Quantcast
Subscribe to magazine

NEW Reviews Beta Feedback

Get Optical Drives updates
  • Print

Plextor PX-760A

81

Very Good
  • Pros
  • Detailed, helpful electronic manual.
  • Includes Plextor's PlexTools utilities.
  • Cons
  • No DVD-RAM support.
  • Roxio software offers only the basics.
  • Pricing: Very Expensive: $106 (3/23/2007)
  • Performance: Superior: 97
  • Features: Good: 79
  • Design: Very Good: 86
Find out how these four scores, and their relative weights, combine to produce the PC World Rating.

Pricing

Very Expensive: $106

Performance

Superior: 97
PC World Tests
Single-Layer Write-Once DVD Performance, for 4.35GB (seconds) 350.51 
Single-Layer Write-Once DVD Format Tested +R 
Dual-Sided Write-Once DVD Performance, for 7.9GB (seconds) 849.64 
Two-Layer Write-Once DVD Format Tested DL +R 
Format Rewritable DVD (seconds) 22.97 
Rewritable DVD Performance, for 3.4GB (seconds) 369.33 
Rewritable DVD Format Tested +RW 
CD-R Mastering Write Average, for 694MB (seconds) 171.05 

Features

Good: 79
Basics
Drive Type DVD±R DL/DVD±RW 
PC/Drive Interface IDE 
Buffer (MB) 2 
Buffer Underrun Technology BufferUnderunProof 
S/PDIF Output Yes 
LightScribe Labeling No 
Supports Disc Error Checking With Third-Party Software Yes 
Vendor Speed Ratings
DL DVD+R Write Speed 10X 
DL DVD-R Write Speed 6X 
Single-Layer DVD+R Write Speed 18X 
Single-Layer DVD-R Write Speed 18X 
DVD+RW Write Speed 8X 
DVD-RW Write Speed 6X 
DVD-RAM Write Speed n/a 
DVD-ROM Pressed Disc Read Speed 16X 
DVD-ROM Burned Disc Read Speed 12x 
CD-RW Write Speed 24X 
CD-R Write Speed 48X 
CD-ROM Read Speed 48X 
Other
Included Hardware IDE cable, black bezel, drive tray ejection tool 
Included Software Roxio Easy Media Creator 7 Basic Edition, Sonic CinePlayer, PlexTools Professional 
Support & Reliability
Labor Warranty (years) One 
Parts Warranty (years) One 
Weekday Support Hours 15 
Saturday Support Hours 0 
Sunday Support Hours 0 
Toll-Free Support Yes 

Design

Very Good: 86
About the Test Center

User Reviews for Plextor PX-760A

  • Reviewed by: esplanade

    Duration of ownership: 1 Month

    Strengths: Excellent writing capability on dual layer DVD-r's.

    Weaknesses: When working on an "open disc" project, the drive has a problem formatting anything but Taiyo Yuden media. I've tried reformatting my hard drive with various disc writing software, and several firmware upgrades (including the latest 1.05) with the same result. If (for example) you try to format a Verbatim single layer DVD, the drive starts to format, then displays an error message that the disc is unreadable, damaged, and unrecoverable. I am using Windows XP fully updated. I have googled the problem regarding this drive, and have come up with hundreds of threads complaining about this issue. Perhaps in trying to achieve high speed writing, Plextor has disregarded media compatability. This drive clearly has some issues. Google it for yourself, and you'll agree.

    Overall Evaluation: Excellent with DVD backup projects. Poor in formatting "open disc" projects on many brands of DVD media.

  • Reviewed by: deantre

    Duration of ownership: 16 Months

    Strengths: worked well when it worked, the extra bells and whistles look great but did not add to it's reliability

    Weaknesses: failed after a year and a half, any other drive would have done as well at half the price

    Overall Evaluation: I have had a Plextor 716A and a Plextor Premium CDR with the 716A failing in 16 months. No warranty cover or replacement discount was offered. I subsequently noticed a large number of postings on failed 716's with no coverage. Will I buy another Plextor drive, Would You? why pay extra for the same hardware and reliability. Got me once, won't do it again. Sony here I come.

See all user reviews

Popular Optical Drives Products

Best Prices on Flash Memory

See all Flash Memory

Best Prices on DVD-ROM/DVD Writers

See all DVD-ROM/DVD Writers