PlextorPXB320SA_02A while back I took a look at a BluRay drive from Plextor, a well known manufacture in the disc drive market. Today I have the chance to take a look at another BluRay drive from them. This time we will be looking at the B320SA with a speed of 8X in comparison to the 6x speed of the B310SA I reviewed before. 2x doesn't seem like that drastic of a change but will it make a noticeable difference? Read more to find out.

Product Name: Plextor PX-B320SA

Review Sample Provided by: Plextor

Review by: Wes

Pictures by: Wes

 

PlextorPXB320SA_05

Specifications

specs

 

PlextorPXB320SA_06

Packaging

The B320SA's packaging was very similar to the Plextor drives we have reviewed in the past. On the front you have a picture of the drive along with a listing of the drives speeds with each type of media. On the back they kept everything simple with a smaller picture of the drive along with system specifications, drive specifications, and what to expect in the box. Inside two large pieces of foam are formed around the B320SA keeping it safe and secure. Overall the packaging isn't anything special, but it does match Plextor's other products.

PlextorPXB320SA_08

 

PlextorPXB320SA_09

Performance

Performance (per Plextors website)

BD Media (Read Only)

BD-ROM SL

8X Maximum

BD-R/RE SL

6X Maximum

BD DL

4X Maximum

DVD Media (Read/Write)

 

DVD±R

16X Maximum

DVD±R DL

8X Maximum

DVD+RW

8X Maximum

DVD-RW

6X Maximum

DVD-RAM

12X Maximum

DVD-ROM

16X Maximum

CD Media (Read/Write)

 

CD-R

48X Maximum

CD-RW

32X Maximum

CD-ROM

48X Maximum

Access Time (Typical)

 

BD Media

350 ms

DVD Media

160 ms

CD Media

150 ms

Buffer Size

2MB

 

BluRay DL disc performance (Plextor rated the drive 4X, this is our testing)

F_PLEXTOR_BDDVDR_PX-B320SA_1.02_TRANSFER_RATE

The slight bump in performance over the PX-B310SA we tested before was hardly noticeable in normal use. Movies load a little quicker than before, almost as quick as DVD's load. Just like before, the most impressive thing about the PX-B320SA is its low noise level. This drive is dead silent in all but the most demanding situations. Of course, that is what Plextor is all about. Their drives are all of the highest quality, and came with amazing software.

PlextorPXB320SA_01

PlextorPXB320SA_02

 

PlextorPXB320SA_03

Overall

Not to sound like a broken record, but the PX-B320SA BluRay drive from Plextor is of the highest quality and performance. The only thing that it is missing is the ability to burn BluRay's but Plextor has that covered with their new PX-B940SA drive. With all of the benefits, the only downside at all is the price tag. Even though BluRay drives have come down considerably, Plextor still stays on the high end compared to their competition. Nevertheless, for that premium price you get the best of the best!

PlextorPX-B320SAgold

Author Bio
garfi3ld
Author: garfi3ldWebsite: http://lanoc.org
Editor-in-chief
You might call him obsessed or just a hardcore geek. Wes's obsession with gaming hardware and gadgets isn't anything new, he could be found taking things apart even as a child. When not poking around in PC's he can be found playing League of Legends, Awesomenauts, or Civilization 5 or watching a wide variety of TV shows and Movies. A car guy at heart, the same things that draw him into tweaking cars apply when building good looking fast computers. If you are interested in writing for Wes here at LanOC you can reach out to him directly using our contact form.

Log in to comment

We have 1683 guests and one member online

supportus