Designed to match the XPC’s superb industrial design and performance metrics, this latest addition to the XPC Accessories product-line features fast 16X DVD ± RW burning (4X DL burning) and high-capacity 8.5GB recording with the sexiest front panel on the market.
http://global.shuttle.com/Product/Accessories/CR40.asp
Well at least it looks better than the original DW1620 
looks way better to me too, simpler and more elegant.
Is this Shuttle drive in fact a rebadged BenQ DW1620? I agree that it looks really cool, but how do we know that it’s really a DW1620?
Because it has the very same specs, the part about tilt control is copy-pasted from BenQ’s site and if you compare the look with a bulk DW1620 there is no doubt they’re the same (check the sides, the top and the place of the emergency eject hole):
I agree that it’s probably a BenQ DW1620. Its specs and looks definitely seem to be a BenQ DW1620. I just wanted positive confirmation like from Shuttle themselves. When I went on Shuttle’s website, I couldn’t find any firmware listed for this drive for downloading. I guess it’s too new yet. I thought maybe that would help clue us in more.
Nice looking drive & its a BenQ 1620 for sure their is a review of sorts here and in the Nero CD/DVD Speed screenshot you can see it uses the OEM G7P9 firmware.
http://www.cluboverclocker.com/reviews/drives/burners/shuttle_cr40/p2.htm
Thanks for the link to the review. Yes, I saw the G7P9 firmware in the Nero CD-DVD Speed screenshots. I just might have to…
I wish I would have seen that sooner. I just bought a 1620, put it in a Plumax case. I would have bought the CR40 and actually put it in my Shuttle and my NEC 3500 in the Plumax case. Argh!
I put thin stainless steel “wallpaper” on the drive door of my 1620 and it looks pretty cool in the siver micro. Certainly, the Shuttle silver looks much better, though.
Hmm… I wish I could get 1620 with a black bezel in the UK 
Philips PBDV1640B ;), it’s a black bezel 1620 under a different badge. Pcnextday have it in stock.
Nice find!! I was thinking about buiding my own Shuttle XPC system, but I already have a BenQ drive. Its nice to see them offering this as an add on and the front bezels looks much better 
Getting a little off topic here, but KockRoach, how do you like your Shuttle desktop setup? Is it easy to upgrade parts for future reference and does it perform well? Space looks kind of tight, so is putting in a new DVD-ROM drive verily easy or does it tend to be a little difficult compared to mini tower setups… that is if you know?
It isn’t hard to install a new drive. There are three thumbscrews to remove the case, two screws (need phillips head screwdriver) to remove the drive bay, and the usual four screws for the drive. Space may be tight for some…but it performs very well.
There is a new style of case that has been redesigned for tool-less assembly, more HDD space (you can fit 3). It also has more efficient cooling and lower noise.
The Shuttle I have cannot be upgraded to the newest style of components…no DDR2, PCI-X or Prescott processors. The new “P” chassis allows for those.
Back on topic.
Thx for the info KockRoach. 
I wonder if you ask Shuttle for the bezel they use for their DVD-RW drives, could they possibly sell it to consumers for a cheap price. It would be nice if Shuttle’s and BenQ bezels are interchangable.
The eject button is quite smaller on the Shuttle version. Would that cause a problem?
I would love to be able to change bezel on my BenQ. It would look even better than it already do.
They even made the beige drive sexy… if optical drives can be sexy that is. 
Shuttle CR40 is about 1/3 more expensive than BenQ DW1620 Pro.
http://global.shuttle.com/Product/Accessories/CR40.asp
http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/akiba/hotline/20050122/ni_i_dd.html
9,780 Yen vs. 7,150 Yen.
The three-color bezel designs look similar to those of Pioneer 16x retail drives and LG GSA-4163B retail drives. Sony DRU-500A looked quite attractive at first to some people (well, including myself.) Pioneer introduced those “sexy” bezels later. LG sort of followed the same step. Shuttle relies heavily on design.
