detail information

Positive:

• Excellent write quality on DVD±R media and most DVD±RW media

• Very good write quality on most CD-R media

• Supports DVD+R/-R DL at 8x/8x writing speed

• Supports DVD-RAM read/write at 5x

• Supports read/write Mini DVD-R/+RW discs

• Reads pressed DL media at 12x and SL media at 16x

• Can write DVD±R DL media at higher than its certified speed

• Supports auto Bitsetting for DVD+R DL (BookType DVD-ROM)

• A 'Two Sheep" writer

Negative:

• Reads CD-R/CD-DA at only 40x and CD-RW at 32x

• Reads DVD±R media at 12x, DVD±R DL/RW media at 8x

• Write quality on CD-RW and some DVD+RW needs improving

• Media compatibility on 16x rated DVD±R needs improving

• Does not support bitsetting on DVD+R and DVD+RW

• Does not support overburning 4600MB DVD+R media

• Support only 94:28:00 minutes overburning on 99 minutes CD-R media

Conclusion:

Let us summarize the most important positive and negative points below:

The main positive points: The ASUS DRW-1608P3S is able to produce high quality burns on all DVD+R and DVD-R media we tested. Error levels are low and all read back curves (Transfer Rate test) are smooth. It also burns many CD-R media very well with low error levels.

The ASUS DRW-1608P3S also shows its capability to burn the popular Verbatim DVD+R DL 2.4x certified speed at 8x with very good result. Our smooth read back tests also prove that it produced high quality burns.

Following our extensive tests we found that this drive is a very good Multi DVD burner. The ASUS DRW-1608P3S is called 'Multi DVD Burner" since it supports recording on all available media formats including CD-R/RW, DVD±R/±RW, DVD±R Double/Dual Layer, and DVD-RAM.  It is able to read and write DVD-RAM using a fast 5x CLV method.

In our DAE quality test it shows that the extracting quality is excellent. The Advanced Tests specify that the ASUS drive can be categorized as a 'Two Sheep" writer, which implies that it should be sufficient for backing up copy protected discs.

Finally, one last positive remark is that the ASUS DRW-1608P3S supports faster type of DMA transfer mode of 'Ultra DMA Mode 4" making it a good choice to be put in an external case if needed.

The main negative points: There are some issues that we would like to mention and see them improved. The ASUS DRW-1608P3S reads and writes CD-R media at maximum 40x speed. It also reads CD-Audio at 40x speed and CD-RW at 32x, which is slower than other competitors that can read them at 48x speed.

In our test, the ASUS DRW-1608P3S is locked at 12x when reading DVD±R media and 8x reading DVD+RW and DVD±R DL media. Nevertheless, these will means that the drive will be much quieter compared to high speed readers. 

In our disc quality tests, the ASUS DRW-1608P3S needs some improvements when burning CD-RW as well as DVD+RW media. In our CD-RW tests we can see that the drive produces high error levels with the presence of C2 errors which are unwanted.

The drive also it does not support reading from Lead-in and Lead-out which will make it difficult to create perfect copies of CD-Audio.

Finally, DVD±R media compatibility is relatively very good with exceptions that on some 16x rated media the drive only supports at 12x such as CMCMAGM01, PHILIPSC16, RICOHJPNR03 for DVD+R and CMCMAGAM3, RITEKF1 for DVD-R media.

Final Thoughts: To sum it all up, this is what we would say: 'The ASUS DRW-1608P3S is a well built Multi DVD Burner with an excellent overall performance on various CD and DVD media."

By using our CD Freaks price grabber feature we found the retail ASUS DRW-1608P3S is listed at US$45 (June 2006).

You may discuss/comment this review below or in this forum thread.

Thanks to:

For providing the Verbatim media used in this review. Verbatim provides high quality media all over the world and strives to be the standard for DVD hardware reviewing.

 For providing the Memorex media used in this review. Memorex is one of the largest providers of all types of media for larger parts of the world.

 For providing the Maxell media used in this review. Maxell is one of the world's leading producers of optical and magnetic memory media.

Advanced Media/Ritek-USA for providing some of the RiDATA media used in this review. RiDATA is an official Ritek brand and thus you are guaranteed to get quality Ritek manufactured discs when buying RiData media.

 For providing the Optodisc media used in this review. Optodisc Technology Corporation excels at the manufacturing and selling of High-Density Optical Storage Media DVDs.