BenQ DW800A DVD+RW - Page 5

DVD reading tests

- Single Layer DVD-ROM (Click for CDSpeed results)

For DVD reading, the BenQ DW800A supports 12x CAV speed. In our test, the drive managed to reach this speed and actually surpass it. The drive started the reading process at 5.12x and finished at 12.52x giving an average speed of 9.36x. This performance was the best among the three drives. LiteOn had almost the same time with BenQ.

In the same test the seek times for the BenQ were acceptable in comparison with Optorite and LiteOn. The winner in this test is LiteOn with Optorite following.

- Dual Layer PTP DVD-ROM (Click for CDSpeed results)

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

Dual layer DVD allowed the BenQ drive to reach the maximum speed of 7.61x which was the lowest in our comparison. Optorite proved fastest.

As we can see from the graph above, BenQ had a better full seek time but was slowest at 1/3, while random seek times were almost the same as the Optorite. LiteOn was the fastest in random and 1/3 measurements. Optorite had increased times in random and full seek measurements.

- Dual Layer 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 on the disc. The beginning of the second layer is located in the outer tracks of the disc, so the drive starts reading from the outer tracks towards the inner tracks on the disc.

According to Nero CDSpeed, the BenQ DW800A gave an average speed of 5.66x. As can be seen, the test started at the speed of 3.15x and finished at 7.53x.

- DVD Ripping Tests

We measured the DVD-Video ripping speed of the BenQ DW800A using the latest version of the DVD Decrypter software. The DVD Video title was the "Matrix" pressed DVD (dual layer, 4.38GB movie files only).

BenQ DW800A performed very well in this test. The fastest ripping was by LiteOn while BenQ was second (at 5.8x) and Optorite the slowest.

- DVD Recordable / Rewritable reading Tests

The table below illustrates the Nero CDSpeed results with the following media:

• 8x DVD+R
• 4x DVD+RW
• 4x DVD-R
• 2x DVD-RW

According to the table above, Optorite managed to be fastest with all the media we tested. BenQ also showed very good performance with negligible difference from Optorite. On the other hand, LiteOn was much slower when compared with the other two drives.