Everybody sees the drive speed plastered on the box for whatever optical drive he buys: 48X, 16X, 52X, etc.   But most people know that these numbers rarely represent the actual writing speed of an optical drive at any given time -- only the maximum potential speed during a particular burn.  

Because of this, a lot of people find it useful to know the actual write speed that their drives are putting out at a particular time.   What they may not know is that Nero Burning ROM and Nero Express can display this number for you, with just a few extra clicks.

Here's how to do it (I apologize for the lack of pictures, my uploader is acting up on me):

--

In Nero Burning ROM  

1.   Open the File Menu - > Select Options - > Select the 'Misc' Tab

2.   Scroll down until you see the 'Burning' Tree (the icon is a CD with a match).

3.   Click the checkbox reading 'Show real recorder write speed while burning.'

--

In Nero Express

1.   Click the expand arrow on the middle left of the window.

2. Click on Options - > Select the 'Misc' Tab

3.   Click the checkbox reading 'Show real recorder write speed while burning.'

--

That's it.   From now on, you will be able to see the actual write speed your drive is getting as Nero burns optical discs for you.   You'll find this tool can be useful for maintenance: if you notice a drop in speed or highly erratic speed, it may be time to replace or clean your drive.

Stay tuned for more tips from Nero!