During the past several weeks, we have seen almost every major player in the data storage industry release an external Blu-ray burner drive. We thought it might be helpful to see a comparison chart so that readers could decide which drive is right for them!
| Manufacturer: | Plextor | Lite-On | Buffalo | I-O Data |
| Model: | PX-LB950UE | eHBU212 | BRXL-PC6U2-BK | BRP-U6X |
| Form Factor: | Full Size | Full Size | Slim | Slim |
| Buffer: | 8 MB | 8 MB | N/A | N/A |
| Interface | ||||
| USB 2.0 | Backwards Comp. | Backwards Comp. | Yes (2x) | Yes |
| USB 3.0 | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| eSATA | Yes | No | No | No |
| Write Speeds | ||||
| BD-XL | No | No | 4X | 4X |
| BD-R | 12X | 12X | 6X | 6X |
| BD-R DL | 8X | 8X | 6X | 6X |
| BD-RE | 2X | 2X | 2X | 2X |
| DVD±R | 8X | 16X | 8X | 8X |
| CD-R | 48X | 48X | 24X | 24X |
| Read Speeds | ||||
| BD-ROM | 8X | 8X | N/A | 6X |
| DVD-ROM | 16X | 16X | N/A | 8X |
| CD-ROM | 48X | 48X | N/A | 24X |
| Access Times | ||||
| Blu-ray | 250 ms | 380 ms | N/A | N/A |
| DVD | 200 ms | 160 ms | N/A | N/A |
| CD | 160 ms | 150 ms | N/A | N/A |
| Additional Information | ||||
| LightScribe | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Software | CyberLink BD Suite | CyberLink BD Solution | CyberLink PowerDVD 10 | WinDVD / Nero Express Essentials |
| Weight | 1200 g | 1200 g | 340 g | 320 g |
| Dimensions | 163 x 51.5 x 224.7 mm | 168 x 57.5 x 198.5 mm | 145 x 153 x 19 mm | 137 x 154 x 20 mm |
| Availability | April 2011 | May 2011 | March 2011 | April 2011 |
| MSRP | $239.99 | $235 | $286 | $270 |
As you can see, each drive has its own strengths and weaknesses. Plextor and Lite-On both offer USB 3.0 and LightScribe, but Buffalo and I-O Data offer BD-XL capabilities. All of the drives are very close to one another in price. If you are in the market for an external Blu-ray disc burner, I hope that this comparison chart has helped you determine which drive is right for you!
Related Posts:
- Lite-On eHBU212 External Blu-ray Burner Packs USB 3.0 SuperSpeed
- Plextor Brings USB 3.0 Blu-ray Burner to USA
- Buffalo and I-O Data Release External BD-R XL Burners
- Samsung DVD-Writer SLIM External Drive SE-218BB: World’s Thinnest External DVD Drive
- Samsung Announces New Slim External Blu-ray Combo Drive
