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LaCie’s latest portable USB DVD writer has a simple, glossy black finish. It can be powered over USB, so you don’t need an external power adaptor, making it ideal for use with a netbook or other laptop while on the move. It can also etch labels on LightScribe discs but this can take as long as half an hour, which is more time than it takes to write data to a disc in the first place. Although it couldn’t match its stated write speeds, it was still one of the quickest portable DVD writers we’ve seen. Single layer DVDs were burnt at around 5X, while two layer discs were written at just under 4X. However, its performance and appearance are very similar to Samsung’s SE-S084, which costs £26 less from Ebuyer.
The real difference between the two lies in the bundled burning software. LaCie’s writer comes with Roxio’s Creator burning software and VideoWave video editing application. Samsung includes Ahead’s Nero burning application and Recode DVD compression program. Unless you have need for basic video editing software or a preference for Roxio Creator, Samsung’s drive is better value.
