CD Burners

Internal CD burners

The Lite-On DH-52C2P (*est. $25) gets several mainly positive reviews from owners posting to Newegg.com. All the owners posting comments say it's both easy to install and reliable. A few complain that this combo drive (which also reads DVD discs) is a little noisy. Software includes the well-regarded Nero Essentials, which talks you through disc-burning tasks. Disc speeds are typical for CD burners, with a CD-R write speed of 52X (the highest possible) along with 32X CD-RW write speeds. A cable is included, and the Lite-On is compatible with Windows 2000 and XP. However, this drive isn't much cheaper than many budget DVD burners, which start at about $35. Lite-On has recently merged with Philips.

The Sony CRX320AE/U (*est. $50) is another CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive that gets good owner written reviews. Speeds are the same as the Lite-On DH-52C2P. Sony includes Nero software for disc-burning and for watching DVDs. The only difference between this CD burner, other than the brand, is that you get ten free music downloads from the Sony Connect music store and two bezels -- black and beige -- to better match your computer. We found good user reviews for this drive, and no one complains about noise, so it may be a bit quieter than the Lite-On drive. But when you can get a DVD burner for the same price or less, the Sony CD combo drive isn't much of a value. It's compatible with Windows 2000 Pro and XP, though one user says it works fine on his Vista system.

If you don't need a burner that also reads DVDs, the Lite-On DH-52R2P (*est. $20) only reads and writes CDs; it cannot read DVD discs. Otherwise, this CD burner is identical to the Lite-On DH-52C2P, with Nero disc-burning software and an included cable. You can save a buck or two if you buy an OEM drive instead of the retail version, but when shopping, be careful to notice if you are buying an OEM product or a retail product. OEM drives are sold mainly to people who build computer systems. These models don't come with instructions or a manual, and sometimes there is no software. Get the retail version if you need the instructions and software.

The Sony CRX230AE/U (*est. $50) is the CD-only version of the above Sony CD/DVD combo drive. It has the same features except that it doesn't play DVDs. It's also overpriced considering how inexpensive DVD burners are. The high price just doesn't make much sense. However, we didn't find any complaints about the drive itself.

The Memorex CD-RW 32023257 Drive (*est. $40) is a CD burner that gets very good reviews from several owners at Amazon.com. The speeds are 52X/32X/52X, which are the same as the speeds of the Lite-On and Sony above. The Memorex drive also comes with an older version of Nero disc-burning software. Like the above drives, it's not officially compatible with Windows Vista. Since the Sony and Memorex CD writers don't offer any significant advantages, the Lite-On DH-52R2P is the better buy.

External CD burners

Reviews say internal drives are easy to install, even for novices. But there are still some reasons you might prefer an external drive. First, if opening up your computer case makes you jumpy, external drives install just as easily as any other computer peripheral. Plug it in, install the software and you're good to go. Secondly, external drives are portable and therefore a good solution for laptop users. However, external drives are more expensive than their internal siblings.

LaCie was known for its external CD-RW drives. They have now stopped making CD burners, and like most other manufacturers, they are mostly focused on DVD burners. Their last available external CD burner is the LaCie Slim Combo CD-RW/DVD-ROM (*est. $70) . Plextor and Lite-On no longer make external CD-RW drives. Here again, you could consider an external DVD drive, which will also burn CDs.

Important features: CD Burners

When shopping for a CD-RW unit, experts agree that there are two main things to look for: write speed and type of connection.

• Write speed. The write speed of a CD burner drive is expressed as a multiple of the speed of an ordinary audio CD. Ideally, an 8X drive should be able to copy a 60-minute music CD onto a blank CD-R disc in seven minutes, while a 16X drive should take half that long. 52X is now standard. If you're interested in making data backups to CD-RW discs, pay close attention to the middle spec number -- that's the rewrite speed. Current models top out at 32X, which is as fast as possible with current technology.

• Type of connection. Remaining CD burners connect with an IDE cable. Most older computers have this type of connection; the cable is an easily recognizable wide ribbon cable. Keep in mind that new computers may not have an IDE connector at all, now that hard drives and modern DVD burners are using an SATA connector. You'll need to check before you buy if you're unsure what type of connectors your computer's motherboard includes.

Our Consensus Report shows how many times products are top-ranked by reviewers included in our
All The Reviews Reviewed chart.

# of Picks	Model (with Retailer Links)
1 each	Lite-On SOHC-5236V, Lite-On SOHR-5239S, ASUS CB-5216AG, Memorex 3202-3257 CD-RW Internal Drive , Lite-On DH-52R2P , Lite-On DH-52C2P , Sony CRX320AE/U , Sony CRX230AE/U

Few manufacturers are still making CD writers at all -- most have shifted entirely to making DVD burners.

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