I'm glad you mentioned Pioneer, I was going to tell you how pleased I am with my Pioneer 106s slot loading DVD drive.
Works so well, i just ordered another for my wife's/son's computer.
I really like the slot-loading feature, 2 less steps to take (opening and closing the tray) each time you use the drive.
Some peope have said these drives are noisy. I am sensitive to computer noise, spent a lot of effort getting quiet fans, etc, I hear nothing from this drive.
My 2 cents....