Western Digital Updates Raptor Series

malware · May 27, 2006, 07:07 AM

Western Digital silently updated two of its first Raptor series drives: the 36GB WD360ADFD and 74GB WD740ADFD 10,000RPM models. Both hard drives now have 16MB buffer size, Native Command Queuing, increased 'Buffer To Disk' transfer rates of 84MB/sec up from the previous models' 72MB/sec as well as lower overall average seek times. The updated 36GB and 74GB Raptor models are also 3 dBA quieter in the idle state. However, both drives still carry a SATA 150 MB/s interface. These updated models are not available yet, but retailers should start to sell them within the next few days.

Source: DailyTech

Jimmy 2004 · May 27, 2006, 05:41 PM

I really want four of those in RAID 0...

Alec§taar · May 29, 2006, 05:23 PM

They're awesome disks & have been since their introduction, imo & experience w/ them, which has been since generation #1 (36gb & 74gb 10k rpm 8mb buffered units).

I just picked up (around 1-2 months ago) the 150gb units w/ 16mb buffers on them (2 of them in RAID 0 via a Promise EX8350 128mb Caching Controller w/ Intel Super I-O cpu on them to offload the system CPU from disk mgt. tasks)... & these?

They REALLY fly!

They show on tests as outpacing my older generation #1 units by a GOOD margin on benchmark tests I have run here.

Probably partially @ least, due to the caching SATA2 controller (which sits in an x4 PCI-Express slot on the ASUS A8N-Premium mobo I have here) & probably partially due to the larger buffers on them vs. generation #1 "raptors"...

* Anyhow/anyways - I am waiting to see the performance numbers on these new ones, & usually sites like:

http://www.storagereview.com

Have early numbers on them, because they quite often get the "engineering samples" sent their way...

APK

P.S.=> IMO & experience with them? I found that having them in ALL of my systems (2), I don't "feel bad" about it... they all fly, even the older gen #1 units! apk

Processor:	Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 G0 VID: 1.2125
Motherboard:	GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3P rev.2.0
Cooling:	Thermalright Ultra-120 eXtreme + Noctua NF-S12 Fan
Memory:	4x1 GB PQI DDR2 PC2-6400
Video Card:	Colorful iGame Radeon HD 4890 1 GB GDDR5
Hard Disk:	2x 500 GB Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 32 MB RAID0
Optical Drive:	LITE-ON IT LH-20A1L 20x SATA DVD±RW LightScribe
CRT/LCD Model:	BenQ G2400W 24-inch WideScreen LCD
Case:	Cooler Master COSMOS RC-1000 (sold), Cooler Master HAF-932 (delivered)
Sound Card:	Creative X-Fi XtremeMusic + Logitech Z-5500 Digital THX
PSU:	Chieftec CFT-1000G-DF 1kW
Software:	Laptop: Lenovo 3000 N200 C2DT2310/3GB/120GB/GF7300/15.4"/Razer

System Name:	Jimmy 2004's PC
Processor:	S754 AMD Athlon64 3200+ @ 2640MHz
Motherboard:	ASUS K8N
Cooling:	AC Freezer 64 Pro + Zalman VF1000 + 5x120mm Antec TriCool Case Fans
Memory:	1GB Kingston PC3200 (2x512MB)
Video Card:	Saphire 256MB X800 GTO @ 450MHz/560MHz (Core/Memory)
Hard Disk:	500GB Western Digital SATA II + 80GB Maxtor DiamondMax SATA
Optical Drive:	LiteOn DVD & NEC DVD+/-RW DL
CRT/LCD Model:	Digimate 17" TFT (1280x1024)
Case:	Antec P182
Sound Card:	Audigy 4 + Creative Inspire T7900 7.1 Speakers
PSU:	Corsair HX520W
Software:	Windows XP Home

May 29, 2006, 05:23 PM	#3
Alec§taar Banned Join Date: May 2006 Location: Someone who's going to find NewTekie1 and teach him a lesson Posts: 3,380 (1.32/day) Thanks: 0 Thanked 102 Times in 101 Posts System Specs	They're awesome disks & have been since their introduction, imo & experience w/ them, which has been since generation #1 (36gb & 74gb 10k rpm 8mb buffered units). I just picked up (around 1-2 months ago) the 150gb units w/ 16mb buffers on them (2 of them in RAID 0 via a Promise EX8350 128mb Caching Controller w/ Intel Super I-O cpu on them to offload the system CPU from disk mgt. tasks)... & these? They REALLY fly! They show on tests as outpacing my older generation #1 units by a GOOD margin on benchmark tests I have run here. Probably partially @ least, due to the caching SATA2 controller (which sits in an x4 PCI-Express slot on the ASUS A8N-Premium mobo I have here) & probably partially due to the larger buffers on them vs. generation #1 "raptors"... * Anyhow/anyways - I am waiting to see the performance numbers on these new ones, & usually sites like: http://www.storagereview.com Have early numbers on them, because they quite often get the "engineering samples" sent their way... APK P.S.=> IMO & experience with them? I found that having them in ALL of my systems (2), I don't "feel bad" about it... they all fly, even the older gen #1 units! apk Last edited by Alec§taar; May 29, 2006 at 07:11 PM.

Processor:	DualCore AMD Athlon 64x2 4800+ (o/c 2801mhz STABLE (Ketxxx, POGE, Tatty One, ME))
Motherboard:	ASUS A8N-SLI Premium (PCIe x16, x4, x1)
Cooling:	PhaseChange Coolermaster CM754/939 (fan/heatsink), Thermalright heatspreaders + fan built on (RAM)
Memory:	512mb PC-3200 DDR400 (set DDR-33 for o/c) by Corsair (matched pair, 2x256mb) 200.1/200mhz
Video Card:	BFG GeForce 7900 GTX OC 512mb GDDR3 ram (o/c manually to 686 core/865 memory) - PhaseChange cooled
Hard Disk:	Dual "Raptor X" 16mb 10krpm/RAID 0 Promise EX8350 x4 PCIe 128mb & Intel IO chip/CENATEK RocketDrive
Optical Drive:	SONY DRU-810a Double-Sided DvD burner
CRT/LCD Model:	SONY 19" Trinitron MultiScan 400ps 1600x1200 75hz refresh 32-bit color
Case:	Antec Super-LanBoy (aluminum baby-tower w/ lower front & upper rear cooling exhaust fans)
Sound Card:	RealTek AC97 onboard mobo stereo sound (Altec Lansing ACS-45 speakers - 10 yrs. still running!)
PSU:	Antec 500w ATX 2.0 "SmartPower" powersupply
Software:	Windows Server 2003 SP #1 fully patched, & massively tuned/tweaked to-the-max (plus latest drivers)

May 27, 2006, 07:07 AM	#1
malware Eligible for custom title Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Bulgaria Posts: 5,413 (1.74/day) Thanks: 78 Thanked 986 Times in 497 Posts System Specs	Western Digital Updates Raptor Series Western Digital silently updated two of its first Raptor series drives: the 36GB WD360ADFD and 74GB WD740ADFD 10,000RPM models. Both hard drives now have 16MB buffer size, Native Command Queuing, increased 'Buffer To Disk' transfer rates of 84MB/sec up from the previous models' 72MB/sec as well as lower overall average seek times. The updated 36GB and 74GB Raptor models are also 3 dBA quieter in the idle state. However, both drives still carry a SATA 150 MB/s interface. These updated models are not available yet, but retailers should start to sell them within the next few days. Source: DailyTech

May 27, 2006, 05:41 PM	#2
Jimmy 2004 Eligible for custom title Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: England Posts: 5,047 (1.66/day) Thanks: 134 Thanked 276 Times in 185 Posts System Specs	I really want four of those in RAID 0...

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