The demand for slim DVD burners for use in notebook computers is expected to overtake slim combo drives by the fourth quarter of this year, as prices drop due to increased output, according to Taiwanese digitimes.com. Slim combos were the prevailing recordable drive used in notebooks last year. Only high-end notebook models came equipped with slim DVD burners, with the drives being supplied by only a few manufacturers, including Ricoh, TEAC, Pioneer, Sony and Hitachi-LG Data Storage (HLDS), the Taiwanese makers indicated.

However, in the first quarter of this year, Taiwanese manufacturers including BenQ, Lite-On IT and Quanta Storage successively began producing slim DVD burners. In addition, Japanese and South Korean competitors expanded their production capacities. The growing production has resulted in a decrease in price and a corresponding increase in adoption by major notebook brands such as Dell, HP and Acer.

The OEM prices for slim DVD burners stood at US$105-110 in the first quarter of this year, much higher than the US$55-60 for slim combo drives, the Taiwanese makers noted. These makers predict that the OEM prices for slim burners will keep dropping, to less than US$100 by the next quarter.