: 8 x
LG GP65NB60: 8 x
ASUS SDRW-08D2S-U: 8 x
Apple MD564LL/A: 8 x
Details
Key Specs
Reading/writing
Apple MD564LL/A
Drive Type
Speed
Design
The same as any other Apple device, this external CD/DVD drive is gracefully minimalistic. Straight lines, rounded corners, cold metal, and no external moving parts. Everything unnecessary was taken away, only the functionally useful parts were left. Apple USB Superdrive (MD564LL/A) will be a perfect companion to your MacBook or iMac. You will not have to worry about the lost cord, as this Mac external DVD drive has its cord firmly fixed to the body. And thanks to its size, this Apple USB external DVD drive won't take a lot of space on your desk. Summing up Apple external CD/DVD burner review, we would like to point out that this compact USB DVD drive looks sleek and modern, thus it will surely add a stylish touch to your workstation.
Max. DVD Reading Speed
Dell DW316: 8 x
Samsung SE-218CB/RSBS: 8 x
LG GP65NB60: 8 x
ASUS SDRW-08D2S-U: 8 x
Apple MD564LL/A: 8 x
Key Specs
Details
Reading/writing
What Is an External CD/DVD Drive?
Our age is the age of increasing performance capabilities and at the same time of minimizing sizes for portable electronic devices. Every manufacturer strives to make their products smaller, and often it means sacrificing some features. More and more laptops nowadays come without internal optical drives, and Ultrabooks are the whole class of devices that does not have this type of drive. But some people are not ready yet to give it up for USB drives and Cloud Storage. Several software products are released on optical discs only even today. The CD/DVD drives are on their way out, but there is still a necessity for them. For this very reason, manufacturers come to release external CD/DVD drives to connect them to laptops and Ultrabooks. With an external DVD drive, you can always read, copy, or write (burn) an optical disc. Well, what is a portable CD/DVD writer? Actually, it’s an external CD/DVD drive easily connects to any computer with a USB 2.0 port or newer. Even if the DVD drive of your personal computer has been broken, you can simply replace it with a USB external DVD drive. And with its small size and light weight, it can be used anywhere and anytime. The device can serve both as an external DVD/CD player and burner for laptops and PCs. And in this best external optical drive review, we’re going to shed light only on the top rated external CD/DVD drives.
If your laptop has only one USB port and you prefer using the mouse (so, your USB external CD drive can’t be connected), then you need a USB hub for additional connections. The hub will multiply the number of your USB ports. And if you like the USB flash drives but need more storage space, then you will find it useful to look through our external hard drives review with their hundreds of Gigabytes of data right there in your pocket.
What Features to Compare
When you are looking for an external DVD drive, firstly look at its Drive Type. It lists the types of discs you will be able to use, so think about what discs you will need to use before buying. There are three types of discs that are the most popular: CD discs, DVD discs, and Blu-ray. By ways of using different technologies, these types of discs differ in the amount of data they can store. For example, you can write up to 700 MB of data on a CD disc, but on a DVD disc, you can store up to 4.7 GB, and Blu-ray is suitable for storing up to 50 GB of data. You should decide how much information you plan to burn on a disc. If it's just a small video or a few hundreds of photos, then a DVD drive is more than enough for you. These discs are very popular and widespread. And for high-quality and high-resolution video, backup copies of your operation system, or data storage Blu-ray discs will be more suitable. Large storage space of such discs will handle these tasks best. It stands to reason that different types of discs require different drive types with different technologies. When you purchase a DVD supporting device, you will be able to run both DVD and CD discs. But such drive will not read a Blu-ray disc. Choose a Blu-ray supporting drive, and any of the types we mentioned above will be accessible to you.
Another important parameter for any external DVD drive's performance is its reading and writing Speed. Manufacturers usually indicate it by numbers with an 'x' letter. The '1x' speed of a DVD disc means 1.32 Megabytes per second, and for a Blu-ray disc, it is 4.5 Megabytes per second. What you see in reality is that an 8x DVD drive burns a whole disc in 7.5 minutes. A 6x Blu-ray will burn a standard disc in 15 minutes. The numbers are not unchangeable, the writing time depends on the file type and the quality of the disc itself.
As your external CD/DVD drive is something that is often seen, its Design also matters. The market offers a wide variety of external DVD drives, you will surely find the one that meets your preference. If you plan to carry the USB external DVD drive with you, be sure to note its size. When you choose the size right, it will allow you to put the device nicely in the pocket of your bag or pouch. And the light weight will make it so that you don't need to doubt whether you should take the external DVD drive with you or not.
Sources:
1. Whitson GordonHow to Survive Without a DVD Drive In Your Laptop, Lifehacker. June 28, 2012.
2. How to Connect External Hard Drive to Macbook Pro, wikiHow.
Popular Comparisons
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IsoBuster supports the HFS and HFS+ file-systems which are used by Mac computers on all types of Mac formatted media, such as optical discs (CD, DVD, BD) as well as Flash media, floppies and Hard Drives of all types and makes. Apart from being able to deal with all sorts of media and all Windows based disc/disk file systems, IsoBuster also interprets HFS(+) which allows it to extract Mac files to a Windows PC. (*)
For optimal compatibility it is also possible to extract Mac files to Mac Binary files, so that they can be taken back (e.g. e-mailed) to a Macintosh machine. IsoBuster itself is not a Macintosh application, but a Windows application, although it works on Mac if used under the Virtual PC for Mac environment. For more details, especially for those with engineering desires, it may be interesting to browse through some help file articles on Mac related features:
Not unimportant is also that IsoBuster supports multiple partitions on Mac created discs/disks. They are shown immediately, after the disc is mounted. And last, but not least, Mac image files, e.g. *.iso and *.dmg files are opened as if they are actual floppies, CDs, DVDs or flash cards.
(*)This means the ability to copy Macintosh files to PC, convert Mac files to PC, read Mac files from Mac created/formatted discs on a Windows PC platform.
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