Sony CRX210E1

Review Pages

1. Introduction
2. Data Tests
3. Error Correction Tests
4. CloneCD Reading Tests
5. DAE Tests
6. CDR Tests
7. Writing Quality Tests
8. RW Writing Tests
9. Conclusion

Sony CRX 210E1 IDE CD-R/RW- Page 9

Conclusion

Positive

Negative

- Supports 48X CAV reading /writing speeds
- Good seek times
- "SmartBurn" feature can be disabled
- Very fast writer with specific media
- Good DAE ripping speed (at 48X speed)
- Fair CloneCD reading performance
- Can backup SD v2.51.021+ builds
- Supports 99min discs (reading/writing)
- Supports C2 error information (at max speed)
- Supports CD-Text (read/write)
- Supports Ultra-DMA 33 connection interface

- 48X reading/writing is not a default option, user has to activate it each time a disc inserted!
- Average reading error correction capabilities
- Slower re-writing speed than competition
- Failed in the "bad disc" DAE test
- Doesn't support Mt. Rainier
- Cannot "handle" any protected Audio discs
- DAE with CD-R media returns errors
- Writing at 48X can produce un-readable discs with specific media
- One year warranty, when competition offers two!

At a first sight the Sony CRX-210E1 is a very fast reader/writer for data and audio files, offers low seek times and fair CloneCD performance. The "turbo boost" feature may be enabled easily in 5 seconds (permits 48X writing/reading) but is anoying for everyday use. Sony should at least had set as a default option the 48X writing, as Plextor did with their PX-W4824A or offer a faster way to activate it (with a software solution). The drive has no problems to backup the latest SD2.6x builds, supports reading/writing of 99min media, CD-text for audio discs and retrieves C2 error info accurately, when the disc is read at maximum speed.

On the other hand, the reading error correction test results were average, this was also confirmed in the "bad media" dae test, where the drive failed to finish. In the writing quality part, the Sony CRX-210E1 gave good overall results, although with specific media will produce C2 errors. The drive also cannot "handle" any audio protected discs, does not support Mt Rainier and the 12X rewriting speed is slower than what the competition offers. The DAE function with CD-R media is not very accurate since the drive returned errors, even with perfectly copied CD-R media.

Lastly, the CRX210E1 drive comes with one year warranty and costs around Euro 129, close to the cost of a PX-W4824A. A possible buyer should read carefully the reviews of competitor drives and decide. As usual the choice is yours :-)