Today, Pioneer Japan unveiled something quite unexpected. Apparently, they developed the world’s first-ever PC Blu-ray burner that supports the BDXL format. Known as the BDR-206MBK, this device can handle BD-R XL discs with three (100GB) or four layers (128GB) and BD-RE XL discs with 3 layers (100GB). Furthermore, it’s also compatible with 3D Blu-ray discs.

But wait, there’s a second player in this game claiming to have the world’s first-ever PC Blu-ray burner that supports the BDXL format. The company Buffalo just revealed that they have such a device and it’s called the BRXL-6FBS-BK. Interestingly enough, it carries the same features and functionality as Pioneer’s BDR-206MBK. Kind of makes you wonder who really came up with this idea first, doesn’t it?

Anyway, Pioneer intends to launch their BDXL-compatible PC Blu-ray burner in Japan this November for $372. Meanwhile, Buffalo plans to release their BDXL-compatible PC Blu-ray burner in Japan on the same month for an “open price model”. Personally, I find it interesting that Buffalo haven’t been specific on the price. Nonetheless, they’ve also got an external model in the works called the BRXL-6U2 that operates just like the BRXL-6FBS-BK and it offers USB 2.0 connectivity for your PC. So, who among these two companies gets the bragging rights and the credit for this new development? That’s a heated debate in the making.

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