Samsung Blu-Ray Drive and External DVD Burner

Samsung announced a new internal Blu-Ray disc combo drive for computers, the Samsung SH-B123, which is said to have the fastest BD read speed of up to 12X. It can also read and write CD and DVDs. At the same time, the company shipped the slim Samsung SE-S084Dexternal DVD writer for notebooks.

The former can upscale movies on standard DVDs thanks to included Cyberlink Trutheater. It uses two lenses and a two-laser diode, and there is SACT technology for improving read quality. The SE-S084D DVD writer is available in seven colors, and Samsung says its design is 20 percent smaller and 25 percent lighter than conventional DVD writers. It connects and is powered by a USB 2.0 connection.

The SE-S084D is shipping later this week, priced at $70, while the SH-B123 will ship in July for an unspecified price.