Lite-On’s DX-401S is just all class from the word go, and if you’re interested in getting on the Blu-ray bandwagon, this could be the perfect accessory for you. The good thing about the external ROM is it adds so much more functionality. While you pay a small premium for it, the ability to take that drive anywhere you go makes up for the added cost. The initial word on pricing is far from scary with it being around the $150 - $200 USD mark, making it a much more affordable option when compared to the PS3 or other stand alone Blu-ray players.
It’s the kind of product you could be seen showing off pretty easily. We can just imagine your mate gets himself a new 1080P LCD for the lounge room, he hasn’t thought about taking the plunge to Blu-ray because he’s not too sure about the improvements. With a HDMI or DVI enabled laptop with HDCP in hand and your Lite-On DX-401S, you could be watching High-Def explosions in full 1080P within a few minutes of walking in that door.
If you find yourself being one of those people who are quite picky on noise levels, you’re going to be pleased to find that the drive is practically silent. At one point we found ourselves putting our ear up to it to make sure it was actually spinning away. You don’t have to worry about that horrible whining noise that you can quite often get from ROM drives.
On a whole the drive has so much going for it; with excellent build quality and a very cool look, it’s going to match most décor without any dramas. You throw in the fact that you can take it anywhere and we’ve got a real winner in our hands here. You really end up with Blu-ray on the go.
The only real gripe one could find with the BD-ROM drive from Lite-On is that it’s not a DVD burner. This isn’t really a bad thing though, as it does help keep the overall cost down. And really, if you’re buying a BD-ROM for your HTPC or adding Blu-ray playback capabilities to your notebook, what are the chances that you’re going to need a DVD burner? For the most part, you’ve probably already got one installed anyway.
The Lite-On DX-401S is going to make a great addition to your HTPC and will boost the enjoyment you get out of movies with that beautiful High-Definition playback. If you’re just looking at getting into some clearer movies while having the mobility functionality an external drive offers, or you want to become a mobile Blu-ray salesmen, the DX-401S is probably going to be the drive for you.
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