USB External CD/DVD drive needed

Just need a basic good CD/DVD read/write drive, an external (USB) version. OS compatible: WinXP, Win7-10, Linux.

Any recommendations?

Thank you.

 

Nothing like that exists. (Good, compatible across 20 years of OS's, and USB v1.0 to USB 4.0 compatibility).

Buy network-attached storage, use the cloud, or other more easily accessed and reliable methods today.

 

No, and I call BS. I have thumb-drives that have lasted me since 2001.

 

@CastlBravo I'd take a known-working drive from some old laptop (or your local craigslist), and purchase an appropriate USB enclosure for it. That way you can be sure it will work, unlike purchasing "new" external drive, that might have either a poorly tested refurb, or freshly produced inferior quality drive inside it.

If you don't want to go that route, just pick the cheapest one with additional power jack (most do have it). They are all low end items, as with most dying technologies.

 

Thumb drives are more standardized and blueprinted than mechanical spinning plastic discs that may or may not line up (tracks) from one brand, model, or generation to the next.

I sincerely wish you the best of luck on your futile quest.

 

tilleroftheearth is a known troll. Please ignore him.

On topic, there are a lot of options out there. The one I personally have is a Verbatim drive that also reads and writes Blu-Ray, but for basic CD/DVD duties, you are likely fine with something like this Asus drive. As long as you don't toss it in a back pack without additional protection, it should last well enough. If I'm taking my Verbatim drive long-distance (e.g. to another state), I pack it in the box it came in to ensure it isn't damaged by movement.

As long as you go with a name brand, I wouldn't be overly concerned about getting a lemon. I've seen some no-name options from China that may indeed be poorly tested refurbs, but if it's a brand you've seen at retail, you should be good to go.

If you do need something heavier-duty, Pioneer makes external Blu-Ray drives that are slot-loading or top-loading, and should be more durable than the tray-loading ones that are most prevalent. But they do carry a price premium, and Pioneer doesn't make DVD drives anymore (though their Blu-Ray drives will play DVDs and CDs).

 

Yeah, good advice to keeping data safe, available, and reliable.

This is 2021, Optical Drives are dinosaurs, believe it or not. True Story.

As for your troll comment, they speak more of your character than of mine. Kind of hard to dispute facts, but if you think you can make yourself look bigger by making me look smaller? Yeah; good luck.

 

Is this what you want?

https://www.amazon.com/Rioddas-External-Portable-Rewriter-Superdrive/dp/B07DLRG9VH/

Or this.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MJW5BXZ/

 

You can easily find them on most sites, Ebay, Amazon, Newegg and etc.

People still burn CDs and DVDs from time to time especially if they have a stereo system and/or blu-ray/dvd player.