Top CD-RW drives

From...

By Jon L. Jacobi

(IDG) -- Wait no more: Today's CD-Rewritable drives are faster than ever before, and are excellent tools for saving data and music to CD media. The most recent generation of CD-RW drives -- rated at 24X for writing to a CD-Recordable disc -- improve markedly on their 8X-rated predecessors, taking less than half as much time to fill a CD-R disc with data.

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Top 10 CD-RW drives

1. Yamaha LightSpeed CRW2200EZ: The Yamaha LightSpeed CRW2200EZ packages great performance with an uncommonly strong software bundle.
2. TDK 24/10/40 VeloCD ReWriter: A speedy CD-R writer with top-flight performance results, the TDK 24/10/40 VeloCD ReWriter is a great choice for digital audio lovers and data users alike.
3. Plextor PlexWriter 16/10/40A: One of the better all-around performers on the market, the 16/10/40A is fast and reliable in every respect. Audiophiles will appreciate the inclusion of Plextor's Audio FS drivers for drag-and-drop extraction of CD audio tracks and the drive's lightning-fast audio extraction -- two traits that make this drive an excellent pick for audio enthusiasts.
4. TDK 16/10/40 VeloCD ReWriter: A good value, the TDK 16/10/40 VeloCD ReWriter comes with great documentation, a handy installation video, and useful music software; make this excellent performer a great buy for beginners.
5. Sony CRX1611/82U: The Sony CRX1611/82U ranks as an adequate overall performer--in spite of its sluggish times installing Microsoft Office and writing CD-R to an image. As a bonus, it includes back-up software, making it a good choice for data backup tasks.
6. Iomega 16x10x40 Internal CD-RW: Easy installation and better-than-average digital audio extraction highlight Iomega's slightly pricey 16x10x40 Internal CD-RW drive.
7. Teac CD-W516E 16x10x40 CD-RW: If you want fast CD-RW writing and the latest software bundle from Roxio, this is a good bet.
8. Sony Double Density CD-RW CRX200E/A1: The Sony Double Density drive is best suited for those who value additional capacity over performance-especially if they plan on backing up their data.
9. LG Electronics CED-8120B: This quiet, sturdy drive features excellent overall performance and value, and it should deftly handle most any task thrown at it.
10. Imation CD Burn-R CRW1208A: A low price makes this drive a viable option for the budget conscious, although its CD-R/CD-RW write performance is slightly slower than average.