Introduction

The race to reach the pinnacle of DVD±R write speed has finally ended. We're now at a juncture where the write speed for DVD±R has maxed out at an impressive and speedy 16x. The arrival at this write speed signifies yet another milestone for optical storage. However, manufacturers aren't taking a breather just yet. Another race is already gaining steam and this is going to be a race focused on both capacity and speed (as always). But that's a story to be told in the future. As of now, 16x dual format DVD writers are still the stars of the show. One such star is TDK's 1616DLN. Besides having a speedy 16x write speed for DVD±R media, the drive boasts a fast 4x DVD+R DL write speed as well. But before we edge on further, here's a quick look at the drive's capabilities.