Plextor Debuts $100 PX-B120U External Blu-ray Player

Thanks to the invention of the netbook and the tablet PC, it's safe to say that not everyone's main mobile machine has an optical drive. And in a lot of cases, that's perfectly fine. Not everyone needs an optical drive, and the added space, cost and power usage is sometimes not even favored. But that's why there are external optical drives, which are perfect for carrying along on trips where you may need access to a disc.


Plextor has been in the media game for a long, long time, and their expertise is shining through with the PX-B120U. This new product is essentially a USB-powered external BD-ROM drive. It's one of the few external Blu-ray supporting optical drives out for PCs right now, and best of all, it requires no additional power outside of what's provided over USB. So you simply plug this into your netbook or notebook, load up the software that ships with it and then you can begin enjoying Blu-ray movies or any other disc you need read.

It's also a burner for blank CDs and DVDs, but it cannot write to blank BDs. What may possibly be the best part is the price: at just $99.99, this is one of the more affordable Blu-ray options on the market, and the ability to use it on your PC is just icing on the cake.

Plextor Announces the New PX-B120U USB-Powered External BD ROM

PX-B120U lets users enjoy high-definition and 3D movies on the go

(Fremont, CA – July 20, 2010) – Plextor (www.plextor.com), a leading brand of high-performance digital media solutions, announces the new PX-B120U external BD-ROM. The PX-B120U was first introduced at Computex in Taipei, Taiwan in June and is now available for purchase in the U.S.

The PX-B120U is a USB-powered external Blu-ray Disc playback device that allows users to watch high-definition movies on any Blu-ray capable PC or notebook*. The device comes bundled with Cyberlink –high-quality Blu-ray and DVD playback software that provides a full Blu-ray experience in 3D, including the ability to upscale standard videos to HD-like and 3D-like visual quality.

"Blu-ray has become the media player of choice for consumers and we wanted to provide a versatile solution to our customers," said Christine Hsing, Marketing Manager at Plextor. "The PX-B120U is great for on-the-go viewing and can also serve as the Blu-ray player at home. It's a great all around solution for anyone's Blu-ray needs."

Its compact, slender design makes the PX-B120U easy to transport in existing cases or bags without adding extra bulk. There's no need to carry an additional AC adapter or other cables. Also, the top-load design makes it easy to open from any angle even with minimal space. The drive's external design features a unique ripple pattern and a smooth, gloss texture finish.

When connected via USB cable, the four-speed mechanism provides smooth Blu-ray playback. It also provides extensive support to multiple media formats; including DVD+ /- R, DVD +/-RW, DVD +/- R DL, DVD-RAM and CD-R.

Additionally, when the PX-B120U is connected to Plextor's soon-to-be-released media player, PlexMedia, it can also function as a living room Blu-ray player. The ability to use it permanently at home, or take it with you, makes it a truly versatile drive.

Plextor's PX-B120U external BD-ROM is available now in the U.S. with an MSRP of $99.99. For more information, please visit www.plextor.com

*Note: System must meet certain requirements for BD playback