Asus Release External Slim Optical Drive For Ultrabooks

For a number of users, when buying a new notebook or ultrabook, one factor that they take into consideration is the inclusion of an optical bay. On the notebook front this is generally not a problem but when things are scaled down to the ultrabook size, potential buyers not the drop of the optical bay which for some people leaves them in a decision conundrum.

We do acknowledge that the use of optical media is generally not as profound as it used to be due to the presence of digital downloads, streaming services and overall faster internet speeds, but there is still a market for optical media and also a need for it as well.

As an addition to their product lines and targeted directly at their Zenbook range, Asus have released a line of three external DVD writers that come in three colours; Lively Mellow Metallic, Bright Berry and Dusty Rose and all feature a “concentric-circle hairline texture” in their 13mm thick, brushed aluminium frames.

The SDRW-08U5S-U comes with a built in stand that allows the drive to be left laying flat or stood up to take up a smaller space depending on the users preference. On top of this the drives support Asus’ Disc Encryption II which, as the name suggests, encrypts data with passwords and encoded file names to secure valuable data.

Whilst the drives have been announced, there is currently no word about pricing nor availability, but we will keep an eye out for this ideally suited add on to the Zenbook range.