Best DVD writer for around £40?

[autopilot]

Yes, but lightscribe is a bit gay is it not.

[pion]

BenQ 1640 is the best writer but downside is not available in the uk =\

[arthurleung]

BenQ 1640 is the best writer but downside is not available in the uk =\

It is cheap like ****, I got 2 1640 in Hong Kong, but I feel that the LG has better Quality Control, since I heard a fair amount of failure reports (Benq 1640)

[Mike Fishcake]

Another vote for the NEC 3540s - we use LOADS of them at work and have never had a faulty one back.

[zachig]

I thinkthat you should definitely go for the NEC 3540.

I have the 3520 model and so far I'm very satisfied with it.

[GFiSH]

No one would reccomend a Sony drive then?

[OmarSantiago]

My vote is for Pioneer 109 or 110. Pioneer make really nice quiet drives (the 109XLA is the quietest drive I've ever owned) and they upgrade the firmware regularly on the Pioneer website as well as offering a utility to run the drive a little quieter. I mainly use the drives for games, Nero and DVDShrink and they work with every type of DVD±RW I've burned, whereas with the Sony and LG burners I've used there's always been one or two problems creeping up on me with the drives unable to read certain pressed CDs. I've rolled out the 110 at work to replace our unreliable LG drives and haven't had a single problem with them.

That said, everyone's biased to one brand of drive so I'll always have something good to say about Pioneer

[OmarSantiago]

No one would reccomend a Sony drive then?

Not unless you go for a retail one and you're paying over the odds for something that'll be beaten hands down by any equivalent NEC or Pioneer. At work I recalled all the DWQ28A10 drives (and the DRU-22 drives before it) because they just weren't as reliable as I expected Sony drives to be. Besides, they don't feel as 'solid' as the NEC or Pioneer drives and that gives you an indication as to how long they'll last.

But then as I admitted - I'm biased

[GFiSH]

Ok, might put a NEC 3540 in my Dad's PC then, it's cheaper than the Sony I was looking at anyway

[TooNice]

BenQ 1640 is the best writer but downside is not available in the uk =\

http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ...duct_uid=94208

Looks like it to me.

As for Lightscribe, I've not used it, but I am curious about it. If it doesn't take more than 5min to set it up, and the media do not carry a significant premium, I am all for trying it.

That said, it isn't a must have feature.

[nez]

Hey Gfish, tauntons a great place, i used to live in ruishton, now im in chard. Tauntons much better

I hada sony DVD-RW before my LG, it looked cool, but broke so i went off sonys.

also i thought the Benqs where rebadged as LG drives in the UK?
I heard that on HARD|OCP

[k0nigen]

NEC 3250 - excellent

[philyau]

i think the nec 3540 is better than the pioneer, the pioneer looks good on spec but the nec just edges it.

phil

[tllewellin]

Hi I have the 108 Pioneer drive, and the 109 got loads of good reviews. The 110 seems to have Quiet Drive facility, that is something that would be worth while. The NEC seems to also have a keen following.

[autopilot]

Went for the NEC 3540 @ £29 with free delivery from Scan. Bargin. Seems a decent drive and a good allrounder. A few reviews of the Pioneer 109 stated that it had really ready bad compatabilty issues with some media. The 110D out now is basically the same drive and chipset, but the 110 (without the D) is looking good. Thanks for all the advice.