Real-world results - CD
CD write-speed results
As with DVD writing, the speeds that the Samsung actually achieved in our real-world tests of CD writing were considerably slower than claimed.
Interestingly, though, CD-RW rewritables fared better, relatively speaking, than CD-R write-once discs in each series of tests, possibly because the claimed write speeds for CD-RW are rather more modest (or should that be "realistic"?) than for CD-R.
Another factor, though, is the different write strategies employed. High-speed CD-RW media is written to in the Samsung using Z-CLV and so the burn speed is similar at different points of the disc's surface.
In contrast, CD-R is written to using P-CAV (partial constant angular velocity) - a strategy that maintains the disc's speed of rotation for an inner area of the disc and slows it for an outer zone.
CD write-speed tests (click for larger image)
CD read-speed results
Reading of all types of CD is said to be at a speed of 40x but, because the Samsung uses a CAV strategy, the real-world results are considerably different from what's claimed.
As you can see, from the table below, the Samsung reads CD-ROM discs more slowly than CD-R or CD-RW and our first thoughts were that this was because the test we carried out for CD-ROM involved copying a large number of files and folders.
However, that theory - which would seem pretty logical - isn't supported by the rest of our results. The best CD copying speed we saw was from a CD-R disc which itself had a large number of files and folders.
So, about the only useful conclusion we feel able to draw is that there is little point in anyone using the maker's claimed CD read speed as a major factor in making a buying decision.
CD read-speed tests (click for larger image)
Overall, then, you might think our results show that the Samsung's writing and reading speeds are disappointing but, having seen the difference over the years between claimed and actual speeds, we don't look at it quite that way.
The fact you simply have to accept is that claimed speeds and real-world speeds are always going to be very different as long as the writing and reading strategies used do not maintain the claimed top speeds across the entire surface of the disc.
So it would be better to watch out for makers saying that their hardware can do this, rather than look at the headline figures that they claim.
The following two pages detail our methods and are there to enable others to see exactly how our testing was carried out and to duplicate the tests - if they wish - on their own burners.
If anyone wants access to the spreadsheet we used to calculate our results, then just say so in the forum thread about this review and we'll make it available for download.
Folk who want to know all about our methods can dive over to page seven, others may prefer to move directly to page nine where we look at the practical side of what the Samsung and its supplied Nero software can deliver...