We put three 4x DVD writers from Sony, HP and Plextor through their paces to determine the current DVD burning champion.2003 promises to be the year when home DVD recording becomes mainstream. The DVD format, which seemed a little too out of reach for most users last year, is now coming within shooting range at under AU$650. When push comes to shove, you really can't argue with 4.7GB of space, which is roughly eight times the amount you can fit into a measly CD-R.
The latest internal DVD+R/RW drives from Sony, Hewlett Packard (HP) and Plextor cross a new threshold, offering 4x write speeds and the capability of burning a full 4.7GB DVD+R disc in under 20 minutes. While they offer significant performance gains over their 2x predecessors, these high-speed DVD burners don't come cheap--with an entry-level price of AU$650, even the cheapest copier in this roundup is four times the price of an average AU$150 CD writer.
When paying a premium for such a product, buyers naturally want the best deal. Here, we put three 4x drives--HP DVD300i EIDE, Plextor PX-504A DVD+RW EIDE, and Sony DRU500AX EIDE--through a series of tests to find out which one offers the right blend of price and performance.
Round One: Features
A DVD-Drive is more than just a drive -- which unit offers the most capabilities and features?
Round Two: Performance
4x drives are already quite fast -- but which drive reigns supreme?
Round Three: Price
Which drive wins out in the battle for your hard-earned dollar?
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