Plextor PX-LB950UE External 12x Blu-ray Disc Writer

Nero CD Speed v4.7.7.16 - DVD-ROM:

For this test I used a single layer, single sided data DVD-ROM disc that is 4.37GB in size.

 

	Plextor PX-LB950UE	Sony BWU-500S	Lite-On iHBS112	Plextor PX-B940SA
Transfer Speed Average: Start: End:	12.12x 6.70x 16.20x	12.11x 6.74x 16.19x	12.11x 6.74x 16.19x	11.93x 6.65x 15.96x
Access Times Random: 1/3: Full:	113ms 128ms 195ms	118ms 131ms 212ms	114ms 130ms 199ms	155ms 189ms 339ms
CPU Usage 1x: 2x: 4x: 8x:	5% 10% 17% 30%	44% 38% 25% 38%	5% 10% 16% 29%	14% 13% 25% 46%

The PX-LB950UE was fairly quick when reading single layer DVD-ROM's. In our tests it started reading at 6.70x and reached a maximum transfer speed of 16.20x. Looking at the other scores, you can see that the drive's access times were also quite good.

Nero CD Speed v4.7.7.16 - 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 disk using some general use 16x DVD-R and 6x 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
 

	Plextor PX-LB950UE	Sony BWU-500S	Lite-On iHBS112	Plextor PX-B940SA
Transfer Speed Average: Start: End:	12.06x 6.69x 16.11x	12.05x 6.72x 16.11x	12.05x 6.73x 16.11x	11.94x 6.64x 16.00x
Access Times Random: 1/3: Full:	121ms 133ms 235ms	119ms 132ms 221ms	119ms 131ms 224ms	165ms 196ms 353ms
CPU Usage 1x: 2x: 4x: 8x:	6% 11% 18% 31%	6% 11% 17% 29%	6% 11% 17% 29%	14% 14% 25% 47%

Verbatim DVD-RW
 

	Plextor PX-LB950UE	Sony BWU-500S	Lite-On iHBS112	Plextor PX-B940SA
Transfer Speed Average: Start: End:	9.17x 5.07x 12.26x	9.17x 5.10x 12.26x	9.17x 5.08x 12.26x	9.36x 5.21x 12.50x
Access Times Random: 1/3: Full:	119ms 135ms 231ms	125ms 146ms 228ms	118ms 148ms 225ms	167ms 378ms 388ms
CPU Usage 1x: 2x: 4x: 8x:	6% 11% 18% 31%	6% 11% 18% 31%	5% 11% 16% 30%	14% 14% 25% n/a

The PX-LB950UE 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
 

	Plextor PX-LB950UE	Sony BWU-500S	Lite-On iHBS112	Plextor PX-B940SA
Transfer Speed Average: Start: End:	10.27x 4.67x 12.40x	10.27x 6.01x 12.05x	10.27x 5.98x 12.40x	4.77x 3.13x 5.00x
Access Times Random: 1/3: Full:	151ms 156ms 23ms	136ms 158ms 213ms	116ms 133ms 190ms	206ms 4ms 1ms
CPU Usage 1x: 2x: 4x: 8x:	6% 9% 15% 26%	4% 9% 15% 28%	4% 8% 13% 25%	23% 40% 71% n/a

The PX-LB950UE 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 4.97x and quickly accelerates, reaching 12x at the 2.7GB mark. 

Nero CD Speed v4.7.7.16 - 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 disk using some 16x DVD+R and 8x 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-LB950UE	Sony BWU-500S	Lite-On iHBS112	Plextor PX-B940SA
Transfer Speed Average: Start: End:	12.06x 6.69x 16.12x	12.06x 6.72x 16.12x	12.06x 6.71x 16.12x	11.95x 6.62x 16.02x
Access Times Random: 1/3: Full:	119ms 129ms 215ms	120ms 130ms 222ms	120ms 125ms 227ms	167ms 201ms 357ms
CPU Usage 1x: 2x: 4x: 8x:	8% 11% 17% 32%	8% 11% 17% 30%	7% 11% 16% 29%	14% 14% 25% 46%

Verbatim DVD+RW

	Plextor PX-LB950UE	Sony BWU-500S	Lite-On iHBS112	Plextor PX-B940SA
Transfer Speed Average: Start: End:	9.17x 5.11x 12.24x	9.19x 5.12x 12.28x	9.19x 5.11x 12.28x	9.38x 5.20x 12.55x
Access Times Random: 1/3: Full:	118ms 126ms 233ms	117ms 128ms 233ms	114ms 130ms 219ms	167ms 200ms 352ms
CPU Usage 1x: 2x: 4x: 8x:	6% 11% 18% 30%	6% 11% 17% 30%	5% 11% 16% 29%	15% 14% 25% n/a

Verbatim DVD+R DL 

The PX-LB950UE's performance was very similar to what we saw with DVD-R, DVD-RW and DVD-R DL media. The drive read DVD+R discs at 16x and both DVD+RW and DVD+R DL media at 12x.

Nero CD Speed v4.7.7.16 - 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-LB950UE	Sony BWU-500S	Lite-On iHBS112	Plextor PX-B940SA
Transfer Speed Average: Start: End:	11.99x 6.65x 16.04x	11.99x 6.66x 16.04x	11.99x 6.67x 16.03x	11.81x 6.57x 15.82x
Access Times Random: 1/3: Full:	114ms 132ms 211ms	119ms 132ms 222ms	115ms 134ms 212ms	157ms 192ms 341ms
CPU Usage 1x: 2x: 4x: 8x:	5% 10% 17% 30%	44% 41% 31% 37%	5% 10% 16% 28%	14% 13% 25% 46%

The PX-LB950UE didn't slow down very much when reading single layer DVD videos. It started out at about 6.65x and reached a maximum read speed of 16.04x. Plextor'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 Plextor's new drive worked as a DVD player, I watched a few scenes from Transformers: The Movie and Star Wars: The Phantom Menace using the bundled version of PowerDVD. The PX-LB950UE had no problems playing back either movie and was fairly quiet.