Samsung unveils Super-WriteMaster 16x DL DVD burner

Samsung has rolled out its fastest DVD burner yet, with the Super-WriteMaster (ha!) SH-S203N running at 20x for DVD±R discs, 16x for dual layer DVD+R variants, 12x for DVD-RAM, and progressively slower for other disc standards. It's all kitted up with a SATA connection standard, and supports LightScribe burning so you know what the hell's on that disc you just burnt. Samsung says this is the fastest dual layer DVD burner out there: we don't know if that's true, but we do know it's faster than our crappy 8x DL burner. Pick it up anywhere from now for $79.99.

[carlj133 @ Oct 29th 2007 7:45PM]

It was all going well until they decided to paint it beige.

[Gadgie @ Oct 29th 2007 7:46PM]

So how long would it take to burn a full dual layer DVD+R exactly?

[thethirdmoose @ Oct 29th 2007 7:54PM]

well:
A dual layer DVD holds about 4 hours of video. So this is 1x (240 min). Thus, 2x is 120 min, and so on.
Thus, 16x is 15 minutes

HOLY SHIT!!!
A DL DVD IN 15 MINS!!!

(actually, it wont be this fast because 16x is the theoretical max for this drive, but still pretty fast; probably

[jimmyfinch @ Oct 29th 2007 7:55PM]

one...two...threeeee!

it take tree licks to get to the center of a full dual layer DVD+R.

[Michael @ Oct 29th 2007 8:26PM]

@ thethirdmoose :

Might want to check your facts first.

For a CD, 1x = 150 KiB/sec
For a DVD, 1x = 1.385 MiB/sec (1.32 MB/sec)

[HD DVD: 1x = 4.57 MiB/sec (4.36 MB/sec)]
[Blu Ray: 1x=6.74 MiB/sec (6.43 MB/sec)]

[MiB = mebibyte, or mega binary byte. Equals 2^20 Bytes]

Write speeds are NOT directly related to time, they are related to data transfer speed.

[Daniel Cuneo @ Oct 30th 2007 3:41AM]

DVD+R DL = 8.5GB = 7.961 = 8,547,991,552 Bytes
MiB = 2^22 bytes = 4,194,304 Bytes
DVD+R DL @ 1x = 1.385 MiBps = 5,809,111.04 Bytes per second
DVD+R DL @ 16x = 22.16 MiBps = 92,945,776.6 Bytes per second
8,547,991,552 @ 1x = 8,547,991,552 @ 5,809,111.04 Bps
1x speed = 1471.48014 Seconds to completion = 24.524669 minutes to completion
8,547,991,552 @ 16x = 8,547,991,552 @ 92,945,776.6 Bps
16x speed = 91.9675091 Seconds to completion = 1.53279182 minutes to completion
Oddly 1.53279182 x 16 = 24.5246691. I love inflated precision [http://www.google.com/intl/en/help/features.html#calculator] :~)

[Shibathedog @ Oct 29th 2007 8:03PM]

Here it is in black (thank god) and a more sane price.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151154

[shawnmos @ Oct 29th 2007 8:39PM]

Only $35? Not bad! That's about how much I paid for my 8x DL burner. Don't really think 16x is worth replacing it though.

[I LOVE THE CAPS LOCK KEY @ Oct 29th 2007 10:20PM]

It's OEM, so there is no warranty support, Official Firmware for Retail version may not flash on OEM Drives, does not include Nero or authoring software, and what ever else Samsung may include with a Retail package. Keep in mind, you get what you pay for; but $35 is a good price.

[bombastinator @ Oct 29th 2007 11:51PM]

would the firmware matter if it was going into an external case? I know the last thing I need is yet another copy of nero.

[Shibathedog @ Oct 31st 2007 12:56PM]

I already own nero (and most people just pirate it anyway). Firmware has always flashed fine for me on everything I buy and I always buy OEM if its available. In fact I don't even bother with official firmwares, I like my drive with advanced burn strategies, no RCP1 protection, no Riplock, and full bitsetting control.

Everything else in the retail package is stuff like a manual you'll never read and a SATA cable you probably already have. Is it really worth all that extra money?

[agrotime @ Oct 29th 2007 8:38PM]

This drive is pretty sweet! For anyone who has burned a dual layer disc at the speed of 1x, these drives sound pretty attractive indeed. I would have assumed dual layer discs would be cheaper at this point considering hd-dvd and blue ray burners are already on the market.

agrotime technology

=) Mragrotime

[Dan Parmelee @ Oct 29th 2007 9:03PM]

Lest we not forget that most drives increase their speed during the burning process. My 8x starts at 2 and slowly ramps up to 8x by the time it finishes. It does not run at 8x the whole time, but rather, averages somewhere in between.

[Spyvie @ Oct 29th 2007 9:04PM]

I bought one of these last week from Newegg, haven't burned anything yet though.

SH-S203B (both bezels) $29.99

[ark_v2 @ Oct 29th 2007 9:30PM]

It looks like another generic burner.

[eh @ Oct 29th 2007 9:32PM]

Its just too bad that DL DVD's arent at an acceptable price yet, or even easy to find at stores.

[DAZA @ Oct 29th 2007 10:09PM]

Great to see it burning DL media that fast, but I am yet to burn a single DVD9 disc yet. I have about 5 writers at home capable of doing DVD9 discs, but it costs too much for DVD9 media. I will gladly use DVD9 when it becomes affordable, and I look forward to using it, but when it costs 3x as much as DVD5 media I don't care how fast I can burn them.

[elwoopo @ Oct 29th 2007 10:24PM]

why the fuck would anyone release anything in beige still? wasnt beige killed off years ago? :O

[John @ Oct 30th 2007 3:21AM]

i have a beige pc (granted, that i built 3 yrs ago)...

when are the affordable BD-R drives coming?

[Jonny @ Oct 30th 2007 4:15AM]

Now heres the better question.

Where in the hell can you find a 16X DL disc?

Also, the OEM edition does come with Nero. And it will take the firmware from the retail edition, as its the same exact drive.

OEM Editions also still have a 1 year warranty from Samsung.

What do you lose in the process? A SATA cable, 4 little screws, an instruction book, and a fancy box and foam blocks.

[Ben @ Nov 17th 2007 5:57PM]

Has anyone figured out how to get itunes to work with this???