Required Processor Speed For Combo Drives.

[craiger]

I like that new Samsung combo drive the 52x24x52x16x combo that is coming out. The current Samsung combo 48x24x48x16x requires a P2 400. I am guessing the new will be the same or higher. I have a Gateway P2 350 with 256 mb ram. Maybe the DVD-ROM won't work at 16x? How would the Samsung drive run on my system? Thanks, Craig.

[Ian]

Damn craiger, I thought you bought a drive already.

[craiger]

With all of these new drives coming out I still can't decide which one. Plus they keep getting faster. Isn't Lite-On coming out with a new 52x24x52x16x combo or would the Samsung 52x24x52x16x be better. I think I am leaning twoard one of these drives when they come out :)

[CDRecorder]

Lite-On is coming out with a 48x24x48x16 combo. I personally would prefer the Lite-On over the Samsung, but it's your decision!

[craiger]

Ian which do you prefer? Samsung or Lite-On?

[cfitz]

Ian which do you prefer? Samsung or Lite-On?

He's not going to tell you... (He doesn't make recommendations, understandably given his position).

cfitz

[integspec]

Never owned a Liteon CDRW but a CDROM. Well, Samsung drives are not bad. I went and bought a SM348B and it never made me regret the decision. Also Samsung optical division released a firmware update which added Mt.Rainier which was not available initially. Hence all of today's drives closely compete when it comes to performance, probably price should be the strongest deciding factor.

All in all, Samsung and LG has a friend in me.

HTH.

[blakerwry]

I believe Samsung opticals to be top notch... although I usually buy LG because of price. I would also consider/recommend LiteOn even though I'm not happy with the one I have (LTD122 12x DVD)


I wouldn't worry a bit about the stupid CPU recomendations... infact a newer drive will almost certainly work better with an older system than an older drive.

1) newer drives support UDMA (which uses less CPU resources than M/W DMA or PIO)

2) Newer drives support BURN PROOF, which will help prevent coasters.

3) Newer drives still allow slower burn speeds for compatibility with older media and computers.


I've seen people pay more money to get an obsolete drive(that will work worse than a new drive and perform slower)... just doesn't make sense... buy whatever drive you want and ignore the CPU recomendations.

[cfitz]

I wouldn't worry a bit about the stupid CPU recomendations... infact a newer drive will almost certainly work better with an older system than an older drive.

1) newer drives support UDMA (which uses less CPU resources than M/W DMA or PIO)

2) Newer drives support BURN PROOF, which will help prevent coasters.

3) Newer drives still allow slower burn speeds for compatibility with older media and computers.


I've seen people pay more money to get an obsolete drive(that will work worse than a new drive and perform slower)... just doesn't make sense... buy whatever drive you want and ignore the CPU recomendations.

I agree wholeheartedly with blakerwry on this one. I've tried to say the same thing before.

The one caveat I would add, and this isn't directly applicable to the question of CPU speed and the burner itself, is to make sure that any bundled burning software will work with your OS/hardware, if you intend to use that software. Often times slower CPU's happen to be used with older OS's, so you should check the software compatibility.

cfitz

[Ian]

OK, I'm gonna throw this suggestion out to craiger. Instead of getting a new combo drive, why don't you spend the money to upgrade your mobo and cpu? By the time the 52x combo drives are out, you won't have to worry about system requirements.