Nero CD/DVD Speed can be run as a stand-alone application.

Good post, PsychoCat and well said I thought. I personally don't consider myself a fan boy of any drive. I have a NEC ND3500AG and a BenQ DW1620A (2 of them in fact but that was just how things ended up working out due to me thinking the one drive was dead) and I can honestly say that while in overall usage I like my BenQ's better the NEC is a fine drive in terms of write quality.

If I had to go out and buy another drive right now I'd get a Pioneer DVR-109. I've actually been thinking about getting a second Plumax external case from PC Connection and a Pioneer DVR-109 to put in it but just don't really want to spend over $100 for a DVD-Burner I don't need - I need more hard drive space first more than a 4th burner. But that is my short and simple answer - I'd buy the NEC out of the drives listed for the second burner. In my case, since I already have a 3500AG and 2 DW1620A's I would probably buy the Pioneer DVR-109 and have the best of all 3 worlds.