Sorry for lame question like this.
Haven’t read forum lately, but as far as I know 1650 is almost the same as 1640. So is it worth upgrading from 1640 to 1650? Does it offer any advantages over 1640 or not? Does it have better writing quality or does it offer better overburning support? On one hand it’s only $36 right now at newegg for OEM shipped, on the other hand for some reason ppl at this thread really want 1640…
Thanks.
I’ve bought the rebadged 1640 from compusa because it’s readily available for me without paying huge shipping costs to any retail onliner like Newegg.com. I’ve bought my rebadged 1640’s for $39.99 after rebates. In my experience with the 1640 it’s a excellent all around burner when you use good quality dvd media like Taiyo Yuden or Verbatim. If you’re not able to get a 1640 then buy the 1650 which is a great burner as well. Everyone has different experiences with their 1640’s and 1650’s. I’m sure you’ll get more replies to your post.
Errr no the 1640 is not the same as the 1650, the 1640 has much better firmware at present, and is a faster drive when in comes to burning me thinkies?
Right now the 1650 sucks, if your 1640 works fine dont bother, i thought the same as you bought one from newegg $35,right off the bat it failed a burn, i would NEVEr try a DL burn, i’m not wasting a $2 dl disc.
I bought a compusa 1640 the other day, so guess whats going back!!
It will prob be 6 months until they get firmwares straightened out, i just don’t know why what they learned from the 1640 should already be in the 1650!!.
Plus i’m sure they got cheaper in the manufacturing process as well.
Hi 
@ thyfleshconsumed,
As you would expect a mixed response already.
However some views (naturally) tainted by negative reports.(Budman62, sorry about your experience.FYI I had to return the first 4 1640s’ I purchased, before getting a string of excellent drives[7]).
OK. Thte 1640 is an excellent allrounder. The f/w while still not perfect has matured well(& frequently). In my time with this drive BSLB/BSMB does better with + media(no slouch with - either). BSOB if you only use - media. DL still not the drives best media, plenty of drives will run rings around its performance here.
The 1650 has been improved on the h/w side. However its results are pretty much identical to the 1640. With running in + f/w upgrades the 1640 may well nudge in front. The exception should be with 16x media @ > 12x. This is where currently the h/w mods alone show some margin of improvement. It’s this ‘potential’ that makes the 1650 the better buy over the 1640. Unless of course you already have a 1640. Then the only marginal differences between the two, mean that little if anything would be gained ( this is unless all your media is 16x, an area where the 1650 already pips the 1640). 
@gregtherotterius,
“Errr no the 1640 is not the same as the 1650, the 1640 has much [U]better [/U] [U]firmware [/U] at present, and is a [U]faster drive [/U] when in comes to burning me thinkies?”
Yes, in general f/w for the 1640 is a little more rounded & mature. 
No, the 1650 when creating a full disc (not overburning) is around 3 sec quicker than the 1640. Not a massive figure, but one that does exist nonetheless. 
Well, part of my reason for wanting to buy 1650 was because 1640 does give me troubles sometimes. Last time with BSOB the burner simply hung up at 96% (or so) while writing DVD, I couldn’t even eject tray using the button. It was the second time it happened, although I don’t remember what was the firmware it happened first time. For now I reverted back to BSLB. I have no idea why it happened, if it is firmware or hardware problem, but it makes me sort of uneasy. Also seeing as Lite-On is taking over BenQ I’d rather buy another benq drive before their next joint product comes out.
I went back to BSLB as well, partly because it is not
affected by the scan speed drops with CD-DVD Speed,
but also because of burn quality.
Lockup during burn might be caused by bad media.
I have said that again but it’s true.
1640 is even better from my 4163B at burning quality.
Something I didn’t expect when I bought it.
I think sooner or later 1650 will be as good as 1640.
P.S. Could you be more specific about the problem with BSOB?
I find it very good.
P.S.2 This problem is due to power failure. I have had this with my 4163B sometimes.
If you are asking me, I was having quality problems
with Verbatim MCC 003. I tried several different fw
and settled on BSLB. Then I figured out I have a bad
batch of MCC 003 discs, but because of faster
quality scans I just stayed with BSLB.
I’m hoping that when the fw for the 1650 matures
it will be an even better burner than the 1640.
Dw1640 does seem to like + R media more than -R ( quality media) ,
don’t know if this true for the 1650 thou …
i get 97% QS scores on TYG02 discs so dont think that thats the case with the 1650.
-gtr
haha pos kai vriskis BenQ stin ellada?? Kai tis times, then einai ligo akrivoutsikes?
Honestly, burning-quality wise, and except for 16X DVD+R burns (there the 1650 has an edge), I see no significant difference between the 1640 and the 1650 for DVR burning. Both drives are excellent. The little differences in PIE/PIF figures are totally insignificant except for the over-obsessive hard-core scanners focusing on microscopic variations that have not the slightest relevance in real-world.
That the 1650 “sucks” is a weird opinion, since I own it I have had no trouble at all, no coasters and excellent PIE/PIF/jitter results with all good media, and even with poor media thanks to SB.
Though the only real advantage of the 1650 over the 1640 that I’ve experienced is CDR burning (less jitter) and the fact that it’s a quiter drive. Apart from this, I was happy with my 1640/BSLB
I’m confused?! 
Isn’t being an "over-obsessive hard-core scanner focusing on microscopic variations that have not the slightest relevance in real-world" a requirement for people posting here in the BenQ forum?! 
Hey, wait a minute!
Did I just post in the BenQ forum?
Is there a BenQ drive in my signature?
OH NO!
That means that I’m probably one of those over-obsessive hard-core types… 
OK, curious, what’s the difference between 1650/1655 then? Only lightscribe? So if I don’t need lightscribe 1650 is better?