Wasn't it just a few short months ago when a 24x CD burner was top dog? It seems like every couple months CD burner get faster and faster. I've been very happy with my PlexWriter 24x with burn proof technology as I have NEVER burned a single coaster. Not one error, not one bad disk. Not one single problem since I purchased it when it they first hit the shelves. Just recently, ClubOC received one of the first review samples of Plextor's 48x version. At 48x burn speed, we where afraid that we would start seeing coasters again, but new technology have made 48x burners even more reliable at even faster speeds. Unfortunately, you must pay quite a hefty price for the Plextor name. This is why we looked to a less expensive version that could do the same thing.