The drive looks the same as the standard WD1000 model with 2 MB buffer that we already reviewed some months ago. While IDE drives formerly only had buffer sizes between 64 and 512 kB, most drives are equipped with 2 MB today. Thanks to low DRAM prices, hard drives with 4, 8, or even more MBs of buffer memory should be inexpensive and easy to acquire. As the buffer size should increase with the capacity, it was time to release a drive with an 8 MB cache.
Currently, only some SCSI drives have an 8 or 16 MB cache memory. This is mainly due to the most important applications for SCSI drive arrays: file and database servers. If frequent access to data is the goal, the process can be accelerated considerably with larger caches.
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Western Digital WD1000, 8 MB Cache
Capacity
120 GB (3 Platters)
Rotation Speed
7,200 rpm
Average Seek Time
8.9 ms
Cache Memory
8096 kB
Warranty
3 Years
Jumper Setup: It's Easy
Removing the jumper would make the drive run in single mode, as in neutral position (see image).". The positions for master or slave mode are printed on the PCB in order to make the setup as easy as possible.
Stay On the Cutting Edge: Get the Tom's Hardware Newsletter
Get Tom's Hardware's best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox.
Patrick Schmid was the editor-in-chief for Tom's Hardware from 2005 to 2006. He wrote numerous articles on a wide range of hardware topics, including storage, CPUs, and system builds.
