External DVD drives are a convenient way to watch movies and TV shows on your laptop without having to tote around the laptop’s bulky internal optical drive. External DVD drives are also handy for loading software or backing up data from your computer to a disc.

There are a few things you should consider before you buy an external DVD drive. First, check to see if your laptop has a USB port that is USB 3.0 compatible. If it doesn’t, you’ll need to buy a USB 3.0 drive, which will likely be more expensive than a USB 2.0 drive.

Also, …