Packaging 

Money spent on elaborate packaging in today's saturated market is wasted. It is hard to stand out among so many options available to consumers. LITEON assumes a safe stance and offers viewers simple, straightforward information in three languages. Included among the standard specifications are features, cautions, and technical support information readily handy. The simple packaging obviously translates to a lower price.

Once the lid is breached, a simple container snugly holding the drive comes into view. Thrown in on the side is a small package of standard amenities and an alternative white faceplate. Even though the package as a whole appears to be spartan, everything needed is included except an IDE cable. There are the standard documentations, warnings, and thank you sheets, as well as mounting screws, Nero 7 essentials, and a quick install poster. The only item a user will need is a screwdriver and a spare IDE connection. LITEON did what they needed to do with this packaging and that is all that can be said for a drive in this price range.

When looking at the drive itself, the shrinking of technology is obvious. Optical drives are increasingly becoming the size of the media itself. This drive is 25.7 mm from being square. The dimensions, 145(W) x 41.3(H) x 170(D) mm, give the drive a stunted look. This is a serious advantage for all users. For instance, new kilowatt power supplies that are encroaching on connector real estate in the drive bay area will no longer be an issue. This will come into play in the common user arena. Air space is a valuable commodity with today's cramped cookie cutter pc.

Installation of the drive is a breeze. Using the included screws, the drive is easy to attach, either with rails, or directly to the case. Adherence to form factors is excellent. The drive fits easily into the bays of every case on the test bench with no catches or snags. The dimensions of the face plates are bezel friendly. Switching the face plate from white to black is a simple process that allows this drive to match the majority of cases on the market. Who doesn't love a matching cover for their Optical storage? It surely beats spray paint over beige.

One excellent feature of the drive is the clear labeling of almost every pin on the back of the Rom drive. Ascertaining the correct jumper settings for the drive is as easy as glancing at the back panel. Out of the box, the jumper spans the slave pins, which is standard for most retail purchases. For connectivity, there is a digital output and an analog output that can run straight into a high-end audio card, or into standard integrated audio ports. These outputs are a nice addition that could be omitted with digital audio over IDE being a well-established technology. The actual connectors are not included in the box, but they are incredibly inexpensive. The IDE port on the back is framed and slotted to insure proper connection. This feature greatly reduces the risk of incorrectly plugging in or damaging the IDE interface. Overall, any user can correctly plug in the necessary items with little or no effort.

With that out of the way, it's time to do some tests and see how it measures up...