Samsung SP2504C
Specifications
250 GB SATA 2 (300 MBps); 8 MB I/O buffer
Our Verdict
Our benchmarks showed Samsung’s SP2504C to be consistently ahead in a majority of (if not all) the benchmarks we threw its way. This is a two-platter drive with an areal density of 125 GB per platter. We’ve seen other drives with similar capacities sporting three platters. This is one of the reasons for the improved performance-fewer mechanical parts is always a good thing.
The SP2504C is silent, significant if you plan on stacking up more than one drive. Performance enthusiasts will benefit from two of these drives in a striped RAID array.
We haven’t received too many drives based on perpendicular recording technology, so comparisons and estimates are off until market availability isn’t an issue. For now, the SP2504C reigns supreme over the rest of the sub-300 GB drives available.
Western Digital WD4000KS
Specifications
400 GB; SATA 2 (300 MBps); 16 MB I/O buffer
Our Verdict
This drive has the show as well as the go! Purring under that matte-finished black body is a set of three platters spinning at 7200 rpm. The drive is a speedy performer, displacing even its elder brother, the WD5000KS.
The transfer rates and size of this drive make it an ideal buy for gamers, image and video editing professionals, and enthusiasts-who want speed and are not willing to sacrifice on storage capacity to get it! We’ve tested quite a few hard drives since August, but haven’t come across anything that manages to dethrone the WD4000KS.
Runner-Up: WD5000KS