Philips DM4S6B02C (DM4S6B02C17) 16x DVD-R Spindle (2...
4 Stores $12 - $15
DVD Burner Buying Guide
DVD burners were a costly component for desktop PCs just a couple of years ago. Today, you can get a DVD burner for about what you’d pay for a movie on DVD, and as prices have dropped, consumers have discovered that there’s more to DVD burners than just movies. If your desktop PC is still limited by a rewritable CD drive, it’s time to think about adding the extra storage and versatility a DVD burner delivers.
Consumers are so used to DVD movies that many mistakenly assume that DVD is short for Digtial Video Disc. The actual name of the format is Digital Versatile Disc, and the technology is very similar to CDs.
More »
the five
What are the five key points I need to look at?
It’s upgrade time
Price drops have made DVD burners more affordable than ever, and new DVD burners are much faster than models sold just two years ago.
Know the three Rs
DVD-R can be written once, DVD-RW can be erased and rewritten many times. DVD burners supporting DVD-RAM can rewrite sections of the disc, but these discs probably won’t work in your DVD player.
Make home movies
A DVD burner can turn your home movies into a near-professional DVD with chapters and menus, if you have the right software. Remember that it’s illegal to copy DVDs that have CSS protection.
Backup and storage
DVDs can hold up to 10 times more information than a CD. Dual-layer DVD burners can record up to 8.5GB on a DVD.
Wait for HD
High-definition DVD burners are available, but they are expensive and no one knows whether the Blu-ray or HD DVD formats will survive. It’s better to wait it out with a standard DVD burner until the new technology matures.
pronto pick
What product do we recommend?
For burn speed and flexibility, the Plextor PX-760A, which starts at about $110, is your best choice. You’ll need a bit of hard drive space for DVD authoring with this internal DVD burner, which supports write speeds up to 18x, the higher end of the speed spectrum. This DVD burner can create dual-layer DVDs, and it includes sophisticated buffering technology to improve the quality of data recording.
experts say
About - “When it comes to pure speed of recording DVD media, the Lite-On LH-20A1H DVD Burner offers the current highest recording speeds of 20x for the DVD+R and DVD-R media types. Be warned that these speeds are not reached with all DVD media, but when it does it certainly is the fastest available.” Source: About.com Top 5 IDE DVD Burners
PC WORLD - “The LG GSA-H10L 16x Internal Super Multi DVD/CD Rewriter has top-flight specs, and includes LightScribe labeling and up to 12X DVD-RAM write speeds.” Source: PC World
PC Magazine - “The Memorex True 8x Dual Format External DVD Recorder has a great software bundle, dual interfaces, and a reasonable price. These combine to make this relatively bulky external drive a terrific choice for anyone who needs a transportable DVD rewriter that supports all the latest high-speed formats.” Source: PC Magazine
CNET - “The Plextor PX-716A IDE Drive is a fast and versatile internal drive supporting single/dual-layer DVD media - one of the best on the market today.” Source: CNET Top 100 Tech Products
PC WORLD - “LG breaks down the barrier between the competing high-definition optical formats with its GGW-H10NI Super Multi Blue Blu-ray DVD Drive, the first drive for PCs that can both write to Blu-ray Disc media and read HD DVD discs. However, you'll pay a steep price for gaining the peace of mind of having a drive that handles both formats.” Source: PC World
Wallet Impact
What can I expect in my price range?
| Price | Description | Good Pick (see all DVD Burners) |
| $ | For $35-$100, you’ll find internal DVD burners supporting speeds up to 16x as well as a few slower external single-layer DVD burners with USB connections. These are excellent all-purpose drives for those who want to share home movies, create CDs, or perform occasional system backups. LightScribe drives are available even at budget prices for those who want to label their CDs and DVDs directly. Good Pick: Lite-On LH-20A1H |
Compare prices at 12 stores $34 - $55 |
| $$ | From $100-$250, you’ll find a wide selection of external DVD burners, ideal if your computer can’t be upgraded or if you don’t have the space for an internal drive. DVD-RAM drives are available at the higher end of this range, and most of these DVD burners support record speeds of 16x or higher along with dual-layer recording. Spending more will get you FireWire compatibility, with speed comparable to an internal DVD burner. Good Pick: Plextor PX-755UF |
Compare prices at 2 stores $153 - $259 |
| $$$ | There’s a big gap between the top-priced external DVD burners and the $470 or more you’ll spend for new Blu-ray and HD DVD burners. While these high-end DVD burners may be a necessity for multimedia authors working with high-definition sources, their limited compatibility with installed DVD players and uncertain future make them a poor choice for average users. Those who need to back up large amounts of data on a frequent basis may find the larger capacity of these DVD burners worth the added expense. Good Pick: Lite-On LH-2B1S |
Compare prices at 6 stores $347 - $411 |
shop talk
What are the terms and definitions I need to know about?
Blu-ray
One of two competing high-definition DVD formats. Blu-ray discs can hold 25GB of information on a single layer or 50GB of information on dual layers.
Burn Speed
The fastest speed at which a DVD burner can record, indicated by a number followed by an x. The higher the number, the faster the DVD burner can record, with 20x speed at the high end for current DVD burners.
CSS
Content Scrambling System is a form of copy protection used to protect copyrighted material on DVD. Bypassing CSS to create copies of commercial DVDs is a violation of the law.
DVD
Digital Versatile Discs are storage media that hold digital information read by a laser.
DVD burner
An optical drive that can read an burn DVDs. DVD burners support several types of burning, including write-one DVD-R, rewritable DVD-RW, and partially rewritable DVD-RAM.
Dual-Layer
A DVD burner that can record to two surfaces on a DVD, doubling its storage capacity.
External
A DVD burner that connects to a PC through a USB, FireWire, or Ethernet port.
Gigabyte
A measurement of digital storage space equal to 1,024 megabytes.
HD-DVD
One of two competing high-definition DVD formats. HD-DVDs can hold 15GB of information on a single layer.
Internal
A DVD burner that connects directly to the processor boards of a PC, either through a parallel or serial ATI port. Internal DVD burners are faster than USB external drives.
Optical Drive
A device, such as a DVD burner, that reads data with a laser.
USB
Universal Serial Bus is the standard for connecting peripherals, such as keyboards and DVD burners, to a PC. The cable passes data and power between the devices.
guide tools
top brands
Data Storage
Research Central
We've compiled this group of information links to help you further your research