# Need info on blank DVDs.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-info-on-blank-dvds/595132>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 4, 2011, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-info-on-blank-dvds/595132 "2011-09-04T03:39:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2011, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-info-on-blank-dvds/595132/1 "2011-09-04T03:39:39Z")

</div>

So I go to buy a few blank DVDs.

Ten 16X / 120 minute Memorex = $8.88 Made in India

Ten 4X / 120 minute Memorex = $11.88 Made in India

Ten 16X / 120 minute different brand = $7.88 Made in Taiwan

Ten 4X / 120 minute different brand = $10.88 Made in Taiwan

I bought one each box of the Memorex. Using for recovery disc on 2 different ASUS Win-7 64 bit laptops as recovery disc as a Windows disc did not come with.

Why do 4X cost more than 16X ???

Better? In what way?

What is the deal???

Someone splain me please.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Fourtyfold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f475e1/32.png) [@Fourtyfold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fourtyfold)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2011, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-info-on-blank-dvds/595132/2 "2011-09-04T08:24:48Z")

</div>

I expect the 4x discs will be re-writable, the 16x write-once.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2011, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-info-on-blank-dvds/595132/3 "2011-09-04T10:40:07Z")

</div>

Or just that 4X is rather slow, and used mostly by near-obsolete drives. Probably way outsold by the 16X ones. So just the usual sales volume thing leading to lower prices.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2011, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-info-on-blank-dvds/595132/4 "2011-09-04T11:18:30Z")

</div>

I recommend [diskmakers](http://www.discmakers.com/) for bulk blank disks and related supplies of any kind.

To answer the OP: you may be ignoring some of the specs (rewritable or not) and there are brand differences that may or may not be significant.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2011, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-info-on-blank-dvds/595132/5 "2011-09-04T15:49:45Z")

</div>

You didn’t specify whether the DVDs were +R, -R, +RW or -RW. That could make a difference in the pricing, and also in compatibility with your burner, although most newer burners will handle all of the above types.

ETA: Also, if the discs are LightScribe discs, which allows you to burn a label on the non-data side, they would cost more.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\
**Post date:** [September 4, 2011, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-info-on-blank-dvds/595132/6 "2011-09-04T16:51:20Z")

</div>

Thanks for the info.