HP dvd550s

The once-standard internal optical drive has been on the wane with the increased proliferation of ever-smaller tablets, ultrabooks, and smartphones. But don't toss out your discs just yet: External optical drives have been dutifully filling the void and becoming the only means of reading and burning discs for many users. The HP dvd550s ($69.99 direct) is a solid solution for those who want to read and burn DVDs or CDs, offering write speeds ranging from 5X for DVD-RAM to 8X for DVD?RW to 24X for CD?RW. In addition to an affordable price tag, its super-slim form factor means it can unobtrusively fit into your laptop bag or backpack.

Design and Features
The dvd550s is practically the size of a jewel case, measuring 0.65 by 5.5 by 5 inches (HWD). It weighs a scant 7.2 ounces, so you can take it on the go without breaking a sweat. Unlike the Pioneer BDR-XD04 ($149.99 direct, 4 stars), it sports a tray-loading design, so it's meant for horizontal use. Although its small size ensures an inconspicuous appearance, the dvd550s is attractively designed, so it won't cramp your ultrabook's style. The main housing is gray matte-finished plastic that's complemented by a glossy-finished top with the HP logo on the upper right side.

At the rear of the drive, there's a single micro USB port. Because the dvd550s is powered by the included USB Y cable, no AC adapter is needed. More power-intensive operations like burning DVDs, however, require both USB plugs, so you'll need two free USB ports. My only gripe: Although the included Y cable is a generous 35 inches long, the shorter strand measures only 14 inches. This can be a minor annoyance when you need both USB plugs; a more evenly distributed cable would have been optimal.

The HP dvd550s comes with a complimentary copy of CyberLink Media Suite 8 DVD, which includes Power2Go (for data disc creation), PowerBackup (a PC backup utility), MediaShow (for viewing and organizing photos and videos), and trial versions of PowerDirector (for editing and authoring DVDs) as well as PowerDVD 11 (video playback). Despite a somewhat clunky interface, the software is relatively intuitive and easy to use. The software suite nicely doubles as an apt metaphor for the dvd550s: It does the job quietly and in a frills-free fashion.

A caveat for MacBook Air users: The HP dvd550s is only compatible with Windows (XP, Vista, Windows 7), so unless your system has Boot Camp or a comparable multi-boot utility, you should steer clear of this drive and go with the Editors' Choice-winning Samsung SE-506AB External Slim Blu-ray Re-Writer ($149.99 direct, 4 stars)?it's compatible with both Windows and Mac.

Performance
During testing, the dvd550s emitted minimal noise beyond the whisper of spinning discs (four tiny rubber feet on the drive's underside help absorb some of the accompanying vibrations). It also stayed cool to the touch; its temperature, as measured with a Fluke IR thermometer, never exceeded 84 degrees Fahrenheit during DVD playback. Even when I used the dvd550s to install the included software, it never ran hotter than 90.5 degrees. Using the dvd550s was simple, and I encountered no discernible hiccups when reading and writing DVDs or CDs with Power2Go.

Ultimately, the HP dvd550s is a basic what-you-see-is-what-you-get external optical drive. It's not Blu-ray compatible like the Pioneer BRD-XD04 and it doesn't feature AV connectivity like the Samsung SE-506AB External Slim Blu-ray Re-Writer; and unlike the Samsung Optical SmartHub SE-208BW ($129.99 street, 2 stars), it doesn't sport any remote access features. And there's nothing wrong with this. The HP dvds550s does what it's supposed to do, and at an affordable price. If you're just in the market for an easy and inexpensive way to read or write DVDs or CDs, then the HP dvd550s is a fine, straightforward choice.

COMPARISON TABLE
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