Verbatim Ultra HD 4K CD DVD Blu-ray Writer Review: A Sleek and Versatile Optical Drive

Very slim and light weight package with fantastic build quality. Included cable is short, but good quality and the included adapter is a nice bonus. Works great for backing up my DVDs and Blu-rays. The internal BDR-UD04 drive works out of the box with no need to flash the firmware.

I bought an LG which was cheaper--had all kinds of issues. So I got the Verbatim. Comes with an external power supply b/c Blu-ray requires more power than you can normally get over USB. And it includes a BR disc to try it out. Very easy to use. I've been making Blu-ray Millennium discs all day--very fast. These play back (on a BR player) with no issues at all. As to software, I highly recommend Ashampoo's Burning Studio. (Weird name, but they're German). Easy to use, lots of options if you need them. And it's cheap, too. Works without too much fiddling. Also excellent customer service (turned out to be the LG burner...).

It works! That’s much better than the last one I bought. It does everything it’s supposed to do, it is simple to use.

At setup it connected, installed software, was visible in Window File Explorer, but could not get it to play anything...Windows Media Player wouldn't autoplay dvd or blu-ray. So I installed Nero Media Home, which it suggested via the setup software...that software said it doesn't support dvd playback (and didn't even recognize a blu-ray disc). It then said I needed an upgraded version of Nero Media Home and directed me to their website where they wanted me to pay a ridiculous amount of money for software to play dvds. The drive is running fine and I can see and read files. This was not a purchased dvd copy protection issue either - I could not play dvds that I created and did not have copy protection. So this product was a complete fail. Not sure the point of dvd player that won't play dvds.

The drive functioned well, However, the software was confusing and did not function. I had to use alternative means to copy and retrieve files.

I write a lot of audio CDs for my studio business. Over the years, I've used Sony, Pioneer and Plextor external, USB CD/DVD burners that not only write audio CDs but also CD-Text (the text that pops up on your CD player in your car—er, wait I guess they don't put CD players in vehicles anymore, never mind.) Recently, my Sony drive bit the dust - it's the one I used in the studio. So, I thought I'd buy another Plextor Plextor 24X Hh DVDrw Ls (the USB drive I use in my office) as a replacement and, much to my surprise, discovered they are no longer available. So, I started a multi-day quest on Amazon for a substantial, external drive but simply couldn't find anything similar to my Plextor drive (which is built like a tank.) I finally came across a Verbatim drive that, in its description, had CD-Text capabilities. I then found a 2nd Verbatim drive model at half the price, but there was no mention that this 2nd unit could also write CD-Text. So, I wrote down the model #s and emailed Verbatim support an inquiry. Without going into the bewildering reply I received, trust me when I say Verbatim support sidestepped my question by providing an irrelevant response. I sent them a follow-up and never received a reply. So, I figured I'd take a gamble and order the cheaper Verbatim drive. If it wasn't able to write CD-Text, I'd send it back and order the more-expensive model. When the cheaper one arrived (this item being reviewed), the first thing I noticed was that it was FLIMSY . . . I was almost afraid to handle it, it seemed like the tray could easily be broken. If you imagine the CD/DVD drives that come with most new computers—that's how fragile this tray was. Nevertheless, this Verbatim drive was indeed able to write CD-Text and that was my main concern. So, I've kept it and have used it quite a bit; but each time, I use both hands to stabilize the unit as it weighs less than a pack of gum (well, not really but it seems like it's that light!) And it's a job to seat the CD on its spindle—you gotta use both hands and snap the CD down using your thumbs . . . and if you exert any pressure at all on the top of the unit, the tray won't close, 'cuz the frame is so flexible. A few days after I received this drive, I needed to listen to a test CD (music) and noticed a low "whine" that the drive made as it read the CD. I'd been used to the silent Plextor drive, so this was definitely annoying. But I could live with this minor irritation, as I have now moved my Plextor drive into the studio and will use that one if I really need to do some critical listening. So, that's all the bad stuff . . . I should post a few positives for this undernourished drive, so here goes: 1) Inexpensive 2) Writes CD-Text 3) Doesn't need a power supply 4) Reads & writes relatively fast (I think I saw 24X in ImgBurn) So, despite its frailties, I would recommend this drive for anyone who simply needs a utilitarian burner . . . just be gentle with the delicate thing!

I am old school and still like having movies, especially my own short films, on Blu-ray. I looked around for a burner that works on a Mac Studio because my current drive isn't recognized on it. The Verbatim works perfectly with the Mac, though its plug is unusual. The drive still works fine via USB. Using Roxio's software for DVD/Blu-ray burning, the Verbatim burns discs very fast. I cannot say how long it takes to burn a disc for a movie that is over ten minutes long, though. Picture and sound quality are based on your original recording. For a test disc I made on this drive, the picture (from 4K) and audio were excellent. The drive, though it shows Verbatim, is actually a Pioneer drive.