RPMs

[Pyro]

To me, the ATA-100 format already describes the transfer rate of the harddisk. However, a 7200rpm ATA-100 HD is usually more expensive and supposedly faster than a 5400rpm ATA-100 HD.

Should we look at transfer rate or rpms when buying harddisks?

[This message has been edited by Pyro (edited 09-04-2001).]

[hiredgoonz]

The transfer rate is pretty much pointless once you get to ata66 or even ata33...these transfer rates are theoretical even at 33mb per sec and based on burst transfer using the hd cache...the actual read/write speed of a 7200 rpm drive is about 9-12 mb/sec...so it doesn't matter what the transfer rate is...

I would go with a 7200 rpm ata33 over a 5400 rpm ata100 any day of the week...you'll notice better performance from a drive that spins faster before you'll notice a difference from the transfer rate...

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