An external CD/DVD drive is a portable optical disc drive that connects to computers and other compatible devices via USB or other interface ports. It allows users to read and write CDs and DVDs without needing an internal drive, making it especially useful for modern laptops and desktops that no longer include built-in optical drives. These devices support playback of music CDs, movie DVDs, software installations, data backups, and disc burning tasks. Compact and lightweight, external drives are plug-and-play—requiring minimal setup—and often support multiple disc formats such as CD-R/RW and DVD±R/RW. They’re a convenient solution for accessing legacy media, installing software from discs, and transferring files to or from optical media with ease.