The SE-506AB is powered via USB using the included USB Y-cable. It weighs 0.79 pound, a few ounces more than the Pioneer.
Measuring 0.76 by 5.7 by 5.7 inches (HWD), the Samsung SE-506AB is wider and thicker than the Pioneer BDR-XD04, but still small enough to slip into a backpack or laptop bag. The SE-506AB has plastic construction, and the exterior is covered in a textured polka-dot pattern. Unlike the Pioneer BDR-XD04, the SE-506AB uses a tray-loading design, with a drive tray ejecting out the front of the unit. All those extras add up to a great deal, making the Samsung SE506AB our Editors' Choice for portable optical drives. Setting the Samsung apart, however, are features like Mac compatibility, tools for 2D to 3D conversion, and support for bleeding edge formats like triple- and quad-layer Blu-ray. A slim optical drive like the Samsung SE-506AB can be carried in a laptop bag or tucked out of sight in a drawer to be used only when needed. Portable optical drives are becoming increasingly important as manufacturers slim down laptops and ultrabooks by removing the optical drive entirely. The Samsung SE-506AB External Slim Blu-ray Re-Writer is a portable Blu-ray optical drive, similar to the Pioneer BDR-XD04 ($149.99 direct, 4 stars).
