01/01/06 - DVD burner development has slowed compared to the last two years, but that doesn't stop the companies from releasing new models. All of the recorders pretty much support 16x speeds for DVD+R and DVD-R media. The major differences in them comes from the speeds for dual layer media and CD recording. With all this in mind, here is the selection of the best DVD burners currently available based upon my research and experience.
1) NEC ND-3550A
The NEC ND-3550A is an update to the very popular and successful ND-3540A. The only real difference is the 3550A uses no lead in its components. As with all of the current DVD burners it supports 16x for DVD+/-R media. For the newest dual-layer media, the drive runs at 8x for DVD+R DL and 6x for DVD-R DL. It also has some of the best CD recording speeds with 48x for CD-R and 32x for CD-RW. The drive is typically only found as an OEM bare drive and can be found in three colors.
2) Plextor PX-740A
Plextor is one of the biggest names in optical storage, but they also are one of the most expensive. The PX-740A is their new low cost drive that still offers a lot of performance and reliability. While not as fast as the NEC, it still posts some impressive speeds. DVD+/-R media is supported at the standard 16x speeds while the dual layer media is 8x for DVD+R DL and 4x for DVD-R DL. The drive is also a bit smaller than most making it great for tight spaces such as a small form factor case.
3) LG Electronics GSA-4167B
While most drives claim to be multi-format, very few of them support all of the existing formats. The LG Electronics GSA-4167B is referred to as a super drive because it also supports the lesser known DVD-RAM format used by some consumer electronic DVD recorders. Speeds overall are quite good with 16x for DVD+/-R media, 8x for DVD+R DL, 4x for DVD-R DL and 5x for DVD-RAM. CD Speeds are a bit slower at 24x for CD-RW media but still strong at 48x for CD-R.
4) Sony DRU-810A
Sony for some time has lagged a bit behind other companies in terms of performance for their DVD burners. The new DRU-810A changes this by offering a high level of performance over previous generation Sony burners. Dual layer media support has been boosted to support 8x for DVD+R DL and 4x for DVD-R DL. Access times are also quite good compared to many other drives on the market. CD speeds are quite good at 48x for CD-R and 32x for CD-RW.
5) Pioneer DVR-110
Those looking for the fastest DVD recording speeds and not too concerned about CD recording should look at the Pioneer DVR-110D. The drive offers the fastest dual layer recording speeds with 8x for both the DVD+R and DVD-R dual layer media. 16X speeds are available for the standard single layer media. The only drawback to the drive is the slower 40x speed for CD-R media compared to 48x by most DVD burners
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