Western Digital 500 GB Caviar GP Hard Drive Review

[Dashken]

Western Digital's line of Caviar GP have been considered by many as a value-grade hard drive because of its low price. However, nothing can be further from the truth.

Recently, we picked up a 500 GB model for our tests and we were most impressed with its performance. Not only did it deliver a large storage capacity using only two platters, it also delivered very good performance numbers. For more details, take a look at our comprehensive review.

Here's a quote from the review :-

"The use of perpendicular recording technology allowed Western Digital to deliver a storage capacity of 500 GB using only two platters. Fewer platters mean lower costs and lower power consumption. The high areal density achieved using perpendicular recording also greatly increased its platter-to-buffer transfer rate. Little wonder how it did so well in our benchmarks."

Link : Western Digital 500 GB Caviar GP Hard Drive Review

[ChampionLLY]

this article got my tempted to get another hdd lah,
my current 160gb not really enough.

[Zenphic]

It's interesting that WD would advertise their product as having an RPM ranging from 5400 to 7200. Is that because the RPM varies from time to time (to save energy) or is it fixed at an unknown value?

[generalRage1982hrv]

if you ask me WD hdds kick ass
i use them for years and there is no disk better than WD

[Mac Daddy]

Nice looking HD and good article. BTW I work on car audio so have those small torx screwdrivers lol

It doesn't have to be expensive to be good. Yesterday a buddy of mine and I compared notes and his Galaxy 8800gt with the Coolermaster cooler using a Q6600, 4G ram, Vista Home 64 was outbenched on 3dmark6 with my Gainward Bliss 9600gt using an E6550, 4G ram and Vista Ultimate X64

[peaz]

Originally Posted by ChampionLLY

this article got my tempted to get another hdd lah,
my current 160gb not really enough.

Yea. Makes me wanna get another one too! LOL. or perhaps replace my other 320GBs. LOL

[Lacus]

Well, I'm gonna get another new hdd to replace my dying (keeps on tuck tuck) HDD any time from now.If I'm not mistaken, this hdd is that one supposely uses less power compare to the normal WD HDD right? Actually does this actually works or just some marketing tactics? Meh, this hdd also cost slightly more than the normal WD HDD. So far i have always been using Seagate HDD Never once use b4 a WD HDD. Anyway another good review from Techarp again

[ChampionLLY]

Originally Posted by peaz

Yea. Makes me wanna get another one too! LOL. or perhaps replace my other 320GBs. LOL

lol, seems like you guys all got big hdd..

[Lacus]

Well,not really for me.Seems to be the bang for money now..It's cheaper now for a 500gb hdd..Like 299 for 500gb o_O

[Adrian Wong]

Originally Posted by Zenphic

It's interesting that WD would advertise their product as having an RPM ranging from 5400 to 7200. Is that because the RPM varies from time to time (to save energy) or is it fixed at an unknown value?

Nope. Variable spin rates were never used for HDDs as far as I know, only older-generation CD-ROMs.

The WD Caviar GP drives have a fixed spindle speed somewhere between 7200 RPM and 5400 RPM. The actual spindle speed varies according to the model (500GB, 750GB, 1TB). WD did this to achieve a balance between performance and power consumption.

As such, I suspect the 500GB drive will probably have the highest spindle speed while the 1TB drive will have the slowest spindle speed with the 750GB drive in the middle.