Finding the Best Internal Blu Ray Drive to Meet Your Needs
With cloud storage becoming so much more common these days, you might assume that trying to find the best internal blu ray drive would be a waste of time, but when it comes to watching high-def movies on your laptop or PC, a good drive can make all the difference between a great movie experience and a bland or frustrating one.
Finding the best internal Blu ray drive from the ridiculously wide array of options can be quite a daunting task, especially if you’ve never bought one before. Fortunately for you, we’ve handpicked some of the top models on the market based on user ratings and sales rank. You’re sure to find one that will suit your needs and budget somewhere on this list. Read on for more details.
Recommendation Summary (If you’re not in the mood to read)
- LG WH16NS40 Super Multi Blue Internal SATA 16x Blu-ray Disc Rewriter (Best Overall)
- LG Electronics 14x SATA Blu-ray Internal Rewriter (Best Value)
- Pioneer BDR-209DBK-KIT (Best Bundle Kit)
1- LG WH16NS40 Super Multi Blue Internal SATA 16x Blu-ray Disc Rewriter
**[Editor’s Choice]**
The LG Wh16NS40 is another LG internal drive that we will review. If you want more speed, then this one will be perfect for you as it comes with a 16x writing capacity.
Not only can it write at top speeds on Blu-ray discs but can also write on a variety of other optical storage media such as DVDs (16x), CDs, quad, dual, and triple-layer BD-R discs. What’s even better is that you can team the drive with a 3D playback software and it will let you watch Blu-ray 3D movies too. Of course, you will need 3D glasses and a 3D display system to go with it.
Multi-blue compatibility lets you read and write media onto 4 different types of discs with one single drive so that you can choose the best one that suits the type of media. The compatible disc types are DVD+R, DVD-R/RW, DVD-RAM, and Blu-Ray.
In addition to fast writing speeds of 16x, the drive also lets you store more onto your BDXL discs. Three layers BDXL-R and BDXL RE discs can accommodate up to 100GB of data while the quad-layer BDXL-R discs lets you write up to 128GB of data. So this is perfect for those who need to write and store a large amount of data.
The drive comes with the M-DISC technology which stores your data much longer on the discs allowing for long term storage of all your important data. It uses a different textured recording surface to write the data instead of the regular organic dye. The Silent Play technology automatically detects the media type and adjusts the playback speed for super silent operation.
The drive is compatible with Windows versions 7, Vista, and XP. With a RoHS certification, you can be sure that there are no hazardous substances used in the drive that will make it harmful for the environment.
2- Pioneer Electronics USA Internal Blu-Ray Writer (BDR-209DBK)
If you are looking for a super-fast blu-ray writer, then you will love the BDR-209DBK by Pioneer Electronics. This is a perfect upgrade from your existing writer and makes perfect sense to buy it if you already have the necessary software.
With a writing speed of 16x on BD-R and 14x on BD-RL discs you can get a lot written in no time. So no more long waiting times to get you important or favorite media on the disc. The amount of data it can write on a BD-R disc is about 25 GB while it can write double of that on a BD-RL disc.
In fact, it is also backward compatible with older disc versions such as DVDs and CDs. If you love to watch Blu-ray 3D movies, then you can make use of the 3d playback feature of this drive. Simply add the necessary 3D playback software and you will be watching your favorite Blu-ray 3D movies come alive in no time. This is provided you also have a 3D display system in place.
This internal drive comes with a QuickPlay feature that reduces the waiting time after the disc is inserted and before your media starts playing. Long waiting times can be frustrating especially if you are trying to decide which movie to watch. But the QuickPlay of this drive loads discs faster for a great blu-ray watching experience.
Disc running noise can be annoying especially if you are trying to watch a movie on your computer or even play music. But you won’t have this problem with this drive as it has a brilliant design tray cushion and a top cover that not only keeps the noise down but also protects the drive from dust. This, in turn, increases the life of your drive in addition to preventing disc failure.
This drive has also been designed to reduce warping and vibration when writing media at high speeds. The outer areas of the disc are most susceptible to this effect. But the BDR-209DBK keeps the discs stable for a quality output. You’ll love every bit of this blu-ray drive.
Do you love watching 3D movies? Then you can put this drive to good use. Just get yourself a 3D playback software and team it with a 3D display system to see your Blu-ray movies come alive.
This kit comes with a 4 pin that connects to 2 SATA cables which in turn split into 2 SATA connectors. So not only can you write Blu-ray discs fast, but you can power two drives at the same time. It also comes with a Nero 12 Essential burning software to get you started right out of the box.
3- LG Electronics 14x SATA Blu-ray Internal Rewriter (WH14NS40)
**[Best Value]**
You will never have to buy a cheap internal rewriter as you can get yourself a quality Blu-ray drive at an extremely pocket-friendly price. The WH14NS40 from LG electronics can very well become the best internal Blu ray drive for your needs as it has many features that are comparable to some high-end writers.
This internal drive is so versatile as it can read as well as write on different types of discs such as single-layer discs, dual-layer discs, and quad-layer discs. It can also write on older disc types such as the CD-R and the DVD-R.
This rewriter uses the M-DISC technology wherein a textured surface is used instead of an organic dye to write data on. These discs are more reliable and hence you can store all your important data on permanent optical storage.
You can write up to 128 GB of data including movies, music, photos, and business documents onto a quad-layer BD-R disc. This is a lot of space and is roughly equal to 27 DVDs or 5 Blu-ray discs.
A maximum writing speed of 14x for Blu-rays and DVDs ensures accuracy and less waiting times. This is done using the SATA 1.1a interface which is very user-friendly. This storage interface replaces the older parallel ATA storage interface, is much slimmer, and is scalable too.
Whether you are listening to music, watching videos, or writing discs at high-speeds, this internal drive operates quietly for a noise-free experience. It automatically chooses the right playback speed in each case and this is what results in silent operation.
This drive is compatible with most operating systems such as Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10, Mac OSX, and Linux. You can enjoy all your favorite Blu-ray movies using this drive when you purchase the Power BD-DVD 3D software.
All in all a great internal drive that will let you get the most out of optical storage.
4- Asus Black 12X BD-ROM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-ROM SATA
The ASUS BC-12B1ST will give you fast Blue-ray reading speeds to give you a great high definition movie viewing experience.
It has a good reading speed of 12x which means you can playback your Blu-ray titles quickly and also access any data stored on your blu-ray disc quickly. It is also compatible with standard DVDs and CDs and can read or write at a relatively faster rate on these discs. The read and write speed on DVDs is 16x while on CDs it is a whopping 48x.
When you play standard DVDs on this internal drive it automatically improves it to the highest video quality to further enhance your viewing experience. This drive uses OTS technology to make sure that you get quality writing despite the speed. The discs to be written are tested to automatically decide the best burning method for superior output quality.
You can also watch 3D movies on this drive. The only thing you will need is a Blu-ray 3D playback software that can convert your 2D movies into exciting 3D media.
The interface is extremely user-friendly and allows for a simple drag and burn operation. Your newly written discs will be ready in three simple steps. First, drag and drop the desired media to the thumbnail. Then click burn and on completion your disc is ready is used. It’s that simple.
All you sensitive and important data are protected using Disc Encryption II which gives you password options and hidden file options for security.
If you want to permanently delete confidential information, then you make use of the E-hammer feature. This is useful to delete unwanted information from CD-R and DVD-R discs without the need to physically destroy them.
With the Green Focus feature, you can save up to 50% on energy costs. This E-green feature automatically shuts down the drive application when not in use thereby saving unnecessary use of energy.
5 – LG WH14NS40 M-Disc Burner
Why should you buy only a Blu-ray internal drive when you can get it with the burning software for just a few extra bucks? The LGWH14NS40 Blu-ray writer and burning software bundle is not only affordable but will let you burn Blu-ray M-discs right from your computer.
M-discs are state-of-the-art Blu-ray discs that are engineered to last 1000 years. This is made possible due to its textured recording surface, unlike the regular dye surfaces which corrupt data easily. You can store everything from videos to music to photos and even confidential documents and files on M-Discs to permanently store all your important and favorite media forever. It can hold up to 25 GB of data on one disc letting you store a large amount of data at one go.
The drive has a writing speed of 14x and lets you burn Blu-ray discs in no time. With this internal Blu-ray drive, you can write on three-layer BDXL-R and BDXL RE discs with data of up to 100GB. The quad-layer BDXL-R discs, on the other hand, allows you to write up to 128GB.
This kit also comes with a 4 pin with which you can connect 2 SATA cables. These cables split into two SATA connectors. So you can power not one but two drives at the same time giving you more burning and storage power.
Forget noisy drives as this one has a super-silent operation as it detects the right playback speed for different multimedia. Get this kit and enjoy high-quality blu-ray movies.
6- Panasonic UJ-267 9.5mm Internal SATA Blu-Ray Writer (Sorry, Currently Sold Out)
If you are looking for the best internal blu-ray drive for your Mac or Windows laptop, then you will love the Panasonic UJ-267.
You can burn Blu-ray movies at 6x speed on to Blu-ray discs. This drive is compatible with BD-R TL and XL and can store up to 100GB of your favorite media. It uses the SATA interface which is user-friendly and lets you read and burn discs in a jiffy.
This is a slot-load drive that allows you to directly insert your discs into a slot instead of a loading tray that slides out. As your discs are directly inserted into the slot load drive, there are no external parts to deal with. Therefore you can enjoy a hassle-free experience as you read or write using this blu-ray drive.
It is a super slim internal drive with super-fast reading and writing capabilities and measures only 9.5mm in height. Due to its slim design, it will easily fit into the SATA slot of most laptops such as Dell, HP, Toshiba, Lenovo, ASUS, Acer, and even Mac and Windows PC.
With this drive, you can read and write on to single and dual-layer Blu-ray discs as well as older versions of discs such as DVDs and CDs. Despite its fast operation, the drive is very quiet and won’t annoy you with a disc running sound when you are watching your favorite movie or playing music on your laptop.
The UJ-267 is compatible with Windows 2000, Vista, 7, 8m Mac OS 10.5 or later and Mac OS X.
If you have a standard CD and DVD writer and want to upgrade to a super-fast writer, then the UJ-267 will be a great choice. It is also very easy to install and gives you the power to play blu-ray movies on your Mac book.
7- MCE Internal Blu-ray drive for MacBook Pro 13″, 15″, and 17″ (Sorry, Currently Sold Out)
Imagine being able to watch Blu-ray movies on your MacBook pro. This is exactly what you can do when you get yourself the MCE Internal Blu-ray drive. It is compatible with 13”, 15” and 17” unibody models.
This internal drive comes with its own Mac blu-ray player software to let you play blur-ray DVDs on your Mac. It has a read and writes speed of 6x for Blu-ray discs. It can write on both dual and triple-layer Blu-ray discs. Burn blu-ray media onto 25GB and 50GB BD-R and BD-RE discs. You can also write up to 100GB on BD-XL TL discs.
It is even compatible with DVDs and CDs and can read or write on them at much higher speeds. For DVDs, the speed is 8x and for CDs, the speed goes up to a whopping 24x.
This drive comes with multi-disc compatibility and lets you playback discs such as BD-R/RE, DVD+R/RW DVD-R/RW, and CD-R/RW.
Get rid of your MacBook Pro’s internal DVD drive and replace it with this slim 9.5mm slot load drive. So you can directly load your discs into the slot and not worry about handling the delicate load tray every time you have to add a new disc.
With this internal drive, you can permanently store all your important media like photos, videos, and blu-ray movies on to M-DISCs. These M-Discs use patented textured recording surfaces instead of dyes to etch your data. These can hold up to 25 GB of data and are known to last a good 1000 years.
This drive is compatible with Mac OX X 10.5 to 10.12. Installing this internal drive is a breeze as it comes with clear instructions. All in all, it is a great internal drive to upgrade from your Mac’s internal DVD drive.
How To Choose The Best Internal Blue Ray Drive?
Our quick guide below will help you choose the right internal blue-ray drive for your needs.
Speed
Choose a blu-ray drive with a high writing speed if you frequently need to burn a lot of discs. Writing speed of 14x to 16x lets you quickly burn all your favorite media to discs.
Compatibility
Blu-ray drives are not strictly only for reading and writing Blu-ray discs. Look for a drive that can write on the different types of blu-ray discs such as a single layer, dual-layer, and quad-layer discs. The quad-layer BD-R discs let you store up to 128 GB of data which is ideal if you want to store a large amount of data. Also, look for backward compatibility with DVDs and CDs.
Noise level
Blu-ray discs operate at high speeds and so look for an internal drive that has been designed to reduce the noise level. Some drives come with features such as a cushioned tray to minimize noise during operation. Noise is also reduced by drives that optimize the right playback speed depending on the media being played.
System Compatibility
The internal drive you choose should be compatible with the operating system on your computer. Blu-ray drives come with multiple operating system compatibility. See if the one you choose is compatible with the operating system on your computer. However, there are drives that are specifically designed for systems such as the Mac. Choosing these over the multi-compatible ones will give you a better performance.
Durable
As with any product, look for a drive that has a durable construction so that it lasts a really long time.
Software
If you already have the necessary Blu-ray writing software, you can simply buy the bare drive. Otherwise, look for one that comes as a bundle with the writing software to get you started out of the box. Also, you can get the software at a discounted rate when you buy it as a bundle with the internal drive.
Finally, read up other online reviews before you make the purchase to make sure you get the right one for your needs. You can also ask friends and family for recommendations.
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Resources
- http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/blu-ray.htm
- https://www.lifewire.com/desktop-cd-dvd-blu-ray-buyers-guide-832405
- http://www.brighthub.com/computing/hardware/articles/27176.aspx
- http://www.dummies.com/computers/pcs/choose-a-new-optical-drive-for-your-pc/
- http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/263831-32-does-matter-writer-choose
- http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-install-a-Blu-Ray-Drive-in-your-Desktop-PC/
- https://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/worth-getting-a-blu-ray-odd.206960/