Read Tests

Like manufacturer-specified write speeds, specified read speeds are not always the best measure of a drive's performance. We have chosen select media to test the following drive read benchmarks.

CD Seek Time
For our CD seek time test, we used a CD-ROM filled with 700MB of data.

The DRU-720A had seek times much higher than the 710A and even the 540A, which had the lowest seek times. We found the trend to be a bit odd, since we're used to drives improving as newer models are released.

Take a look at how the DRU-720A performs with DVD media.

DVD Seek Time
For our DVD seek time test, we used a 4.5GB DVD-ROM with the maximum 4.35GB of data.

Though not as quick as the DRU-710A, the 720A had a random seek time of 105ms, only 2ms faster than the DRU-540A.

4.5GB DVD Read Speed
For our 4.5 DVD read speed test, we used a home made 4.5GB DVD-Video disc.


9GB DVD Read Speed
For our 9GB DVD read speed test, we used a pressed dual layer DVD-Video disc, specifically "The Matrix".


With the 4.5GB home-made DVD-Video, the DRU-720A had read the disk the fastest at 6.17x. It's not as quick as some of the other 16x drives out there, like NEC's ND-3500A or Pioneer's DVR-108D, but it is an improvement over the older Sony drives.

As for the read test with "The Matrix", the DRU-720A doesn't perform as well as its predecessors. The DRU-540A reads the disk faster than the 720A and 710A at 6.91x, while the 720A comes in at 4.3x.

Write Time/Quality Test - DVD+R DL 2.4x Media Final Thoughts
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  • semo - Sunday, March 6, 2005 - link

    in a sense yes, but ls drives are actually available right now... the meadia is lagging behind as usual
  • stephenbrooks - Sunday, March 6, 2005 - link

    You mean "paper launched"?
  • semo - Sunday, March 6, 2005 - link

    #4
    ati x800xt pe were barely available and it took them longer to arive at your doorstep than to play all the games it was intended for

    lightscribe is a new technology and as such suffers from the same problems any other "just launched" product suffers from
  • MadAd - Sunday, March 6, 2005 - link

    still 4x DL huh? For me theres not much point upgrading till the DL/R9 standard is x8 at least.
  • V00D00 - Sunday, March 6, 2005 - link

    Lightscribe is a joke. The disks are barely available, and it takes longer to make the label than it does to burn the disk.

    Anyway.. the real reason I'm commenting is because I think that little pin isn't to aid the switch of the front bezel, it's the emergency eject pin.
  • semo - Sunday, March 6, 2005 - link

    no lightscribe no sale!
  • Mday - Sunday, March 6, 2005 - link

    i wonder if liteon is still making the sony drives.
  • falcc - Sunday, March 6, 2005 - link

    I'll stick with my DVR-109.

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