This new drive is very similar to the SOHW-1633S but supports 12x DVD-R and 4x DVD+R DL write speeds. The drive still writes DVD+RW media at 4x max, unlike the new PX-716a which does 8x on certified media. You can read Lite-On’s product description here:
http://www.liteonit.com/ODD/English/e_product/e_sohw1653s.asp
