Features

Each one of these drives has there disappointments when it comes to features.  Let's compare each to see what they really offer.

DVD Writing

While all these drives are indeed 16x models, only two will write to both formats at this speed.  The LG GSA-4160B and the Lite-On SOHW-1633s only support 8x DVD-R writing.  So if you are one who only prefers this format, the NEC or Pioneer would be the best choice.  All of these drives support writing to DVD re-writable media at 4x.

DVD+R9 Double Layer Writing

The major disappointment with both the LG and the Lite-On 16x drives is the lack of 4x double layer writing support.  Pioneer and NEC seem to be the only manufacturers to jump in and release second generation double layer drives supporting much faster 4x writing.  In fact, the jump from 2.4x to 4x is quite substantial as we will show you a bit later in this comparison.

DVD-RAM Support

Now this is where both the LG GSA-4120B and GSA-4160B shine above the rest.  In fact, it is what has made these drives the most popular DVD writers on the market.   Unlike the rest in the roundup, it is a triple format burner, offering full support for DVD-RAM media.  The other drives do not support it, with the exception of the Pioneer DVR-108 which supports reading of DVD-RAM discs at 2x.  I personally don't see the point in offering only read capabilities, but it's at least one extra feature added to distinguish it from the rest.  Fast 5x support of the LG GSA-4160 will actually be tested a bit later in this article. 

CDR Writing

The fastest CDR writers of the bunch are the Lite-On SOHW-1633s and the NEC ND-3500A.  With their support for 48x writing, they make a great all-in-one drive for many users.  The only drive lacking in this lineup is the Pioneer DVR-108.  Why they opted for only 32x writing is still quite puzzling and is actually why I have found that many are choosing the NEC over the Pioneer.  The LG GSA-4160B should not be left out of consideration though.  We will show you later that the difference in write times between 40x and 48x is not much to brag about. 

Bitsetting Support

One feature I've found that is most important for many users is bitsetting support.  Let's compare these drives and see what they offer.

The LG GSA-4160B does not offer bitsetting support out of the box.  However, it is very likely that you will be able to obtain support through an excellent third-party tool called DVDInfo Pro.  Right now, they only support the GSA-4120B, but I'm confident with the author that support for this drive will be likely.  LG firmware is very hard to hack, however some select few have been able to do so.  Using Lite-On's booktype utility, you can change the booktype of DVD+R/RW media, however, the firmware does not automatically change booktype of DVD+R DL discs to DVD-ROM like the NEC and Pioneer models do. 

Additional Features

As far as other features go, all these drives have a 2MB buffer but offer some sort of buffer under-run protection, which all work exceptionally well.  This is especially useful if you will be burning discs at 16x, which I personally don't recommend just yet.  As our individual tests of these drives revealed, burning at this speed is quite unstable, with the exception of the Lite-On SOHW-1633s.

Next: CD Read Tests