New CD-RW drive needed

[Ardan]

My old TDK VeloCD 12/10/32 CD-RW crapped out on me (most of my computer *was* previously fried by lightning a month ago) and I am in the market for a new CD-RW. I am planning to buy one from Best Buy because I don't want to wait to get one off of Newegg (That and the prices are good at best buy). They have a Samsung CD-RW there with an 8Meg cache for $80 (52x24x52 I think) and a Sony CRX220A1 (same speeds as Samsung CDRW) for the same price, before a $20 Mail-In rebate. Since we can't spend too much of the Insurance money left, you won't see me going for the Plextor Premium 52x32x52 drive so don't mention it .

I did my homework on CD-RWs and I am still not sure which to choose. What are your exeriences with these different brands? I use my DVD-ROM mainly for installing applications and ripping audio, but if one of these is very fast with DAE and applications, then I will use that instead of the DVD-ROM. There is a memorex of the same speeds and it is $60 at Best Buy...is that one good? I hear Memorex CDRWs are clones of Lite-On CD-RW drives, which means they're probably good. In the other computer, we have a TDK VeloCD drive (48x?x48 -- Can't remember what the rewrite speed is) and its great. So which would be better, the Sony CD-RW or the Samsung CD-RW?

Edit: The Average Seek time of the Memorex 52x24x52 is 80ms, and the Sony's is 100ms. Test Reports of the Memorex CDRWs on PC World show that it is fast, burning a 650mb CDR in 2:22.

 

[Sheriff]

Personally I'd get the Samsung for the extra cache as i was there yesterday and saw they had a $20 rebate on it as well so now it's $60

 

[Ardan]

Really? Damn, that makes me smile .
Tears of joy, even! jk

Well thats settled then, Samsung here we come. My only drawback with that was that a few weeks ago it didn't have a rebate, to my dismay.

 

[rickon66]

Get a Memorex at BB

 

[axskkyline]

get liteon from bb

 

[axskkyline]

Originally posted by: rickon66
Get a Memorex at BB

why memorex when u can get the 52x32x52 at bb for 9.99 after rebate =) A great drive =)

 

[faye]

Originally posted by: axskkyline
get liteon from bb

heard only good things about it

 

[Thump553]

If you are still looking there is a $10 (after multiple rebates) Lite On 52x32x52 CDRW at BB on line. Its a combo deal with a CD labeler. Look in the Hot Deals section for thread.

 

[tcsenter]

I picked up a Cendyne (Lite-On LTR-52246S) 52x24x52 two weeks ago at Office Max for $9.99 AMIR + tax + two stamps. The LTR-52246S ranks well on CDSpeed tests, currently in the Top 5 overall. A little noisey, but not terribly so.

I haven't heard that the Memorex drives are Lite-Ons, but I have heard many of the new Sony's are.

My philosophy has become: for $10.00 (or free) AMIR, who cares? If I don't like it, I'll just sell it to someone for $20.00 (or give it away) and get a different one for $10.00 (or free) AMIR. The drive would have to be pretty bad to not be worth $10.00 (or free) and even the crappy LG and BenQ/Acer drives aren't that bad.