MSI DR16-B 16X DVD+/- R/RW Dual Layer Drive
CD/DVD Write Performance
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Nero CD-DVD Speed - CD Write Test:
Next, we're going focus on write testing. To start, we inserted a blank CD-R and used Nero CD/DVD Speed to measure performance.
MSI DR16-B;) |
ASUS DRW-1604P;) |
The MSI DR16-B continued its use of CAV, whereas the ASUS DRW-1604P uses Z-CLV (Zoned Constant Linear Velocity) where the drive steps up the speed in stages as it progresses through the test. The DR16-B completed the test in exactly 3:30 minutes, averaging 30.23X and exceeding its peak speed at 40.33X. With the ASUS drive, Z-CLV allows the drive to reach its peak speed faster, hitting 32X roughly 2/3 into the test. On average the drive ran at 24.92X, starting at 16X and topping out at its rated 32X. This allowed the drive to complete the process in 3:46 minutes.
Nero CD-DVD Speed - DVD-R Write Test:
With our next test we repeated the process with DVD-R media in both drives.
MSI DR16-B;) |
ASUS DRW-1604P;) |
When it comes to DVD+/-R performance, there are a number of variables to consider. The first is that each drive will perform differently with various media. Secondly, while each has a list of approved media, 8X and 16X media is still costly and hard to find. So, as you will see here, the results can vary greatly when the same media is used on different hardware.
In this case, the 8X Imation media we managed to locate for testing was on neither drive's approved media list, with each drive topping out at 12X. The MSI DR16-B managed to reach a slightly higher average speed 10.85X compared to the ASUS' 10.01X, allowing the MSI drive to complete the test 30 seconds faster at 6:16 minutes.
