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Asus DRW-1608P Review
[Abstract]
IntroductionHaving reached maturity in DVD writing at 16x for DVD-R and DVD+R media for a few months now, and still without an official crowning of the next standard in high capacity optical st...
[Content] PCDigitalMobileGame
Conclusion
Capitalizing on the new write speeds, the ASUS DRW-1608P has hit the retail channel just in time to go head on with drives like the LG GSA-4163B, NEC ND-3520A and the Pioneer DVR-A09 with a set of updated write speeds for DVD³çW and DVD+R DL media. Sporting the same faceplate as its 8x predecessor, the new DRW-1608P has now joined the ranks of a handful of fast DVD writers offering 6x DVD-RW and 8x DVD+RW write speeds to the masses. While supporting media for these new write speeds may not be readily available just yet, the asking price of such highly competent drives is actually very reasonable and even quite encouraging (to be honest), particularly for those who have been waiting in the wing for such all-rounded optical drives sporting a good mix of groundbreaking burn speeds.
Based on the performance of the drive, we must say we weren't entirely won over by the ASUS DRW-1608P. Even though it does flaunt a set of remarkably fast write specifications and a respectable software bundle, the slow decryption of DVDs and disappointing digital audio extraction speed meant the drive is not quite up to the mark as far as overall performance is concerned. Then there's the 'Over Specification" writing, or rather the lack of it, which in our opinion should have been better looked at to allow 12x or even 16x writing on more 8x DVD³ç media and not just couple of reputable brands. This is not at all an impossible mission as exampled by BenQ and Pioneer where "Over Specification" writing is a feature that is not only an added bonus consumers look out for but also a testament of the manufacturer's commitment and involvement in ensuring maximum customer satisfaction and brand loyalty. On that note, we'll wrap up our review of the S$139 ASUS DRW-1608P by acknowledging the drive as a decently fast 16x DVD writer (when fed with official 16x media) with good write quality, but not really a spectacular drive in other areas as observed in the review.
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