Amicool External DVD Drive
Score: 71/100
Ziweo External DVD Drive
Score: 70/100Rankings
The Amicool External DVD Drive is a slim, USB-3.0 portable optical drive offering fast 24× CD and 8× DVD speeds with broad format support. Its lack of M-DISC compatibility and occasional power-related recognition issues limit its use for archival or low-power devices. Ideal for travelers and MacBook users needing a lightweight, bus-powered solution.
The Ziweo External DVD Drive is a portable, bus-powered optical drive offering dual USB-C and USB 3.0 connectivity with fast 24× CD and 8× DVD speeds. Its fixed cables and limited compatibility with certain devices such as Chromebooks and Ubuntu are notable drawbacks. Ideal for Windows and macOS laptop users needing a reliable, low-noise external drive.
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
24 xbest | 24 xbest | |
8 xbest | 8 xbest | |
24 xbest | 24 xbest | |
8 xbest | 8 xbest | |
2 MBbest | — | |
| ↓ lower better | 332 gbest | — |
| ↓ lower better | 17 mmbest | 20.3 mm |
1 yearsbest | — |
Click an attribute name to sort · Green = best, red = worst (relative to this comparison)
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
Features(1) | ||
Supported Media | CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-ROM, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD+R, DVD+R DL, DVD-R DL, DVD-RAM | CD‑R, CD‑RW, DVD‑R, DVD‑R DL, DVD+R, DVD+R DL, DVD‑RAM |
Power(1) | ||
Power Source | USB-powered | USB bus-powered |
Build & Design(1) | ||
Thickness (mm) | 17 mm | 20.3 mm |
General(1) | ||
Operating System Compatibility | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, Linux, macOS |
Products in the top-left offer the best value (high score, low price).
Professional reviewers commend the Amicool drive for its fast USB 3.0 data rates, plug-and-play simplicity across Windows and macOS, and the convenience of an integrated USB-A/Type-C cable, while noting the lack of Blu-ray support and limited compatibility with non-PC devices as the main drawbacks.
Everyday users appreciate the drive's cross-platform reliability, especially as a replacement for discontinued Apple optical drives, and praise its portability and ease of use; complaints are few but focus on occasional power-related recognition issues and the absence of Blu-ray capability.
“excellent accessory for anyone who needs a reliable and portable optical drive.”
Professional reviewers consider the Ziweo drive a reliable and portable accessory, emphasizing its fast 24× CD/8× DVD speeds, 5 Gbps USB 3.0 transfer, dual USB-C/3.0 connectivity, and sturdy low-noise build, while noting the inconvenience of fixed cables and the lack of compatibility with Chromebooks, Surface Pro and Ubuntu.
Everyday users generally praise the drive for its quick and dependable disc burning, quiet operation, and ease of use on Windows and Mac laptops, but recurring complaints focus on occasional driver requirements, incompatibility with certain devices, and the fixed cable design.
