> > Overall a 10k or 15k rpm drive should definitely out > win out over a 7200rpm drive regardless of the > interface. The main idea is that sustained transfers > from all conventional hard disks aren't capable of > even saturating the slower interfaces much less the > faster ones. >
While this is generally true, one item most people dismiss is firmware/strategy optimization. Firmware, zoning strategy, etc can really make a huge difference in performance both across the board and/or for specific access patterns. That's why the 10k Raptor is faster than most all 15k drives for single-user access patterns. That leads to another common misconception...a number of power users believe that because they multitask heavily, their access pattern is closer to that of a server/multi-user...that is flat out incorrect. Even under extreme multitasking, the I/O distribution is typically still highly localized. With the exception of some of the absolute latest 15k drives and some of the newest SSDs, the Raptor is almost universally faster for all single-users. Some of the latest 7.2k drives are also now able to get close to it simply due to their higher STR...or, the ability to read the requested sectors after they're under the r/w head. I just hope we see a 4th-generation Raptor soon. 150GB is feeling awfully pedestrian anymore, and it no longer holds as commanding of a performance lead. Still an excellent drive though... Greg
