Is WD3200AAKS as fast as WD6400AAKS?

[Isaac MM]

Is the 320gb version as fast as the 640gb?

 

[zod96]

From what I've read no

 

[theAnimal]

AFAIK it has a slightly higher transfer rate but higher seek as well.

 

[BlueAcolyte]

You mean the single-platter version?

 

[Pollock]

Anandtech mentioned in one of their articles that the 320GB version was slightly crippled so as to decrease noise and heat, at a slight cost to performance. So, no, not quite.

 

[taltamir]

WD says that the WD320 will go in budget/mainstream computers. So they reduced noise / heat / power consumption (more important at that market segment) at the cost of performance compared to the WD640.

 

[Tweakin]

Originally posted by: theAnimal
AFAIK it has a slightly higher transfer rate but higher seek as well.

The Animal is right...and as I have owned both, I will say the 640 is faster in the transfer department:
640 to 640= 60~80MBs.
320 to 640=50~60MBs.

As for normal use, I couldn't tell any difference.

 

[taltamir]

higher seek = slower seek = bad.
The WD640 has LOWER seeks, aka, it has better seek time.
if you say it is faster in straight through transfers (as it should be), then it is better in every regard. as is to be expected considering the situation.