Recommend an internal DVD drive (for desktop)?

Darren H · 02-15-2005, 10:56 AM

The DVD drive in my desktop has been giving me fits for a couple months now, and I think it's finally crapped out. Any suggestions for a relatively inexpensive DVD+/-RW drive?

- Windows XP Home
- Pentium 4 - 2.8GHz
- 512 MB RAM

Thanks,
Darren

Patrick Sun · 02-15-2005, 11:24 AM

Don't think you can go all that wrong with the current offerings by Benq or NEC DVD burner drives. They go for around $55-$65. If you need burning software, you may need to go for the retail version of the drives. I've good luck with using Nero 6.x.

Chris · 02-15-2005, 02:09 PM

The NEC is an excellent choice, especially for set top compatibility in writes. Does a very good job.

Ken Chui · 02-15-2005, 02:43 PM

Deciding on a DVD burner is tricky because very few drives handle most media* reliably (* when you take into consideration the various DVD R/RW disc formats, as well as CD-Rs).

Not sure what your budget is, but I would recommend putting together a list of models that appeal to you and checking their reviews on sites such as CD Freaks and/or CDRLabs. While most of the recent drives from NEC and Plextor have fairly solid track records, little things such as firmware revisions can affect their overall performance. Never buy by brand, but by model.

Darren H · 02-16-2005, 09:26 AM

Thanks for the help, guys. I'm thinking about ordering an NEC ND-3520A, and the best price I've found is $64.50 from ZipZoomFly.com. Any other advice (about drives or etailers) before I make the plunge?

Thanks.

**HTF Ads**

Ken Chui · 02-16-2005, 02:44 PM

Darren:

Excellent choice from a reputable e-tailer. Do you know if a firmware upgrade has been released to support DVD-R double layer writing? One site reviewed this unit on January 25, but DVD-R double layer writing wasn't supported when the article was written.

If you're looking at other drives with similar specs to the NEC, you may want to check the Plextor PX-716A and the Toshiba SD-R5372 (the NEC is the best bargain of the three).

DaveNel · 02-17-2005, 12:11 AM

I have a Micro Advantage Burner, And I have yet to see a problem This is a DVD/RW + and - Dual burner...



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