Best USB Blu-ray Drives

Pioneer's external Blu-ray burner is one of the slimmest options on the market, featuring a clamshell design and six-times write speed for single-layer and dual-layer BD-R. It has plug-and-play functionality and support for the latest macOS and Windows 10 software. You simply plug it into your computer via USB — Pioneer drive supports USB 3.0 — and you should be good to go.

It's also great value at $75.

Bottom line: It's a super-slim exterior Blu-ray drive that's easy to connect and enjoy.

One more thing: This drive loads from the top, which helps keep it slim, but that means you can't tuck it out of sight easily.

This award-winning, stylish entry from ASUS is a great option if portability isn't such a big factor for you. It comes with a vertical stand that will save precious desk space in your office, but beyond aesthetics, this drive is capable of writing at six-times speeds for standard BD-R discs and supports BDXL, meaning you'll be able to backup up to 100GB of data onto a single Blu-ray.

At the time of writing this drive costs a very reasonable $70.

Bottom line: It's a great option for those who require a powerful burner that's simple to use.

One more thing: Features ATP technology for top-quality burning for those with data to write.

LG's Blu-ray disc writer is the fastest on the list, capable of writing at fourteen-times speeds on single-layer BD-R discs and it supports BDXL discs, as well as M-Disc. The latter is designed to last a very long time, hundreds of years in fact. Thus if you need to back up data, this is a solid option.

It's fairly pricey at $140, but you're paying the premium for the sheer performance.

Bottom line: It is a great little drive that's incredibly fast and supports the M-Disc format.

One more thing: It's large, bulky and weighs in at 3.3 pounds.

For a compact and extremely portable option, here comes the Buffalo MediaStation Blu-ray Writer. It features two integrated USB cables — one for data transfer and a second in case you need a boost of power to the unit — which both neatly wrap around and fold into the drive for ease of mobility.

And it comes in at just under $100, too, so it's not the most expensive drive around, either.

Bottom line: It is designed to be transported around with an accompanying laptop for portable use.

One more thing: Supports, CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays, BDXL, and even DVD HD upscaling.