Best USB Blu-ray drives 2024

Optical drives that spin discs to read and write content aren't anywhere near as popular as they once were, but that doesn't mean they don't have a place in the home. Blu-ray is still a popular format for high-definition movies, so if you're looking for a way to read, record, or write using Blu-ray on your Windows PC, you'll want to use one of these USB Blu-ray drives.

The bottom line

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You really can't go wrong with these external Blu-ray drives. Deciding on which one is best for you will largely come down to what you need, how much you can afford, and whether you're a fan of any particular brand. Getting the best USB Blu-ray drive isn't a particularly glamorous purchase, but making the right choice is still important.

All that said, we feel the Pioneer BDR-XD07B is worthy of the top spot as the best balance of price, features, and performance, as well as the bonuses you get included in the box with it. Pioneer also has a great alternative in the BDR-XS07S if you need something that can handle the most demanding tasks with the best read and write speeds. Likewise, the ASUS 16x is a solid choice for a home office environment.

These excellent Blu-ray drives will transform your best desktop PC into a multimedia powerhouse.

Rich Edmonds
Senior Editor, PC Build

Rich Edmonds was formerly a Senior Editor of PC hardware at Windows Central, covering everything related to PC components and NAS. He's been involved in technology for more than a decade and knows a thing or two about the magic inside a PC chassis. You can follow him on Twitter at @RichEdmonds.