Philips also refers to this unit as the TripleWriter, because of its ability to write to Blu-ray, conventional DVD, and CD media (but you should already recognize by now that this is a more or less standard capability in these units). Here again, we've got another solid unit that falls right into the middle of this group both in terms of price and performance. It does include a nice (but somewhat dated) bundle of software, with Ahead Nero Suite 6, Nero Burning ROM 6, and Nero Media Player 1, which buyers might find attractive. It also includes a sizable 8 MB buffer, larger than that found on some of the other units in this group, and is one of the three drives in the group that sports a SATA interface.

The Philips SPD7000 is another solid performer, and comes with a decent software bundle, too.

When it comes to speeds and feeds the SPD7000 is right in there with many of the other units in this group. It offers 2X read and write speed for Blu-ray media (BD-R and BD-RE in both single and dual layer forms), 12X maximum for single layer DVD±R write, 4X for double layer media of the same types, and 8X rewrite for DVD+R with 12X for DVD-R. CD performance is snappy with 32X write for CD-R, 24X for rewrite (Ultra Speed disc media), and 32X read for CD-ROM.

For more detailed specifications, please visit the

Alas, the Pioneer unit neither reads from nor writes to CD media of any kind, and it won't write to dual-layer Blu-ray media either (though it will read same). Otherwise its speeds and feeds match or fall a little under those of most of the units in this group. It reads from and writes to suitable Blu-ray media at 2X, writes to single layer DVD±R at 8X (only 2.4X for double-layer DVD+R however), and 4X when writing to DVD±RW. It reads DVD media at 8X for DVD±R and DVD-ROM, with 6X for double-layer DVD±R and single-layer DVD±RW media. It offers an 8 MB buffer for writing to Blu-ray media, and a 2 MB buffer for DVD media. For more information on this unit, please visit Pioneer's product page for the BDR-101A.

Given its somewhat higher than median price, and some of its missing features - most notably, lack of CD support and inability to write dual layer Blu-ray discs - buyers may want to think long and hard about popping one of these into their PCs, unless they find a major discount. That said, Pioneer is working on a BDC-202 model that will deliver read-only support for Blu-ray media. It will also offer 5X read for BD-ROM, BD-R, and BD-RE discs, 2X read for dual layer BD-R media, and serve as a DVD and CD burner (which addresses the CD issue, no word yet on dual-layer Blu-ray media capabilities). Expected sometime before mid-2007, this unit is planned to be significantly cheaper than all the other units in the group covered here, though we have heard no specific pricing information yet.