Introduction

Our last look at a product from Plextor was at the PX-712A 12x model, which performed extremely well in our media tests. The PX-712A had an 8MB buffer and was the first to market the 12x speeds. Plextor brought the PX-712A fast and hard, but the only thing that kept many from investing in one was just that - it was quite an investment to make. At the time that our review of the drive was published, the PX-712A retailed for around $175-$200, which made it the most expensive drive, and probably 3 times the price of other drives on the market.

The performance, large buffer, and high price carried over to the PX-716A models, but Plextor has also introduced the PX-740A, which is part of the latest generation of DVD writers. The PX-740A carries a price much lower than the PX-716A while picking up a few new features like speed increases for writing to DVD-RW, CD-RW, DVD+R DL, as well as the addition of writing to DVD-R DL media.

The PX-740A is priced much less than the PX-716A series, but can the PX-740A match the performance of its last generation counterpart? Since our Summer 16x roundup a few weeks back, we have taken some of our readers' requests of adding more media to our tests and also to bring back the detailed specifications of the products that we review. Let's take a look at what the PX-740A has to offer.

Special thanks to Marken Communications for supplying us with Verbatim brand test media.
Special thanks to Antarra Communications for supplying us with Ridata brand test media.

About the PX-740A

Take a look at what Nero’s InfoTool shows about the PX-740A…

And here’s a snapshot of DVD Info Pro’s take on the PX-740A…

Click to enlarge.

Chipset Information

Plextor has changed chipsets for the PX-740A model from the Sanyo to Philips’ Nexperia PNX7860E chipset, which BenQ also used in their DW1640, which we included in our summer roundup.

Click to enlarge.

So, it seems like the PX-740A is just a re-badged DW1640. We can’t really say that “Plextor has stooped low”, since BenQ has made some pretty decent performing units in the past including the DW1640. With that said, the PX-740A obviously does not include any of the features that the PX-716A had, such as the GigaRec feature, which lets you burn larger amounts of media onto a standard CD.

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Take a look at what we should expect from the PX-740A…

Plextor PX-740A Feature List
DVD Write Performance	DVD+R	16x: 22.16MB/s (CAV), 12x: 16.62MB/s (PCAV), 8x: 11.08MB/s, 4x: 5.54MB/s (ZCAV), 2.4x: 3.324MB/s
	DVD+RW	8x: 11.08MB/s (ZCAV), 4x: 5.54MB/s (ZCAV), 2.4x: 3.324MB/s
	DVD+R DL	8x: 11.08MB/s (PCAV), 4x: 5.54MB/s (ZCAV), 2.4x: 3.324MB/s
	DVD-R	16x: 22.16MB/s (CAV), 12x: 16.62MB/s (PCAV), 8x: 11.08MB/s, 4x: 5.54MB/s (ZCAV), 2.4x: 3.324MB/s
	DVD-RW	6x: 8.31MB/s (ZCAV), 4x: 5.54MB/s (ZCAV), 2.4x: 3.324MB/s
	DVD-R DL	4x: 5.54MB/s (ZCAV), 2.4x: 3.324MB/s
CD Write Performance	CD-R	48x: 7.2MB/s (CAV), 40x: 6.0MB/s (CAV), 32x: 4.8MB/s (PCAV), 24x: 3.6MB/s (PCAV), 16x: 2.4MB/s (ZCAV), 12x: 1.8MB/s (ZCAV)
	CD-RW	32x: 4.8MB/s (PCAV), 24x: 3.6MB/s (PCAV), 16x: 2.4MB/s, 10x: 1.5MB/s, 4x: 600KB/s (ZCAV)
Media Read Performance	DVD-ROM	16x CAV, 12x CAV, 8x CAV, 6x CAV, 4x CAV
	CD-ROM	48x CAV, 40x CAV, 32x CAV, 24x CAV, 16x CAV, 10x CAV
Supported DVD Modes and Formats	DVD-ROM, DVD-Video, Multiborder, Multisession, DVD+VR, DVD-VR DVD+R: Disc at Once, Multisession, Incremental Recording DVD+R DL: Disc at Once DVD+RW: Sequential Write, Random Access Write, DVD-R: Disc at Once, Multiborder recording, Incremental recording DVD-RW: Disc at Once, Multiborder recording, Incremental recording, Restricted Overwriting, DRT-DM
Supported CD Modes and Formats	- CD-DA, CD-Extra, CD-ROM Mode-1, CD-ROM Mode-2, CD-ROM XA, Photo-CD, Video-CD, Multisession, CD TEXT, CD-I, CD+G, Mixed CD - Track at Once, Disc at Once, Packet Write (variable and fixed), Session at Once
Access Time	<150ms (CD/DVD)
Buffer	2MB
Interface	EIDE/ATAPI

The Test

Our benchmarks include a few tests to show the performance of each of our test drives. We first use Nero CD-DVD Speed to create a data disc, which tests the write capabilities/performance of the drive. We then run a transfer rate test to benchmark the read capabilities as well as verify the data on the disc.

Finally, we use our Plextor PX-712A drive to read the media for PI/PO errors. According to the ECMA standard...

A row of an ECC Block that has at least 1 byte in error constitutes a PI error. In any 8 consecutive ECC Blocks the total number of PI errors before correction shall not exceed 280.

A row is 182 bytes long where the last 10 bytes contain PI (Parity Inner) information. An ECC block is 208 rows long where the last 16 rows contain the PO (Parity Outer) information. This gives us a maximum possible PI error amount of 208 errors per block and for 8 blocks after each other this sum is of course 8 times higher giving a maximum possible amount of 1664 PI errors.

If a row of an ECC Block contains more than 5 erroneous bytes, the row is said to be “PI-uncorrectable” or PIF (Parity Inner Failures).

In any ECC Block the number of PI-uncorrectable rows should not exceed 4.

Now, some writers may create discs with more than 208 PI errors and they are not necessarily unreadable, but they are not the best quality discs around.

Our test bed:
AMD Athlon 64 3500+ (2.2Ghz)
Giga-byte GA-K8NXP-SLI
NVIDIA 6600GT SLI Edition (single 128MB card)
1GB (512MBx2) Corsair XMS4400
Plextor PX-712A, Firmware v1.07

Microsoft Windows XP SP2
Nero CD-DVD Speed 4.00
PlexTools Professional XL 3.03

Again, we have taken all of your feedback into consideration and have decided to go back to focusing more on the write quality of each media instead of just the write speeds. Our results are displayed on the following pages. The screenshots are again available in a ZIP files corresponding to the type of media.

DVD+R Media

We have a total of 4 types of DVD+R media tested with the PX-740A.   They are as follows:

MCC 004

Looking at the speed graph, we notice how similar this graph is to one using a BenQ drive. Since the technology used is basically identical, we are not surprised to see this happen. The write to MCC 004 media was completely successful, but only reached a top speed of 12x.

The read back using the same drive shows a successful write as we should expect from Plextor and BenQ/Philips hardware. When we read back the disc on our Plextor PX-712A, only 885 PI errors came up, making this disc virtually a perfectly written disc.

Philips C08

Memorex media isn’t the highest in quality and we sometimes get chills down our backs when we aren’t working with the top-of-the-line media, but the PX-740A didn’t disappoint. We tested the Philips C08 media, which is the older 8x media, and were not surprised to see the results here. The drive started its write at 5.68x and jumped to 8x at about the 0.4GB mark of the disc using the P-CAV method.

Here, again, the transfer shows a successful write and a read up to 16x on this medium quality media.

Ritek R04

During the write process, the PX-740A only reached up to 12x using the P-CAV method. It attained 12x at the 2GB mark and carried that speed until about 2.7GB were written, and then dropped to 11x. The drive then steadily increased back up to 12x speed and carried that speed from the 3.5GB mark to the end.

The read back showed a successful write and the PX-712A only picked up 3302 PI errors over the entire disc.

VDSPMSAB 001

And now, the lower quality media. This media is old and one of the lowest quality brands that we could find out there. It is a 4x media, so we did not expect much out of it and we didn’t get much either. During the write, the drive stuck to the 4x speed and looked like it performed the write successfully.

But looking at the read graph, the drive gave up on reading the media just after the 2.2GB mark. Obviously, this was not a successful write. The PX-712A would not read the disc past about 1.75GB, and it did manage to pick up 262,565 PI errors within that first 1.75GB section.

The screenshots of Nero’s CD-DVD Speed and Plextor’s Plextools can be downloaded here.

DVD-R Media

And now, some DVD-R media…

AN31

We received the same results for the + version of this media, looking like a successful write, but never being able to read back the disc completely. Does DVD media ever expire…after a year?

When we read back the disc in our 712A, only 12,523 PI errors were found, but a higher concentration just before the 4GB mark where the 740A gave up in reading the disc.

MCC 03RG20

Here, we go back to some high quality Verbatim media that took a successful write and helped the drive produce a successful read of the disc, finishing off at 16x write speeds. The PX-740A completed the write in 6:11.

And of course, reading back the disc was completely successful. The DW1640 performed exactly the same with very little read failures and none on the write side, probably because this is the same drive.

The screenshots of Nero’s CD-DVD Speed and Plextor’s Plextools can be downloaded here.

DVD+/-RW Media

Here are samples of the rewritable DVD media.

Ritek 008 (DVD+RW)

Ritek's 008 media is 8x +RW media, which performs at just that, 8x using the Z-CLV method. The drive remained at 8x about 80% of the time and finished writing the disc in just under 8 minutes.

The PX-740A read back the disc, confirming a successful write, in under 6.5 minutes reaching read speeds just above the 12x mark.

Ritek W06 & MKM 01RW6X0 (DVD-RW)

The 740A, again, lived up to its specified write speeds, completing an entire DVD-RW disc at 6x speed in about 10.5 minutes using the CLV method.

The transfer test shows successful write and read speeds of close to 12.5x.

The screenshots of Nero's CD-DVD Speed and Plextor's Plextools can be downloaded here.

DVD+/-R Dual Layer Media

MKM 001 (DVD+R DL)

Being able to write to a dual layer disc at 8x is phenomenal, but we would have liked to see it carry that speed over to the second layer. The PX-740A managed to write the first layer at 8x speeds while having to drop to 4x when it reached the second layer. It still shaves off write time, but it could use some more work.

The read back shows a successful disc, which makes us more than happy, especially in light of our experience during the summer roundup. It seemed as though no other drive wanted to write to dual layer as bad as the BenQ and Plextor drive.

MKM 01RD30 (DVD-R DL)

The PX-740A stuck to 4x speeds, but completed the disc successfully. For now, a successful dual layer write is good enough for us at 4x, but we’re looking forward to the next generation units that will write data to all media quicker and more efficiently. Who knows, maybe a future firmware update may fix this speed issue.

The screenshots of Nero’s CD-DVD Speed and Plextor’s Plextools can be downloaded here.

CD-R Media

Taiyo Yuden

We shouldn't expect anything less than a successful write to CD media after years of improvement to the standard. A successful read, and a successful write.

Click to enlarge.

The screenshots of Nero's CD-DVD Speed and Plextor's Plextools can be downloaded here.

Final Words

With the new DVD-R DL format and updated write speeds, we are all tempted to upgrade to a new writer as soon as we see one drop below the $60-$70 mark, but many don't see the difference in performance from drive to drive. Our Summer 2005 16x DVDR roundup showed that a drive that has won the Gold Editor's Choice award in the past may not come close to the top of the list. New drives with new updated firmware will top the charts if they do what they are supposed to do. Plextor has done it again; not by using their own hardware, but using hardware that is equally as effective as well as affordable.

With the exception of the Platinum brand DVD+/-R media, the PX-740A proved to be a competitor with drives such as NEC's ND-3540A and Pioneer's DVR-109D, and being at the same level as BenQ's DW1640. Even when using mid-quality media, the PX-740A does not disappoint as many of the new generation drives have thus far.

Our test unit ran us about $76.00 excluding shipping costs, which is not bad, but compared to some retailers offering BenQ's DW1640 for about $10 less, the PX-740A does give more bang for the buck. Plextor's firmware team has taken the same hardware BenQ uses to a higher level of quality and speed. On the down side, thePX-740A does not support the PlexTools utility so it's a trade-off between features and performance. But those who don't care too much for the benchmarking characteristics of Plextor's other units, the PX-740A will fit the bill just fine.

Overall, though, Plextor offers a great drive at an affordable price and that's what will attract customers in the end. We recommend the PX-740A to anyone looking for great performance and write quality at a decent price.

Special thanks to Marken Communications for supplying us with Verbatim brand test media.
Special thanks to Antarra Communications for supplying us with Ridata brand test media.