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LG GP60NB50 Ultra Slim Portable DVD Rewriter — main product image
LG

LG GP60NB50 Ultra Slim Portable DVD Rewriter

★★★★★4.5 (5754 reviews)
USB 2.0

Ultra-slim portable DVD rewriter with M-DISC support for reliable archival storage on the go.

$29.99*
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*Price sourced from Amazon.com. Last updated:Jun 19, 2026.Price and availability are subject to change.

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Overview

The LG GP60NB50 Ultra Slim Portable DVD Rewriter is designed for users who occasionally need optical disc access but do not want a bulky internal or desktop drive taking up space. Measuring just 5.67 x 5.41 inches and only 0.55 inches thick, it is one of the most compact DVD drives available. It connects via a single USB cable that handles both data transfer and power, so there are no extra adapters to pack when you take it on the road. Whether you need to install software from disc, rip a CD collection, or burn a data DVD, it covers the essentials.

The most notable feature for users with long-term storage needs is M-DISC support. While standard recordable DVDs use organic dyes that can degrade over the years, M-DISC media uses an inorganic recording surface that resists deterioration from environmental factors. This makes the GP60NB50 a practical choice for creating archival backups of important documents, photos, or projects. The trade-off is its USB 2.0 interface, which is slower than USB 3.0 alternatives, and a small 0.75 MB buffer — acceptable for occasional use but noticeable during sustained burn sessions.

Key Features

Drive Type: External Ultra Slim Portable DVD Rewriter

Interface: USB 2.0

Buffer Memory: 0.75 MB

Operating System: Windows 8 compatible

CD-RW: 24X (write)

CD-R/RW/ROM: 24X (read)

Specifications

Drive Type
External Ultra Slim Portable DVD Rewriter
Interface
USB 2.0
Buffer Memory
0.75 MB
DVD Write Speed
8X
CD Read/Write Speed
24X
M-DISC Support
Yes
OS Compatibility
Windows 7, Vista, XP; Mac OS X
Color
Black
Dimensions
5.67 x 0.55 x 5.41 inches
Weight
7.1 ounces

LG GP60NB50 Ultra Slim Portable DVD Rewriter — Editorial Review & Use Cases

The LG GP60NB50 (and its iterative successors GP65NB60, GP95NB70) is LG's USB 2.0 powered external slim DVD drive — reads and writes standard DVDs, CDs, and CD-R/RW / DVD-R/RW / DVD+R/RW double-layer media at 8x DVD write speed / 24x CD write speed. Per LG's official GP60NB50 product page, the drive runs entirely from USB bus power (no AC adapter needed), supports Windows 7/8/10/11 with native drivers, supports macOS with native drivers, and ships with bundled media-mastering software for typical DVD authoring needs.

What the GP60NB50 Specifically Wins

  • Bus-powered USB 2.0 operation — no AC adapter required — single USB cable handles both data and power. Modern laptops with adequate USB power deliver the ~750mA the drive needs at peak
  • Native OS support across Windows + macOS + Linux — works without driver installation on Win 7/8/10/11, macOS 10.6+, Ubuntu 14.04+ and similar Linux distributions
  • Reads and writes the major optical formats — DVD-ROM / DVD-R / DVD+R / DVD-RW / DVD+RW / DVD+R DL / CD-ROM / CD-R / CD-RW
  • LG manufacturing reliability + warranty — vs no-name external DVD drives (failure-prone), LG's optical drive line has decades of OEM history (most laptop slim DVD drives 2000-2015 were LG-manufactured)
  • Compact + ultra-slim form factor — fits in a laptop bag without significant added bulk; suitable for travel + portable workflow
  • Bundled CD/DVD authoring software — bundled CyberLink Power2Go or similar Windows authoring suite for simple disc creation; macOS users use Finder's burn function (which the drive supports natively)

Where the GP60NB50 Specifically Fits

  • Modern laptops without built-in optical drives needing CD / DVD playback or burning capability (current MacBooks, ultrabooks, Surface devices all lack optical drives)
  • Software install from physical CD/DVD media for legacy applications, professional software (older Adobe / Microsoft / Autodesk installers), or installation discs
  • Backup / archival CD-R / DVD-R writing for users who prefer optical archives over cloud/external drives for long-term storage
  • Music CD ripping to iTunes / Music app / digital library for users moving from physical CD collections to digital
  • DVD movie playback on modern laptops
  • BIOS / firmware update from optical media for older servers / embedded systems requiring optical boot media
  • Vehicle / home audio CD burning for users with older car stereos / home receivers that only accept CDs
  • School / educational use for classes with CD-only software or media

Honest Limits Buyers Should Know

  • USB 2.0 only — no Blu-ray. The GP60NB50 reads/writes DVDs at most. Blu-ray media (BD-R, BD-RE, UHD Blu-ray) is not supported. Step up to LG BP55EB40 / WP50NB40 for Blu-ray
  • Slow write speeds vs internal SATA drives. 8x DVD write speed = ~10 MB/s — adequate for occasional discs, slow for high-volume burning
  • Bus-power can be marginal on weak USB ports. Some older USB ports / unpowered USB hubs don't supply enough current. The drive may stop mid-burn or fail to spin up. Solution: use a powered USB hub or laptop's direct USB-A port. Modern USB-C-only laptops with USB 3 → USB-A adapter usually work fine
  • No SSD-class read speeds — disc spin-up takes seconds. Random-seek and disc-load operations are slow vs SSD-based storage. Suitable for archive / install media, not for active project storage
  • Discs cost money + space. DVDs at ~$0.20 each + storage shelving + degradation over decades is the typical cost-vs-cloud-storage tradeoff. Cloud / external SSD is cheaper per GB at any given capacity
  • Native OS support, but bundled software is Windows-only. The included authoring software typically only installs on Windows. macOS users use Finder's burn function (which works fine for basic burning but lacks advanced authoring features)
  • No native UHD Blu-ray support. 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray players are separate drives (LG WH16NS60 / Pioneer BDR-XS07 family) at significantly higher price

Where Buyers Should Look Elsewhere

  • Blu-ray / UHD Blu-ray support → LG BP55EB40 (Blu-ray), LG WH16NS60 (UHD Blu-ray)
  • Backup / archival at scale → external HDD (Seagate Portable, WD Passport) or NAS + 3-2-1 backup strategy (cheaper per GB, faster restore)
  • SSD-based portable storage → SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD, Samsung T7 — for active project work
  • Built-in optical desktop / workstation → motherboards with integrated DVD drives + dedicated 5.25" bay slim DVD drives
  • Cloud-only workflows → no drive needed; software installs from web downloads, archives go to S3/Dropbox/iCloud
  • Pure budget approach → cheaper no-name USB DVD drives (lottery on reliability but functional for occasional use)

Sources & Citations

  1. LG, "GP60NB50 product page," lg.com (accessed 2026-05-18)
  2. Tom's Hardware, "External optical drive coverage," tomshardware.com (accessed 2026-05-18)
  3. Backblaze, "Cold-storage backup strategy + optical media," backblaze.com (accessed 2026-05-18)

Last verified: 2026-05-18

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Pros & Cons

👍 Pros

  • Extremely compact and lightweight at just 7.1 ounces, ideal for travel
  • USB-powered with no external adapter required simplifies setup
  • M-DISC support enables long-lasting archival-grade disc backups
  • Compatible with both Windows and Mac operating systems
  • Slim 0.55-inch profile fits easily into laptop bags and tight spaces

👎 Cons

  • USB 2.0 interface limits maximum data transfer speeds compared to USB 3.0 drives
  • Buffer memory is only 0.75 MB, which is small by modern standards
  • Does not include Blu-ray read or write capability
  • Listed OS compatibility does not mention Windows 10 or 11 out of the box
  • No bundled disc-burning software is mentioned in the product listing

Frequently Asked Questions

No, it draws power directly from your computer's USB port, so there is no separate power cable or adapter to carry. A single USB cable handles both data and power.
M-DISC is a disc format that engraves data into a rock-like recording layer rather than using organic dyes. The LG GP60NB50's M-DISC support means you can create backups that resist degradation from light, temperature, and humidity far longer than standard DVDs.
Yes, LG lists compatibility with Mac OS X in addition to Windows 7, Vista, and XP. It functions as a standard USB optical drive on macOS.
Yes, it supports both CD and DVD formats. CD read and write speeds reach up to 24X, making it suitable for audio CDs, data CDs, and DVD media alike.
At 5.67 x 5.41 inches and just 0.55 inches thick, it is roughly the size of a CD jewel case, making it easy to slip into a laptop bag or desk drawer.

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