MaximumPC 2005 12

 MA XIMUMPC DECEMBER 2005

External Storage

Western Digital 320GB

Media Center

By integrating unlooked-for-but-needed

functionality, this backup drive backed up

our hearts

The WD Media Center is still the only back-

up device in captivity that antes up with

a high-capacity, top-of-the-line 7,200rpm

hard drive and then raises the stakes by

integrating an 8-in-1 media reader and

a USB hub into its smooth, plastic shell.

These small yet wildly useful additions

make it so much more than just a backup

drive—it’s also a must-have desktop hub,

as corny as that sounds.

$270, http://www.wdc.com

.ot PreviousLY revieWed

Optical Drive

Plextor PX-716A

With double-digit access times and

double-layer disc overspeeding, the PX-

716A proves to be the Master of Spin

Year after year, Plextor raises the bar on

performance: The PX-716A remains the

only DVD burner we’ve tested capable

of turning in double-digit access times

(while the competition slouches in the

100- and even 200ms range). And though

Plextor’s drives have long been able

to write to media at higher than rated

speeds, Plextor outdid itself by pulling

off 6x write speeds to 2.4x double-layer

media! Gear of the year, indeed.

$140, http://www.plextor.com

2eceived a +ick !ss in the !PriL

 issue

Hard Drive

WD Caviar SE16 400

Not only did Western Digital’s latest Caviar

spank all the other contenders, it’s the

official hard drive of Johnny Cash

Though Hitachi’s 500GB 7K500 is the

current capacity king and is smokin’ fast,

we’re giving this year’s hard drive Gear

to Western Digital’s smaller-faster-quieter

Caviar SE16 400GB drive. The reason

is simple: It’s the fastest 7,200rpm drive

we’ve ever tested, and during testing

it spanked the mighty 7K500 Deskstar

in all but one of our benchmarks. The

Caviar ran even cooler and quieter than

the monstrous Hitachi drive in head-to-

head testing.

$235, http://www.wdc.com

2eceived a +ick !ss in the HoLidaY

 issue

ATRIUM: STORAGE GALLERY

The components in the storage wing are sometimes under appreciated—looked

over, if you will—but this year’s winners delivered revolution without reservation

GEAR

YEAR

of
the