Lite-On LTR-32125W @ 48X - A Media Shootout
by Chris 

9th July 2002

Introduction

    I believe this 'lack of certified media' thingy is bad for the industry, in particular the absence of 48X media. Without them, I will never know for sure that I have the fastest CD-RW on earth! This shootout details the miserable times of voiding warranty, praying for a working device thereafter, lack of sleep, burning big hole in pocket and OCWorkbench shall not be held RESPONSIBLE for any misadventure due to this article.

My journey to the dark side ...

     Having stood by my antique Actima 4424 for the past 2 years (it has served me well though), I feel that it's time to move on with some amazing bargains available on the market today. I was initially tempted by the flurry of 32X models released earlier this year but held off my purchase as prices at that time ain't favorable. Before I could blink, Plextor came out with their 40X burner albeit with a hefty price tag. From then on, prices of 40X burners dropped like a rock and you can have one for as low as SG$135. At the time of this writing, 40X is in danger of being shown the door as 48X is becoming commonplace within the next month or so.

Trusty Actima 4424 (pls excuse my 'dusty' ventilator)

Lite-On

    Lite-On is a brand usually associated with 'low price' and there's no need to be embarrassed. Being cheap is one thing but to bundle a fast drive with good writing quality is another matter altogether. In this area, Lite-On has done exceptionally well i.e. their LTR-40125S is a legend in its own right. It's cheap and fast with pretty good writing quality. From a value point of view, it's a no-brainer. The Lite-On wins hands down. This is why Lite-On is high on my shortlist.

Lite-On LTR-32125W

    I did my research into the pros and cons of each of drive and stumbled upon a 'goldmine' from this site, cdfreaks. Looks like certain Lite-On drives can be upgraded or should I say, overclocked up to 48X! Of course with all things operating beyond their stated capacity, there are risks. We never know if there are physical changes in the hardware even if they look or feel the same (unless we take it apart). With pieces of info from the cdfreaks forum (and with value being my priority), I set my mind on the Lite-On LTR-32125W.

    After 2 tiring weeks of hunting for the 'W' version i.e. LTR-32125W (the LTR-32123'S' cannot be upgraded as it's using a different chip), my search finally came to an end on 15th June 2002. As you can see, it is indeed a new batch!

Hot off the assembly line (Jun 2002 batch)

Simple, no frills bundle

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