Review: Lite-On SLW-831SX peripheral

There are plenty of desktop and notebook computers around without recordable DVD drives and plenty of people who would like the ability to archive their home videos.

Of course, there's the option to open up a desktop PC and install a new drive, but these days it's fiddly and unnecessary. And those with notebooks simply might not have the space to fit anything internally.

For both these groups, Lite-On has introduced the SLW-831SX. It’s a slim, slot-loading recordable DVD drive that connects to any USB 2 socket and reads and writes just about any variety of CD and DVD.

It’s rated as an 8x (eight-speed) drive for reading and writing standard recordable 4.7Gb DVDs and 2.4x for dual-layer (DL) 8.5Gb discs . Lite-On also claims 4x when writing to rewritable (RW) discs.

We tested it with a 1Gb mixture of files, ranging from 10Kb to 500Mb. It took just under three and a half minutes to create a DVD+R disc, which means around 15 minutes to create a full 4.7Gb disc. Re-write times were similar, though a DL DVD took twice as long.

The Lite-On SLW-831SX is portable, but not mobile. It needs to be connected to the mains and can’t draw all the power it needs from its USB 2 connection, as some can.

The SLW-831SX is well-supplied with software. There’s a full copy of Nero Express 6 which allows for the majority of disc-burning tasks.

These include writing to DVD recordable and rewritable discs, making and scheduling back-ups, copying discs, making audio discs and preparing slide shows.

It’ll even design and print disc labels. The one omission is that it cannot play DVD movies but for this a full copy of PowerDVD 6 is also included.

The Lite-On SLW-831SX is a good recordable DVD drive, though not as quick as some internal drives. It’s also quite a bit more expensive than an internal dr ive, but you’re paying for the convenience of its plug-and-go design.

Also consider
LG 16x External Super Multi GSA-2166D 
Verdict: The LG GSA-2166D is undeniably versatile and easy to install.
Rating: 4/5
Price: £130