Western Digital WD1500ADFD: King Raptor
by Gary Key on February 8, 2006 1:30 AM EST- Posted in
- Storage
Hard Disk Performance: PCMark 2005
We introduce PCMark 2005 into our hard disk benchmark suite. We utilize HDD test suite within the program. The program utilizes the RankDisk application within the Intel iPEAK SPT suite of tools to record a trace of disk activity during usage of real world applications. These traces can then be replayed to generate performance measurements based upon the actual disk operations within the application. The HDD test suite contains 53% read and 47% write operations with each trace section utilizing varied amounts of read or write operations. Additional information about the test suite can be found in PDF format here.
Our test results are based upon the following trace runs:
Windows XP Startup: This test consists of 90% reading and 10% writes that tracks XP activities at start-up.
Application Loading: This test consists of 83% reading and 17% writes that tracks the opening and closing of the following programs.
File Write: This test consists of 100% write activities by writing 680MB of files onto the hard disk.
We introduce PCMark 2005 into our hard disk benchmark suite. We utilize HDD test suite within the program. The program utilizes the RankDisk application within the Intel iPEAK SPT suite of tools to record a trace of disk activity during usage of real world applications. These traces can then be replayed to generate performance measurements based upon the actual disk operations within the application. The HDD test suite contains 53% read and 47% write operations with each trace section utilizing varied amounts of read or write operations. Additional information about the test suite can be found in PDF format here.
Our test results are based upon the following trace runs:
Windows XP Startup: This test consists of 90% reading and 10% writes that tracks XP activities at start-up.
Application Loading: This test consists of 83% reading and 17% writes that tracks the opening and closing of the following programs.
- Microsoft Word
- Adobe Acrobat Reader
- Windows Media Player
- 3Dmark 2001SE
- Leadtek Winfast DVD
- Mozilla Internet Browser
- Opening a Microsoft Word document, performing grammar check, saving and closing
- Compression and decompression using Winzip
- Encrypting and decrypting a file using PowerCrypt
- Scanning files for viruses using F-Secure Antivirus
- Playing an MP3 file with Winamp
- Playing a WAV file with Winamp
- Playing a DivX video using DivX codec and Windows Media Player
- Playing a WMV video file using Windows Media Player
- Viewing pictures using Windows Picture Viewer
- Browsing the Internet using Microsoft Internet Explorer
- Loading, playing and exiting a game with Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon
File Write: This test consists of 100% write activities by writing 680MB of files onto the hard disk.
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jamescleant - Wednesday, February 8, 2006 - link
I noticed you revised your acoustic testing, but this leads to a different ranking when compared to the one in the article :"Seagate 7200.9 160GB: The Highest Platter Density to Date!"
http://anandtech.com/storage/showdoc.aspx?i=2682&a...">http://anandtech.com/storage/showdoc.aspx?i=2682&a...
In the article mentionned above, the idle noise of the 500 GB 7200.9 is lower than the idle noise of the 74 GB Raptor, and in this article, it is the contrary.
What is the explanation of this ?
Also, did you test the acoustics of the Samsung SP2504C with the "old" method ? I am interested by the comparison with other models (I try to have the most silent drives).
Gary Key - Wednesday, February 8, 2006 - link
I will detail a response tonight and test the SP2504c with the old standard.Gary Key - Wednesday, February 8, 2006 - link
I am still working on providing the old numbers. I did locate the original sound meter used and will have it here tomorrow.noxipoo - Wednesday, February 8, 2006 - link
3 seagate 7200.9 in raid 0 vs 1 raptor? about the same price point, would be interesting.mlittl3 - Wednesday, February 8, 2006 - link
See my post above. Gamepc did 4 rapters in raid 0 versus scsi and P-ATA drive.sxpose - Wednesday, February 8, 2006 - link
Id like to see some raided drive scores as well. Because this drive is marketed at enthusists . . . good chance some will just buy two and raid them. Majority of the readers don't have scsi drives, so not sure why you'd choose those benchmarks over some consumer raided drives.mlittl3 - Wednesday, February 8, 2006 - link
See my post above for raid tests.Orbs - Wednesday, February 8, 2006 - link
First of all, another great article, AT!So RAID was debated in the comments of the last HDD article AT posted, and while traditionally RAID hasn't shown much of a performance improvement, the fact that nearly all enthusiast motherboards now come with some sort of RAID controller and since the Raptors now use a native Serial ATA interface, the story might have changed.
Can AT do a RAID shootout or something? I would be very interested in something like that.
Again, great article!
Gary Key - Wednesday, February 8, 2006 - link
We will have updated benchmarks or a new article with RAID results for this drive and others in the near future. Thank you.Zebo - Saturday, February 11, 2006 - link
Waste of time but I guess when the RAID freaks demand it they get it.