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.
