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So if you are mainly a Mac user, then this is definitely the external DVD writer you want. Of course, PC users can definitely benefit as well. This external DVD writer supports a USB 3.0 interface. > External DVD Drive Mac Looking for the best external dvd drive Mac computers are compatible with? We have a great selection of sleek, handy Mac-compatible DVD drives equipped with the latest features in DVD writing technology.
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Forget about CD burners. Today's optical drive of choice is aDVD burner, which lets you create video discs that play in most consumer DVD players. With Mac OS X 10.1, you can also use your DVD burner to back up files through the Finder. And of course, you can burn CDs using CD-R or CD-RW media.
The DVD-burning trend began when Apple added the SuperDrive to its top-of-the-line Power Mac G4. Designed and built by Pioneer, the SuperDrive is included in the top two G4 system models.
But you don't have to buy a new desktop Mac to get a DVD burner. Several storage vendors now sell external drives that contain the same Pioneer mechanism and connect to a Mac or Windows computer via FireWire. Although they're not called SuperDrives, they are super drives.
Macworld Lab tested six exter-nal DVD burners: the DVD-R/RW+CD-RW FireWire Pro2, from APS Tech; the DVD Revo, from CD Cyclone; the ClubMac FireWire DVD-R/RW, from ClubMac; the Boa FireWire DVD-R/RW, from EZQuest; the LaCie DVD/CD Rewritable Drive, from LaCie; and the Que Fire DVDBurner Pro, from QPS. While our stopwatch says the drives are virtually identical, they differ in other ways, including price, case design, and bundled software (see 'DVD Burners Compared'). The $699 QPS Que Fire DVDBurner Pro provides the best mix of value and design, while CD CyClone's $1,049 DVD Revo is overpriced and unable to play commercial DVD video discs.Fast Burn
We expected all six drives to perform similarly, and they did: in our tests, each drive turned in results that were within a few seconds of its competitors' (see 'Benchmarked Burners').
The one exception was an original SuperDrive that we tested for comparison purposes. In DVD-burning tests, it was twice as slow as the newer units. The slowdown was due to the brand of media we used for testing. Early SuperDrives support double-speed DVD burning with only three brands of media: Apple, Pioneer, and Verbatim. With other brands--we used Mitsui--early SuperDrives downshift to single-speed DVD burning.
Pioneer has since addressed this issue, and mechanisms containing firmware version 1.44 or later support double-speed burning on a wide assortment of media brands. Alas, Apple has no plans to release a firmware update for its pioneering SuperDrive customers.The Case for Good Design
Each DVD burner has a unique design, and some designs are better than others. The QPS Que Fire DVDBurner Pro takes the size prize--its case is only slightly larger than the drive mechanism itself, and because the drive uses an external power supply, the case lacks a noisy fan. The Que Fire drive also includes a padded carrier.
The DVD Revo drive also uses an external power supply, but the remaining four use internal supplies that contain fans. The quietest of these four fans is the one in EZQuest's Boa, which has a sturdy, silvery case. The FireWire Pro2 earns the ugly-duckling award for its basic beige case.
The ClubMac FireWire, Boa FireWire, and DVD Revo also include rear-panel audio-output jacks. While not necessary--sound also plays through the Mac's audio circuitry--audio jacks give you more flexibility when connecting to external speakers.
You Can Burn but Not AuthorAll of the drives we tested work with Apple's DVD Studio Pro and iTunes. We also burned DVDs with each drive using the Finder in Mac OS X 10.1.
All of the drives except the ClubMac model include bundled software for burning; however, the LaCie and the APS drives include only Windows software. The best bundle accompanies the DVD Revo, which includes Windows software and Roxio's Toast 5 Titanium. The Que Fire DVDBurner Pro includes Windows software and Toast 5 Lite.
To create DVDs that will play in a set-top player, you need authoring software for creating menus and encoding video into MPEG format. The Windows software that accompanies some drives includes simple authoring tools, but none of the drives include Mac authoring software. Unless Apple releases a stand-alone version of iDVD that supports third-party burners, you will have to use the $999 DVD Studio Pro for authoring.
The Pioneer mechanism in these drives is capable of playing back commercial DVDs. But CD CyClone's DVD Revo can't play DVDs that are encoded for specific geographic regions, as most commercial DVDs are. CD CyClone is planning a software update to address this problem.Macworld's Buying Advice
The only drive we can't recommend is CD CyClone's DVD Revo--it's expensive and unable to play back commercial DVDs.
Of the remaining five, the QPS Que Fire DVDBurner Pro provides the best mix of value and performance. Its $699 price tag is the lowest of the bunch, its padded carrier is a nice plus, and its software bundle is good--although serious users will also want to spring for the full version of Toast 5 Titanium. Scores are in minutes:seconds. We tested with 256MB of RAM, Mac OS 9.2.1 installed, a default system-disk cache, and virtual memory enabled. DVD Studio Pro made a 979MB DVD movie that is 24 minutes long. Toast burned a 690MB folder using CD-R and DVD-R media. We tested MP3 encoding with an audio-CD track that was 9 minutes and 25 seconds long and converted it using iTunes' Better Quality setting of 160 Kbps.--Macworld Lab testing by Ulyssis Bravo Page 1 Next Best overallPioneer BDR-XD05S
Pioneer's external Blu-ray burner is one of the slimmest options on the market, featuring a clamshell design and six-times write speed for single-layer and dual-layer BD-R. It has plug-and-play functionality and support for the latest macOS and Windows 10 software. You simply plug it into your computer via USB — Pioneer drive supports USB 3.0 — and you should be good to go.
It's also great value at $75.Best Dvd Player For Mac
Bottom line: It's a super-slim exterior Blu-ray drive that's easy to connect and enjoy.
One more thing: This drive loads from the top, which helps keep it slim, but that means you can't tuck it out of sight easily.Why the Pioneer BDR-XD05S is the best external Blu-ray player
It's slim, one of the thinnest on the market, and features an attractive clamshell design. Pioneer has done a solid job with the BDR-XD05S, which enables owners to plug-and-play on both macOS and Windows. Support for USB 3.0 is present for increased speeds to take full advantage of available PC power.
The added bonus of using USB 3.0 is that a single cable is enough for both power and data transfer. Older, USB 2.0 drives required the use of two USB ports on your PC.
Pioneer's burner writes at six-times speeds on BD-R single-layer and dual-layer discs and four-times write speeds for triple-layer and quad-layer BD-R discs. It's also capable of reading and writing DVDs and CDs.Feature-richASUS 6x Direct
This award-winning, stylish entry from ASUS is a great option if portability isn't such a big factor for you. It comes with a vertical stand that will save precious desk space in your office, but beyond aesthetics, this drive is capable of writing at six-times speeds for standard BD-R discs and supports BDXL, meaning you'll be able to backup up to 100GB of data onto a single Blu-ray.
At the time of writing this drive costs a very reasonable $70.
Bottom line: It's a great option for those who require a powerful burner that's simple to use.Best External Dvd Player For Macbook Pro
One more thing: Features ATP technology for top-quality burning for those with data to write.SpeedLG BE14NU40
LG's Blu-ray disc writer is the fastest on the list, capable of writing at fourteen-times speeds on single-layer BD-R discs and it supports BDXL discs, as well as M-Disc. The latter is designed to last a very long time, hundreds of years in fact. Thus if you need to back up data, this is a solid option.
It's fairly pricey at $140, but you're paying the premium for the sheer performance.
Bottom line: It is a great little drive that's incredibly fast and supports the M-Disc format.
One more thing: It's large, bulky and weighs in at 3.3 pounds.PortableBuffalo MediaStationBest External Dvd Drive Mac
For a compact and extremely portable option, here comes the Buffalo MediaStation Blu-ray Writer. It features two integrated USB cables — one for data transfer and a second in case you need a boost of power to the unit — which both neatly wrap around and fold into the drive for ease of mobility.
And it comes in at just under $100, too, so it's not the most expensive drive around, either.
Bottom line: It is designed to be transported around with an accompanying laptop for portable use.
One more thing: Supports, CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays, BDXL, and even DVD HD upscaling.Conclusion
You really can't go wrong with these external Blu-ray drives. It all boils down to what you need, how much you can afford and whether you're a fan of any particular electronics brand. That said, we feel the Pioneer BDR-XD05B is worthy of the top spot.Best overallPioneer BDR-XD05SBest External Dvd Drive For Mac 2017
Pioneer's external Blu-ray burner is one of the slimmest options on the market, featuring a clamshell design and six-times write speed for single-layer and dual-layer BD-R. It has plug-and-play functionality and support for the latest macOS and Windows 10 software. You simply plug it into your computer via USB — Pioneer drive supports USB 3.0 — and you should be good to go.
It's also great value at $75.
Bottom line: It's a super-slim exterior Blu-ray drive that's easy to connect and enjoy.
One more thing: This drive loads from the top, which helps keep it slim, but that means you can't tuck it out of sight easily.Best External Dvd Drive For Mac 2018
Updated September 6, 2017: We updated our top pick with the latest version of Pioneer's USB Blu-ray drive.
