So I'm looking to buy a DVD burner. I've narrowed things down to the Plextor PX712A but wanted to find out if anyone has any tips or warnings to pass on before I go out and buy the thing and install it.

Hmmm, this doesn't qualify as a tip, but I just bought a Sony DVD burner from NewEgg.com last night. I admit, however, that my research consisted of going "Oh look, that one is cheap as hell!"

DVD+/-RW SONY DW-D22A-B2 BLK w/SW% (Qty=1,Price=$58.99)

like all things computer related it depends heavily on your needs for a burner. you might consider whatever can burn 2 layers now, as then you'll get about 9 gigs out of one disc, as opposed to 4.5 of regular ones. of course, the media is a bit more expensive, but once you start working with or archiving gigs of data you'll inevitably wish a single disc held more. or you could wait awhile for those holographic discs that hold like 20 something gigs.