Nero CD Speed v4.7.7.5 - 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.
| Sony DRU-840A |
Samsung SH-S203B |
Lite-On LH-20A1L |
LG GSA-H55L |
|
| Transfer Speed Average: Start: End: |
12.15x 6.73x 16.24x |
12.13x 6.72x 16.21x |
12.14x 5.36x 16.08x |
12.00x 6.54x 16.05x |
| Seek Times Random: 1/3: Full: |
96ms 116ms 185ms |
96ms 113ms 186ms |
94ms 106ms 166ms |
119ms 148ms 215ms |
| CPU Usage 1x: 2x: 4x: 8x: |
10% 8% 14% 27% |
9% 6% 10% 20% |
3% 7% 12% 86% |
5% 9% 18% 34% |
The DRU-840A performed very well when reading single layer DVD-ROM's. In our tests it started reading at 6.73x and reached a maximum transfer speed of 16.24x.Looking at the other scores, you can see that the drive's seek times were also quite good.
Nero CD Speed v4.7.7.5 - DVD-R, DVD-RW and DVD-RAM:
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. For the DVD-RAM tests, media from Maxell was used. The results are below.
Verbatim DVD-R
| Sony DRU-840A |
Samsung SH-S203B |
Lite-On LH-20A1L |
LG GSA-H55L |
|
| Transfer Speed Average: Start: End: |
12.18x 6.74x 16.28x |
12.16x 6.72x 16.25x |
12.18x 5.81x 16.28x |
12.03x 6.59x 16.08x |
| Seek Times Random: 1/3: Full: |
113ms 126ms 197ms |
116ms 132ms 202ms |
122ms 126ms 203ms |
127ms 164ms 234ms |
| CPU Usage 1x: 2x: 4x: 8x: |
12% 8% 15% 30% |
11% 6% 12% 24% |
4% 7% 23% n/a |
6% 10% 19% 36% |
Verbatim DVD-RW
| Sony DRU-840A |
Samsung SH-S203B |
Lite-On LH-20A1L |
LG GSA-H55L |
|
| Transfer Speed Average: Start: End: |
9.05x 5.00x 12.10x |
9.03x 4.99x 12.08x |
9.23x 5.08x 12.34x |
9.13x 5.01x 12.20x |
| Seek Times Random: 1/3: Full: |
121ms 132ms 208ms |
122ms 137ms 213ms |
124ms 134ms 273ms |
133ms 182ms 265ms |
| CPU Usage 1x: 2x: 4x: 8x: |
10% 8% 14% 27% |
9% 6% 11% 20% |
5% 9% 26% n/a |
6% 10% 19% 37% |
Verbatim DVD-R DL
| Sony DRU-840A |
Samsung SH-S203B |
Lite-On LH-20A1L |
LG GSA-H55L |
|
| Transfer Speed Average: Start: End: |
9.25x 5.14x 12.32x |
9.23x 5.13x 12.30x |
9.19x 5.07x 12.25x |
9.08x 5.04x 12.11x |
| Seek Times Random: 1/3: Full: |
122ms 127ms 201ms |
122ms 137ms 206ms |
121ms 130ms 204ms |
154ms 193ms 266ms |
| CPU Usage 1x: 2x: 4x: |
13% 9% 18% |
12% 8% 15% |
7% 99% n/a |
6% 10% 19% |
The DRU-840A had no problems reading DVD-R, DVD-RW and DVD-R DL media. In our tests, the drive read DVD-R discs at 16x, and both DVD-RW and DVD-R DL media at a respectable 12x.
Maxell 12x DVD-RAM
| Sony DRU-840A |
Samsung SH-S203B |
Lite-On LH-20A1L |
LG GSA-H55L |
|
| Transfer Speed Average: Start: End: |
10.22x 5.92x 12.05x |
10.20x 5.91x 12.02x |
10.23x 5.93x 12.00x |
10.24x 5.93x 12.03x |
| Seek Times Random: 1/3: Full: |
138ms 150ms 258ms |
138ms 157ms 253ms |
177ms 205ms 341ms |
175ms 204ms 274ms |
| CPU Usage 1x: 2x: 4x: 8x: |
10% 11% 16% 26% |
15% 9% 12% 19% |
13% 9% 15% n/a |
5% 10% 18% 36% |
Sony's new drive has a maximum transfer speed of 12x when reading DVD-RAM discs. By looking at the screenshot you can see that it starts reading at 5.92x and accelerates, reaching 12x at the 2.7GB mark.
Nero CD Speed v4.7.7.5 - 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
| Sony DRU-840A |
Samsung SH-S203B |
Lite-On LH-20A1L |
LG GSA-H55L |
|
| Transfer Speed Average: Start: End: |
12.16x 6.73x 16.26x |
12.14x 6.73x 16.23x |
12.16x 5.77x 16.26x |
12.04x 6.58x 16.11x |
| Seek Times Random: 1/3: Full: |
113ms 124ms 201ms |
114ms 132ms 202ms |
119ms 132ms 212ms |
127ms 162ms 244ms |
| CPU Usage 1x: 2x: 4x: 8x: |
13% 8% 15% 31% |
12% 6% 11% 23% |
6% 7% 25% 90% |
6% 10% 19% 37% |
Verbatim DVD+RW
| Sony DRU-840A |
Samsung SH-S203B |
Lite-On LH-20A1L |
LG GSA-H55L |
|
| Transfer Speed Average: Start: End: |
9.05x 5.01x 12.10x |
9.03x 5.00x 12.08x |
9.23x 5.10x 12.34x |
9.13x 5.04x 12.20x |
| Seek Times Random: 1/3: Full: |
121ms 136ms 203ms |
122ms 137ms 205ms |
140ms 159ms 263ms |
138ms 184ms 268ms |
| CPU Usage 1x: 2x: 4x: 8x: |
10% 8% 15% 27% |
9% 6% 11% 21% |
13% 10% 31% 98% |
6% 10% 19% 36% |
The DRU-840A'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 16x and DVD+RW media at 12x.
Verbatim DVD+R DL
| Sony DRU-840A |
Samsung SH-S203B |
Lite-On LH-20A1L |
LG GSA-H55L |
|
| Transfer Speed Average: Start: End: |
9.25x 5.14x 12.33x |
9.23x 5.12x 12.30x |
9.19x 5.02x 12.26x |
9.09x 5.02x 12.11x |
| Seek Times Random: 1/3: Full: |
126ms 139ms 204ms |
122ms 134ms 204ms |
112ms 119ms 190ms |
153ms 186ms 273ms |
| CPU Usage 1x: 2x: 4x: |
13% 9% 19% |
12% 8% 15% |
28% 7% n/a |
5% 10% 18% |
Reading Verbatim's double layer DVD+R media wasn't an issue for Sony's new drive either. The DRU-840A started reading at 5.14x and reached a maximum transfer speed of 12.33x.
Nero CD Speed v4.7.7.5 - 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.
| Sony DRU-840A |
Samsung SH-S203B |
Lite-On LH-20A1L |
LG GSA-H55L |
|
| Transfer Speed Average: Start: End: |
12.02x 6.63x 16.08x |
12.00x 6.65x 16.05x |
12.02x 5.36x 16.08x |
6.03x 3.33x 8.07x |
| Seek Times Random: 1/3: Full: |
96ms 112ms 184ms |
95ms 112ms 181ms |
94ms 106ms 165ms |
126ms 153ms 217ms |
| CPU Usage 1x: 2x: 4x: 8x: |
10% 8% 14% 28% |
9% 5% 11% 22% |
3% 7% 12% 86% |
5% 9% 18% 38% |
The DRU-840A didn't slow down very much when reading single layer DVD videos. It started out at about 6.63x and reached a maximum read speed of 16.08x. Sony's new drive was also fairly quick when reading dual layer discs. By looking at the screenshot below, you can see that the drive's transfer speeds peaked at about 12x.
To see how well the DRU-840A worked as a DVD player, I watched a few scenes from Transformers: The Movie and Star Wars: The Phantom Menace using Nero Showtime. The drive had no problems playing back these movies with either program and was fairly quiet.
