Are you willing to equip your $2,000 Mac computer with a $15 unbranded external optical drive, and then have to take several hours to troubleshoot some unknown faults, and even suffer the risk of damage to their favorite discs?
Almost all external optical drives on Amazon claim to be perfectly compatible with Mac computers including Book Pro, MacBook Air, iMac, and Mac mini, but in fact, lots of them cannot work with a Mac computer due to various errors, especially new Mac PC equipped with M1 chips and the lastest Mojave systems.
In order to choose a reliable external CD/DVD player for a Mac computer, we must consider some factors before buying, otherwise, you will have to spend extra time to get your refund before the return window closes.
- Compatibility – Many external CD/DVD drives are only compatible with part of the system version, so be sure to read the compatibility introduction before buying. It is a pity that many sellers did not clearly indicate the compatible system version and only said that their devices are compatible with Mac OS.
- Connector – The new MacBook Pro/Air is only equipped with a USB-C interface. If you don’t want to use a USB hub or docking station, it is best to choose an external CD/DVD drive with a USB-C connector.
- Power – Although new Mac computers are equipped with a Thunderbolt port, it is best to choose an external optical drive with an additional power cord. Because you may use a docking station, which may reduce the power of each interface and your external DVD drive may not get enough power.
- Speed – The faster the read & write speed, the quieter your optical drive is when it is running. external optical drive you choose needs to ensure at least 24XCD and 8XDVD read and write speeds.
- Brand – If you have enough budget, we strongly recommend that you buy at least well-known brand products with reliable quality.
Exquisite pictures, low prices, and lots of 5-star reviews are all sellers who use various methods to create and hope we see, but that does not mean that their products are really reliable. We still need to spend a lot of time through comparison and analysis and find the best options for Mac computers. Below are the best optical drives for Apple mac computers on Amazon at present, and these products may always be replaced in future updates.
1. Apple USB SuperDrive
Specs & Features:
- Connector: USB 2.0
- Media Load Type: Slot-in
- Device Type: Reader, Burner
- Compatible with Mac OS (Mac models from 2008 and later)
- Supported Discs: DVD-R / DVD RW / DVD ROM / DVD-R DL / DVD-RAM / M-Disc (DVD+R SL) / DVD+R / DVD+R DL / CD-R / CD-RW / CD-ROM
- Max Write Speed: 24x (CD) / 8x (DVD±R) / 6x (DVD±R DL)
- Max Read Speed: 24x (CD) / 8x (DVD)
- Official USB optical drive, perfectly compatible with most Mac computers
Disadvantage
- MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro models with USB-C ports require a USB-C to USB adapter (sold separately) to use Apple USB SuperDrive
- Expensive
2. SEA TECH 1 Archgon Aluminum External USB DVD+Rw, RW Super Drive for Apple-MacBook Air, Pro, iMac, Mini
Specs & Features:
- Connector: USB 2.0 Y-cable & USB Type-C cable (The Y-cable is designed to prevent some USB ports from not providing enough power)
- Media Load Type: Tray
- Device Type: Reader, Burner
- Compatible with Mac OS and Windows
- Supported discs: CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-ROM, DVD-R, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD+R, DVD+R DL, DVD-R DL
- Support M-Disc
- Max Write Speed: 24x (CD) / 8x (DVD±R) / 6x (DVD±R DL)
- Max Read Speed: 24x (CD) / 8x (DVD)
- Sturdy aluminum casing with rounded corner design
- Mini size and lightweight
Disadvantage
- Not faster USB 3.0 connector
3. ROOFULL External CD/DVD +/-RW Drive USB 3.0 Type-C Portable DVD CD ROM Player Reader Writer Burner Optical Drive for Mac MacBook Pro/ Air, Windows 11/10 Laptop Computer, Silver
Specs & Features:
- Connector: USB 3.0 & USB adapter
- Media Load Type: Tray
- Device Type: Reader, Burner
- Compatible with Mac OS and Windows
- Supported discs: CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-ROM, DVD-R, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD+R, DVD+R DL, DVD-R DL
- Max Write Speed: 24x (CD) / 8x (DVD±R) / 6x (DVD±R DL)
- Max Read Speed: 24x (CD) / 8x (DVD)
- Mini size and lightweight
Conclusion
These portable USB CD/DVD drive writers do not need to install any additional driver program. But unlike Windows OS, Mac computers may not recognize the external optical drive if there is no CD in the player. After installing the external CD/DVD drive burner on your Mac computer, you can use the VLC player, Quicktime, or other media players or burning software to read or write your CDs/DVDs.
FAQs:
Q: Can I use these external CD/DVD ROM drives on a Windows 10 computer?
A: Yes! These CD/DVD players can work with Windows and Mac computers.
Q: Can I use these external optical drives to play Blu-ray discs on my Mac PC?
A: No! These are only external CD/DVD drives, you can find the best external Blu-ray player for Mac on our site.
Q: Can you recommend some media player software for Mac to play CDs and DVDs?
A: You can try the VLC player, Quicktime, Apple DVD Player, MPlayerOSX, Mac Media Player to play CD and DVD discs.
Q: Some great burning software for Mac?
A: You can try Wondershare DVD Creator for Mac, iSkysoft DVD Creator for Mac, Burn, Simply Burns, or the default Finder.
Q: Can I use a Mac-compatible external optical drive to rip my DVDs?
A: Yes! These optical drives all support ripping, but you need to prepare a ripping software, such as Cisdem Video Converter, HandBrake, or MakeMKV, etc.
READ MORE:
- If you need to read or write Blu-ray discs on your MacBook Pro/Air or iMac, you can check the best external Blu-ray drive for Mac
