HDs with 02 MB & 8 MB memory cache... Is there significant difference??

[Franklogus]

I am going to buy a new HD for my PC (probably one ATA 133, 120 GB, 7200 rpm), and I would like to have some help about one doubt I have: Is there sensible difference in real world between HD's with 2MB OR 8 MB memory cache ?? I like to play racing games, so my question is if there is some performance gain using HD with 8 MB Buffer ...
Here, in Brazil, the Hd's with 8MB Memory cache are around 25% more expensive. Does it worth to pay more to get it??
Thanks a lot in advance for any help!!

 

[M16Grenadier]

There is a significant difference. Performance is greatly increased. It is worth it.

 

[magomago]

Originally posted by: M16Grenadier
There is a significant difference. Performance is greatly increased. It is worth it.

No its not. The difference isn't very great, and regardless of how much cache a harddrive has unless it has smart algorithms you won't see huge boosts in preformance. That and the reason I have them is because they are virtually the same price as the 2 meg counterparts. Show me real world benchmarks where a 8 meg cache makes enough difference to warrant a 25% price increase. And when I say real world, I don't mean synthetic benchmarks- i mean games and things of the sort.


Get the 2 meg cache drive and save your $$$, and don't worry because there isn't much a preformance increase.

I think a LOT of the "I feel the speed" with 8 meg cache drives (and partially Raptors ) is mental.
EDIT:

Oh yeah, if it comes down to ATA100 vs ATA133, don't think ATA133 is faster- drives aren't fast enough to saturate ATA100, let alone ATA66. A lot of the "ATA 133" push is marketing at work

 

[Dug]

I'd say there is a difference.

Seagate 2MB vs 8MB

Mind you one is SATA and one is ATA, but the interface shouldn't make any difference.
These are both 160GB drives from the same generation

 

[magomago]

Care to explain how this transfers into real world results? How much time are we saving that is worth talking about? In benchmarks like this the Raptor absolutely trashes the competition, but when we translate this into load times in games, the gains are minimal~ and at a 25% premium it isn't anywhere near worth it. While I beleive storage review is very accurate, at the same time that review didn't say what those numbers translated into. While I normally wouldn't look at anandtech for hard drive reviews, the Raptor review he had is excellent because it shows the gains are not all that much

http://anandtech.com/storage/showdoc.aspx?i=2073&p=9

Maybe to you, three seconds of increased loading speed is worth the 25% cost, but to me it isn't. Granted, it is his choice in the end, however the results shouldn't be skewed in a manner that would cause him to with a 8 meg cache drive thinking it is much faster than it really is- if he is a speed freak, he will probably do so anyways, but if he is looking into price/preformance he should see that he is going to pay rougly 25% more for only a few seconds increase in preformance of two intensive HDD thrasing games~ too bad there aren't more tests like this at all.

Oh yeah, anyone find it funny Anand applied CD cracks so it wouldnt bother to access the CD drives

 

[Franklogus]

Thanks a lot for your opinions, buddies!
I didnt find anything over the internet about these matter, and your LINKS were, really, VERY VERY USEFUL for me!!
I am very glad with your opinions... (After I read the reviews, it's clear for me that there is some performance gain, but its a slightly one; I will think a bit more about it, before to buy ...).
TXS again for your great help !!!

 

[CraigRT]

Hey man, the way I feel about it, even though it's a slight gain, it's still only a slight increase in price.. I'd for sure go with the 8MB cache drives, in both my main rigs at home, they have 3 8MB cache drives combined, and they are awesome.. another tip is that in some cases, the 8meg drives, come with a longer warranty as well.

cheers,

 

[Jiggz]

The insistence of real world difference can never be demonstrated because it's purely subjective depending on the system components. But if the price difference is 25% more for the 8mb compare to the 2mb then you'll probably be better off with the 2mb hdd. But here in the US the price difference is less than 5% so we all stick to 8mb. But is there really a difference? There's got to be! How much is purely up to you!

 

[NokiaDude]

Well, when I use BitTorrent and re-seed a file, I can set the file allocation access at 6mb/sec with my 8mb cache WD HD, and its scans the whole file faster than on a 2mb cache HD with 6mb/sec allocation speed.

 

[NokiaDude]

Western Digital 200gb SE HDD for $90 w/ MiR

 

[Dug]

Care to explain how this transfers into real world results? How much time are we saving that is worth talking about?

Don't have to. Why don't you go back to using a three year old 5400 or 7200rpm drive.
Have fun.

 

[Carbonadium4]

8mb - 3 yr warranty, 2mb - 1 yr warranty

Thats in US, you need to check Brazil warranty.. maybe same but could be different

 

[high]

my understanding is performance wise you can gain UP TO 30% performance...due to instead of the HDD having to physical move to access data, it retrieves it from a buffer.

 

[Franklogus]

Well, the discussion here is very interesting... I am very glad with all opinions. Thanks a lot all you!!
When the specific matter is HARDware, it's HARD to live in Brazil ... Not so many options of supply, overprice of around 50% - 80% (comparing to USA and Europe) and the average warranty is of six months only (Some FEW dealers give one year of warranty over hardware, but they are exception)
In few words... Its not easy to upgrade or build one PC here ...