Miscellaneous Findings…
A quick look at the Fry’s advertisements today reveals some interesting finds…
As usual, the Emprex Dual Format 4x DVD±R/RW drive is priced at $79.99. No rebates required. Even a brand name TDK 4x DVD±R/RW drive is only $99.99. Emprex’s 8x model is only $129. That’s truly insane. The competition in this market has truly been amazing bringing prices down so fast. Even if it’s not the “best” drive out there, but it certainly is a good deal. I’m hoping the 8x drives will also see the same drops. I’ve heard that some drive makers are going to skip the 8x generation and release 12x or 16x drives. That’s insane! Of course, the biggest roadblock that remains is the lack of certified 8x (or faster rated) media.
Storage continues to be ridiculously cheap. The sweet spot seems to be around 50 cents per GB (after rebates). The Hitachi 200GB drive can be had for as little as $109.99 while the Western Digital 120GB can be had for $58.99. Drives between the 120-200GB range seem to be the best deal right now. I prefer the Hitachi drives since they tend to be good performers and are much quieter than WD drives. I know that’s changing as WD is going to fluid bearings but most of the stuff on sale is the ball bearing models that are too loud for my taste.
Portable USB storage devices continue to litter the market. Generally speaking, the prices are pretty decent. What kills me is the size of some of these things. Most of these things are supposedly designed to hang on your keychain so that they go with your everywhere. The problem is that most of these things are so large. Many look like design was an afterthought. Also, no one reviews these things…except for MaximumPC magazine. They had the funniest and best review I’ve seen so far. They tested these things for durability dropping them, driving over them, and putting them in the washer and dryer. They mentioned wanting to them feed a dog but no one wanted to clean and test the units.
