The Ricoh MP7120A sets up fast and runs even faster, providing top
performance for writing and rewriting CDs. But the bundled software
for creating audio and data CDs rates as merely adequate, not top of
the line, and comes without printed documentation. It's good value,
but unless you've got a burning need for speed you can
save a few bucks by going with a drive that is only slightly slower.
Calling the Ricoh MP7120A a fast CD-RW is a bit like calling the Concorde a fast aeroplane. Rated at 10x/12x/32x (CD-RW write/CD-R write/CD-R read) maximum speeds, that translates to up to 4.8 MB/sec for CD-ROM reads. At just AU$599, you only pay a small premium for this top performance. On the other hand, the extra speed requires special recording media and doesn't save you a lot of time on a per disc basis.
The key feature here is speed, but it pays to know what you're getting. The CD-R write rate is the most interesting spec, because that's what you'd use for burning music CDs and data discs. The 12x rating translates to 1.8 MBps, and the drive's actual 1.57MBps came close in our tests. However, consider how much this extra speed saves you. It took about 6.5 minutes to burn a 632 MB CD. If you assume that a drive rated at 10x would be proportionately slower, then it would take about 8 minutes to burn the same CD on the slower drive -- a saving of less than 1.5 minutes.
As with any high-speed drive, the CD read speed varies depending upon the location of the track being read, and the actual data transfer rates tend to be much lower than the maximum rating; you only approach max at the outer tracks of a full disc. Reading a CD-R containing 301 MB of data (a bit less than half the capacity), the drive averaged 2.43 MBps, which is about 16x or half the maximum rating. Similarly, CD-RW performance came in at 1.19 MBps on our tests, which works out closer to 8x speed than the 10x (1.5MBps)rating.
Physical installation is simple: Set the Master/Slave jumper, find an open EIDE cable connector, plug in a power connector, boot up Windows and you're off and running -- Windows already has the necessary drivers. The single-sheet installation instructions are sparse but adequate. Unfortunately, the only additional documentation is on CD, and it can be difficult to navigate.
The bundle includes two software programs from Prassi. abCD provides packet-writing support for CD-RW drives, and Primo CD Plus lets you create music and data CDs. The documentation comes only on disk, and while these programs work neither is as easy nor as versatile as some competing products, such as Adaptec's Easy CD Creator.
A slower drive might cost about 25 percent less than the MP7120A, and only take a minute or two longer to burn your CDs. If you're a budget buyer, you may want to think about how much those minutes are worth to you. If you want to burn full speed ahead, however, the Ricoh MP7120A will get the disc done in the least amount of time, and at a reasonable price for the performance.
Ricoh MP7120A CD-RW
Company: Ricoh
Ph: 02 8977 1111
Price: AU$599.
Rating: 4 Star
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