EmailBest Reviewed
DVD Burners
- Best DVD burner Samsung SH-S223Q *Est. $30
- Best Blu-ray and DVD burner Pioneer BDR-203 *Est. $210
- Best DVD burner with Blu-ray playback Pioneer BDC-2202B5PK *Est. $135
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- Low price
- Burns fast at 20x
- Operates quietly
- Write quality not as reliable on DVD±R DL
Reviewers call the Samsung SH-S203B the best SATA device for burning regular CDs and DVDs and multilayer DVDs. But buyers should be aware that the SH-S203B requires an SATA connector. If your computer doesn't have an SATA connector, you'll be better off with an IDE drive. Most reviews say the Samsung SH-S203B is very fast (20x). They also say the write quality is reliable on regular DVDs and CDs but less so on DVD±R DL media, which is not unusual. For those who need an IDE burner, reviews suggest the Lite-On LH-20A1H (*Est. $35).
Mainstream computer magazines in the U.S. rarely review DVD burners, so the reviews we found were limited to enthusiast and retailer websites. We found the best coverage at CDFreaks.com and CDRLabs.com. Owner reviews at the retailer website Newegg.com are helpful (and overwhelmingly positive), but there are more than 800 of them, so you'll need some time.
Our Sources
1. CDFreaks.com
CDFreaks.com gives the Samsung SH-S203B an Editor's Choice award, saying there are almost no negatives. To nitpick, reviewer Wendy Collins writes: "We could say that writing quality could be improved when writing Verbatim 4x DVD-R DL media. We could also say some tweaks to a few writing strategies for DVD±R media would be welcome."
Review: Samsung SH-S203B DVD Burner Review, Wendy Collins, Sept. 21, 2007
2. CDRLabs.com
Computer professionals write the reviews here, and the Samsung SH-S203B scores a nine out of 10 for features and installation and an eight for performance. The gist is that the Samsung SH-S203B is affordable and versatile but a bit slow, and that the write quality is lacking on some DVD±R DL media.
Review: Samsung SH-S203B 20x DVD±RW/RAM, Sept. 24, 2007
3. MaximumPC.comDetails/Subscribe
Solid lab testing apparently backs this very brief, gushing review. It says that the Samsung SH-S203B produced "record-breaking burn speeds" in the lab, but that "rewriteable speeds could be faster."
Review: Samsung SH-S203B, Katherine Stevenson, Oct. 19, 2007
4. PC Pro
PC Pro is one of those British computer magazines that publish terse reviews, albeit apparently backed by some hands-on testing. This one focuses on speed, and the Samsung SH-S203B gets four out of five stars.
Review: Samsung SH-S203B (SATA), Sasha Muller, Apr. 2008
5. 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 about 10 percent giving it one or two stars. Most of the complaints concerned receiving a product that was defective out of the box.
Review: Samsung SH-S203B Reviews, Contributors to Newegg.com
DVD Burners Runners Up:
2 picks by top review sites.
LG Electronics GGC-H20L LightScribe Blu-Ray/HD DVD Combo Drive (Black)
 from Amazon.com New: $259.99
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