2.4x DVD Drives

The Bottom Line: HP's innovative DVD Movie Writer dc3000 offers an easy route from VHS to DVD, and it's a decent burner to boot.

Specs: DVD+RW, 40x (CD) / 8x (DVD), 16x (CD) / 4x (DVD), 10x (CD) / 2.4x (DVD)

The Bottom Line: This versatile, four-format DVD-rewritable drive is simply not as fast as Sony's DRU-510A.

Specs: DVD±RW, 32x (CD) / 12x (DVD), 16x (CD) / 4x (DVD), 10x (CD) / 2x (DVD-RW) / 2.4x (DVD+RW)

The Bottom Line: Need movie burning and massive archiving on the cheap? Verbatim's Producer 44 is a steal--but the pricier Sony DRU-510A may be a better deal.

Specs: DVD±RW, 40x (CD) / 12x (DVD), 16x (CD) / 4x (DVD), 10x (CD) / 2x (DVD-RW) / 2.4x (DVD+RW)

The Bottom Line: HP's replacement for the DVD200i is solid, if uninspiring. You get decent performance and features and superior support for a darn good price.

Specs: DVD+RW, 40x (CD) / 8x (DVD), 16x (CD) / 4x (DVD), 10x (CD) / 2.4x (DVD)

The Bottom Line: If you're shopping for a DVD-recordable drive, put the fast, flexible DRU-500A at the top of your list.

Specs: DVD±RW, 32x (CD) / 8x (DVD), 24x (CD) / 4x (DVD-R) / 2.4x (DVD+R), 10x (CD) / 2x (DVD-RW) / 2.4x (DVD+RW)

The Bottom Line: Although it's fast, this drive's quirky software bundle is a liability. For now, pick the HP DVD200i.

Specs: DVD+RW, 32x (CD) / 8x (DVD), 12x (CD) / 2.4x (DVD), 10x (CD) / 2.4x (DVD)

The Bottom Line: Though the compatibility of DVD+Rs with other hardware is still unproven, the DVD200i is a fast all-in-one optical drive and excellent for both backing up your system and for mastering DVDs.

Specs: DVD+RW, 32x (CD) / 8x (DVD), 12x (CD) / 2.4x (DVD), 10x (CD) / 2.4x (DVD)

The Bottom Line: The Philips DVDRW208 creates video discs that will play on many DVD players. The drive can burn CD-Rs and CD-RWs as well, but because it lacks the newer DVD+R capability, its days are numbered.

Specs: DVD+RW, 32x (CD) / 8x (DVD), 12x (CD), 10x (CD) / 2.4x (DVD)

The Bottom Line: While it has some flaws, the Sony DRU110A/C1 is a good value given its newer technology, and it's a fine choice for families or budding video-editing enthusiasts. But it has some stiff competition from the HP DVD-Writer DVD100i.

Specs: DVD+RW, 32x (CD) / 8x (DVD), 12x, 10x (CD) / 2.4x (DVD)

Specs: DVD±RW, 40x (CD) / 12x (DVD), 16x (CD) / 4x (DVD), 10x (CD) / 2x (DVD-RW) / 2.4x (DVD+RW)