Not going to happen--at least, not for some time. Current technology limits 10KRPM drives to about 36GB platters or so, and you can only cram so many in a low-profile hard drive chassis. The next generation may be able to do 72GB platters, but that will still not add up to 250GB. Manufacturers are having a hard enough time with 83GB platters at 7200RPM. Still, 36GB is enough for quite a bit of software, and you don't need (or at least I don't need) such speed for mass storage.
Not going to happen--at least, not for some time. Current technology limits 10KRPM drives to about 36GB platters or so, and you can only cram so many in a low-profile hard drive chassis. The next generation may be able to do 72GB platters, but that will still not add up to 250GB. Manufacturers are having a hard enough time with 83GB platters at 7200RPM. Still, 36GB is enough for quite a bit of software, and you don't need (or at least I don't need) such speed for mass storage.
The technology, piecemeal, is not original to the Raptor. The combination of the technologies together for the first time is.
Neither the SATA interface or the 10k spindel is noteworthy. From what Eugene said, even with the low objective measurement of noise, the drive emits the tell-tale high-pitched whine of a generations old 10k drive. The SATA parts are off the shelf. The suprising workstation performance is due to the firmware optimizations which WD already implements in its other IDE drives, now enhanced by quicker access and a faster spindel.
The most interesting thing I see, as pointed out before, is that the Raptor is aimed at the server market. Ironically, the workstation optimizations clearly come at the expense of server performance. The Raptor's server benches are on par with 7200rpm drives. As good as the Raptor is for the majority of us, it can not have its server cake and eat it too.
Neither the SATA interface or the 10k spindel is noteworthy. From what Eugene said, even with the low objective measurement of noise, the drive emits the tell-tale high-pitched whine of a generations old 10k drive. The SATA parts are off the shelf. The suprising workstation performance is due to the firmware optimizations which WD already implements in its other IDE drives, now enhanced by quicker access and a faster spindel.
The most interesting thing I see, as pointed out before, is that the Raptor is aimed at the server market. Ironically, the workstation optimizations clearly come at the expense of server performance. The Raptor's server benches are on par with 7200rpm drives. As good as the Raptor is for the majority of us, it can not have its server cake and eat it too.
Sustained transfer rate isn't everything, as you probably know. To quote Eugene (StorageReview cofounder) about a somewhat similar drive:
BTW, HDTach is generally considered a terrible benchmark on the SR forums, though not of STR of a single drive. You might take a look at Atto (even though it isn't a good real-world performance indicator, it is very accurate regarding STR, even with RAID arrays), or DriveBench, a utility written from scratch by a talented StorageReview forum visitor.
Note that the DriveBench link won't be up forever, as it is from my system. It is also an older version than the current, but it works fine and I don't have the current version ATM.
SATA does have some advantages over PATA that are significant. For example, take a look at SR's processor usage graphs. True, this has more to do with the controller than the drive, but when a 1st-generation SATA controller lands CPU usage below even the best SCSI score, that isn't half bad. Also, bursts from HD cache can be somewhat faster, and we will eventually have drives that actually do transfer data at >150MB/sec sustained. (hopefully).
It is when you're laying pipes!
Yes that certainly raises some eyebrows around here!
What about reliability though?! I guess time will tell. Hopefully this drive won't be dead before it hits the shelves. Anyone remember the Hitachi Pegasus? It was the first 12,000 RPM SCSI drive introduced back in 1999. Besides some (then lucky) individuals that had samples to play with, it never made it to retail. Those were the days!
Cheers!
no not really. 10k drives now are really not very loud. about the same level as a 7200rpm drive.
I agree, most people don't need any more than say 10-20 GB of space.
My parrents have a 40GB 120GXP that I got for them after their original HD crapped out.
There are two reasons why I got them this HD instead of some cheapo 20 GB HD.
For one, there was about a $20 difference, so I figured I might as well get them a bigger HD just in case they ever need it.
And secondly, and more importantly, the 120GXP is far faster than the 20GB hd's that were aviable, and indeed, they have mentioned that the computer feels much faster since the change.
However, how many people like my parrents(that is, non-enthusists) are going to pick up Raptors?
Avarge Joe's wont pick them up, and Compaq, Dell, etc won't put them in their mainstream computers, so in the end, the Raptors won't find their way to the people that really don't need alot of storage.
Enthusists often want more than 36 GB of storage, for games, mp3's, DivX's, etc etc, and sure, some will buy a Raptor to put their OS and apps on, but Im betting in the end, most people will just pick up a 180GXP, 2000JB, etc instead, simply for the comfort of just having one drive.
Not to mention price.
So, basically we're talking about a niche in a niche.
But of course, the Raptor is a bit of an experiment for WD, I doubt they expect to make any money of their initial generation of SATA 10K drives.
When they become more established I could see the major OEM's putting them in their workstations and high end computers as a cheaper alternative to SCSI.
This drive DOES match some of us! - I can assure you all that many enthusiasts will pick one up
I happen to use approx 30gb on my C: (actually more like 20) for games / apps / windows and 150gb on D: for data and a swap file
IF this drive is under 160$ US and IF the 10,000 rpm whine is kept "sub" noisy - I'm SO IN
I happen to use approx 30gb on my C: (actually more like 20) for games / apps / windows and 150gb on D: for data and a swap file
IF this drive is under 160$ US and IF the 10,000 rpm whine is kept "sub" noisy - I'm SO IN
I agree, I can think of at least a dozen people off the top ofmy head who will want one of these are a boot/primary apps drive. Not to mention the Corporate/Enterprise uses for this drive, ie: standby DBs, Backups, App Demo systems, etc.....
Thorin
Originally posted by: classy
Well its a nice drive but not all that impressive. When you can buy a Maxtor 10K IV for a lil over $200 for the same capacity it kinda pales in comparison. The drive will probably command around $175, so while its performance is really good its still a poor man's scsi while not being all that much cheaper. You still need to buy an adapter so while scsi adapters are more, a scsi system is flat out faster than any ide setup. If someone is going to pay that kind of money for a drive with that kind of capacity they might as well get a great scsi drive like 10K IV which will mop the floor with the Raptor. In the land of 10K drives it might be a Raptor but the 10K IV is a T-Rex
What if someone wants more performance without shelling out for SCSI?
Nice new article about this one on Anandtech now posted. I will *definitely* have a pair of these puppies RAIDed on ICH5 when I build my Prescott machine, unless something even faster comes out by then.
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