When it comes down to it, the ASUS DRW-0402P/D is one of the better DVD±RW drives we've tested. Based on the popular Pioneer DVR-A06, it offers a mix of features and performance that should make it a hit with most consumers.

With 8x DVD writers starting to hit store shelves, the DRW-0402P/D isn't the fastest DVD writer on the block anymore. However, its 4x DVD+R and DVD-R writing speed will have you turning out an entire DVD in less than 15 minutes. For most people, this is probably fast enough. Of course, writing speed isn't everything. Like the Pioneer drive its based on, the DRW-0402P/D is hard to beat when it comes to media compatibility. Using the latest firmware, the drive had no problems writing to all of our test media at their rated speeds.

For the most part, the DRW-0402P/D performed as expected in our CD reading and writing tests. ASUS's new DVD writer was able to read all types of CD media at 32x and performed pretty well when it came time to rip audio CD's. The drive was able to reach DAE speeds as high as 32x and handled scratched CD's reasonably well. As a writer though, ASUS's DVD±RW drive was not as fast as would have liked. With its 16x CD-R and 10x CD-RW writing speeds, the DRW-0402P/D probably won't be replacing your CD-RW drive any time soon.