The WD Caviar SE16 400 GB Gets Ready to Face The World

Western Digital's WD4000KD Reviewed

This new technology is still a couple of months away, so the latest drive generation builds up on more or less 'traditional' technology. In the case of Hitachi, this has already resulted in a 500 GB DeskStar drive. However, that drive was achieved only by putting together five platters storing 100 GB each, not through any technological advances.

Similarly, if you expected WD to put together a 400 GB drive with three platters only you may be disappointed. The only company to offer a 400 GB three platter design is Seagate. Instead, WD extends its existing design from three to four platters with the WD4000KD. It's pretty obvious that the new drive is not going to establish new performance records, but let's see what the 16 MB buffer is able to do.