Nero CD Speed v4.70 - 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.

   LG
GSA-H22N
Samsung
SH-S182D
Plextor
PX-760A
LG
GSA-H10N
Transfer Speed
Average:
Start:
End:

12.00x
6.53x
16.05x

12.21x
6.75x
16.31x

12.06x
6.63x
16.13x

12.31x
6.80x
16.46x
Seek Times
Random:
1/3:
Full:

142ms
175ms
237ms

96ms
113ms
184ms

102ms
113ms
189ms

103ms
120ms
187ms
CPU Usage
1x:
2x:
4x:
8x:

8%
14%
26%
49%

13%
12%
22%
41%

5%
9%
17%
32%

6%
11%
22%
42%

The GSA-H22N was fairly quick when reading single layer DVD-ROM's. In our tests it started reading at 6.53x and reached a maximum transfer speed of about 16.05x. Unfortunately, its seek times were a little higher than we'd like to see.

Nero CD Speed v4.70 - 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

   LG
GSA-H22N
Samsung
SH-S182D
Plextor
PX-760A
LG
GSA-H10N
Transfer Speed
Average:
Start:
End:

12.04x
6.57x
16.09x

9.14x
5.04x
12.21x

9.05x
4.98x
12.10x

12.35x
6.83x
16.52x
Seek Times
Random:
1/3:
Full:

133ms
173ms
247ms

107ms
117ms
190ms

103ms
119ms
180ms

108ms
125ms
176ms
CPU Usage
1x:
2x:
4x:
8x:

8%
15%
28%
50%

9%
13%
28%
52%

6%
11%
20%
39%

6%
11%
22%
42%


Verbatim DVD-RW

   LG
GSA-H22N
Samsung
SH-S182D
Plextor
PX-760A
LG
GSA-H10N
Transfer Speed
Average:
Start:
End:

9.17x
5.04x
12.25x

6.24x
3.45x
8.35x

9.06x
4.97x
12.11x

10.03x
5.55x
13.40x
Seek Times
Random:
1/3:
Full:

143ms
181ms
302ms

105ms
124ms
193ms

101ms
119ms
203ms

128ms
150ms
217ms
CPU Usage
1x:
2x:
4x:
8x:

8%
16%
30%
59%

6%
13%
26%
47%

5%
9%
16%
31%

6%
11%
22%
57%


Verbatim DVD-R DL

   LG
GSA-H22N
Samsung
SH-S182D
Plextor
PX-760A
LG
GSA-H10N
Transfer Speed
Average:
Start:
End:

9.12x
5.05x
12.15x

6.26x
3.48x
8.34x

6.05x
3.35x
8.08x

9.27x
5.16x
12.36x
Seek Times
Random:
1/3:
Full:

153ms
182ms
271ms

115ms
117ms
195ms

109ms
121ms
219ms

132ms
156ms
220ms
CPU Usage
1x:
2x:
4x:

8%
16%
29%

10%
12%
n/a

4%
7%
n/a

6%
12%
43%

The GSA-H22N 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

   LG
GSA-H22N
Samsung
SH-S182D
LG
GSA-H10N
Transfer Speed
Average:
Start:
End:

10.27x
5.95x
12.07x

10.27x
5.99x
12.06x

10.26x
5.90x
12.07x
Seek Times
Random:
1/3:
Full:

172ms
182ms
296ms

128ms
130ms
222ms

199ms
173ms
197ms
CPU Usage
1x:
2x:
4x:
8x:

8%
15%
30%
60%

14%
12%
23%
44%

7%
12%
21%
n/a

LG'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 5.95x and accelerates, reaching 12x at the 2.7GB mark.

Nero CD Speed v4.70 - 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

   LG
GSA-H22N
Samsung
SH-S182D
Plextor
PX-760A
LG
GSA-H10N
Transfer Speed
Average:
Start:
End:

12.02x
6.57x
16.07x

9.12x
5.03x
12.20x

9.04x
4.97x
12.11x

12.33x
6.80x
16.50x
Seek Times
Random:
1/3:
Full:

136ms
175ms
251ms

105ms
113ms
189ms

104ms
114ms
199ms

107ms
127ms
185ms
CPU Usage
1x:
2x:
4x:
8x:

8%
15%
28%
50%

10%
13%
32%
52%

5%
9%
16%
31%

6%
12%
22%
42%


Verbatim DVD+RW

   LG
GSA-H22N
Samsung
SH-S182D
Plextor
PX-760A
LG
GSA-H10N
Transfer Speed
Average:
Start:
End:

9.16x
5.06x
12.26x

6.24x
3.45x
8.34x

9.06x
4.98x
12.09x

10.03x
5.54x
13.39x
Seek Times
Random:
1/3:
Full:

150ms
185ms
293ms

104ms
119ms
194ms

104ms
113ms
199ms

128ms
149ms
215ms
CPU Usage
1x:
2x:
4x:
8x:

8%
16%
30%
58%

6%
13%
28%
46%

5%
9%
17%
31%

6%
12%
22%
51%

The GSA-H22N'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

   LG
GSA-H22N
Samsung
SH-S182D
Plextor
PX-760A
LG
GSA-H10N
Transfer Speed
Average:
Start:
End:

9.13x
5.04x
12.16x

6.26x
3.48x
8.34x

6.04x
3.34x
8.07x

9.27x
5.16x
12.38x
Seek Times
Random:
1/3:
Full:

153ms
195ms
273ms

119ms
129ms
202ms

104ms
115ms
193ms

130ms
151ms
218ms
CPU Usage
1x:
2x:
4x:

8%
15%
29%

10%
12%
n/a

4%
7%
n/a

6%
11%
30%

Reading Verbatim's double layer DVD+R media wasn't a problem for the GSA-H22N either. While not as fast as the GSA-H10N, it reached an impressive 12.16x in CD Speed's transfer rate tests.

Nero CD Speed v4.70 - 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.

   LG
GSA-H22N
Samsung
SH-S182D
Plextor
PX-760A
LG
GSA-H10N
Transfer Speed
Average:
Start:
End:

6.07x
3.35x
8.12x

12.08x
6.65x
16.15x

12.06x
6.63x
16.13x

3.65x
2.02x
4.88x
Seek Times
Random:
1/3:
Full:

137ms
164ms
235ms

95ms
109ms
183ms

102ms
112ms
182ms

121ms
147ms
219ms
CPU Usage
1x:
2x:
4x:
8x:

8%
15%
28%
55%

12%
12%
21%
41%

5%
9%
17%
33%

6%
11%
21%
n/a

The GSA-H22N didn't do as well as some of the other drives when reading DVD videos. While not nearly as slow as the GSA-H10N, it reached a maximum read speed of only 8x when reading both single and dual layer discs.

To see how well the GSA-H22N 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.