LG BH16NS40 16x Blu-ray Disc ReWriter

Nero CD Speed v4.7.7.16 - DVD-ROM:

For this test I used a single layer, single sided data DVD-ROM disc that is 4.37GB in size.

 

	LG BH16NS40	LG BH14NS40	LG BH12LS38	Plextor PX-LB950UE
Transfer Speed Average: Start: End:	12.20x 6.70x 16.32x	12.20x 6.71x 16.32x	12.31x 6.83x 16.48x	12.12x 6.70x 16.20x
Access Times Random: 1/3: Full:	119ms 134ms 203ms	118ms 132ms 198ms	112ms 126ms 204ms	113ms 128ms 195ms
CPU Usage 1x: 2x: 4x: 8x:	7% 30% 12% 20%	20% 12% 12% 19%	4% 6% 12% n/a	5% 10% 17% 30%

The BH16NS40 was fairly quick when reading single layer DVD-ROM's. In our tests it started reading at 6.70x and reached a maximum transfer speed of 16.32x. Looking at the other scores, you can see that the drive's access times were also quite good.

Nero CD Speed v4.7.7.16 - DVD-R and DVD-RW:

First, we'll look at the drive's DVD-R and DVD-RW reading performance. For this I made copies of our DVD-ROM test disk using some general use 16x DVD-R and 6x DVD-RW media from Verbatim and then ran our usual DVD read tests with CD Speed. For the DVD-RAM tests, media from Maxell was used. The results are below.

Verbatim DVD-R
 

	LG BH16NS40	LG BH14NS40	LG BH12LS38	Plextor PX-LB950UE
Transfer Speed Average: Start: End:	12.06x 6.66x 16.14x	12.06x 6.63x 16.13x	12.33x 6.84x 16.48x	12.06x 6.69x 16.11x
Access Times Random: 1/3: Full:	132ms 145ms 227ms	131ms 144ms 227ms	117ms 129ms 193ms	121ms 133ms 235ms
CPU Usage 1x: 2x: 4x: 8x:	7% 28% 11% 20%	19% 7% 11% 20%	4% 7% 12% 60%	6% 11% 18% 31%

Verbatim DVD-RW
 

	LG BH14NS40	LG BH12LS38	Plextor PX-LB950UE	LG BH16NS40
Transfer Speed Average: Start: End:	9.12x 5.02x 12.20x	9.12x 5.01x 12.20x	9.17x 5.07x 12.26x	9.17x 5.10x 12.26x
Access Times Random: 1/3: Full:	132ms 158ms 232ms	132ms 156ms 227ms	119ms 135ms 231ms	125ms 146ms 228ms
CPU Usage 1x: 2x: 4x: 8x:	8% 18% 11% 19%	7% 7% 11% 19%	6% 11% 18% 31%	6% 11% 18% 31%

Verbatim DVD-R DL

	LG BH16NS40	LG BH14NS40	LG BH12LS38	Plextor PX-LB950UE
Transfer Speed Average: Start: End:	9.14x 5.07x 12.18x	9.14x 5.07x 12.18x	9.29x 5.18x 12.39x	9.07x 5.06x 12.09x
Access Times Random: 1/3: Full:	148ms 183ms 249ms	142ms 178ms 239ms	130ms 144ms 226ms	124ms 142ms 241ms
CPU Usage 1x: 2x: 4x:	5% 8% 51%	12% 5% 9%	3% 13% 61%	5% 9% 15%

The BH16NS40 had no problems reading DVD-R, DVD-RW and DVD-R DL media. In our tests, the drive read DVD-R discs at 16x, and both DVD-RW and DVD-R DL media at a respectable 12x.

Maxell 5x DVD-RAM
 

	LG BH16NS40	LG BH14NS40	LG BH12LS38	Plextor PX-LB950UE
Transfer Speed Average: Start: End:	5.00x 4.94x 5.00x	4.99x 4.94x 5.00x	10.04x 6.13x 12.32x	10.27x 4.67x 12.40x
Access Times Random: 1/3: Full:	144ms 175ms 235ms	141ms 172ms 239ms	159ms 163ms 215ms	151ms 156ms 23ms
CPU Usage 1x: 2x: 4x: 8x:	3% 6% 9% n/a	3% 6% 9% n/a	5% 8% 13% n/a	6% 9% 15% 26%

While the LG BH12LS38 and Plextor PX-LB950UE can read DVD-RAM discs at 12x, the BH16NS40 has a maximum read speed of only 5x. By looking at the screenshot you can see that it reads at this speed from start to finish.

Nero CD Speed v4.7.7.16 - DVD+R and DVD+RW:

Next we'll look at the drive's DVD+R and DVD+RW reading performance. For this I made a copy of our DVD-ROM test disk using some 16x DVD+R and 8x DVD+RW media from Verbatim. I then ran our usual DVD read tests with CD Speed. The results are below.

Verbatim DVD+R
 

	LG BH16NS40	LG BH14NS40	LG BH12LS38	Plextor PX-LB950UE
Transfer Speed Average: Start: End:	12.06x 6.64x 16.15x	12.07x 6.64x 16.15x	12.34x 6.83x 16.49x	12.06x 6.69x 16.12x
Access Times Random: 1/3: Full:	133ms 145ms 234ms	132ms 141ms 231ms	117ms 125ms 193ms	119ms 129ms 215ms
CPU Usage 1x: 2x: 4x: 8x:	7% 28% 11% 20%	19% 7% 11% 20%	4% 6% 12% 61%	8% 11% 17% 32%

Verbatim DVD+RW

	LG BH16NS40	LG BH14NS40	LG BH12LS38	Plextor PX-LB950UE
Transfer Speed Average: Start: End:	9.14x 5.04x 12.21x	9.14x 5.04x 12.21x	9.30x 5.17x 12.43x	9.17x 5.11x 12.24x
Access Times Random: 1/3: Full:	134ms 159ms 228ms	135ms 159ms 230ms	111ms 130ms 208ms	118ms 126ms 233ms
CPU Usage 1x: 2x: 4x: 8x:	8% 18% 11% 19%	7% 7% 11% 19%	4% 7% 12% 59%	6% 11% 18% 30%

Verbatim DVD+R DL

The BH16NS40's performance was very similar to what we saw with DVD-R, DVD-RW and DVD-R DL media. The drive read DVD+R discs at 16x and both DVD+RW and DVD+R DL media at 12x.

Nero CD Speed v4.7.7.16 - DVD-Video:

For these tests I am using the US version of Transformers: The Movie on DVD. The disc is over 4GB and single sided.

 

	LG BH16NS40	LG BH14NS40	LG BH12LS38	Plextor PX-LB950UE
Transfer Speed Average: Start: End:	9.06x 4.98x 12.12x	9.06x 4.98x 12.12x	9.13x 5.06x 12.21x	11.99x 6.65x 16.04x
Access Times Random: 1/3: Full:	114ms 130ms 208ms	113ms 125ms 204ms	125ms 140ms 212ms	114ms 132ms 211ms
CPU Usage 1x: 2x: 4x: 8x:	5% 17% 11% 18%	6% 6% 11% 18%	4% 6% 12% n/a	5% 10% 17% 30%

The BH16NS40 didn't do as well as the drive from Plextor when reading DVD videos. In our tests, it reached a maximum speed of 12x when reading single layer discs. 

To see how well LG's new drive worked as a DVD player, I watched a few scenes from Transformers: The Movie and Star Wars: The Phantom Menace using the bundled version of PowerDVD. The BH16NS40 had no problems playing back either movie and was fairly quiet.