There are no DVD drive on laptops and even desktop computers. How can you play DVDs on PC? External DVD drive could be a choice. This article will show you the best DVD drive in 2021.
- Best External Hard Drive For Macbook Pro 2019
- The Best External Hard Drive For Macbook Pro Case
- Best External Hard Drive For Macbook Pro 2011
- Best External Hard Drive For Macbook Pro
- The Best External Hard Drive For Macbook Pro Refurbished
As Apple kills off the optical drive in its new MacBook Pro and MacBook Air to maintain super-thin profiles, users are left with no ways to play/rip DVDs on Mac directly. For example, you're not allowed to play DVD venom on Mac unless you turn to an external DVD drive or make a digital copy of Venom. Though the remove of DVD drive for Mac doesn't mean blocked access to DVD discs on Mac. To survive with Mac computers without built-in optical drive, there are workarounds available, among which the external DVD drive for Mac maybe the easiest.
Slim, adaptable, and reliable, this version of the popular My Passport external hard drive is a smart pick for storing your Mac's data on a budget. Optimized for Apple products. Lightweight, portable, and affordable. The Best External Hard Drives For Mac. Below, you will be introduced to the top 5 external hard drive for Mac models, with brief but helpful descriptions on each of them. Now, please note that Thunderbolt and FireWire models are available in USB 3.0, USB 2.0 to provide you with more transfer-speed options.
- For the mightiest external hard drive performance, look no further than the Seagate Expansion Desktop External Hard Drive. Coming with storage capabilities of up to 8TB, Seagate have designed a product with the tech-savvy in mind while still keeping thing simple for those who may not be as up to speed with the technologies of today.
- This external hard drive for Mac can be used interchangeably with Windows OS. Seagate backup plus is designed with three modes of connectivity namely, USB 2.0, USB 3.0, and thunderbolt. Seagate external hard drive for Mac is formatted to HFS+ file making it compatible with your MacBook or MacBook pro without formatting it.
How to Play DVD on MacBook Pro/Air without Drive?
Carrying an external Mac CD/DVD drive and movie discs is too much trouble:
Turning thousands of discs into handy digital formats- convert any DVD discs into MP4, MOV, AVI, M4V, 3GP, MKV etc with world's No.1 speed. Remove all the DVD protections and support any disc formats.
2021 Best External DVD/CD Drive for MacBook Pro/Air
1. Apple USB SuperDrive- $79.00
Customer Rating:
Apple's USB SuperDrive is the Mac external hard drive designed to complement MacBook Pro/Air. It is compatible with Macbook ,Macbook air, Macbook Pro, iMac or Mac mini via a single USB cable to help read DVD/CD and write to CD-R and DVD-R discs. With this portable disc drive for Mac, you can play DVDs, rip discs, burn home movies to DVD, extract music from CD etc. The external ODD has 8x faster DVD writing speed.
Having problem with Apple Mac SuperDrive? You can find a solution in this SuperDrive Not Working guide, Superdrive not recognize DVD
2. Samsung Ultra-Slim Optical Drive- $37.60
Customer Rating:
Samsung's ODD has a ultra thin design advertised as the thinnest external optical drive for Mac. It's fully compatible with Windows and macOS, and even Chrome OS and Android. It's able to read and burn various DVD and CD formats, with the writing speeds claimed to range from 6x for dual-layer DVDs to 24x for CD-RWs. A big plus is the USB2.0 and USB 3.0 compatibility, while no Blu-ray support is a major disadvantage. Anyway, it's one of best external DVD drive for Mac picked for DVDs.
3. LG Ultra Slim Portable External Drive- $26.99
Customer Rating:
LG is the best Mac portable DVD drive that's alternative to Apple USB SuperDrive but at a lower price. It can read and burn DVD and CD on Mac and PC, also delivering 8x max DVD writing speed. This external disc drive for Mac has two distinct features: first, it support M-Disc which will protect the data and make it exist longer than standard DVDs; second, it adopts Silent Play technology that can make the DVD playback process less noise than other external Mac ODDs.
Also check best external hard drive for Mac, and NAS drive for Mac
4. VersionTech External DVD/CD Drive for Mac- $35.99
Customer Rating:
This ODD is especially designed to play CD/DVD and burn CD (only CD supported) on MacBook, Macbook Pro, Macbook Air, other ultrabook, PC, laptop via USB. The external optical drive for Mac has superfast speed to read and write disc, ranging from 5x for DVD-Ram to 24x for CD-RW. However, there are some design flaws, for example, the lack of an eject button makes it inconvenient to remove the disc if it gets jammed.
5. Pioneer Slim Mac External DVD Drive for Blu-ray- $163.12
Customer Rating:
The above options are best external hard drive for macOS, if you handle with Blu-ray discs a lot, Pioneer is a good choice. As the external BD drive for Mac, Windows and Linux, it accepts BDXL, Blu-ray, DVD, and CD media with speeds up to 6x DVD disc burning and ripping. The Blu-ray ripping is slower with some noise. It price is much higher than other DVD drive for Mac, but it's quite affordable compared with other BD drive competitors.
An Easier Way to Play DVD Discs on MacBook Pro/Air without Optical Drive
External disc drive for Mac is convenient as it provides direct access to discs. But it's less handy when users need to play a disc on the road. If you want to play DVD movies on a MacBook Pro, you will need an external DVD/CD drive for Mac, an USB cable, and the disc. That's too much trouble.
To watch disc on MacBook Pro/Air without DVD drive, you can use a piece of DVD ripping software to turn massive DVD collection into digital files stored on Mac. For this job, the MacX DVD Ripper Pro for 5 reasons:
- it converts DVD into MP4, MOV, AVI, MKV, 200 more digital files;
- it supports all DVD types like new DVD, 99-title DVD, damaged & unplayable DVD;
- it has world's fastest DVD to mac ripping speed, 5 minutes for a full disc;
- excellent quality reserved; 5. it works on macOS Big Sur and earlier systems.
Step 1:Free download the DVD ripper on Mac. Insert DVD into the external disc drive for Mac or another computer that has an optical drive built-in.
Step 2: Choose output format from the drop-down profile window. To play DVD disc on Mac, MP4 or MOV are both good formats as they're compatible with Mac default QT player or other programs.
Step 3: Click Browse to save the output file and click RUN to begin DVD ripping. After a few minutes, the DVD movie will be saved in your computer and then you can watch those movies without taking an external DVD drive for Mac computers every time.
Disclaimer: The software developer calls for copying or ripping DVD under the concept of Fair Use and does not encourage any illegal reproduction or distribution of copyrighted content. Please abide by the local DVD copyright law before doing it.
Does this sound similar to you?
You thought you had enough disk space when you originally bought your MacBook Pro, but soon you realized that storage is being filled up quicker than you can clear old files.
Or maybe you already had an external drive to help extend your MacBook's storage, but now it's either outdated, too slow, or experiencing issues.
5. Pioneer Slim Mac External DVD Drive for Blu-ray- $163.12
Customer Rating:
The above options are best external hard drive for macOS, if you handle with Blu-ray discs a lot, Pioneer is a good choice. As the external BD drive for Mac, Windows and Linux, it accepts BDXL, Blu-ray, DVD, and CD media with speeds up to 6x DVD disc burning and ripping. The Blu-ray ripping is slower with some noise. It price is much higher than other DVD drive for Mac, but it's quite affordable compared with other BD drive competitors.
An Easier Way to Play DVD Discs on MacBook Pro/Air without Optical Drive
External disc drive for Mac is convenient as it provides direct access to discs. But it's less handy when users need to play a disc on the road. If you want to play DVD movies on a MacBook Pro, you will need an external DVD/CD drive for Mac, an USB cable, and the disc. That's too much trouble.
To watch disc on MacBook Pro/Air without DVD drive, you can use a piece of DVD ripping software to turn massive DVD collection into digital files stored on Mac. For this job, the MacX DVD Ripper Pro for 5 reasons:
- it converts DVD into MP4, MOV, AVI, MKV, 200 more digital files;
- it supports all DVD types like new DVD, 99-title DVD, damaged & unplayable DVD;
- it has world's fastest DVD to mac ripping speed, 5 minutes for a full disc;
- excellent quality reserved; 5. it works on macOS Big Sur and earlier systems.
Step 1:Free download the DVD ripper on Mac. Insert DVD into the external disc drive for Mac or another computer that has an optical drive built-in.
Step 2: Choose output format from the drop-down profile window. To play DVD disc on Mac, MP4 or MOV are both good formats as they're compatible with Mac default QT player or other programs.
Step 3: Click Browse to save the output file and click RUN to begin DVD ripping. After a few minutes, the DVD movie will be saved in your computer and then you can watch those movies without taking an external DVD drive for Mac computers every time.
Disclaimer: The software developer calls for copying or ripping DVD under the concept of Fair Use and does not encourage any illegal reproduction or distribution of copyrighted content. Please abide by the local DVD copyright law before doing it.
Does this sound similar to you?
You thought you had enough disk space when you originally bought your MacBook Pro, but soon you realized that storage is being filled up quicker than you can clear old files.
Or maybe you already had an external drive to help extend your MacBook's storage, but now it's either outdated, too slow, or experiencing issues.
We may be in the age of cloud computing and remote files storage, but it's always helpful to have a portable hard drive you can count on both for file backups and to work off as needed.
In this buying guide, we'll help you pick the best external drive for your MacBook Pro so you can access all your files without sacrificing speed or performance.
Quick Summary
Here's a brief overview of our recommendations depending on your specific needs and preferences:
- The 10TB G-DRIVE Desktop External Hard Drive will give you enough volume and lightning speed for a traditional drive, and comes pre-formatted for Mac.
- If you need instant cross-platform compatibility, and an array of color choices, you'll be covered with the Seagate Backup Plus Slim 2TB.
- Known for being rough on your electronics? The Silicon Power 1TB Drive is rugged and durable, with water resistance in addition to quick read and write speeds.
- If you prefer a modern speedy solid-state drive, the Glyph Atom RAID 1TB SSD is sure to meet expectations in terms of speed and durability.
Do I Need An External Drive for My Mac?
External drives are a worthwhile investment for more than just power users, but it can be hard to determine if you need one or not. Consider this:
- Do you regularly work with large files such as videos and edited images, or run other data heavy program such as video games?
- Is your MacBook Pro running slower due to being overburdened with files?
- Have you ever wanted to backup your Mac just in case of any data disaster?
- Are you using a cloud storage or online backup service but fear of security and reliability issues from the provider?
- Are old files being stored on your computer because you occasionally reference them but can't completely delete them?
Answering yes to any of the above scenario questions is a fairly good indicator that an external hard drive would benefit you.
On the other hand, an external hard drive is probably not the best option for those of you who only have a small volume of unimportant files to save, which might be better served by using a cloud storage program like Dropbox or Google Drive or by offloading their old files onto a large USB flash drive.
The Best External Drives for MacBook Pro in 2020: Our Picks
Kindly note that the products chosen below are mainly based on our personal preferences and the guidelines as shown above. They are by no means made in the order below.
1. G-Technology 10TB G-DRIVE USB-C Desktop External Hard Drive
This speedy HDD drive offers a huge chunk of storage at an uncommonly high RPM. It will stand up to daily use in editing and media programs and connects to your computer via USB-C so you can take full advantage of its specs.
Pros:
- If you have set up Apple Time Machine, this drive will be ready for easy file backup so you won't be waiting for your files to read or write. Also, it comes with a great amount of storage space.
Cons:
- The disk is pre-formatted for Mac, you won't be able to use your files on a secondary computer such as a Windows PC unless you reformat it to NTFS file system.
2. Seagate Backup Plus Slim 2TB
Best External Hard Drive For Macbook Pro 2019
Available in four different sizes, this hard drive from trusted brand Seagate comes in several colors. Approximately the size of your phone, it packs a punch for its size and is very portable.
Pros:
- It can be used on both Mac and PC without reformatting. Also, it offers fast connection via USB and weighs about 5 ounces.
Cons:
- Largest TB size option is not compatible with Mac.
3. Silicon Power 1TB Rugged Armor A60
An extremely versatile and sturdy drive, this model is compatible with more than just your MacBook. It's water resistant, with read and write speeds at the standard 120 mbps.
Pros:
- It can be used with several gaming consoles and Apple Time Machine in addition to your Mac.
- It's also durable and available with the modern USB-C which is especially useful if you're using the newest MacBook Pro.
Cons:
- It appears somewhat unprofessional, also the drive is a bit on the heavy side as it weighs around 8 ounces.
4. Glyph Atom RAID 1TB External Solid State Drive
Available with USB and USB-C connections and pre-formatted for Mac, this SSD from well-known brand Glyph provides extremely fast speeds that will support your casual and power use. It looks clean and functions beautifully.
The Best External Hard Drive For Macbook Pro Case
Pros:
- It comes pre-formatted for Mac with easy reformats for PC or cross-platform compatibility, significantly faster than comparable drives from Samsung and other brands, available in several colors and two connection types.
Cons:
- It's the heaviest drive on our list at 11 ounces, and a bit on the pricey side as well.
Useful Tips & Resources
Picking a hard drive can be difficult, especially if you aren't sure whether you need one. One way to help decide is to try a cloud storage platform such as Google Drive or Dropbox before you decide to buy an external drive. Both platforms are free to start with and they offer terabyte storage options for paying customers and using one may help you decide if you need more constant access to your files or simply a place to store them.
If you know you want an external drive but aren't sure what storage type you need (HDD or SSD), perhaps this guide from PCWorld will help you decide which best fits your requirements.
Also, It's worth noting that some external drives available on the market are formatted for PC only, but you can reformat it to Mac OS Extended, or for cross-platform compatibility (with NTFS) if you need to use your external drive for your MacBook Pro and a PC as well. This tutorial is definitely worth checking out:
Best External Drive for MacBook: What to Look For in 2020?
Storage Capacity
If you're purchasing an external hard drive, it's because you need the space on your MacBook, so it doesn't make sense to cut corners on how much exterior space you purchase. However, it's still important to consider exactly how much space you need. Consider how quickly you create large files (such as photo imports) and if you plan on keeping them in a long or short term to decide your actual need.
Formatting
While many newer drives come formatted to work on both Mac and PC, it's best not to choose one that is single-system compatible as it will limit the drive's versatility (though you could manually format an external drive for both PC and Mac compatibility, it's an extra effort and requires you to be a bit geeky). For added convenience, you should look for drives that come pre-formatted for Mac, which means you don't have to install a special program and do it yourself.
Best External Hard Drive For Macbook Pro 2011
HDD or SSD
There are several kinds of external drives based on the electronics that make them work. An HDD is the traditional spinning disk of data, whereas an SSD is newer technology that has no moving parts and store information inside the electronic components. An HHD, or Hybrid Hard Drive, uses a combination of these methods. Both have their own advantages and disadvantages when it comes to speed, durability, price, and information safety, so make sure you know which you prefer.
Best External Hard Drive For Macbook Pro
FAQ
Do Any External Hard Drives Work With Mac?
Yes, there are many external hard drives that work with Mac, and you should check out the list we covered above. To find out whether if an external hard drive is Mac compatible, all you need to do is to look at the compatibility section under specification – if it does not indicate Mac, it is likely that it does not work with Mac. Hence, you should look for the ones that do.
How do I Backup My Entire Mac To An External Hard Drive?
After you open up Time Machine program from System Preferences, click Select Backup Disk, and you will get the option to select external drive. Apple has a detailed guide here.
Final Words
The Best External Hard Drive For Macbook Pro Refurbished
Regardless of your final choice of external drive, having one will definitely improve your workflow and computer performance. You'll be able to use your files more effectively and improve your MacBook's performance. Which external drive have you used in the past or are considering purchasing? Let us know.
