# Recommend a CD-RW **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 12, 2003, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-cd-rw/168315 "2003-04-12T20:37:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2003, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-cd-rw/168315/1 "2003-04-12T20:37:26Z")
I’m a little behind the times on my home computer. But it serves us fine. Win 98 PIII 500mz 13gb I will be getting a new box in a year or two, but, now that I have a digital camera, I need a CD/DVD burner (it has a slot for an extra). Anyway, it has a CD/DVD reader, so I intend to either replace that or get another. I’m looking for recommondations on brands. Something that I can buy online. Any info on or experiances would be appreciated. Thanks Alpine. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Harmonix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonix)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2003, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-cd-rw/168315/2 "2003-04-12T21:21:12Z")
I’d recommend a lite-on cd-rw. They’re highly reliable and quite cheap. Plextor however is still the king of Cd-Rw’s in my book. now… if you want a DVD-RW ask someone else… all I know about there is that there are currently 2 standards duking it out. However there are a few DVD-RW’s that are capable of using both standards. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2003, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-cd-rw/168315/3 "2003-04-12T21:32:58Z")
Off to IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![cainxinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7bcc69/32.png) [@cainxinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cainxinth)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2003, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-cd-rw/168315/4 "2003-04-12T22:04:31Z")
Plextor CD-RW’s are extremely reliable and if you look around there are deals a plenty. DVD burners are still coming down in price and the standards haven’t solidified. Plus those hot new blue laser, 30 gb drives are due any day now, and will definitely mean cheaper red laser burners. If you really want one now though, the Sony DRU-500 is a hot commodity. It supports most formats. ---
**Author:** ![Alereon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Alereon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alereon)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2003, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-cd-rw/168315/5 "2003-04-12T23:23:48Z")
I agree with **Harmonix** , Lite-On drives are excellent. Many consider them even more reliable than Plextor. I and most of my friends exclusively use Lite-On drives, and, to my knowledge, none of us have ever had a failure or burned a coaster because of the drive. They don’t cost too much either, $50 for a top of the line Lite-On 52X CD-RW is average. I don’t own a DVD-RW drive myself, but I believe Pioneer’s A05 burner is considered very good. It sells for around $250, and some competing drives you’ll see are actually remarked A05s. ---
**Author:** ![DreadCthulhu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DreadCthulhu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DreadCthulhu)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2003, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-cd-rw/168315/6 "2003-04-13T00:00:17Z")
I have a Lite-On 48x CD-RW, and it has performed wonderfully, with not a single problem. They are less than $50, and are a really good deal. ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2003, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-cd-rw/168315/7 "2003-04-13T00:28:35Z")
I’ve got a TEAC 8x8x32x CD-RW, had it for a couple years, and it burns just fine and has worked nicely the 2 or 3 times I’ve used it asd a backup drive. ---
**Author:** ![Hauky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/0ea827/32.png) [@Hauky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hauky)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2003, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-cd-rw/168315/8 "2003-04-13T01:43:31Z")
I can also heartily recommend Lite-On drives. [Newegg](http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduct.asp?submit=manufactory&manufactory=1336&catalog=5&DEPA=1&sortby=14&order=1) has their 52x24x52x model on sale for $53 including shipping. ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2003, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-cd-rw/168315/9 "2003-04-13T02:30:40Z")
Well, I’m not one to break a trend. Don’t have a DVD burner, but my 12x10x32x Liteon was about $100CND in 2001 (not expensive), and works great. It came with Adaptec’s Easy CD Creator, which works well for my needs. Some friends have had burners die on them (including one HP model that melted it’s own lens on the read/write head somehow…) but like those above I’ve yet to hear bad stuff about Liteon. I’ve seen that 52x24x52x model, and if I need one for another machine anytime soon, I’m getting that one. ---
**Author:** ![Urban\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Urban\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urban_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2003, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-cd-rw/168315/10 "2003-04-13T14:58:21Z")
Can’t go wrong with Plextor. You can check out [CD Freak’s](http://www.cdfreaks.com/) reviews. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2003, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-cd-rw/168315/11 "2003-04-13T15:47:24Z")
You’re using W98, so that means if you get a dvd writer, you’re stuck with files under 4 gigs. You’d need a XP/n2000 NTSF file system for anything larger & your computer is pretty slow for a dvd writer, so looks like a cdrw for you. Maybe something around 32x because you’re computer is slow, but check the box on those fast 52x ones & see if they support 500mhz. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2003, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-cd-rw/168315/12 "2003-04-13T15:48:36Z")
Thanks for all the recommendations, I’ll check them all out. ---
**Author:** ![rsa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rsa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsa)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2003, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-cd-rw/168315/13 "2003-04-13T16:48:51Z")
Not a DVD writer, but if all you need is a CD writer you may want to check out Cendyne. Office Max had a special and with the mail in rebate, I paid $20! The reviews that I have read are very favorable.