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Since the introduction of double layer DVD
writers, the interest has been quite overwhelming and is why we keep bringing
you reviews of these highly popular drives. The anticipation has now turned into down
right obsession and it has become a key component in any current or new system
build, thanks to the declining prices and continued media hype. Manufacturers are quite aware of the
fascination and is why
they have each been releasing their own products which excel in at least one
area of the testing methodology used in most reviews. This has led to
some confusion as to which drive is best suited for the individuals needs.
Today, we compare four 16x double layer drives and highlight both the
strong and weak points in order to give you a better idea of which
drive is best suited for you.
In this comparison guide, we will be looking at
four of the top 16x drives to hit the market, the Pioneer DVR-108, NEC
ND3500A, Lite-On SOHW-1633s and the new LG GSA-4160B. We will cover
everything from design and features to performance and price. Let's
begin with a quick look at each of these drives.
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Pioneer DVR-108 |
NEC ND-3500A |
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**click to enlarge** |
**click to enlarge** |
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Lite-On SOHW-1633s |
LG GSA-4160B |
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**click to enlarge** |
**click to enlarge** |
As far as the front bezel design goes, the
LG-GSA4160B is by far the most attractive drive of the bunch.
However, for those who are looking for a headphone jack, the Lite-On drive is
the only DL writer offering a headphone jack, as well as volume control.
The Pioneer and NEC drives, in my opinion, are the ugliest drives, with a very
plain look that just wants to make you hide the drive period. Although
we only obtained the 4160B in black, all these drives are offered with both
white and black bezels. If you opt for the more expensive Pioneer "XL"
model, it has the most impressive looks of any drive in the market.
However, this will come at a very hefty price tag, considering they contain
different firmware as well that offer a few extra features.
So, we have determined which is the
sexiest-looking drive, but what about performance? I've done some
extensive testing on each model to determine which is indeed the most
impressive of the bunch. But before we show you performance results,
let's briefly look at the features and what they have to offer.
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