Introduction
The last portable optical drive review I wrote was almost two years for the Lite-On eTAU208 DVD/CD Rewritable Drive. For a cost of only $50, you had a very compact DVD/CD optical drive you could hook up to a USB 2.0 port of any computer. A lot has changed since then and Lite-On is back with a Blu-ray capable version in the form of the eSEU206 Optical Drive.
At a time when some question the need for an optical drive in today’s world, I personally still see the need to have such a device. If you are a typical user, an optical drive is still the method through which one installs new software. For some, a BD/DVD/CD drive may be your only backup method. If you buy a typical OEM machine, you will probably need to create your own OS backup optical disks. These are only a few examples.
For myself, I have “only” eight computers in this house. Of those eight, only three have integrated optical drives. I do not need one often, but a portable optical drive is a must for me. In my arsenal, I actually have an older desktop optical drive for which I purchased an external enclosure. It is big; it is bulky; it requires an external power adapter; it does not support Blu-ray disc. In contrast, the eSEU206 is small; it is light; it is USB powered; it plays BD movies.
If one wishes to watch BD movies on your computer, I would prefer a drive like this. Partly due to
- the ability, or lack thereof, to stream straight ripped BD movies using any LAN or Wi-Fi method
- the cost of a BD drive in each computer
- the pure portability aspect of this drive
Now that I have convinced you of the need of such a drive, read on. If I have failed to convince you, well, think about it some more.
