logo
  1. Home
  2. Components
  3. Optical drives

Optical Drives

ASUS TurboDrive External x16 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Burner Optical Drive for PC/MAC

3

Finance available

ASUS SBW-06D2X-U External Blu-ray DVD Combo Writer Optical Drive

27

Finance available

ASUS SDRW-08D2S-U Lite Portable DVD±R/RW Optical Disc Drive - Black

227

Finance available

ASUS ZenDrive U8M External Slim USB-C DVD±RW Optical Drive with M-Disc Support - Black

Finance available

ASUS ZenDrive U9M - Ultra-Slim Portable 8X with M-DISC support  DVD Burner

25

Finance available

ASUS Slim External USB 3.1 BD-R/RW Optical Drive Blu-Ray Burner - Black

5

Finance available

ASUS ZenDrive U9M SDRW-08U9M-U Slim External DVD Burner - Silver

15

Finance available

ASUS SDRW-08D2S-U Lite Portable DVD±R/RW Optical Disc Drive - White

227

Finance available

ASUS ZenDrive U7M SDRW-08U7M-U External Ultra-Slim DVD±RW Optical Drive - Silver

12

Finance available

ASUS ZenDrive U7M SDRW-08U7M-U External Ultra-Slim DVD±RW Optical Drive - Black

25

Finance available

ASUS SDRW-08U1MT Ultra Slim DVD-RW Internal Optical Disc Drive

1

Finance available

ZenDrive V1M USB External Slim DVD±RW Optical Drive with M-Disc Support

Finance available

Read more

FAQs

When purchasing an optical drive, it is important to consider the types of discs you intend to use. Some drives are designed solely for reading, while others offer both reading and writing capabilities for CDs, DVDs or Blu-ray discs. Speed is another key factor, as faster drives can reduce the time required for reading and writing data. Compatibility with your system is essential, so check whether the drive connects via SATA or USB, depending on whether it is an internal or external model. You should also take into account the software support provided with the drive, as some models include applications for disc burning, media playback or data backup.
Optical drives do not have memory in the same way as storage devices such as SSDs or hard drives. However, they do contain a small buffer memory, also known as cache, which helps to manage data during reading and writing processes. This buffer memory improves performance by reducing interruptions during disc operations, but it is temporary and only used for short-term processing.
No, an optical drive and an SSD are entirely different types of devices with distinct functions. An optical drive is used to read from or write to physical discs, such as CDs, DVDs or Blu-rays, using a laser. It is typically used for media playback, software installation or data backup on disc formats. In contrast, an SSD, or solid state drive, is a digital storage device that holds data electronically without any moving parts. SSDs are designed for fast, long-term storage of files, applications and operating systems, offering much quicker performance compared to traditional hard drives or optical drives.
Most optical drives are recognised automatically by modern operating systems, including Windows, macOS and various Linux distributions. They usually require no additional drivers for basic functions such as reading discs or playing media. However, some advanced features, such as writing to certain disc formats or enabling specific playback options, may require dedicated software or drivers provided by the manufacturer.