NEC will start shipping the first 8x-speed recordable DVD drives for personal computers next month. It will supply PC makers like Dell Inc and Hewlett-Packard Co with DVD+R drives, and also ship DVD-R drives for European markets.

By stealing a beat on rival DVD drive makers, NEC aims to be in a better position to gain market share when the DVD drive mainstream migrates from 4x to 8x.

The company began manufacturing 4x DVD drives in October 2002 at the Malaysian factory of Sanshin Electric Co, the electronics arm of Taiheiyo Cement Corp and will make 8x devices there at a rate of around 500,000 units a month.

Expecting further growth in demand, NEC also plans to commission production to a Chinese factory operated by Mitsumi Electric Co Ltd.