Best CD and DVD drives for Mac in 2022

CD and DVD drives are now considered nostalgic devices. Most major laptop manufacturers now rely on USB ports and storage drives for data transfer. What’s more, since Apple stopped using optical drives in its Macs in 2016, you’ll need an external Mac CD drive to read or write data from CDs and DVDs.

So, if you’ve been looking for the best external CD drive for Mac, without further ado, check out this list!

1. Apple
2. Gotega
3. Amicool
4. SAMSUNG
5. Rioddas

1. Apple USB SuperDrive – Editors’ Choice

• Hardware interface – USB 2.0
• Weight – 335 g

The best external DVD drive for Mac has to be an Apple product, right? With the Apple USB SuperDrive, you get one of the best optical drives ever made.

First, the drive is sleek and matches the look of the MacBook. It’s a little more than a CD drive. This makes the SuperDrive a great option if you’re traveling as it fits easily into your travel bags.

Alternatively, you can connect it to your old Mac via the built-in USB-A cable. However, for later Mac models, you will need to purchase an adapter. The main disadvantage of this product is its price. Not everyone is willing to spend that much on an optical drive.

pros

• Excellent design philosophy
• Lightweight and portable
• Compatible with all Macs

Minuses

• Too expensive

2. Gotega External DVD Drive – Value for Money

• Hardware Interface – USB 3.0 Type-A, USB 3.0
• Weight – 340 g

If you are uncomfortable spending large sums of money on a Mac CD-ROM drive, but want your money to be worth it, this offer from Gotega should be a great choice.

It has excellent read and write speeds: 8x for DVDs and 24x for CDs. This CD-ROM drive for Mac is also widely compatible with a range of macOS versions starting with 10.14. Because it runs over USB 3.0, it’s easy to use. Just plug it into your Mac, the drivers will be installed automatically and you can use it!

However, the supplied connecting cord is too short, only 8 inches.

pros

• Great prices
• Fast data transfer
• Easy to use

Minuses

• Connecting cord too short

3. Amicool External DVD Drive – Sleek Design

• Hardware interface – USB 3.0, USB 2.0, USB 1.0
• Weight – 348 g

For those who prefer aesthetics in our gadgets, Amicool DVD and CD Reader for Mac is an excellent choice. Not only does it do its job well, it also looks good while doing it!

It is plug-and-play, which means you don’t need to install additional software to use the device. The optical drive is also backward compatible with USB 3.0, USB 2.0 and USB 1.0 features. The high data transfer rate of 5 Gbps ensures that you will not be left behind.

Finally, the slim design and honeycomb pattern on top give this optical drive an elegant aesthetic. However, the build quality seems a bit fragile. Thus, you will have to handle this disc with care.

pros

• Great design aesthetic
• Backward compatible with older USB ports
• Excellent speed

Minuses

• Fragile assembly

4. SAMSUNG TSST – Premium Choice

• Hardware interface – USB 3.0, USB 2.0
• Weight – 198 g

SAMSUNG loves to make quality devices. Even for DVD readers for the Mac segment, the TSST optical drive is one of the best you can find.

In addition to being stylish, the drive is also ultra-thin, its thickness is only 14 mm. The optical drive is even compatible with USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports. In addition, SAMSUNG has provided some additional technologies such as tilt drive compensation technology to make this device a pleasure to use.

Ultimately, by paying for a drive, you get your money’s worth. The only problem with this drive is that it takes time to set up.

pros

• Ultra thin
• Added features such as tilt drive compensation.
• backward compatibility

Minuses

• Device setup software feels clunky

5. Rioddas external CD drive – for those on a budget

• Hardware interface – USB 3.0
• Weight – 198 g

Now we come to our last entry. This device from Rioddas is ideally priced for those who urgently need an optical drive and are on a budget.

It’s convenient to use. You don’t need to install any additional software to make it work. The drive also supports USB 3.0 technology for superior data transfer speeds. What’s more, it’s backward compatible with USB 2.0. For added convenience, there is also an “Extract”button.

The copper mesh technology inside the drive ensures that your CD or DVD is not damaged. However, build quality could be better, even at this price point.

pros

• Affordable prices
• Convenient to use
• backward compatibility

Minuses

• Build quality is not up to par

Summarizing

This was my pick of the best external CD drives for Mac. I hope it will be easier for you to decide which optical drive to choose. Even though reading and writing discs for photos or movies has gone out of fashion, many people still rely on this technology. If you are one of them, these CD and DVD drives for Mac should help you a lot.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below!