The Hewlett-Packard dvd840e is the external version of the dvd840i, and it handles virtually every format out there and is easily moved from PC to PC. It sells for $130, so it's not a bargain, but the dvd840e's versatility makes it one of the most robust drives on the market.

HP doesn't bandy about that Super Multi moniker for nothing. The dvd840e supports a wide range of optical media formats, including traditional DVD and DVD-rewriteable media, as well as DVD-RAM and Dual Layer (DL) discs. It offers traditional DVD writing speeds of up to 16X, so you can burn a full DVD in less than 7 minutes.

The dvd840e is also a great DVD writer for backups. It supports DVD+RW at up to 8X and DVD-RW at up to 6X, and it writes to DVD-RAM at 5X. This latter media can be rewritten to up to 100,000 times, so it's great for repeated backups.

The dvd840e's DL speeds are equally impressive. This media can house up to 8.5GB on a single disc, letting you store around 4 hours of high-quality video. The dvd840e offers 4X speeds for DVD-R DL and 8X speeds for DVD+R DL, so you can burn a full disc of the latter media in less than 20 minutes.

Since it's an HP DVD writer, the dvd840e has LightScribe capabilities built-in. LightScribe allows you to burn silkscreen-quality labels onto the surface of your CD and DVD. The media costs a little more and the technology currently accommodates only monochromatic labels, but the professional-looking results sure beat using markers or printing label stickers on your inkjet.

HP bundles a good selection of software with the dvd840e, including the Nero Software Suite for burning to DVD, creating backups and performing some video editing. Installing the dvd840e is a simple task, as it's plug-and-play with any PC running a modern operating system. This makes it easy to move from system to system, so you don't have to purchase multiple DVD writers for your home or office.

The HP dvd840e's suggested retail price of $130 is a bit steep, but some online vendors are offering it for under $100, which is a much more palatable price for a versatile external DVD writer.


Pros: Good speeds, broad format compatibility, LightScribe technology
Cons: No blank media included, high suggested retail price

Warranty
1 year, limited