SDRW-0804P-D External USB 2.0 Slim 8x DVD Burner & Double Layer DVD+R

Reviewed by

Jon L. Jacobi

on 11/04/2005

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CNET editors' rating: 3.0 stars Good
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Quick specs
CD / DVD type: DVD±RW (+R DL)
CD / DVD read speed: 20x (CD) / 8x (DVD)
CD / DVD write speed: 24x (CD) / 8x (DVD±R) / 2.4x (DVD+R DL)
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The good: Lightweight and small; good performer for a low-profile drive; international AC adapter with changeable plug tips.

The bad: Won't run off power from the USB or FireWire bus, so you have to carry the AC adapter at all times; no double-layer DVD-R support.

The bottom line: If you're looking for an external burner that's small enough to carry with your notebook computer, the Asus SDRW-0804P-D is the one for you.

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CNET editors' review

CNET editors' rating: 3.0 stars Good
Detailed editors' rating

Reviewed by:
Jon L. Jacobi
Edited by:
Felisa Yang
Reviewed on: 11/04/2005
Released on: 02/04/2005

If you need an external DVD burner that fits easily in your briefcase or backpack, you won't find anything smaller than Asus's SDRW-0804P-D, which measures 5.5 inches wide, 6.37 inches long, and 0.7 inch high. With rated speeds of only 8X/4X/2.4X (recordable/rewritable/double-layer DVD+R), it's no speed demon, but it's as fast as low-profile notebook burners get. The handsome silver drive connects via mini-USB and mini-FireWire ports, which means you can't run it without the included AC adapter. However, the adapter is small, weighs only a couple of ounces, and even offers changeable tips for different international power grids, so our gripe is decidedly minor. If you're in the market for a faster drive and don't mind a bulkier form factor, the Iomega Super DVD Writer 16X16 is a good choice.

The Asus SDRW-0804P-D offers little in the way of physical features other than the aforementioned mini-USB and mini-FireWire ports, an AC jack, and a back-mounted on/off switch. Asus thoughtfully includes a velveteen carrying bag, USB and FireWire cables, and four exchangeable tips for the international AC adapter. The software bundle includes an OEM version of Nero 6 that consists of Nero Express for mastering, NeroVision Express for creating DVD movies, and the Nero Media Player for DVD movie playback. We'd consider that sparse, but Asus also includes Ulead's DVD Movie Factory Suite 3.5 SE, which fills in some of the artistic gaps.

The Asus SDRW-0804P-D generally performed as its speed ratings would lead you to expect. Writing a DVD+R or -R disc at 8X took around 12 minutes. Burning a full double-layer DVD+R disc at 2.4X took 44 minutes, 35 seconds. Ripping an audio CD at 24X took an average of 10 minutes, 40 seconds--slow even for a 24X drive. However, ripping a single-layer DVD took 12 minutes, 5 seconds, which is closer to average for an 8X reader. The SDRW-0804P-D doesn't support dual-layer DVD-R media.