CD-ROM DRIVES

Micro Solutions backpack 4X CD-ROM
The backpack is a handy--and easy--CD-ROM drive that plugs into a parallel port. Its built-in sound card makes it more than a 4X CD-ROM drive. The unit is enhanced-parallel-port (EPP) aware, turning in its best performance when connected to an EPP-equipped PC. The backpack has jacks for auxiliary audio sources, a microphone, line-in and line-out, and speaker connectors. Buttons on the front open and close the CD drawer and advance the playing track. $349 Micro Solutions, 800-890-7227 x200, 815-756-3411. Winfo #691. Go To Full Review.

Mitsumi FX-1200
Mitsumi's FX-1200 is a 12X, 1800KBps CD-ROM drive that offers fast access, full MPC-3 compliance and compatibility with new CD formats (including CD plus disks). This ATAPI IDE drive makes good use of its 256KB built-in memory buffer to yield excellent performance. With true 12X performance and a 130ms access time, you've got the power to run even the most demanding files, such as MPEG II-based full-motion video, PhotoCD, and huge database and business programs. The drive fits in a standard 5.25-inch internal bay and is Plug-and-Play compliant under Windows 95. $199 Mitsumi Electronics Corp., 800-MITSUMI, 972-550-7300. Winfo #692. Go To Full Review

NEC MultiSpin 8Xi
The MultiSpin 8Xi is an internal SCSI CD-ROM drive that boasts a 1200KBps data-transfer rate and 140ms average access time. The drive has a 256KB memory buffer and handles a variety of CD-ROM standards, from XA and CD-I to single- and multisession Photo CDs. On the front of the caddyless unit you'll find an eject button, the volume control and a jack for stereo headphones. The MultiSpin 8Xi also includes a stop and a play/fast-forward button. $349 NEC Technologies, 800-NEC-INFO, 630-775-7900. Winfo #693. Go To Full Review

Plasmon Afterburner CDR4240e
Plasmon's Afterburner CDR4240e is a Plug-and-Play 2X write/4X play CD-Recordable drive that comes with CD-ROM creation software. The drive is available in internal and external models, and supports a variety of recording formats, including CD-I, CD-ROM XA and four recording options (track-at-once, packet writing, multisession and disc-at-once). Afterburner's easy setup and use make it a good choice, especially for the newcomer to recordable CDs. Internal with software, $599; external with software, $699 Plasmon Data, 800-451-6845, 612-946-4100. Winfo #694. Go To Full Review

Plextor 12PleX
Excellent performance distinguishes Plextor's 12PleX SCSI CD-ROM drive. It boasts an average access time of 119ms, with a transfer rate of 1846KBps and a 512KB buffer that helps reduce CPU load. The Plextor Manager software included with the unit captures audio from an audio CD-ROM and turns the track into a WAV file. Internal, $289; external, $389 Plextor Corp., 800-475-3986, 408-980-1838. Winfo #737. Go To Full Review

Sony PRD-650WN CD-ROM Discman
In typical Sony fashion, the PRD-650WN CD-ROM Discman is sleek, lightweight and compact. It measures 1.1 by 5.3 by 6.9 inches and weighs only 10 ounces without batteries. The unit doubles as a portable music CD-ROM player. Sony specifies an average access time of 280ms and a data-transfer rate of 900KBps for the 6X drive. Its SCSI-2 interface lets you use it with almost any SCSI controller, even desktop systems. $349 Sony Multimedia Products, 800-352-7669, 408-453-7373. Winfo #695. Go To Full Review.

Toray Phasewriter Dual
You get double value with the Toray Phasewriter Dual, a 650MB optical media drive and a 6X CD-ROM drive packed into a 5.25-inch internal package. The drive uses a SCSI interface, and the SCSI ID is set by adjusting the jumper switches on the back of the drive. The Phasewriter Dual CD-ROM drive has a rated average seek time of 195ms and a data-transfer rate of 900KBps for the CD-ROM drive. The optical read/write drive is rated at 165ms for seek time, with a transfer rate between 518KBps and 1141KBps. Internal, $299; external, $399 Toray Industries, 800-TORAY-PD, 415-341-7152. Winfo #696. Go To Full Review

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