Plextor PX-650US PlexEasy Portable 8x DVD Writer

The PlexEasy is one of the more interesting optical drives to come from Plextor in some time. While aimed more at the novice than the enthusiast or professional, this versatile DVD writer offers impressive specs as well as a number of unique features that make backing up your data easier than ever.

The PlexEasy performed relatively well when writing to DVD+R and DVD-R media. In our tests, the drive took about 11 minutes to burn an entire 4.7GB DVD. It also turned in some respectable times when writing to other types of media. However, the writing quality could have been better with some DVD+R DL discs. When it came to reading DVD's, the PlexEasy was able to read data and video DVD-ROM's as well as most recordable media at 8x.

Reading CD's wasn't a problem for the PlexEasy either. While its seek times were a little higher than I would have liked, the drive read pressed and recordable CD media at speeds as high as 24x. This level of performance carried over to our DAE tests, where the drive ripped audio CD's at 24x. As a writer, the PlexEasy performed as expected. The drive was relatively quick when writing to CD-R and CD-RW media and its writing quality was quite good.

The PlexEasy also has its share of features. When used as an external DVD writer, the drive can be powered completely off a computer's USB bus. Without the need for an AC power source, you can burn and play DVD's wherever you go. It also includes support for Plextor's BURN-Proof technology and has the ability to set the book type of DVD+R/RW and DVD+R DL media. Of course, the PlexEasy's most notable feature is its ability to backup photos and other media without the need for a PC. Simply plug a memory card, camera, smartphone or mass storage device into the built-in card reader or USB port and, at the touch of a button, the drive will burn your files directly to disc.

The Plextor PlexEasy is available now and can be purchased from Amazon or the retailers listed on Pricegrabber for as little as $105.

Highs:

• PC-free disc copying and data backup
• Writes to DVD±R media at 8x
• Writes to DVD+RW media at 8x
• Writes to DVD-RW media at 6x
• Writes to DVD±R DL media at 6x
• Reads single layer DVD-ROM's at 8x
• Reads DVD±R, DVD±RW and DVD±R DL media at 8x
• Reads and writes to DVD-RAM media at 5x
• Features 24x CD-R and CD-RW writing speeds
• Good DVD±R and CD-R writing quality
• Features Plextor's BURN-Proof technology
• Built in SD/MMC card reader and USB port
• Supports 99 minute CD-R media
• Nice looking design
• Supports bitsetting for DVD+R/RW and DVD+R DL media
• Can be powered off the USB bus

Lows:

• Questionable writing quality with some DVD+R DL media
• High access times
• Only a 1.5MB buffer
• Pricey