Budget CD-RW recommendations

[joohang]

I'm checking out some CD-RW models. I want to keep it under $150 (CANADIAN) if possible.

Here are some models I found at NCIX.com:

- Creative 8x4x32x RW8439E ($133)
- LG 8x4x32 2MB ($128)
- NEC 8x4x32 NR-7500A ($140)
- NEC 12x10x32 NR-7700A ($146)
- NEC 12x10x32 NR-7700A w/JUSTLINK ($150)
- Panasonic 8X4X32 CW-7585-B ($133)
- Sony 8x4x32x CRX0811 ($158)

Reliability is the biggest issue here. As long as it can write at 8x or more, I am not concerned about performance.

If you could share your experiences with any of these drives or recommend me any models, that would be great.

 

[HOON96]

i have sony crx140e it's great..it has 4meg buffer.
based on what i heared was LG is very good.
good luck

 

[Deadalus]

I too have the Sony CRX140E it's a great drive (of course it does not have BURN-PROOF technology) but for the price it is excellent... BTW I hear that the Panasonic drives aren't that good...but I haven't had first hand experience.

 

[nortexoid]

are u kidding??...don't get the sony

get the NEC 12x10x32 rebadged Ricoh mp7120a/7125a(justlink)

u can save four bucks and get the non-justlink and firmware flash it to enable justlink...advantages: u save four bucks and u have a 4MB buffer as opposed to 2MB.

the drive is killer - check out reviews (for the ricoh)...

otherwise, LG makes a 12x8x32 for super cheap, and i hear they perform quite well...they look fairly nice too..

 

[HOON96]

i had burned about 50+ cds with sony it's fine...buffer memory has gone down to 3% or less still no bad cds yet.
i heared that some sony are the same as HP.
sony has been great so far IMO.

 

[jose]

Right now you can get a Plextor 12/10/32 ide cdrw for $159 - $20 (rebate)= $139 from compuplus.com

The plextor has burn prof tech. and is the better than any other brand period.


Regards,
Jose

 

[DeathlyCurse]

the sony is ok. my brother has one and it's only burned 2 coasters out of 100 disks. and that was because the iso was bad (we tried on my plextor and it coasted twice also)

 

[joohang]

What does JustLink do? Is it an older equivalent to BurnProof?

 

[Auric]

I think it's just a competing "pause burn" technology. If anything it's prolly newer

Before I buy any new CD-ROM drives I will check the detailed specs to see whether they can work with CloneCD and EAC, overburn, etc. accurately and at top speeds. These are not the things the manufacturers include in their sales literature


Here's a good DB for EAC

 

[BadThad]

I've installed 2 of these drives from ESBUY and tested them, they are excellent with Nero 5.5. $119, free shipping.

Lite-On 12x10x32 with BurnProof

 

[Duvie]

"Right now you can get a Plextor 12/10/32 ide cdrw for $159 - $20 (rebate)= $139 from compuplus.com

The plextor has burn prof tech. and is the better than any other brand period."


Some more of that same rehashed Plextor fanboy crap....How about my aopen 1232a w/ justlink (burn-proof type technology patented by Ricoh) for 100 bucks at newegg...I bet you are not better to the tune of 40 bucks, or 60 bucks because rebates suck and who knows if you will get in 12 weeks later or not!!! read the reviews aopen/ ricoh 7120/7125 is comparable to plextor 12x. Actually beat the plextor in DAE rip speed...

 

[nortexoid]

the ricoh beat the plextor the other categories too, namely, CDRW speeds and access times...

i too hate the plextor mongrels...

anyway, justlink is actually BETTER than burnproof, as the gaps produced from pausing are smaller...
and it's newer..and it's patented and developed by Ricoh (no royalties)

 

[Journeyman]

Second for the Lite-On (Buslink at BestBuy)... I've got one and it's great - it's worked with every piece of burner software I've thrown at it. Nice.

 

[NelsonMuntz]

I think the NEC sounds pretty good, but I would definitely suggest spending the little bit extra money and getting one that is at least 12X8X32. It will save you so much time in the long run and burn-proof/just-link is good to have too.

 

[Deadalus]

I was saying that I have the Sony CRX140E (a different drive to the one 'joohang' was looking at - the CRX0811) I was just commenting on the fact I have had a good experience with a Sony drive...

 

[Pabster]

You'd be hard pressed to find a better deal than the LiteOn 12/10/32 NewEgg sells for around ~$100 shipped to your door...

 

[AmdEmAll]

What about the AOPEN 12x10x32x from newegg. I think its like $115 in a retail box and it has Justlink technology. I used one for when I built my brothers computer and it was very fast and seemed like a really good drive.

 

[RossMAN]

joohang - Today only Buy.com has the Creative Blaster 12x/10x/32x for $99 (USD)
12/10/32 speed, cheap, Burn Proof and comes with Nero software.

 

[kylef]

I don't think the Creative drive comes with Nero software. The Creative site and several others list it as coming with "NTI" software, which isn't the same. Here is Creative's product info link.

Where did you get the info that this is bundled with Nero? The link at buy.com doesn't say.

 

[NicColt]

>LG 8x4x32 2MB ($128)

I have the LG and truly impressed, not one coaster and I burned over 100 so far. on the good side I got it with a 3/year instant replace warrenty which came out less than a plextor. I can't go wrong for the next 2.5 years.

 

[jepritchett]

I can vouch for the Lite-On 12/8/32x burnproof drive that newegg.com sells. Has worked great for me and never had a bad burn.

-Justin

 

[erub]

u may want to check the FS/FT forums, many users are selling the Iomega 12/10/32 from the Office Max deal real cheap - *not sure* but it may be a rebadgered plextor, and it also may come with burnproof..

 

[ALstonLoong]

I have a NEC nr-7700a justlink . Nice burner!but too bad cdrwin currently still didnt support this drive...is too new. but nero and adaptec or clonecd have no problem burning cdr with this drive. nice drive for budget

 

[Slapstick]

Just to throw in my $.02. I had a Lite-on 12-8-32 that wouldn't read most of my previously burned cd's. Maybe I just got a bad drive but that thing was picky, didn't like cheap PNY, Maxell or TDK's. The only thing it would read/burn was Sony and Imitation CD's. Took it back and got the Sony CRX140 and haven't had a problem, it reads all of my previously burned cd's and write's to any disk I've put in it. Like I said that's just my experence with a Lite-on.

 

[nortexoid]

alston, it will if u flash into a ricoh mp7125a...