Back on January 22, Western Digital announced that it was shipping new, faster drives based on higher-density 320GB platters.
The first drive to use the new 320GB platter is the WD3200AAKS. However, only the new 00B3A0 version (manufactured beginning January 21) has the new 320Gb platter. All previous models used 2 * 160GB platters.
I emailed Newegg, ZipZoomFly, and Clubit last week asking if they would stock this new B3 version with 320GB platters. They all blew me off, saying they could not guarantee whether I would receive the old version or the new. I then proceeded to email every ebay seller listing the Western Digital 320Gb drive. I got one hit -- *leniustech.com*. They said they said had inventory of the new WD3200AAKS-00B3A0 version manufactured in January.
I was a bit skeptical, but I ordered two. They arrived today, and they are as described -- the 320GB platter, WD3200AAKS-00B3A0 manufactured on January 21. I don't have the means to run application benchmarks now, but HDTach reports over 90MB/s average read and 240MB/s burst. It produces noticeably less noise than my 750GB Western Digital WD7500AAKS.
If you buy one of these from leniustech, be sure to specify in the Paypal note that you want the new WD3200AAKS-00B3A0 version.
If you are looking for a higher capacity drive, the 640GB version (WD6400AAKS) is coming in about a month. This should outperform every SATA drive now on the market, aside from perhaps the Samsung F1 1TB and Raptor X. Every WD6400AAKS will use the 320GB platters, so there will be no worries when ordering that drive from Newegg, ZZF, Clubit, etc.
The first drive to use the new 320GB platter is the WD3200AAKS. However, only the new 00B3A0 version (manufactured beginning January 21) has the new 320Gb platter. All previous models used 2 * 160GB platters.
I emailed Newegg, ZipZoomFly, and Clubit last week asking if they would stock this new B3 version with 320GB platters. They all blew me off, saying they could not guarantee whether I would receive the old version or the new. I then proceeded to email every ebay seller listing the Western Digital 320Gb drive. I got one hit -- *leniustech.com*. They said they said had inventory of the new WD3200AAKS-00B3A0 version manufactured in January.
I was a bit skeptical, but I ordered two. They arrived today, and they are as described -- the 320GB platter, WD3200AAKS-00B3A0 manufactured on January 21. I don't have the means to run application benchmarks now, but HDTach reports over 90MB/s average read and 240MB/s burst. It produces noticeably less noise than my 750GB Western Digital WD7500AAKS.
If you buy one of these from leniustech, be sure to specify in the Paypal note that you want the new WD3200AAKS-00B3A0 version.
If you are looking for a higher capacity drive, the 640GB version (WD6400AAKS) is coming in about a month. This should outperform every SATA drive now on the market, aside from perhaps the Samsung F1 1TB and Raptor X. Every WD6400AAKS will use the 320GB platters, so there will be no worries when ordering that drive from Newegg, ZZF, Clubit, etc.
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