PleXWriter PX-W4012A CD-RW
13. Conclusion
PleXWriter PX-W4012A IDE CDR-W - Page 13
Conclusion
|
Positive (+) |
Negative (-) |
|
- Supports 40x writing, 12x re-writing
speeds |
- Writing at 40x isn't as fast as you
might expect |
Some months ago, the first 24x recorders appeared. Many people thought that recording speeds had begun to reach their speed limits. Reality now shows us that not only are these thoughts incorrect, but boundaries are being pushed further and further. Never say never when it comes to CD writing speeds! Most manufacturers have already introduced 32x speed recorders but along come Plextor to leap frog the competition and introduce the first 40x CD writer!
The PX-W4012A drive supports 40x recording, 12x rewriting and 40x reading. The "PowerRec II" feature automatically adjusts writing speeds whilst the 4MB of buffer and built in "BURN-Proof" eliminate buffer underruns. Plextor promises that the new "VariRec" technology, the "black tray" and re-designed PCB will create higher quality Audio CDs. Plextor promises support for "Mt. Rainier" format with future firmware upgrade. The European retail package comes complete with Nero and five 40x CDR blanks. Plextor's two-year warranty (only available in Europe) and the on-site collection service will also please the discerning buyer.
Our tests show that the PlexWriter PX-W4012A has very good DAE performance, and is a very fast reader for protected CDs. The drive does support DAO-RAW writing and can read/write SubChannel Data from Audio/Data tracks. If you need to overburn, then the drive will let you write up to 95 minutes, on the appropriate media. The reading/writing of CD-Text AudioCDs present no problems at all.
However there are some points should users be made aware of:
- At the moment there is very limited media support for 40x speed writing. This of course will change in time.
- 40x writing speed isn't actually as fast as you may think. When writing to a 74 minute CD the speed difference is negligible compared to the faster 32x writer from CyberDrive (around 3 seconds on average).The speed differences only start to appear when writing to 80min CDs.
- The PX-W4012A cannot produce accurate backups of SD2 v2.51x protected CDs. This may make the odd buyer or two unhappy :)
Finally, the PlexWriter PX-W4012A will not disappoint any user who wants to keep up with the latest recording technology. We did expect a little more from the quoted 40x write speeds, especially when compared to some other 32x recorders we have reviewed previously. We do have questions about the actual effectiveness of the "VariRec" technology and we do wonder whether audio quality is actually improved upon...Despite that PlexWriter PX-W4012A definitely earns our "Safe Buy" Award.
