Western Digital WD1500ADFD: King Raptor
by Gary Key on February 8, 2006 1:30 AM EST- Posted in
- Storage
Hard Disk Performance: Multi-Tasking & Game Tests
Multitasking Test Procedure
To provide a real world example of multitasking, we run Outlook and import 450MB of email messages into an account while running our benchmarking utility to zip a single 300MB file. To compare our results, we calculate the difference between the multitasked process and the single task file zip process.
Game Test Procedures
Our Game Level Loading Time tests include two of the most popular games: Doom 3 and Half-Life 2. Because of their high resolution textures and the large levels, the loading time for the levels of each game are long enough to show a difference between each drive.
We have also included an older strategy game, Command & Conquer: Generals, because of its longer level load times as well. Though the game is a couple of years old, it still proves to be a good measure of data loading performance.
We will be updating our benchmark suite in the near future.
Multitasking Test Procedure
To provide a real world example of multitasking, we run Outlook and import 450MB of email messages into an account while running our benchmarking utility to zip a single 300MB file. To compare our results, we calculate the difference between the multitasked process and the single task file zip process.
Game Test Procedures
Our Game Level Loading Time tests include two of the most popular games: Doom 3 and Half-Life 2. Because of their high resolution textures and the large levels, the loading time for the levels of each game are long enough to show a difference between each drive.
We have also included an older strategy game, Command & Conquer: Generals, because of its longer level load times as well. Though the game is a couple of years old, it still proves to be a good measure of data loading performance.
We will be updating our benchmark suite in the near future.
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
51 Comments
View All Comments
Gary Key - Wednesday, February 8, 2006 - link
Believe me, Purav cannot wait to start testing this drive in a RAID setup.feraltoad - Wednesday, February 8, 2006 - link
It would be great if you could include a comparison of the all 3 raptors in Raid 0. I have a 36gb Raptor and have often wondered if 2 in raid 0 would be as fast as 1 74gb raptor. Esp. now w/newer versions.Rapsven - Wednesday, February 8, 2006 - link
The content was very informative, and as a whole, the article was very well done. But jesus christ, dude, opening your articles with quotes ticks me off to no end.rjm55 - Wednesday, February 8, 2006 - link
Perhaps the quotes at the front of Gary's reviews will give you a repetoire that will include words that can be substituted for Dude. If you hate the quote just skip the first few sentences and you will not have to be bothered by the quotes.Personally I like them - the quotes set the reviews apart. It's sometimes nice to have a little education with my favorite hobby.
Gary Key - Wednesday, February 8, 2006 - link
Is it the quote itself or just the fact there is one? I would appreciate some honest feedback on the subject. I like the quote as it sets the tone for the article but I also realize it really is not needed. :-)
Rolphus - Thursday, February 9, 2006 - link
I love the quotes. In particular, this one stuck in my mind, and provided an incredibly simple, single-sentence "hook" into the review which summed it up perfectly. I'd vote to keep them.johnsonx - Wednesday, February 8, 2006 - link
I like the quotes. It makes me think of Chairman Kaga on Iron Chef (the original Japanese show, not the new Iron Chef America).Seriously Gary, keep the quotes.
fb0252 - Wednesday, February 8, 2006 - link
newbie q: the review uses the term "single user" recommending turning off native command queing in single user setting as opposed to multi user. i have a pair of wd1500s on my floor ready to be installed in our office system in Raid 0. One person at a time uses the computer but we frequently "multi-ask". do we turn of NCQ to get faster speeds in this sitaution--am I a "single user" on this computer, though much of our use is multi-asking--six programs at once e.g. doing multiple tasks.Gary Key - Wednesday, February 8, 2006 - link
Hi,I am assuming your applications will be general office and the machine is not being setup as a local server. If so, turn off NCQ. It it really meant at the server-level where you have highly random and concurrent requests. I would not go with RAID 0 for an office environment as you are playing with fire in regards to data reliability. Setup you system in RAID 10 if it supports it.
Thanks....
Gary Key - Wednesday, February 8, 2006 - link
We need an edit function. "Setup your system in RAID 10 if it supports it."