Samsung USB 2.0 Ultra Portable External DVD Writer Model SE-218CB/RSBS

I really love this external DVD Writer. I've had tons of external burners going back to 2000; so I've had my fair share of tech experience with them. This external gets the job done perfectly. It doesn't require an extra USB plug to help power it. It doesn't need an AC adapter to power it either. It only requires 1 USB connection to power it and for it to work. It's not loud at all like some externals can be. I've burned CD's, CD-R'S, DVD-R'S, and had no problems other than faulty CD's or DVD's. It burns fast too. I've burnt music cds, audio book cds, dvd movies, data back up dvds. They all burnt fast. I'm sure there are some faster external burners. But you're going to have to pay a lot more as well. But if you just need an external DVD burner because your laptop doesn't have one like mine this is perfect! I've had it for a couple months now and it's performed great. I plug it in and unplug it while my laptop is on and it doesn't have any problems being recognized. I didn't have to download a bunch of bloatware drivers to get it work. It comes with burning software but I just threw it away after a couple weeks. I use a version of Nero I've had for several years to handle all my CD/DVD burning projects. Another reason I bought it is because I commute to work, hence my light weight laptop with not disk drive, and it's handled my weekly commutes fine. It's in a case and held up to being tossed on a bed, sofa, chair, in my messenger back driving trips, etc. It looks great too. I have a Samsung ATIV Book 4 and it looks great sitting next to it. I purchased the CaseCrown Faux Suede Sleeve (Black) to keep it safe from damage and dust when it's not in use. Highly recommend that case too. Bottom Line: If you don't want to spend a lot of money for an external burner that you need for simple but important projects (back ups, dvds of pictures for friends and family, playing pc games that require a disk drive, one that you'll use occasionally or on a regular basis, fun or business; GET THIS EXTERNAL! You wont regret it!

Okay, maybe the title sounds over ambitious for this review, but that is because I had ordered an inexpensive blu-ray player first that DID NOT work, so I was pretty excited to get this. I plugged it into my Surface running Windows 8.1 and BAM! there it was in Windows Explorer. It did require that I download DVDFad Passkey and VLC Media Player (both free) to get a movie playing, but that is a Windows 8 issue, and as soon as I had those it played anything I could throw at it. It's a nice drive and VERY lightweight. So light in fact that when it was sitting on my desk as it would spin up the dvd it would turn the drive a little bit. I really don't want to complain that it is lightweight, so I won't, but just be cautious about where you have it placed so that it doesn't move and fall off of something when it is spinning up a disc. I have not done any speed tests and I don't think it will win any awards or impress your friends with how quickly a dvd starts playing, but it is reasonably fast and works very well. Also, as mentioned in the description and other reviews, it only has one standard usb cable and that powers it up and runs the data connection. No need or option for any additional power source and it works great. If you wanted to use an external power source you would need a Y cable to do it, but as long as you don't mind simplicity and functionality this little guy gets the job done.

A very good DVD player that might be more than you need. I like almost everything about this device. As laptops have been steadily trending towards not having a DVD drive anymore, many of us find we need another way to use our DVDs. Enter the portable DVD player. This Samsung version is light, easy to transport, and simple to use. At less than a pound, you can carry this with you virtually anywhere and it won't add any noticeable weight to your bag. The slim design and cord that folds up neatly into the device itself make it a breeze to pack up and transport. Most importantly, it is plug and play; you never have to do anything special to get this DVD player to work. The read capability of this is impressive, as it does indeed successfully read standard DVDs as well as CDs and every version of written and rewritten DVD or CD I've put in it. The truth is, however, that this might actually be more ability than a lot of people need, and at 50 bucks you might want a less advanced model. If you know you are going to be creating your own CDs or DVDs, then this is certainly a good product. But I have had this for several years and have never once used it to create my own, mostly because we all now tend to put stuff on flash drives rather than make permanent copies. Another thing to be aware of is that this is USB 2.0, not 3.0. While plenty of people don't have 3.0 yet, if you want the faster connection, this doesn't have it. Overall this is a very good portable DVD player and I certainly recommend it. But it would probably be best to consider your real needs and ponder if a slightly less advanced model will meet those needs and save you a few bucks.

Haven't had it that long, but so far it seems to work great. Wish I had more insight to share, but here is one or two things you might want to know -Fired up on both Windows and an Ubuntu distro just fine, so if you are using Linux, this is going to be a good choice. -Comes with USB cable as well as some basic burning software. It's nothing special, along the lines of what you could grab for free online, but it's convenient and a nice addition, if you aren't really comfortable chasing down software. -Slim, and seems sturdy for what it is. I've seen a few of these things and there is only so solid a thin plastic box can be, but this is in line with any of the others I've seen. -Burn speed seems reasonable. I haven't burned anything huge, nothing beyond a GB or so, so I'm definitely not the final word on speed tests, but it seems on par with other inexpensive burners. -Disk tray slides out rather than opening clam-shell style. I prefer this, but it's another couple of moving parts, so your call. -Power draw seems reasonable. This is another area where I haven't actually done any tests, but I haven't seen any noticeable change in battery life when using this sparingly. If I turned it on and ran a couple of DVDs off of it, that might change, but for intermittent read/write while working, it seems pretty efficient. I'd definitely buy again.

This was exactly what I was looking for. My laptop doesn't have a disc drive and this is a great option. SIZE: It's very thin and light with no power cord needed so it's very portable and if you want you can just keep it in the laptop case. PRIZE: It's cheap, yet writes DVD's and CD's well. SETUP: Easy to set up, you just plug the USB in and it does everything for you. NEGATIVES: The only negative, if you can call it that, is that it's pretty fragile feeling. When the tray comes out it's very thin and I'm always nervous that I might break it. Pushing it back in is a big clunky as you have to do it manually. But, that's the downside to being thin and compact I guess. Plus, it's cheap enough that if you have to buy another one it's not that big of a deal. I highly recommend it if you need a CD or DVD writer!

The Samsung USB Portable External DVD Writer (Model SE-218CB/RSBS) is compact and lightweight and offers reliable performance for users in need of an external optical drive. It supports DVD and CD writing, reading, and burning, making it a great option for those with laptops or desktops lacking an internal optical drive. The device connects easily via USB 2.0 and is compatible with both Windows and Mac systems. The write speeds are limited by the USB 2.0 connection. Overall, but still a solid choice for basic DVD/CD tasks, especially for its portability and affordability.

Who needs an optical drive these days? I thought I would never need one until I did need one. And so my search for a good external DVD reader + writer began. My requirements: 1) It better not need an external power supply. 2) It should be compatible with Windows, Macs and Linux 3) It should be light-weight, slim and portable. 4) It better not be overpriced (like the Apple's SuperDrive) This drive met all of the above requirements. It works with Windows/Macs/Linux, doesn't require external power source, and it is light-weight. It was reasonably priced and when it arrived, I was impressed by its build quality; it doesn't look cheaply made. To top it off, it's fairly silent too. I tested this on Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and Mac OS X Mavericks. I have yet to find a need to test it on Linux but I'm confident that it will work because other kind reviewers have mentioned that it works with Linux out of the box, just like it does with Windows and Mac. Did I mention that it is really slim? I'm sure that there are optical drives out there that are slimmer than this so this drive may not win any pageants for its physique but the drive is truly portable. There is nothing that I dislike about this drive. I highly recommend it if you need an external optical drive. Get this optical drive before they go extinct like the floppy disks/drives.

The upside of this Samsung dvd drive is that it's half the price of an Apple drive; the downside is that it doesn't work. I bought it for use with a new IMAC with Mavericks OS, and because it didn't work I am returning it. 1) This item is advertised as MAC compatible, but I found it to be compatible only if connected to Windows running on VMWare. I couldn't get it to open using any MAC program. It is not MAC compatible in my experience. (I stopped trying to load a dvd movie after several tries, with over five minutes for each attempt. It loaded software programs from a cd, but only in Windows running on VMWare. It never opened a dvd movie or any software cd's in MAC Mavericks. I have 20 years of experience with computers.) 2) The operating manual -- literally -- included only photos showing how to connect the usb cable to a computer. Even the photo of the drive was not this drive. I searched the internet for instructions on how to make the drive work, and there are many, many other reports from people who could not get the drive to work on an Apple machine (and similar reports for Windows). One comment suggested that holding the loading drawer button for several seconds might help, so I tried that -- with no difference in outcome. 3) The included "DVD Writer" disk would only open in Windows on VMWare, and it was not helpful. It included only downloads for trial versions of software; it was the moral equivalent of a TV info-mercial, doing nothing but trying to sell me another four products. I could find no internet links to firmware upgrades or any other instructions. (One site listed multi-step upgrades of software if you download from their proprietary installation guides, not from the manufacturer. Try at your own risk.) 4) This device appears to be manufactured by a third-party manufacturer (TSST Corp., a joint venture) and is sold under at least two brand names, including Samsung and Toshiba. Its website provides no help. In any event, the quality of the device is not high -- it's very noisy and takes forever to load, even for Windows 7 (at least on my MAC running VMware). I have several Samsung products around my house; this one leads me to doubt Samsung's quality and advertising.

very good speed

i was debating this or the apple superdrive this has won in every way, its great, cheap enough and does the job perfect don't waste your money on anything else this is what you need

Good player does what I wanted it to do

Great

Tried this first on my little, terrible windows 7 laptop with 52x CD's as a test and it worked great. Works with my macbook. No problems at all. love this little thing!