Asus LITE
Score: 70/100
Dell DW316
Score: 73/100Rankings
The Dell DW316 is a lightweight, tray-loading external DVD drive with USB 2.0 plug-and-play and M-DISC archival support. It offers solid build quality and a high MTBF, but its USB 2.0 interface and modest buffer limit burn speeds. Suited for Dell laptop owners who need reliable CD/DVD access with M-DISC capability.
The ASUS SDRW-08D2S-U Lite is a slim, bus-powered external DVD writer offering 24× CD and 8× DVD write speeds with plug-and-play USB 2.0 connectivity. Its lightweight design and optional stand make it highly portable, but the thin housing feels fragile and the USB cable is short. Best suited for laptop users needing occasional disc burning.
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
24 xbest | 24 xbest | |
8 xbest | 8 xbest | |
24 xbest | 24 xbest | |
— | 8 xbest | |
| ↓ lower better | — | 8 Wbest |
| ↓ lower better | 45 gbest | 200 g |
| ↓ lower better | — | 14 mmbest |
— | 1 yearsbest |
Click an attribute name to sort · Green = best, red = worst (relative to this comparison)
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
Features(1) | ||
Supported Media | Double-layer DVD, DVD-RAM | CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-ROM (SL/DL), DVD±R, DVD±RW, DVD±R DL, DVD-RAM, M-DISC (DVD+R SL), CD Extra, CD-DA, CD-I, CD-ROM XA, Photo CD, Video CD, DVD-V |
Build & Design(1) | ||
Weight (g) | 45 g | 200 g |
General(1) | ||
Operating System Compatibility | Windows XP/Vista/7, Mac OS X 10.5+ | Windows 7/8/8.1/10 |
Products in the top-left offer the best value (high score, low price).
Professional reviewers praise the ASUS SDRW-08D2S-U Lite for its budget-friendly pricing, fast 8× DVD and 24× CD write speeds, and eye-catching diamond-cut lattice finish. They note its bus-powered USB 2.0 design makes it perfect for netbooks and Macs, and they cite several design awards that highlight its fashion-forward styling.
Everyday users overwhelmingly commend the drive's instant plug-and-play operation, reliable reading of older media, and compact, attractive design. Common praise centers on its ease of use, included software, and the optional stand, while recurring complaints focus on its fragile feel, short cable, and the need to steady the unit when using the eject button.
Professional reviewers and Dell's own marketing material present the DW316 as a dependable, plug-and-play external drive that meets the baseline performance expectations for CD/DVD media. They commend its Dell-specific compatibility, inclusion of M-DISC support, and the bundled CyberLink software, while noting the lack of a USB 3.0 interface and the modest buffer size as drawbacks compared with competing models.
Everyday users generally praise the drive's portability, ease of setup and ability to handle legacy media on modern laptops. Positive comments focus on the slim form factor and M-DISC capability, whereas recurring criticisms revolve around slower USB 2.0 speeds and the limited buffer affecting burn times.
“Plug in and works instantly”
“perfect for laptops without drives”
“compact and pretty”
