Asus DRW-0402 P/D

Firmware: 1.07

The Asus burner with the somewhat cryptic moniker DRW-0402 P/D is manufactured completely under license. As there aren't too many basic types, it's pretty easy to spot the Pioneer DVR-106 behind the 0402 - both the front panel and the back of the unit give it away.

Finally, the benchmark results are similar as well: at just under 300 ms, the full seek on the DVD access test took about as long as the Pioneer and the similarly constructed Teac. The maximum transfer rate was also equally good (6.2x DVD / 8.5 MB/s).

It looks as if Asus, on the other hand, has done its homework as far as handling CDs is concerned - the access times for the Asus burner are shorter than Pioneer's. The transfer rates are similar.

But the Asus website makes no mention of the formats it supports - nor does it say anything about the device's ability to burn +R/+RW DVDs. This feature is clearly marked on the packaging. The difference is the final "D" in the model name - representing the multi-mode-capable drive.

The unit comes with a CD-R, a DVD-R, a hefty user's manual, installation materials and a flat cable, the Asus DVD player and Sonic RecordNow as a recording solution.