Review: Plextor PX-B320SA Blu-ray combo drive.

[Oneslowz28]

A new story entry has been added:

Review: Plextor PX-B320SA Blu-ray combo drive.



http://thebestcasescenario.com/oneslowz28/front_page/plextoribd/plextorpxb320sabanner.jpg
(http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/frontpage/?q=node/383) By Oneslowz28

Just a few years ago, every high-end computer build included a Plextor optical drive. When you priced out your build you would cut corners here and there just so you could include a Plextor. Highly regarded for their performance and longevity Plextor drives became a staple in every computer geek

[x88x]

Cool. It's nice to see more people getting to experience the awesomeness that is Blu-Ray :D

Now, speaking as someone who has only been in the computer building 'scene' for about 6 years, what makes a Plextor so much better? Build quality? Drive noise?

I'm curious, because I have an almost identical drive made by LG that currently goes for $125 on NewEgg...though it was about $190 when I got it back in April 08... :facepalm:

[SXRguyinMA]

great review!

[slaveofconvention]

Now, speaking as someone who has only been in the computer building 'scene' for about 6 years, what makes a Plextor so much better? Build quality? Drive noise?

It was just "better" lol - almost a kudos thing - there's no denying that the drives seemed to last longer and perform better and the software was very good too, but a lot of it was just about sayin "I have a Plextor" too

As for Blu-ray - I put an LG drive in my media center about 18 months ago - paid through the nose for it too - borrowed a Bluray of resident evil to test it worked - and it's never been used since lol

[x88x]

It was just "better" lol - almost a kudos thing - there's no denying that the drives seemed to last longer and perform better and the software was very good too, but a lot of it was just about sayin "I have a Plextor" too

Ah, ok, so kinda like having a PC Power & Cooling PSU instead of an OCZ or Corsair. ;)



As for Blu-ray - I put an LG drive in my media center about 18 months ago - paid through the nose for it too - borrowed a Bluray of resident evil to test it worked - and it's never been used since lol

Heh, yeah...mine hasn't been used to read a BD-ROM for...a really long time. Probably several months. 18 months ago eh? I bet you have the same one I do :D I think that was the only BD-ROM drive that LG was making at the time.

[slaveofconvention]

I bet you have the same one I do :D I think that was the only BD-ROM drive that LG was making at the time.

Device manager comes up with HL-DT-ST BDDVDRW GGC-H20L ATA Device - the box & docs are long gone :p

[Oneslowz28]

It has just been my experience that Plextor drives last longer than the rest. I have owned everything from stock compaqs to samsungs to plextors. The Plextors and Sammys have been by far the most reliable. In all honesty all BD drives are going to be a little louder than regular DVD drives. My sister has a sony BD player in her entertainment center and its a little louder than her sony upconvert dvd player that's identical. The cause is that BD dics spin much faster than DVD's do.

[x88x]

Device manager comes up with HL-DT-ST BDDVDRW GGC-H20L ATA Device - the box & docs are long gone :p

Yup, that's it! Great drives, aren't they :D

@Oneslowx28: yeah, I've gotta agree with you on Samsungs. I've only had one, but it was a (then-not-very) old CD-RW/DVD combo drive that I got off ebay. Who knows how old it really was, but it lasted me probably about 6-7 years before it finally kicked the bucket. Though come to think of it, there was that old, old, 24x Creative CD-ROM I had...again I got it used, but it was marked as manufactured in 1993 and it didn't die until just last year.

[slaveofconvention]

Yup, that's it! Great drives, aren't they :D


No idea - it installed windows fine - and it installed the bundled software fine, and it played that one movie (for about 10 minutes) fine. Other than that, I really don't think it's been used lol

The media center is a dedicated machine which is now in the bedroom, it's used for live tv, recorded tv, folding@home, and streaming from the server - the drive really never gets used which is what makes it the huge waste of money that it was LOL

[x88x]

Haha, yeah, I take some solace in the thought that it's eventually going into my media-recovery computer, since as of right now, if it will fit in the tray, and the tray will close, it will read it :D

[Kayin]

Having owned a Plextor DVD burner, before they started rebranding they had the best drives, period. You could burn 1 GB to a CD, tune the laser to burn for your car, toast a bagel, fry squirrels-they did EVERYTHING, man.

[x88x]

Hmmm, where can I find one of these mythical beasts; I have a time machine I've been wanting to build :D

[Oneslowz28]

We have a few more Blu-ray reviews coming up in the next 2 months. Even one that is >$70