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If you don't have a CD-RW drive installed on your PC, you have three options: buy an internal drive and fit it yourself; buy an internal drive and pay for it to be fitted; or buy an external unit.
Received wisdom has it that you'll be compromising on performance if you choose the last option, but this is no longer necessarily true.
The performance yielded by current external drives isn't far off that of internal models. Plextor's latest external offering, for example, matches the performance of internal CD-RWs that were appearing on the market less than 12 months ago.
Also, if you upgrade your PC, you don't need to replace your drive, and you'll be able to hook it up to a friend's PC or notebook without much hassle.
Installing the drive is very straightforward. Unless you are using Windows 98SE, there are no drivers to install: simply plug it in and start recording.
Included in the package is the acclaimed Ahead Nero5 Burning ROM software, which is simple to use, even for worried beginners. The minimum specification of a 300MHz processor isn't too demanding either.
The write, rewrite and read speeds of 24, 10 and 40 respectively aren't as fast as some internal drives on the market but they are impressive for an external drive. To make sure your recordings go without a hitch, the drive has Burn Proof technology.
As a bonus it supports USB2, a faster version of USB. In order to enjoy the fastest burns, a USB2 upgrade card is required at a cost of about £60.
The Plexwriter will work as a USB drive, albeit at more pedestrian speeds of four, four and six for writing, rewriting and reading.
The drive is quite attractive compared with most others on the market. Its housing is metal, which should make it more durable and, while beige isn't a great colour, it will match the majority of PC cases.
What sets Plextor apart from any other CD-RW manufacturers is the two-year warranty. This not only gives you peace of mind but reflects how much faith Plextor has in its products.
Price: £187 (inc. VAT)
Contact: Scan (UK distributor) 0870 7554 7474
www.scan.co.uk
www.plextor.be
Also consider: Iomega CD-RW 16X USB 2
A valuable addition to anyone's PC kit. £230 ****.
See also:
Easy to fit and well built Iomega's latest hard drive is fast - if you've got a USB2 port. 06 Aug 2002
A blisteringly fast machine that'll burn a disc in less than two minutes. 01 Jul 2002
Plextor's first portable CD-RW drive is ideal to share between desktop PCs in different locations. 17 May 2002
All Optical Drives (CD/DVD Drive)
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