For our CD transfer rate tests, we used the Nero CD-Speed utility and a set of data and audio CD-R/RW/ROM. The drive can read CD media at a maximum speed of 48X.

For each CDSpeed graph, you can click on the image to see the complete screenshot, including full measurements.

-CD-ROM

- US RW

The following CD Speed graph shows the reading performance with US-RW media. Reading reached a maximum of 40x.

- AudioCD

In the CD Speed Advanced DAE quality test, the drive's average speed was 28,68X with a quality score of 100

- 90/99 mins Audio disc

90min Audio

99min Audio

The ASUS drive achieved to completely read the 99min Audio disc, having some pretty annoying speed ups and downs right before the end of the reading session though. Of course, playback of the last tracks of this audio CD was impossible.

DVD Format

Now let's take a look at how the drive performs with DVD media. This time, a set of SL and DL DVD media was used. The drive is capable of reading at 16X maximum speed for single layer DVD ROM and at 8X for dual layer DVD ROM media.

DVD-ROM SL media -

PTP DVD-ROM -

The two layers of a PTP DVD-ROM disc are read sequentially with the drive starting reading from the inner part of the disc, which is the beginning of each layer, progressing towards its outer range.

The drive hasproblems to read the last 0.5GB of each layer, although CDSpeed did not give a read error.

OTP DVD-ROM -

The first layer of an OTP dual layer DVD-ROM is read exactly the same way as the first layer of the PTP disc we tested previously. The difference here is the reading strategy of the second layer of the disc. The beginning of the second layer is located in the outer part of the disc, so the drive starts reading from the outer tracks and progresses towards the inner part of the disc.

- DVD-R

- DVD-RW

- DVD+R

- DVD+RW

- DVD+R DL

-DVD-R DL

-DVD RAM (5x media)

- DVD Video Ripping

Ripping of a single layer DVD movie:

- Summary of reading tests

What we have here, are some extraordinarily smooth (a.k.a good) reading sessions -besides the PTP reading strategy of DL media maybe. The only drawback is the fact that the average reading speed comparisons with drives of the same capabilities ended up with the ASUS drive giving back some of the worst scores. . Let's move on Error Correction and burning quality tests to get to know more.