Freecom FX-1 16/10/40 USB 2.0 review @ CDRLabs.com

And again CDRLabs.com has wrapped up a review. This time they've taken a look at Freecom's external FX-1 writer. A drive that can write up to 16x via the USB 2.0 interface:

One of Freecom's newest creations is the FX-1. This new 16/10/40 CD-RW combines some of the newest technologies available with a very unique design. Thanks to the drive's USB 2.0 interface, the FX-1 can be easily moved from computer to computer. USB 2.0 is also pretty speedy. With data speeds up to 480Mbps, it's 40x faster than USB 1.1 and even faster than FireWire. Freecom has also designed the FX-1 so that it can turn itself off automatically when it's not in use.

Part of the Conclusion:

If you're looking for a CD-RW drive with the fastest speeds out there, Freecom's FX-1 probably isn't in your future. However, if you're looking for a good looking, reliable and easy to install drive, the FX-1 just might be for you.

When reading CD's the FX-1 was able to hold its own in our tests. Along with some pretty good seek times, the FX-1 had no problems reading pressed and CD-R discs at speeds up to 40x. Unfortunately, the drive was much slower when reading CD-RW discs. The FX-1 was also able to do DAE at 32x and did very well when reading scratched and dirty discs. The FX-1 also had no problems completing our writing and rewriting tests. However, the FX-1 did take about a minute longer to complete our writing tests than some of the 24x USB 2.0 writers we've tested.

The Freecom FX-1 drive is available for $219 and gets an overall score of 9. Interested in reading the complete review? Check it out here.

Source: CDRLabs.com