Refine search for Storage

  Leave a comment      Email this to a friend TrustedReviews Newsletters

Usually with a group test like this, one product will rise above the competition and walk away with the TrustedReviews Editor’s Choice award. However, this time things weren’t quite so clear cut.

Ultimately there are two drives in this group that both deserve an award but for different reasons. Because the areas they excelled in were very different I found it impossible to decide which one deserved the Editor’s Choice and which one should have a Recommended award. So, in order to be fair to both products, and to address the fact that which drive is best will depend on each user’s needs, I’ve decided to give both units a Recommended award.

The LG drive has maximum versatility at minimum cost.

The first winner is the LG GSA-4082B. As with the first DVD writer group test I wrote, LG has the edge over the competition by producing a drive that supports every DVD format out there. Now, some people may consider DVD-RAM to be niche, but I use it regularly and as a form of random access removable storage it’s great. Add to this the fact that despite the extra functionality, LG has managed to keep the cost of this drive down and it’s clear that you’re getting a lot of drive for your money.

The DRW8800 from AOpen is super-fast and amazingly cheap.

Now, if speed is paramount to you the AOpen DRW8800 is definitely worth a look. Not only was the AOpen the fastest drive in the group test, but it also managed to burn at eight-speed to four-speed media. And despite its lightning fast performance, the AOpen retails for less than £70 on the street, making it the DVD bargain of the moment.

Finally, a word of thanks must go to Verbatim for supplying all the media used to perform this group test. To find out more about Verbatim please click here.

Add your comment