X-bit labs

Sony DRX-800UL External DVD Burner Review (page 13)

Category: Storage

by Andrey Kuznetcov

[ 09/15/2005 | 01:20 PM ]

Conclusion

The external Sony DRX-800UL drive left a very favorable impression. Its stylish exterior design, dual-interface support and very advanced technical specifications speak for themselves. Being more specific about its advantages, we should definitely stress that it proved highly efficient during sound tracks extraction from audio discs. The results of our in-depth audio test prove this statement in full.

The hardware error correction logic is also very efficient, so I hope you will be able to eliminate numerous problems when working with the media of not the best quality. The burning quality also aroused no reproach. Most of the discs of different types and from different manufacturers showed their PI Error and Failure rates strictly within the standards set by the ECMA association, and in most cases they had a sufficient reserve left.

I would also like to mention the drive’s ability to read CD-ROM discs at lower speed as one of its advantages, because it allows to reduce the generated noise and to ensure that the device gets less heated up.

As for the evident drawbacks of the Sony DRX-800UL drive, it is certainly its price. $145 is about three times as much as you would pay for an internal drive of the same type, so I doubt that the users will be that very excited about it. I don’t think this product will enjoy massive demand unless it is a necessity. So, if you are in desperate need of an external burner drive like that and you have limited budget, you might as well consider the possibility of building one yourself with an internal optical solution and an external chassis (enclosure).