DVD Burner Reviews, Best DVD Burner, External DVD Burner

Best SATA DVD burner

Reviewers say that differences between regular DVD burners are small, and new models surpass their predecessors in speed. Experts say that SATA burners aren't inherently faster than IDE (the old standard) drives, but the… much smaller cable has several advantages and helps keep the inside of your computer's case cooler. The 20X Samsung SH-S203B is as fast as any drive, according to review tests. Reviewers say it reliably burns DVDs (regular and dual-layer) and CDs. The price is very competitive, too. The Samsung SH-S203N (*est. $45) is the same drive, but adds LightScribe monochrome label-printing capability. Quiet operation is a review highlight for both drives. The Samsung drives are compatible with Windows only.

See more photos, specs, and reviews

expand

collapse

Expert & User Review Sources:

CDFreaks.com: CDFreaks.com gives the Samsung SH-S203B an "Editor's Choice" award, saying there are almost no negatives. To nitpick, reviewer ...

CDRLabs.com: Computer professionals write the reviews here, and the Samsung SH-S203B scores a nine out of 10 for features and installation and ...

MaximumPC.com: Solid lab testing apparently backs this very brief, gushing review. It says that the Samsung SH-S203B produced "record-breaking ...

PC Pro: PC Pro is one of those British computer magazines that publish terse reviews, albeit apparently backed by some hands-on testing. ...

NewEgg.com: There are more than 800 owner reviews of the Samsung SH-S203B, and about 70 percent give it the maximum five stars with only ...

Where to buy:

See All Stores

Buy from
Amazon

for

Best IDE DVD burner

Lite-On LH-20A1H

*Est. $35 Compare Prices

If your computer is more than a few years old, you'll need an IDE DVD burner since your motherboard probably does not have a SATA connector. IDE DVD burners are still easy to find, but not reviewed too often anymore. A… couple of reviews point to the Lite-On LH-20A1H as the best IDE burner, and the brand consistently fares well in reviews. Reviews say the 20X burner is faster than the competition. The Lite-On drive burns every type of media, including DVD-RAM, and has LightScribe technology. It's only compatible with Windows computers.

See more photos, specs, and reviews

expand

collapse

Expert & User Review Sources:

CDRInfo.com: CDRInfo.com produces a long, technical and ultimately lukewarm review of the Lite-On LH-20A1S, albeit with pre-release firmware ...

CDRLabs.com: Computer professionals write the reviews here, and the Lite-On LH-20A1H scores a perfect 10 for features, an eight for ...

CDFreaks.com: CDFreaks.com says the Lite-On LH-20A1H is "one of the fastest drives we've tested so far." It says the write quality is above ...

HotHardware.com: HotHardware.com does a comparative review based on extensive testing, giving the nod to the Lite-On LH-20A1H over two other ...

About.com: About.com's guide to computer hardware says these rankings are "based upon my research and experience." The Lite-On LH-20A1H is ...

Amazon.com: Owner reviews at Amazon.com give the Lite-On LH-20A1H a high average score, and only a few are very dissatisfied. But even some ...

Where to buy:

See All Stores

Amazon Marketplace

for $40.00

External DVD burner

Plextor PX-810UF

*Est. $140 Compare Prices

If your desktop or laptop computer doesn't have a free drive bay for an internal DVD burner, an external DVD burner is your only option. External drives are more expensive since you're also getting a case, cabling and a… power supply. Plextor has a long-established reputation as the premium brand of CD and DVD burners. Reviews consistently praise the company's products, even if prices are higher than the competition. Reviewers agree that speed is terrific, but noise can be an issue. The Plextor DVD burner is compatible with Windows and Mac computers, but the software is PC-only.

See more photos, specs, and reviews

expand

collapse

Expert & User Review Sources:

CDRLabs.com: Computer professionals write the reviews here, and the Plextor PX-810UF scores a nine out of 10 for features and installation and ...

BCCHardware.com: This very detailed review says the Plextor PX-810UF offers mediocre performance, is noisy and "instead of getting high-end ...

Which? magazine: Which? is certainly credible as a British equivalent to Consumer Reports' unbiased testing, but a subscription is required to ...

Amazon.com: Just a few owner reviews at Amazon.com give the Plextor PX-810UF generally high grades, but a couple of them note some ...

Where to buy:

See All Stores

Best DVD burner with Blu-ray playback

Pioneer BDC-2202B5PK

*Est. $270 Compare Prices

Blu-ray burners are still extremely expensive and 25 GB discs cost about $15. For that reason, experts don't yet recommend them for most users. However, Pioneer figured out that people wanted to be able to watch Blu-ray… movies without having to pay for a burner they might not really need. The Pioneer BDC-2202B5PK is a relatively affordable CD and DVD (standard and dual-layer) burner with the added capability of Blu-ray disc playback. Reviewers think it's a great idea, and one that's executed well. All Blu-ray drives have extremely demanding system requirements. See the Full Story for details.

See more photos, specs, and reviews

expand

collapse

Expert & User Review Sources:

CDRInfo.com: CDRInfo.com - which offers extremely long, detailed reviews based on extensive testing - gives the Pioneer BD-ROM BDC-202 an ...

CDFreaks.com: This "mini review" is actually quite long by most standards, and there is extensive testing as the basis for it. While pros and ...

ExtremeTech.com: Extreme Tech's headline may call it "Blu-ray on the Cheap," but Case says that while it's a "capable Blu-ray player," the Pioneer ...

TrustedReviews.com: The BDC-S02BK is the drive in the Pioneer BDC-2202B5PK retail package, thus the model-number discrepancy in this review. ...

NewEgg.com: About 10 owner reviews give the Pioneer high average scores. But even users who score it a perfect five say it's best to confirm ...

Where to buy:

See All Stores

eBay