With the extreme portability the Netbook like the EEE PC has given, is this portable DVD writer which runs only through USB connection (no AC adaptor required) worth our look?

External DVD and CD writers have been here quite a while now. However, I haven’t really been taking notice of them as I saw no reason why to get them. Although some of them were quite small already (most of them were big), they really weren’t portable as you had to lug around an AC adaptor which was sometimes, heavier than the gadget itself.

The only time I took notice, was when I saw the LG GP08-LU10 Slim External Super Multi DVD Rewriter. It attracted my attention as it claimed to be AC Adapter-less. It can run by just using the USB cable!

Let’s take a look first at its specs.

Specifications

1. Read and Write Speed

It has a generic read/write speed of 8X, which is what LG advertises. It reads DVDs at a maximum speed of 8X with the exception of DVD-Video which is at 4X. I initially thought that the 4X speed would affect my watching of DVD-Video, but when I tested it, the video was still seamless.

The read speed for CDs are much faster which is at 24X.

The write speed for DVD is 8X. It would change to 6X for Dual layer DVDs, and 6X for DVD-RW. Its maximum write speed for CD is the same with its read speed – 24X.

2. Dimensions and Weight

It has dimensions of 156 x 21 x 165 millimeters and a net weight of about 380 grams. I guess LG wasn’t joking when it indicated that it was slim and portable.

3. Host Interface / Connection

The connection used is of course USB 2.0, but if you look at the back of the LG DVD writer, why are there two connection ports with one looking like it’s for an AC adaptor?

 

The answer is: you usually only need the USB 2.0 connection port. But if your computer’s USB port somehow doesn’t supply enough power, you can use the USB Power Cable (DC-jack type), and connect it to another USB port. You now connect the DVD writer to two USB ports – still no AC-Adaptor.

 

4. Lightscribe

It also comes with LightScribe label printing at a pixel resolution of 600DPI.

Design

The design of the LG GP08 can be summed up into two words, simple and elegant. Why? Its black plastic design is glossy and not cheap to the touch. I think the reason it was made as plastic is to make the gadget lighter. The black finish is not slippery and blends nicely with the white color. When you open up the Disc tray, the inside is black as well.

 

 

 

Performance

I’m just an average user so to test the LG GP08, I played DVD-Videos, burned 3 DVDs, burned 3 CDs, and read 10 CDs and 10 DVDs – all in one day. I did this routine for 2 straight days and the LG GP08 performed great. I sometimes had to plug-in the USB Power Cable especially when burning DVDs and CDs, but it didn’t bother me at all.

 

In a Nutshell

The LG GP08-LU10 Slim 8X External DVD Writer is worth considering because of its sleek design, great portability (slim and AC adaptor-less functionality), and good price $50 in our country.