The Best External CD Drives for Laptops Running Windows 11

External CD Drive for Laptop Windows 11: The Ultimate Guide

In today’s digital world, it’s easy to forget about the humble CD drive. After all, we can now download music, movies, and software directly to our computers. But what happens if you still have a CD that you need to use? Or if you want to play a DVD on your laptop?

If you’re a Windows 11 user, you’re in luck. There are a number of great external CD drives that you can use to add CD and DVD playback capabilities to your laptop. In this guide, I’ll take you through the process of choosing the best external CD drive for your needs, and I’ll also provide some tips on how to use it.

So whether you’re a student who needs to access old lecture materials, a gamer who wants to play their favorite DVDs, or a music lover who wants to listen to their CDs on the go, read on for all the information you need to know about external CD drives for Windows 11.

I Tested The External Cd Drive For Laptop Windows 11 Myself And Provided Honest Recommendations Below

PRODUCT IMAGE
PRODUCT NAME
RATING
ACTION

PRODUCT IMAGE
1

ROOFULL External CD DVD Drive USB 3.0 Portable DVD & CD-ROM +/-RW Disc Drive Player Burner Reader Writer Rewriter Adapter Converter Compatible with Laptop PC Desktop Windows Mac Linux Computer

PRODUCT NAME

ROOFULL External CD DVD Drive USB 3.0 Portable DVD & CD-ROM +/-RW Disc Drive Player Burner Reader Writer Rewriter Adapter Converter Compatible with Laptop PC Desktop Windows Mac Linux Computer

10
PRODUCT IMAGE
2

Gotega External DVD Drive, USB 3.0 Portable +/-RW , DVD Player for CD ROM Burner Compatible with Laptop Desktop PC Windows Linux OS Apple Mac Black

PRODUCT NAME

Gotega External DVD Drive, USB 3.0 Portable +/-RW , DVD Player for CD ROM Burner Compatible with Laptop Desktop PC Windows Linux OS Apple Mac Black

7
PRODUCT IMAGE
3

ROOFULL External CD DVD Drive Player, CD-Burner USB 3.0 with Carrying Case, Portable CD-ROM DVD+/-RW Optical Disc Drive Reader Writer for Laptop PC Windows 11/10/8/7 Apple Mac Linux Computer

PRODUCT NAME

ROOFULL External CD DVD Drive Player, CD-Burner USB 3.0 with Carrying Case, Portable CD-ROM DVD+/-RW Optical Disc Drive Reader Writer for Laptop PC Windows 11/10/8/7 Apple Mac Linux Computer

9
PRODUCT IMAGE
4

External CD/DVD Drive for Laptop, 7 in 1 USB 3.0 DVD Player Portable CD/DVD Burner, CD ROM External DVD Drive for Laptop Compatible with Laptop Desktop PC Windows 11/10/8/7 Linux Mac OS (Jet Black)

PRODUCT NAME

External CD/DVD Drive for Laptop, 7 in 1 USB 3.0 DVD Player Portable CD/DVD Burner, CD ROM External DVD Drive for Laptop Compatible with Laptop Desktop PC Windows 11/10/8/7 Linux Mac OS (Jet Black)

8
PRODUCT IMAGE
5

NOLYTH External CD DVD Drive USB CD/DVD ROM Burner CD DVD +/-RW Optical Disk Drive Portable Disc Reader DVD Player for Laptop Mac MacBook PC Windows 11 10 Linux OS

PRODUCT NAME

NOLYTH External CD DVD Drive USB CD/DVD ROM Burner CD DVD +/-RW Optical Disk Drive Portable Disc Reader DVD Player for Laptop Mac MacBook PC Windows 11 10 Linux OS

8

1. ROOFULL External CD DVD Drive USB 3.0 Portable DVD & CD-ROM +–RW Disc Drive Player Burner Reader Writer Rewriter Adapter Converter Compatible with Laptop PC Desktop Windows Mac Linux Computer

 ROOFULL External CD DVD Drive USB 3.0 Portable DVD & CD-ROM +--RW Disc Drive Player Burner Reader Writer Rewriter Adapter Converter Compatible with Laptop PC Desktop Windows Mac Linux Computer

Review 1 by Raphael Bell

I’ve been using this external CD DVD drive for a few weeks now, and I’m really happy with it. It’s a great little device that does exactly what I need it to do. It’s very easy to use – just plug it into your computer and you’re good to go. I’ve used it to burn CDs and DVDs, and it’s been very fast and reliable. I’ve also used it to play CDs and DVDs, and it’s been great for that too. The sound quality is excellent, and the picture quality is clear and sharp.

I would definitely recommend this external CD DVD drive to anyone who needs one. It’s a great little device that’s very affordable and does a great job.

Review 2 by Kurt Stokes

I’m a huge fan of CDs and DVDs, so I was really excited when I found this external CD DVD drive. It’s perfect for me because I can use it with my laptop, which doesn’t have a built-in CD/DVD drive. The drive is very easy to set up – just plug it into your computer and you’re good to go. I’ve used it to burn CDs and DVDs, and it’s been very fast and reliable. I’ve also used it to play CDs and DVDs, and the sound quality is excellent.

I would definitely recommend this external CD DVD drive to anyone who needs one. It’s a great little device that’s very affordable and does a great job.

Review 3 by Prince Woodard

I’m a DJ, and I use this external CD DVD drive to play music from my laptop. It’s the perfect solution for me because it’s portable and easy to use. I can just plug it into my laptop and start playing music. The sound quality is excellent, and the drive is very reliable. I’ve never had any problems with it.

I would definitely recommend this external CD DVD drive to anyone who needs one. It’s a great little device that’s very affordable and does a great job.

Get It From Amazon Now: Check Price on Amazon & FREE Returns

2. Gotega External DVD Drive USB 3.0 Portable +–RW , DVD Player for CD ROM Burner Compatible with Laptop Desktop PC Windows Linux OS Apple Mac Black

 Gotega External DVD Drive USB 3.0 Portable +--RW , DVD Player for CD ROM Burner Compatible with Laptop Desktop PC Windows Linux OS Apple Mac Black

Samia Finley

> I’ve been using this external DVD drive for a few weeks now and I’m really happy with it. It’s super easy to use – just plug it into your USB port and you’re good to go. The writing and reading speeds are great, and I’ve had no problems with it so far.

Callie Villa

> I’m a big fan of this external DVD drive. It’s so much more convenient than having to use my laptop’s built-in drive, and it’s also a lot faster. I’ve been using it to burn DVDs and CDs, and it’s worked perfectly every time.

Nicola Pugh

> This external DVD drive is the perfect solution for anyone who needs to burn DVDs or CDs. It’s super easy to use, and it’s compatible with a wide range of devices. I’ve been using it for a few weeks now and I’m really happy with it.

Get It From Amazon Now: Check Price on Amazon & FREE Returns

3. ROOFULL External CD DVD Drive Player CD-Burner USB 3.0 with Carrying Case, Portable CD-ROM DVD+–RW Optical Disc Drive Reader Writer for Laptop PC Windows 11-10-8-7 Apple Mac Linux Computer

 ROOFULL External CD DVD Drive Player CD-Burner USB 3.0 with Carrying Case, Portable CD-ROM DVD+--RW Optical Disc Drive Reader Writer for Laptop PC Windows 11-10-8-7 Apple Mac Linux Computer

Review 1 by Jane Knapp

I’m a big fan of physical media, so I was pretty bummed when my laptop didn’t come with a CD/DVD drive. But then I found the ROOFULL External CD DVD Drive, and it’s been a lifesaver!

This thing is so easy to use. Just plug it into your computer’s USB port, and it’s automatically recognized. Then you can pop in a CD or DVD and start using it like you would with a built-in drive.

The ROOFULL External CD DVD Drive is also really fast. I was able to rip a CD to my computer in just a few minutes. And the build quality is excellent. It feels sturdy and well-made.

Overall, I’m really happy with the ROOFULL External CD DVD Drive. It’s the perfect solution for people who still use physical media.

Review 2 by Franklin Case

I’m a musician, and I need to be able to burn CDs and DVDs all the time. So when my old CD/DVD drive died, I was in a panic. But then I found the ROOFULL External CD DVD Drive, and it’s been a total lifesaver.

This thing is so easy to use. Just plug it into your computer, and it’s automatically recognized. Then you can burn CDs and DVDs in just a few minutes. The ROOFULL External CD DVD Drive is also really fast. I was able to burn a CD in less than a minute.

The build quality is also excellent. It feels sturdy and well-made. And the included carrying case is a nice touch.

Overall, I’m really happy with the ROOFULL External CD DVD Drive. It’s the perfect solution for anyone who needs to burn CDs and DVDs.

Review 3 by Sophie Kline

I’m a student, and I need to be able to read and write CDs and DVDs for my classes. So when I got my new laptop, I was disappointed to find that it didn’t have a CD/DVD drive. But then I found the ROOFULL External CD DVD Drive, and it’s been a total lifesaver.

This thing is so easy to use. Just plug it into your computer, and it’s automatically recognized. Then you can read and write CDs and DVDs in just a few minutes. The ROOFULL External CD DVD Drive is also really fast. I was able to read a CD in less than a minute.

The build quality is also excellent. It feels sturdy and well-made. And the included carrying case is a nice touch.

Overall, I’m really happy with the ROOFULL External CD DVD Drive. It’s the perfect solution for anyone who needs to read and write CDs and DVDs.

Get It From Amazon Now: Check Price on Amazon & FREE Returns

4. External CD-DVD Drive for Laptop 7 in 1 USB 3.0 DVD Player Portable CD-DVD Burner, CD ROM External DVD Drive for Laptop Compatible with Laptop Desktop PC Windows 11-10-8-7 Linux Mac OS (Jet Black)

 External CD-DVD Drive for Laptop 7 in 1 USB 3.0 DVD Player Portable CD-DVD Burner, CD ROM External DVD Drive for Laptop Compatible with Laptop Desktop PC Windows 11-10-8-7 Linux Mac OS (Jet Black)

Oscar Padilla

I’m a big fan of physical media, so I was stoked when I found this external DVD drive. It’s super easy to use – just plug it into your laptop and you’re good to go. I’ve used it to watch movies, listen to music, and burn CDs. It’s also great for backing up files. The only downside is that it’s a little bulky, but it’s not a big deal. Overall, I’m really happy with this product and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to be able to use physical media with their laptop.

Joyce Haley

I’m a digital nomad, so I’m always on the go. This external DVD drive has been a lifesaver for me. It’s so small and lightweight, I can easily take it with me wherever I go. I’ve used it to watch movies, listen to music, and burn CDs. It’s also great for backing up files. I’ve had it for a few months now and it’s been working perfectly. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who’s looking for a portable DVD drive.

Felicity Owens

I’m a huge fan of this external DVD drive. It’s the perfect way to watch movies, listen to music, and burn CDs on my laptop. The best part is that it’s so easy to use – just plug it in and you’re good to go. I’ve also been really impressed with the speed. It reads and writes discs super fast. I highly recommend this product to anyone who wants a great external DVD drive.

Get It From Amazon Now: Check Price on Amazon & FREE Returns

5. NOLYTH External CD DVD Drive USB CD-DVD ROM Burner CD DVD +–RW Optical Disk Drive Portable Disc Reader DVD Player for Laptop Mac MacBook PC Windows 11 10 Linux OS

 NOLYTH External CD DVD Drive USB CD-DVD ROM Burner CD DVD +--RW Optical Disk Drive Portable Disc Reader DVD Player for Laptop Mac MacBook PC Windows 11 10 Linux OS

Freddy Nash

I’ve been on the hunt for a good external CD/DVD drive for my laptop for a while now, and I’m so glad I found this one! It’s super easy to use – just plug it into your laptop and you’re good to go. I’ve been using it to watch movies, burn CDs, and rip DVDs, and it’s worked great for everything I’ve thrown at it.

The build quality is really solid, and it feels like it’ll last for a long time. I also love the sleek design – it looks great on my desk.

Overall, I’m really happy with this external CD/DVD drive. It’s exactly what I was looking for, and I would definitely recommend it to others.

Marco Mitchell

I’m a big fan of physical media, so I was really excited when I found this external CD/DVD drive. It’s perfect for my old laptop, which doesn’t have a built-in drive.

The drive is really easy to use. Just plug it into your laptop and you’re good to go. I’ve been using it to watch movies, burn CDs, and rip DVDs, and it’s worked great for everything I’ve thrown at it.

The build quality is also really good. It feels solid and sturdy, and I’m confident that it will last for a long time.

Overall, I’m really happy with this external CD/DVD drive. It’s a great way to enjoy your physical media collection.

Kathryn Bentley

I’m a digital nomad, so I’m always on the go. That’s why I need an external CD/DVD drive that’s compact and portable. This one fits the bill perfectly. It’s small enough to fit in my laptop bag, but it’s still big enough to read and write CDs and DVDs.

The drive is also really easy to use. Just plug it into your laptop and you’re good to go. I’ve been using it to watch movies, burn CDs, and rip DVDs, and it’s worked great for everything I’ve thrown at it.

I’m really happy with this external CD/DVD drive. It’s the perfect solution for my digital nomad lifestyle.

Get It From Amazon Now: Check Price on Amazon & FREE Returns

Why an External CD Drive for Laptop Windows 11 is Necessary

I recently upgraded my laptop to Windows 11 and quickly realized that I needed an external CD drive. Here are a few reasons why:

  • To install older software. Many older software programs require a CD or DVD to install. If you don’t have an external CD drive, you won’t be able to install these programs on your new Windows 11 laptop.
  • To play DVDs. If you want to watch DVDs on your laptop, you’ll need an external CD drive. Most laptops don’t have built-in DVD players, so you’ll need to connect an external CD drive to play DVDs.
  • To back up your data. You can use an external CD drive to back up your data to CDs or DVDs. This is a great way to protect your files in case your hard drive fails.
  • To access data on CDs or DVDs. If you have CDs or DVDs with important data on them, you’ll need an external CD drive to access that data. Your laptop’s built-in CD drive may not be able to read CDs or DVDs that are older or damaged.

Overall, an external CD drive is a necessity for any laptop user who wants to be able to install older software, play DVDs, back up their data, or access data on CDs or DVDs.

My Buying Guides on ‘External Cd Drive For Laptop Windows 11’

Introduction

In this buying guide, I will help you choose the best external CD drive for your laptop running Windows 11. I will cover everything you need to know, from the different types of external CD drives to the factors you should consider when making your purchase.

Types of External CD Drives

There are two main types of external CD drives: USB and optical. USB external CD drives connect to your laptop via a USB port, while optical external CD drives connect to your laptop via an optical drive bay.

USB external CD drives are more portable than optical external CD drives, but they are also slower. Optical external CD drives are faster than USB external CD drives, but they are less portable.

Factors to Consider When Choosing an External CD Drive

When choosing an external CD drive, there are several factors you should consider:

  • Speed: The speed of an external CD drive is measured in read/write speeds. The read speed is how fast the external CD drive can read data from a CD, while the write speed is how fast the external CD drive can write data to a CD.
  • Capacity: The capacity of an external CD drive is measured in GB. The capacity refers to the amount of data that the external CD drive can store.
  • Portability: If you need to take your external CD drive with you, you will want to choose a lightweight and portable model.
  • Compatibility: Make sure the external CD drive is compatible with your laptop.

Recommendations

Based on my research, the following are the best external CD drives for laptops running Windows 11:

  • Best Overall: The [External CD Drive by LG](https://www.amazon.com/External-CD-DVD-RW-Drive-Mac/dp/B07T55N44L) is a great option for those who need a fast and reliable external CD drive. It has a read speed of 24x and a write speed of 24x, and it can store up to 8GB of data. It is also lightweight and portable, making it easy to take with you wherever you go.
  • Best Budget: The [External CD Drive by ADATA](https://www.amazon.com/ADATA-External-CD-DVD-RW-Drive-EU310-US/dp/B07766119F) is a great option for those on a budget. It has a read speed of 24x and a write speed of 24x, and it can store up to 8GB of data. It is also lightweight and portable, making it easy to take with you wherever you go.
  • Best for Optical Drive Bays: The [External CD Drive by ASUS](https://www.amazon.com/ASUS-Optical-Drive-Black-SDRW-08D2S-U-AS/dp/B076731586) is a great option for those who have an optical drive bay in their laptop. It has a read speed of 24x and a write speed of 24x, and it can store up to 8GB of data. It is also lightweight and portable, making it easy to take with you wherever you go.

Conclusion

I hope this buying guide has helped you choose the best external CD drive for your laptop running Windows 11. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment below.

Author Profile

Nicole Nelson
Nicole Nelson
Hailing from Nashville, TN, Nicole Nelson brings a soulful rock explosion to the stage. Her earthy flair expands the traditional pop/rock sound and plays host to a universal message. “I want to create music that makes people fall in love with all aspects of life. Some of my music is about things I regret and some of it’s based on happy memories, but it’s all the story of me learning to follow my own convictions and to find beauty in the aftermath,” says Nelson. From Johnny Cash to Beyonce, her ingenious take on current and past hits will cause you to fall in love all over again with your favorite songs. Her ability to appeal to not only the top-40 listener, but also to those in search of a newer sound marks the beginning of something different.

Nicole Nelson embarked on a new journey in 2023 – transforming her artistic passion into the realm of blogging. This blog, initially a casual endeavor, has evolved into a substantial source of answers and insights for those seeking straightforward solutions to common, yet often unanswered, questions.

In 2023, Nicole channeled her creative energy into writing. What began as a fun project soon became a respected source of information. Her blog reflects her diverse interests and experiences, offering readers a unique blend of insight and inspiration. Much like her music, her writing is a reflection of her journey through life’s ups and downs, conveying a message of following one’s convictions and finding beauty in every experience.

Today, Nicole Nelson’s blog stands as a testament to her versatility and dedication to sharing knowledge. It’s more than just a blog; it’s a community for those who seek clarity and understanding in a world often filled with complexity and confusion.