The main question that needs to be answered and the question that most users are asking themselves is if LightScribe technology is actually worth the cost. Some users think that LightScribe is not so important for the optical industry, since a simple CD pen or even a plain inkjet printer (e.g. Canon's PIXMA iP3000) will more than suffice. However, if you need professional looking labels, LightScribe is the way to do it and do it cheaply, without the need to purchase a stand-alone CD/DVD printing system. CDRinfo.com presents the printing quality of LightScribe and it sure looks great.

There are however some drawbacks with this new technology. One is the time it takes to print a label on a disc. Around 28 minutes to print with "best" quality selected, 17 minutes with "normal" quality, and 11 minutes when printing in "draft" mode.

Another drawback is the color support with LightScribe or more precisely, the lack of color support. Only grayscale labels can be printed on a disc. Rumours around the web are talking about 3-color support in the near future. However, there is no official information about this to date.

A very handy function of LightScribe is that you can re-print many times on the same disc. We also tried to test the printed labels under direct sunlight and boiled water, just to see that LightScribe labels cannot be deleted in any way. Of course, in some extreme conditions, LightScribe labels will fade but under these conditions, any disc would be destroyed.

Since LightScribe is supported by the biggest optical storage manufacturers, like BenQ and Philips, it is probably here to stay. BenQ already announced reduced prices on LightScribe burners and seems to be winning the LightScribe race, especially now that the cost of buying a LightScribe burner is almost the same as buying a plain DVD burner.