Buy a new 4x DVD burner ? - Questions

[max2k]

Folks:

I finally managed to save some money over the last few months and I want to buy a new DVD burner ( yeah !! )

Is it worthwhile to get a 4x burner now ?? -- Is this going to become obsolete and useless very soon ?

Is the NEC1300 ( dual format ) a good choice ?
How about Lite-On ( I have their CD burner and its very good ! )

Can you please suggest some decent burners ? About US$150 max ?

Thanks :)

[TCCK]

Dual format is great so you can take advantage of cheap -R media now but will not be left in the lurch in 1 year when +R is cheap and -R is almost impossible to get or too expensive.

Even Dooms news today:
"Here's their gist: DVD-R/W is not going to be around on the long run because the plus camp seems to be more convincing and has the edge on recording speed. In fact, while the DVD forum has yet to sign off 8x DVD-Rs, 8x DVD+R drives are already being sold, and not by any brand, but Plextor, king of CD burners. Furthermore, 12x DVD+R burners should be out by Q1 2004, followed by 16x DVD+R burners later in the same year."

Tells you all about stuff I was telling you oh say 1 year ago. +R is going to win out and become the dominate force.
I test the hardware, I have seen all that is out now about 8 months ago. And the 16X should be out by Q2 as far as I have been told by some of the big players. One or two 12X maybe out by Christmas to get those Christmas shoppers that are willing to pay way too much for a newer model to beat the Jones next door.

Plextor708 is awesome but costly.
If you want good dual (this is actually triple with DVDRAM) go LG 4040.

Any other questions please feel free to ask.

[max2k]

Thanks for the input ....

@TCCK: I saw some of your posts and see that you test these drives for a living (that must be fun ! ) --

--> well do you have any inputs on the NEC-1300 Dual format drive ?

The LG drive costs a about $40 more than the NEC -- I might as well save money for the blanks if these drives are pretty comparable.

It'll be good to hear people's experience ... ....

Thanks !

[TCCK]

one of the other guys in the lab here tested the NEC (it was a different name when it came through but he is sure that is it), he liked it but I am pickier than him. BUT $40 is a decent amount of DVD blanks too.
BUT how many bad burns consumes that $40 is all I think to justify the purchase of something better that is a tad more expensive.

I don't just test DVD drives, I test all tyoes of computer hardware. I just really like testing this stuff more than say tape libraries or battery back up units (zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!)
Just a point on that, if you don't have a battery back up on your system now days you are crazy as they are getting so cheap and reliable and systems still are fairly expoensive if you build a hot system. I have 10 systems in my house and they all have at least an APC Smart UPS 700 on them! The only one that does not is my laptop for obvious reasons but when I am in my office at home using my laptop and it is plugged in> darn rights it is plugged into my APC Smart UPS 1400RM unit.