14 DAY TRIAL // Since the ultra-fast USB 3.0 interface is slowly, but surely starting to become mainstream, it shouldn't come as much of a surprise that more and more peripherals that come equipped with such a SuperSpeed connector are starting to make their way onto the market, the latest we've come across being the PX-LB950UE external 12x Blu-ray writer from Plextor. First and foremost, we'll have to point out that the device from Plextor offers some pretty good writing speeds, whether we're talking about Blu-ray media (BD-R (SL) – 12X, BD- R (DL) 8X) or DVD Media- Max 8X.
It's also important to point out that, beside the USB 3.0 interface (backwards compatible with USB 2.0), the new Blu-ray writer from Plextor also comes equipped with an eSATA port, providing a higher level of compatibility with most notebook and desktop computer systems currently on the market.
The PX-LB950UE comes packed within a high-gloss piano black external casing, that, beside providing quite a stylish look, also channels airflow to keep the drive cooler and extending its lifetime and reliability.
Plus, the device also incorporates a low vibration system and high 8MB buffer that ensure greater accuracy at higher writing speeds, whilst the low noise output leads to smooth Blu-ray playback.
Additional features worth mentioning about the device from Plextor include Lightscribe technology, for creating good-looking (production-like) discs, as well as the fact that Blu-ray writer is accompanied by PlexUtilities software, providing a selection of tools to assist users to test, tune and view information about the drive and writing performance.
Now, moving on to pricing and availability, Plextor informs us that their brand-new PX-LB950UE is available across the UK and Europe from February, the recommended retail price for this thing being set at around 179 pounds sterling (288 US dollars), which is not exactly a very small sum, but it's most likely worth it, given the enhanced level of functionality this peripheral can provide.