That said, USB 3.0 is backward compatible with USB 2.0 anyway. 8x seems to be the standard for DVDs and 24x for CDs.ĭVD drives that support USB 3.0 tend to support higher speeds – but that’s not necessarily an indication of a faster drive. Read and write speeds for DVD discs and CDs may be different for each DVD drive. A popular example of that is the Apple USB SuperDrive which is specifically made for Macs. That said, do keep in mind that some drives may work best with specific computers. But, truth be told, if you’re using something so outdated, then you’ll probably have more to worry about than DVD drive compatibility (Software, hardware, other peripherals, etc).

Some older machines that are using USB 1.1 may be incompatible.

Most external DVD drives are universal – which means that you should be able to use them with pretty much every modern computer. So, if you need Blu-Ray support, then you must specifically look for something that supports this kind of technology. However, Blu-Ray support is unfortunately only reserved for the higher-end options. Most of our picks support pretty much all the standard stuff. The very first thing that you need to keep an eye on is what kind of DVDs/CDs a DVD drive supports. However, there are still some things that you need to keep in mind when buying one. There is a reason why we always pick numerous products – each one with their own pros and cons.Įxternal DVD drives are definitely more simplistic compared to laptops, monitors, peripherals, and most other hardware offerings. Most tech gadgets are rather complicated. With that in mind, we feel confident that the products we recommend are both high in performance and value for money as well – including external DVD drives. Since we belong to that minority, our products always go through strict testing sessions and must meet numerous criteria to be considered “the best” in their field. Only a minority have the experience, knowledge, and time to research and try various products on top of that. The average person can’t afford to go through all this just to buy a good DVD drive. Choosing a good product requires a lot of knowledge, a decent amount of research, and a lot of experience with technology as well.

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