Western Digital WD740ADFD: Bottled Lightning
by Gary Key on February 7, 2007 3:30 AM EST- Posted in
- Storage
Theoretical Performance: HDTune
The Western Digital WD740ADFD has the highest overall sustained transfer rates of the three Raptor drives tested. The end test results are very similar to the WD1500ADFD and we attribute this to the single platter design, although we expected additional decay in the sustained transfer rates near the end of the test that did not occur. The WD740ADFD also bettered the WD1500ADFD in the random access, burst rate, and CPU utilization numbers.
The WD740GD actually had the best random access rates and CPU utilization numbers even with its limited buffer cache. However, this drive was not able to sustain the same average and maximum transfer rates due to the smaller cache, firmware, and older two platter design. Although the WD740ADFD drive has excellent sustained transfer and random access rates we will soon see this does not always translate into class leading performance.
The Western Digital WD740ADFD has the highest overall sustained transfer rates of the three Raptor drives tested. The end test results are very similar to the WD1500ADFD and we attribute this to the single platter design, although we expected additional decay in the sustained transfer rates near the end of the test that did not occur. The WD740ADFD also bettered the WD1500ADFD in the random access, burst rate, and CPU utilization numbers.
The WD740GD actually had the best random access rates and CPU utilization numbers even with its limited buffer cache. However, this drive was not able to sustain the same average and maximum transfer rates due to the smaller cache, firmware, and older two platter design. Although the WD740ADFD drive has excellent sustained transfer and random access rates we will soon see this does not always translate into class leading performance.
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DrMrLordX - Wednesday, February 7, 2007 - link
That article certainly changed my perspective on Raptor performance. It's clear that the older 74 gig Raptor just can't hang with the big boys. I had heard that the new 74 gigger was the fastest, but your results seem to refute that entirely. The 150 gigger wins out more often than not.the Chase - Wednesday, February 7, 2007 - link
Yeah I'm glad AT did this review as haven't seen much on the new 74GIG model. Now what I'd LOVE to see is how the new 36GIG models do in all of this and how 2 of them in RAID would compare to the bigger drives.Any chance of slipping in the new 36GIG model sometime Gary?
Thanks for the review.:)
Gary Key - Thursday, February 8, 2007 - link
Hi,We will have numbers on the 36GB ADFD in the next roundup. Also, we will be updating our RAID article from 2004 to see if the landscape has changed in regards to RAID 0 performance on the desktop but more importantly taking a serious look at RAID 1, 0+1, 10, and 5 on today's motherboard chipsets. We plan on this in March but the next HD article to go up will include the new 500GB drives from all suppliers.
DigitalFreak - Wednesday, February 7, 2007 - link
I find it surprising that the older model 74GB Raptor beats the new 74GB model in nearly every test.DigitalFreak - Wednesday, February 7, 2007 - link
heehee Never mind. I got the model numbers mixed up. :-)Jedi2155 - Wednesday, February 7, 2007 - link
I find it even more interesting that a 320 GB 7200.10 beat out a 750 GB 7200.10 in a number of benchmarks.I also appreciate the mention of the Dell OEM Raptors with myself being a proud owner of a 160 GB Raptor :). (Which I got for a mere $160)