CD writing performance

In the tests below, we will explore CD writing capabilities and performance of BenQ DW1800. We will use Nero CD-DVD Speed to write various types of CDs.

Summary

The following table lists all writing speeds and strategies used by BenQ DW1800 when writing CD media:

Some of these strategies are presented below and compared to strategies used by similar 18x drives.

48x CD-R

BenQ DW1800 uses a 22x-49x CAV (Constant Angular Velocity) strategy to write CD-R media at 48x.

Average speed is 37.37x and full-disc burn time is 2 minutes and 40 seconds:

48x CD-R writing

32x CD-RW

BenQ DW1800 uses a 16x-24x-32x Z-CLV (Zone-Constant Linear Velocity) strategy to write CD-RW media at 32x.

Average speed is 24.49x and full-disc burn time is 3 minutes and 32 seconds:

32x CD-RW writing

12x CD-RW

BenQ DW1800 uses a 10x CLV (Constant Linear Velocity) strategy to write 12x CD-RW media.

Average speed is 10.02x and full-disc burn time is 8 minutes and 27 seconds.

10x CD-RW writing

DVD writing performance

In the tests below, we will explore DVD writing capabilities and performance of BenQ DW1800. We will use Nero CD-DVD Speed to write various types of DVDs.

Summary

The following table lists all writing speeds and strategies used by BenQ DW1800 when writing DVD media:

Some of these strategies are presented below and compared to strategies used by similar 18x drives.

18x DVD+R

BenQ DW1800 uses an 8x-18x CAV (Constant Angular Velocity) strategy to write DVD+R media at 18x.

Average speed is 13.59x and full-disc burn time is 5 minutes and 20 seconds:

18x DVD+R writing

16x DVD+R

BenQ DW1800 uses a 7x-16x CAV (Constant Angular Velocity) strategy to write DVD+R media at 16x.

Average speed is 12.08x and full-disc burn time is 5 minutes and 51 seconds:

16x DVD+R writing

12x DVD+R

BenQ DW1800 uses an unusual 5x-12x P-CAV (Partial Constant Angular Velocity) strategy to write DVD+R media at 12x. Instead of beginning the burn at about 6.7x, the drive starts at about 5.4x and proceeds through most of the burn at a slower than normal rotational speed. As a result, the rate curve looks closer to a pure 5x-12x CAV than more common, faster 5x-12x P-CAV curves of other drives.

Average speed is 9.51x and full-disc burn time is a somewhat slow 7 minutes and 13 seconds:

12x DVD+R writing

8x DVD+R

BenQ DW1800 uses a slightly slower than normal 5x-8x P-CAV (Partial Constant Angular Velocity) strategy to write DVD+R media at 8x.

Average speed is 7.80x and full-disc burn time is a little on the slow side, at 8 minutes and 25 seconds:

8x DVD+R writing

8x DVD+RW

BenQ DW1800 uses a 6x-8x Z-CLV (Zone-Constant Linear Velocity) strategy to write DVD+RW media at 8x. Because the 6x zone extends as far as 1.6 GB, burn time is longer than with most drives that use a 6x-8x Z-CLV strategy.

Average speed is 7.19x and full-disc burn time is 8 minutes and 41 seconds:

8x DVD+RW writing

8x DVD+R DL

BenQ DW1800 uses a 4x-6x-8x Z-CLV (Zone-Constant Linear Velocity) strategy to write DVD+R DL media at 8x.

Average speed is 6.76x and full-disc burn time is 18 minutes and 6 seconds:

8x DVD+R DL writing

18x DVD-R

BenQ DW1800 uses an 8x-18x CAV (Constant Angular Velocity) strategy to write DVD-R media at 18x.

Average speed is 13.61x and full-disc burn time is 5 minutes and 28 seconds:

18x DVD-R writing

BenQ DW1800 is not the fastest 18x DVD burner, falling behind speed leaders by 20 or more seconds. Additional time is mostly spent in preparation for burning that sometimes takes as long as a minute before the burn begins.

16x DVD-R

BenQ DW1800 uses a 7x-16x CAV (Constant Angular Velocity) strategy to write DVD-R media at 16x.

Average speed is 12.09x and full-disc burn time is 5 minutes and 57 seconds:

16x DVD-R writing

12x DVD-R

BenQ DW1800 uses a 5x-12x P-CAV (Partial Constant Angular Velocity) strategy to write DVD-R media at 12x. It is nearly identical to the 12x DVD+R strategy described above.

Average speed is 9.53x and full-disc burn time is 7 minutes and 19 seconds:

12x DVD-R writing

8x DVD-R

BenQ DW1800 uses a 5x-8x P-CAV (Partial Constant Angular Velocity) strategy to write DVD-R media at 8x.

Average speed is 7.81x and full-disc burn time is 8 minutes and 32 seconds:

8x DVD-R writing

6x DVD-RW

BenQ DW1800 uses a 4x-6x Z-CLV (Zone-Constant Linear Velocity) strategy to write DVD-RW media at 6x.

Average speed is 5.71x and full-disc burn time is 11 minutes and 11 seconds:

6x DVD-RW writing

8x DVD-R DL

BenQ DW1800 uses a 4x-6x-8x Z-CLV (Zone-Constant Linear Velocity) strategy to write DVD-R DL media at 8x.

Average speed is 6.76x and full-disc burn time is 18 minutes and 46 seconds:

8x DVD-R DL writing

12x DVD-RAM

BenQ DW1800 uses a 6x-12x, 34-zone Z-CLV (Zone-Constant Linear Velocity) strategy to write DVD-RAM media at 12x, without verification.

Average speed is 10.05x and full-disc burn time is only 5 minutes and 45 seconds:

12x DVD-RAM writing without verification

With verification, average speed is 3.78x and full-disc burn time is a much longer 15 minutes and 1 second:

12x DVD-RAM writing with verification

5x DVD-RAM

BenQ DW1800 uses a 5x CLV (Constant Linear Velocity) strategy to write DVD-RAM media at 5x.

Average speed is 4.93x and full-disc burn time is 11 minutes and 16 seconds:

5x DVD-RAM writing

Book type (bitsetting)

BenQ DW1800 supports bitsetting, and is capable of writing all types of +R media, DVD+R, DVD+RW and DVD+R DL, with the DVD-ROM book type.

The drive comes preconfigured with all +R media set to be written with the DVD-ROM book type.

For more information about book types and bitsetting, see Increased compatibility: DVD bitsetting.

Software: QSuite

CD and DVD reading performance