Does anyone like the new hdd chart format/technology?
How is it better?
How is it worse?

I'm just curious if I'm the only one that really doesn't like new format. It's all neat dragging and dropping but aside from that I really don't get any more from it. In fact, it seems to take longer to load and use.

Any thoughts anyone?

I don't care, when I need a HD I buy the largest HD with a 5 Year warranty that is Sata II with a 32MB cache and not an overpriced Raptor, that is available for sale under $200.

I can see the simplicity in your logic. You raise a good point...Are all sataII hdds created equal??

Most HDD are created equal. The Seagate Perpendicular Recording drives are fast. I have 3 320 Seagate 7200.10 drives in a RAID 0 and I love them. They are fast and I have not has one problem with the Seagates. My kids computer has 2 WD 250 in a RAID0 and Never a problem with them.

I had one DOA drive from Seagate when we ordered 250 40 Gig hard drives for work, not a bad ratio. I have never had a dead WD drive, but over the past 15 years I have only had 20 or so. Most drives will last along time as long as you dont drop them (only did that once) or move your desktop while its on.

The larger cache is better with some applications. Most 7200 harddrives will perform around the same level. The SATA controller also makes a difference.

If you look at the Seagate 7200.11 they have the highest average transfer rate and the lowest access time for the 7200 RPM drives. The only higher access times are the Raptors.

The best thing to do as BobbyKnight said was look for the 5 year warranty. Some HD companys are lowering to 2-3 years.

1Haplo

So are we agreeing that the "interactive" (not much roi there) hdd charts, that THG supplies, are a waste of a user's time?

I actually use the test results -- PCMark file transfer rates in particular -- in order to gauge whether some drives are going to waste less of my time when I do backups.

I'd like to see Tom's add a REAL FORMATTED CAPACITY figure next to the stated capacity. Samsung LIES about its mobile drive capacity. The 250GB 2.5" drive I just bought is only 160GB formatted. The new "half-terrabyte" 2.5" drive is only 334GB formatted!

that is quite the jump in size differences after formatting...
are you sure your right clicked and pressed the format button right?