Nero CD Speed v4.10 - DVD-ROM:
A little editorial note here. Like a CD-ROM, you will get different benchmark results depending on what kind of discs you are using. You are probably going to get varying results from a full data disc to a single layer movie disc. You're also going to get different results for single and dual layer discs.
The CD Speed website recommends using a single layer DVD-ROM disc with a capacity of at least 4GB. If you use a dual layer disc you probably won't get the best results because most DVD-ROM drives slow down to read them. Some even slow down to read single layer DVD-Video discs. To make a long story short, I am using a 4.37GB single layer, single sided disc for this test.
| Plextor PX-740UF |
NEC ND-4550A |
LG GSA-4167B |
Sony DRU-810A |
|
| Transfer Speed Average: Start: End: |
12.02x 6.59x 15.05x |
11.94x 6.57x 15.97x |
12.34x 6.80x 16.51x |
12.05x 6.56x 16.17x |
| Seek Times Random: 1/3: Full: |
93ms 105ms 160ms |
136ms 148ms 226ms |
105ms 121ms 189ms |
100ms 109ms 171ms |
| CPU Usage 1x: 2x: 4x: 8x: |
7% 14% 27% 53% |
15% 15% 28% 52% |
6% 12% 23% 43% |
6% 12% 24% 47% |
The PX-740UF wasn't as fast as I had expected when reading single layer DVD-ROM's. While the drive started out fairly quick, it had a hard time reaching its rated speed in our tests. Nevertheless, its seek times were very good.
Nero CD Speed v4.10 - DVD-R and DVD-RW:
First, we'll look at the drive's DVD-R and DVD-RW reading performance. For this I made copies of our DVD-ROM test disc using some general use 4x DVD-R and 2x DVD-RW media from Verbatim and then ran our usual DVD read tests with CD Speed. The results are below.
Verbatim DVD-R
| Plextor PX-740UF |
NEC ND-4550A |
LG GSA-4167B |
Sony DRU-810A |
|
| Transfer Speed Average: Start: End: |
12.00x 6.62x 14.23x |
11.97x 6.60x 16.01x |
7.71x 4.27x 10.31x |
12.08x 6.59x 16.16x |
| Seek Times Random: 1/3: Full: |
99ms 110ms 168ms |
135ms 156ms 248ms |
99ms 119ms 177ms |
106ms 123ms 178ms |
| CPU Usage 1x: 2x: 4x: 8x: |
7% 14% 28% 57% |
16% 17% 31% 62% |
6% 13% 23% 43% |
7% 12% 24% 51% |
Verbatim DVD-RW
| Plextor PX-740UF |
NEC ND-4550A |
LG GSA-4167B |
Sony DRU-810A |
|
| Transfer Speed Average: Start: End: |
9.38x 5.12x 12.54x |
9.81x 5.40x 13.12x |
6.17x 3.41x 8.25x |
9.36x 5.11x 12.54x |
| Seek Times Random: 1/3: Full: |
98ms 111ms 166ms |
124ms 154ms 251ms |
118ms 144ms 213ms |
108ms 124ms 173ms |
| CPU Usage 1x: 2x: 4x: 8x: |
7% 14% 27% 54% |
9% 15% 28% 50% |
6% 11% 22% 42% |
6% 12% 24% 47% |
Unfortunately, the PX-740UF came up short of its rated speed once again - this time with DVD-R media. Looking at the scores above, you can see that it reached a maximum transfer speed of only 14x.
Verbatim DVD-R DL
| Plextor PX-740UF |
NEC ND-4550A |
LG GSA-4167B |
Sony DRU-810A |
|
| Transfer Speed Average: Start: End: |
9.07x 5.02x 12.10x |
5.47x 3.04x 7.29x |
6.19x 3.44x 8.26x |
9.05x 5.01x 12.07x |
| Seek Times Random: 1/3: Full: |
102ms 111ms 168ms |
211ms 221ms 316ms |
127ms 152ms 220ms |
117ms 137ms 174ms |
| CPU Usage 1x: 2x: 4x: |
7% 14% 27% |
8% 13% n/a |
7% 13% n/a |
6% 12% 24% |
Plextor's new DVD writer had no problems reading Verbatim's 4x DVD-R DL media. The PX-740UF started reading at 5.02x and reached a maximum transfer speed of 12.10x.
Nero CD Speed v4.10 - DVD+R and DVD+RW:
Next we'll look at the drive's DVD+R and DVD+RW reading performance. For this I made a copy of our DVD-ROM test disc using some 4x DVD+R and 2.4x DVD+RW media from Verbatim. I then ran our usual DVD read tests with CD Speed. The results are below.
Verbatim DVD+R
| Plextor PX-740UF |
NEC ND-4550A |
LG GSA-4167B |
Sony DRU-810A |
|
| Transfer Speed Average: Start: End: |
12.01x 6.60x 14.92x |
11.96x 6.60x 16.00x |
7.72x 4.25x 10.32x |
12.10x 6.60x 16.18x |
| Seek Times Random: 1/3: Full: |
98ms 111ms 166ms |
133ms 154ms 250ms |
97ms 121ms 186ms |
106ms 121ms 183ms |
| CPU Usage 1x: 2x: 4x: 8x: |
7% 14% 27% 54% |
16% 17% 34% 65% |
6% 12% 23% 42% |
6% 12% 24% 49% |
Verbatim DVD+RW
| Plextor PX-740UF |
NEC ND-4550A |
LG GSA-4167B |
Sony DRU-810A |
|
| Transfer Speed Average: Start: End: |
9.38x 5.12x 12.54x |
9.81x 5.40x 13.12x |
6.18x 3.42x 8.26x |
9.36x 5.10x 12.50x |
| Seek Times Random: 1/3: Full: |
97ms 111ms 167ms |
128ms 160ms 258ms |
119ms 146ms 212ms |
106ms 121ms 174ms |
| CPU Usage 1x: 2x: 4x: 8x: |
7% 14% 27% 53% |
11% 21% 34% 64% |
7% 13% 25% 46% |
6% 12% 24% 47% |
The PX-740UF's performance with DVD+R and DVD+RW media was very similar to what we saw with DVD-R and DVD-RW media. The drive read DVD+R discs at 14x and DVD+RW media at 12x.
Verbatim DVD+R DL
| Plextor PX-740UF |
NEC ND-4550A |
LG GSA-4167B |
Sony DRU-810A |
|
| Transfer Speed Average: Start: End: |
9.07x 5.02x 12.11x |
5.47x 3.04x 7.30x |
6.20x 3.44x 8.27x |
9.07x 5.01x 12.09x |
| Seek Times Random: 1/3: Full: |
101ms 111ms 168ms |
148ms 185ms 294ms |
123ms 148ms 219ms |
111ms 120ms 173ms |
| CPU Usage 1x: 2x: 4x: |
7% 14% 28% |
7% 12% n/a |
7% 12% n/a |
7% 13% 26% |
Reading Verbatim's double layer DVD+R media wasn't an issue for the PX-740UF either. With a maximum transfer speed of 12.11x, it had no problems taking the top spot in CD Speed's transfer rate tests.
Nero CD Speed v4.10 - DVD-Video:
For these tests I am using the US version of Transformers: The Movie on DVD. The disc is over 4GB and single sided.
| Plextor PX-740UF |
NEC ND-4550A |
LG GSA-4167B |
Sony DRU-810A |
|
| Transfer Speed Average: Start: End: |
11.91x 6.51x 15.01x |
11.83x 6.49x 15.82x |
3.64x 2.01x 4.87x |
11.93x 6.51x 15.95x |
| Seek Times Random: 1/3: Full: |
92ms 105ms 161ms |
135ms 147ms 228ms |
117ms 148ms 217ms |
101ms 109ms 171ms |
| CPU Usage 1x: 2x: 4x: 8x: |
7% 14% 27% 53% |
15% 15% 28% 51% |
6% 11% 21% n/a |
6% 12% 24% 47% |
The PX-740UF didn't slow down very much when reading single layer DVD videos. It started out at about 6.51x and reached a maximum read speed of 15.01x. Plextor's new drive was also surprisingly fast when reading dual layer discs. By looking at the screenshot below, you can see that the drive's transfer speeds peaked at an impressive 12.07x.
To see how well the PX-740UF worked as a DVD player, I watched a few scenes from Transformers: The Movie and Star Wars: The Phantom Menace using WinDVD 4 and PowerDVD 5. The drive had no problems playing back these movies with either program and was fairly quiet.
