With more vendors set to begin producing 8x slim-type DVD burners, OEM prices for 4x slim-type DVD burners and combo drives have fallen.

Prices for slim-type are at US$60-70 and for slim-type Combo drives at US$45-50, as makers clear out their inventories, according to Taiwan makers of optical disc drives.

OEM quotes for 8x slim-type DVD burners stand at US$70-80.

Currently, Matsushita Electric (Panasonic), Sony, Pioneer, TEAC, Hitachi-LG Data Storage (HLDS) and Quanta Storage are producing 8x slim-type DVD burners in volume. However, other makers, including BenQ and Lite-On IT, are beginning to produce in volume this quarter.

With competition for 8x slim-type DVD burners set to increase, the makers have begun clearing out their inventories of 4x slim-type DVD burners, resulting in lower OEM prices. OEM prices for slim-type Combo drives have also been cut and are expected to fall another 10% by the end of the year, the makers pointed out.

Slim-type Combo drives are still the mainstream burner used in notebook PCs, the makers added.

From DigiTimes