What does the x stand for on 32x?
Updated: 01/24/2018 by Computer Hope
The x on 32x means that, theoretically, this drive is 32 times faster than the original CD-ROM (compact disc read-only memory) drive. See the transfer rates for exact speeds. The following table shows the standard transfer rates and access times of most CD-ROM drives. The following figures are averages, which may be slower or faster than your CD-ROM drive.
| Drive speed | Transfer rate (bps) | Access time (ms) |
|---|---|---|
| Single-speed (1x) | 153,600 | 400 |
| Double-speed (2x) | 307,200 | 300 |
| Triple-speed (3x) | 460,800 | 200 |
| Quad-speed (4x) | 614,400 | 150 |
| Six-speed (6x) | 921,600 | 150 |
| Eight-speed (8x) | 1,228,800 | 100 |
| Ten-speed (10x) | 1,536,000 | 100 |
| Twelve-speed (12x) | 1,843,200 | 100 |
| Sixteen-speed (16x) | 2,457,600 | 90 |
| Eighteen-speed (18x) | 2,764,800 | 90 |
| Twenty-four-speed (24x) | 3,686,400 | 90 |
| Thirty-two-speed (32x) | 4,915,200 | 85 |
| One-hundred-speed (100x) | 15,360,000 | 80 |
| CAV (constant angular velocity) drives (12x - 24x) | 1,843,200 - 3,686,400 | 150-90 |