Best Blu-ray drives for Mac mini in 2022

Buffalo Mediastation
Buffalo Mediastation (Image credit: Buffalo)

Even in today's great age of the cloud, sometimes you still want to use your Mac to read or burn a Blu-ray disc, DVD, or CD. Since the Mac mini doesn't have any type of internal disc reader or burner, an external drive will be in order. We at iMore have looked at many Blu-ray readers over the years to check for compatibility and speed. The Mac mini Blu-ray drives offered here work well with the Mac mini and any type of Apple computer, including the MacBook and iMac. Alternatively, check out the best Blu-ray drives for Mac for further options.

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Reading speeds for Mac mini Blu-ray drives tend to increase in correlation with the device's size, so we recommend the Asus BW-16D1X-U because its large size makes it the fastest Blu-ray reader and DVD burner on this list. It also comes with a free pack of M-DISC BD.

On the other hand, if a thin drive is what you need, the Pioneer BDR-XD05B is a slim, lightweight solution that is also quite portable. Another great option is the Buffalo Meditation, which has Blu-ray reading and burning capabilities, along with a full suite of burning and playback software included in the package. So even though your compact Mac mini doesn't come with its own Blu-ray reader, there are plenty of external choices out there to get the job done.

Bryan M Wolfe
Staff Writer

Bryan M. Wolfe has written about technology for over a decade on various websites, including TechRadar, AppAdvice, and many more. Before this, he worked in the technology field across different industries, including healthcare and education. He’s currently iMore’s lead on all things Mac and macOS, although he also loves covering iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. Bryan enjoys watching his favorite sports teams, traveling, and driving around his teenage daughter to her latest stage show, audition, or school event in his spare time. He also keeps busy walking his black and white cocker spaniel, Izzy, and trying new coffees and liquid grapes.