detail information

Drive Specifications

Multi Function: (X MULTI+LightScribe)

Max Write:  20X DVD+R/8X DVD+RW/6X DVD-RW/8X DVD+R (DL)

Max Write:  48X CD-R/32X CD-RW

Max Read:  16X DVD-ROM/48X CD-ROM/12X DVD-RAM

Max Write:  14X DVD-RAM

Over-Speed Burning

Burn 2.4X DVD+R (Double Layer) Disc at 8X Speed

FlextraLink™ Buffer Under-run Errors Prevention Technology

Built-in FlextraLink prevents users from buffer under-run problems and eliminates the creation of unusable discs.  Throughout the recording process, FlextraLink consistently monitors the data buffer status to ensure best recording quality under high-speed operation.

FlextraSpeed™

Built-in FlextraSpeed and AI Auto Speed Adjustment Tech. enhance accuracy and reliability when reading/writing/re-writing across a broad range of certified media in different formats.  FlextraSpeed continuously monitors the recording media and sets the optimal writing speeds to ensure best recording quality.  The ASUS proprietary FlextraSpeed occupies minimal system resources so the PC remains full operational and available for other applications even during recording process.

Auto Vibration Reducing System (AVRS)

The DDSSII technology is designed to minimize the vibration caused by the spindle motor and resonance between components as well as the drive and PC cases.  AVRS is designed to reduce vibration and noise induced by unbalanced mass of rotating machinery.  With AVRS, the ASUS DRW-2014L1T provides high readability and playability

• Compatible with Wide Range of Disc Formats
• Operates on Horizontal or Vertical Mounting
• ASUS Unique Live Firmware Update Tool
• Bundle Burning Software
• Windows XP/NT/2000/Vista Supported

LightScribe

The ASUS DRW-2014L1T as a LightScribe drive enables images to be burned onto LightScribe Discs, both CD and DVD.  Make a label whenever and wherever you want with your PC and burner.  It is Simple, Compatible and Flexible. 

What’s inside the box?

The drive we received was a retail package that comes with all you need for an easy and quick installation.  The retail package includes the following:

• Internal SATA Drive ASUS DRW-2014L1T
• Nero 7 Essentials CD Version V7.5.14.4
• Quick installation guide

Retail Package Contents

Moving right along, let’s take a closer look at the Package Details.

Box Front

Box Rear

Box Left and Right

Box Top and Bottom

Now let’s take a closer look at the drive itself:

Drive Front

Drive Rear

Drive Left

Drive Right

Drive Bottom

Drive Top

Drive Sticker

Drive Insides

Test machine

For this review we are testing the ASUS DRW-2014L1T mounted inside of our Intel based system with the following components:

• Motherboard: ASUSTek, P5K Deluxe
• Processor:  Intel Core 2 Duo E6600, 2.4GHz
• Memory:  4GB G-SKILL  DDR2-800
• Video: GeForce 8600 GTS
• Sound:  SoundMAX integrated Digital HD Audio, onboard
• Hard Disks: 250GB Seagate SATA-II, X2
• Optical Drives: Lite-On DVDRW LH-20A1H, Lite-On DH20A3P, LG GSA-H62L , ASUS BC-1205PT, Optiarc DVD RW AD 7170A,  BenQ DW1650, Lite-On CD-RW SOHR-5239V, and the ASUS DRW-2014L1T

System set-up:

The drive identifies itself as: ASUS DRW-2014L1T and is installed SATA, with firmware 1.00 with a 2MB buffer.

Software

Windows Vista Business 32bit installed on our test system; we will also be using the following software for this review:

• Nero Burning Rom 8 Ultra Enhanced
• Nero CD-DVD Speed
• Nero InfoTool
• Slysoft CloneCD
• K-Probe 2.5.2

Included Software with the Drive

The ASUS DVD Software CD will install the powerful ASUS Nero 7 Essentials; ASUS version number D071 V7.5.14.4.  This suite of software will allow you to create and copy digital audio, data, photo, and video programs on both CD’s and DVD’s.  The package includes:

• Nero StartSmart
• Nero Burning Rom 7SE and Nero Express 7
• Nero VisionExpress 4
• Nero InCD 5
• Nero ShowTime
• Nero PhotoSnap/PhotoSnap Viewer
• Nero MediaHome
• Nero Recode
• Nero BackItUp
• Nero MediaPlayer/Wave Editor
• Nero Cover Designer
• Nero Toolkit
• ASUS Update

Book type (bitsetting):

Automatic bitsetting is supported by the ASUS DRW-2014L1T.  DVD+R, DVD+RW and DVD+R DL will burn at DVD-ROM booktype; the Drive will remember these settings so once you have it set you won’t need to change it unless you want to make future changes.

To support our findings we burned an ISO to both a Single Layer and a Double Layer DVD+R media with Nero Burning Rom and then checked it with Nero DiscSpeed; here are the results:

Details from the SL burn with Nero Burning Rom

Details from the DL burn with Nero Burning Rom

Once we finished burning our Image to both the SL and DL media we checked the “Book Type” from within Nero DiscSpeed:

Single Layer

DL Layer

Writing technique     

Now it’s time to take a closer look at the write technology used by the ASUS DRW-2014L1T:

For these tests we used CD-Speed and wrote a full disc at the drives maximum speed.

CD Recordable:

According to the specifications of the ASUS DRW-2014L1T, it should be able to write CD-R media at a maximum speed of 48X on supported media.

The ASUS DRW-2014L1T used CAV, (Constant Angular Velocity), to write at its maximum speed of 48X.  This gives an average speed of 35.67X with a total write time of 2 minutes and 52 seconds.

For comparison we have made the following table: 

CD-Rewritable

The ASUS DRW-2014L1T uses Z-CLV (Zone-Constant Linear Velocity) to write CD-RW media at its maximum speed of 32x, with an average write speed of 23.95x and writing time of 3 minutes 51 seconds.

For comparison we have made the following table: 

20x DVD+R/-R writing speed

According to the specification of the ASUS DRW-2014L1T, it is able to write supported DVD+R/-R media at a maximum speed of 20X.

The ASUS engineers have advised us that current media that is certified at 16X may be written at 20X, however in some cases should the drive sense a potential problem it will on its own reduce the speed to affect the best possible write. 

Below you will see the initial write curve is on a 20X path and you can see where the drive slowed itself to an ending speed of 15.99X on the DVD+R and to 16.06X on the DVD-R test discs.

20x DVD+R

The ASUS DRW-2014L1T uses P-CAV (Partial Constant Angular Velocity) to write DVD+R at the maximum supported speed of 20x according to CDSpeed, however it should be writing in CAV (Constant Angular Velocity). This results in an average write speed of 13.65x and a writing time of just 5 minutes and 15 seconds.

20x DVD-R

The ASUS DRW-2014L1T uses CAV (Constant Angular Velocity) to write DVD-R at the maximum supported speed of 20x according to CDSpeed.  This results in an average write speed of 14.36x and a writing time of just 4 minutes and 55 seconds.

Here we have prepared a table to show how the ASUS DRW-2014L1T compares with other 18X and 20X burners:

As you can see the ASUS DRW-2014L1T performs on average looking at write times when compared with our other tested burners.

Let’s take a look at how it handles burning at 16X.

16x DVD+R and DVD-R   

DVD+R

DVD-R

The ASUS DRW-2014L1T uses CAV (Constant Angular Velocity) strategy to write to both our Verbatim and Sony 16X test media (DVD+R and DVD-R) and is able to burn them at 16X.  The +R was writen in 6 minutes and 01 seconds while the –R media was completed in 6 minutes and 13 seconds.

8x DVD+RW

The ASUS DRW-2014L1T uses Z-CLV (Zone-Constant Linear Velocity) to write DVD+RW at 8x. The average speed is 7.48x and total writing time is 7 minutes and 45 seconds.

For comparison we have made the following table: 

6x DVD-RW

The ASUS DRW-2014L1T uses CLV (Constant Linear Velocity) to write DVD-RW at 6x. The average speed is 5.94x and total writing time is 10 minutes and 33 seconds.

For comparison we have made the following table: 

As you can see the ASUS DRW-2014L1T was the slowest when compared with the other drives we have tested.

Let’s take a look at DVD+R/-R writing techniques……

8x DVD+R DL  

According to the specifications of the ASUS DRW-2014L1T, it should be able to write DVD+R DL at a maximum speed of 8X.  Here are our results.

The ASUS DRW-2014L1T uses Z-CLV, (Zoned Constant Linear Velocity), to write at its maximum speed of 8X. This gives an average speed of 6.55X and a total writing time of 19 minutes and 01 seconds.

8x DVD-R DL

According to the specifications of the ASUS DRW-2014L1T, it should be able to write DVD-R DL at a maximum speed of 8X.  At this time your review team is not able to obtain any high speed DVD-R DL media to test for this review.  We will show you a 4X burn using RiDATA DVD-R DL media.

The ASUS DRW-2014L1T uses Z-CLV, (Zoned Constant Linear Velocity), to write at 4X with this media with an average speed of 3.88X and a total write time of 28 minutes and 14 seconds.

DVD-RAM

The specifications for the ASUS DRW-2014L1T state that the drive is capable of writing DVD-RAM at 14X.  Let’s take a look at the write strategy for this media.

14X DVD-RAM Writing

The ASUS DRW-2014L1T uses CAV (Constant Angular Velocity), to write at is maximum speed of 12X.  This gives an average speed of 10.31X and a total writing time of 6 minutes and 00 seconds.

Summary

The ASUS DRW-2014L1T performed well with our writing tests.  We regret that we do not have some of the high speed rated media to test with at this time; when the media is available to us we will post scans of further burning tests in the appropriate threat here at CDFreaks.  We would also like to see this drive be able to burn more media at its 20X rated speed.

Let’s move on ahead and check out the reading performance on the next page…..

Introduction

Reading Performances