Plextor PlexWriter PX-W4012TA CD-RW Burner
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- Enclosure Type: Internal
- Read Speed: 40x (CD)
- ReWrite Speed: 12x (CD-RW)
- Write Speed: 40x (CD)
- Burner Type: CD-RW
- Platform: PC, Mac
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User ReviewRead All Reviews »
Overall, a great burner, despite a few minor problems.
Pros
Very fast. Easy set-up. Great quality CD creation!
Cons
Heats up quickly. A few minor heat & media compatibility problems.
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
Overall, this burner has worked quite well for me. I would certainly recommend it to anyone looking for a fast and reliable burner.
This burner has worked very well for me in backing up my software titles, writing data CDs, and making audio CDs. Of course it has some bad points when you push it to its limits like I did.
The bad
I have had a few issues with this drive. The first was with CD-R compatibility. I had problems writing to memorex black CD-R media for some reason. About 50% of my burn attempts on those CDs ended up as coasters. I've been using TDK CD-Rs ever since and haven't had one burn mistake. If you buy this burner, I would recommend against buying that 5000 pack of CD-Rs until you test out a few to ensure compatibility. Plextor has a list of compatible media brands on their website, but there are far more brands that work well (TDK is not on their list and works flawlessly).
Another problem with this burner is that it tends to heat up quickly. I was burning one data CD after another, and the drive started giving me errors and ruining the media. This was when I had my old PC. I opened up my computer's case to allow more air to circulate and the problem never recurred. When I got my new PC, the case had 4 built in fans, so I haven't had any problems with overheating since.
I can't comment much on the software that is included. I personally don't like Roxio's software. The included version of EZ CD Creator is limited unless you pay for the upgrade, but Nero works like a charm with this drive if you've got access to it.
Finally, it is difficult to make accurate back-ups of copy-protected software, but by no means is this a disadvantage of this burner alone. The vast majority of burners out there have the same problems or more. If you NEED to make these back-ups, you can find work-arounds on the web.
The good
Well that seems like a lot of "bad" stuff... but don't count this burner out!
Despite the few problems I mentioned, this burner continually amazes me. You can burn a full 80 minute CD in just a few minutes! Talk about blazing speed! And the quality of the burn is tip-top. I definitely recommend it.
With my old CD burner, I used to get a ticking sound when I would attempt to play back a burned CD in certain CD players. I have never had that problem with this burner, even at 40X write speed. The burns come out nice and deep regardless of write speed.
The burner is also extremely easy to install and set up. With Windows 2000 or XP you can just plug it in and away you go. It installs the way plug-n-play devices should install.
The verdict
If you've got good circulation in your computer case, and you've got compatible media, this burner can't miss. It's one of the best out there.
The bad
I have had a few issues with this drive. The first was with CD-R compatibility. I had problems writing to memorex black CD-R media for some reason. About 50% of my burn attempts on those CDs ended up as coasters. I've been using TDK CD-Rs ever since and haven't had one burn mistake. If you buy this burner, I would recommend against buying that 5000 pack of CD-Rs until you test out a few to ensure compatibility. Plextor has a list of compatible media brands on their website, but there are far more brands that work well (TDK is not on their list and works flawlessly).
Another problem with this burner is that it tends to heat up quickly. I was burning one data CD after another, and the drive started giving me errors and ruining the media. This was when I had my old PC. I opened up my computer's case to allow more air to circulate and the problem never recurred. When I got my new PC, the case had 4 built in fans, so I haven't had any problems with overheating since.
I can't comment much on the software that is included. I personally don't like Roxio's software. The included version of EZ CD Creator is limited unless you pay for the upgrade, but Nero works like a charm with this drive if you've got access to it.
Finally, it is difficult to make accurate back-ups of copy-protected software, but by no means is this a disadvantage of this burner alone. The vast majority of burners out there have the same problems or more. If you NEED to make these back-ups, you can find work-arounds on the web.
The good
Well that seems like a lot of "bad" stuff... but don't count this burner out!
Despite the few problems I mentioned, this burner continually amazes me. You can burn a full 80 minute CD in just a few minutes! Talk about blazing speed! And the quality of the burn is tip-top. I definitely recommend it.
With my old CD burner, I used to get a ticking sound when I would attempt to play back a burned CD in certain CD players. I have never had that problem with this burner, even at 40X write speed. The burns come out nice and deep regardless of write speed.
The burner is also extremely easy to install and set up. With Windows 2000 or XP you can just plug it in and away you go. It installs the way plug-n-play devices should install.
The verdict
If you've got good circulation in your computer case, and you've got compatible media, this burner can't miss. It's one of the best out there.
