Blu-ray and HD DVD PC drives from ASUS
This week ASUStek Computer announced two new PC blue laser optical drives at the Computex Taipei computer tradeshow in Taiwan. These drives will not have any writing functionality, which will enable ASUS to offer them at a lower price point. The new ASUS BD-ROM drive (BC-1205PT) will debut with a MSRP of $270 and the HD DVD-ROM drive (HR-0205T) at $180.
Asked about the reason why these models are dedicated to reading with BD and HD DVD, a demonstrator answered: “The drives would become far too expensive if we were to develop recordable models at this point of time. In addition, recording media cost more than $30, which is unsatisfactory for many users.”
I am certainly glad to see Blu-ray and HD DVD PC drives dropping in price and becoming more affordable, but I do not see myself purchasing one that does not have any burning capabilities. The new ASUS HD DVD-ROM drive will also have to compete with the Microsoft Xbox 360 HD DVD drive. The Xbox HD DVD drive can be easily connected to a PC and can be purchased online for under $199. Found via TechOn.