hdd's 8Mb cache vs. 2mb cache... ??

shuki · Mar 17, 2003, 04:28 PM

Is it really worth it to get an 8mb cache hdd?? I've got a brand new unopened Maxtor 120Gb 2Mb cache sitting right here. Got it for $150 minus $50 MIR. But I can get a 120Gb 8Mb Western Digital for like $140. My question is, "is that extra 6Mb of cache worth $40?"

is there a noticable difference in the two? will NOT be in RAID array just a single 120G hdd setup. I realize in benches the 8 beats the 2 but how about in every day, day to day activities? File transfers, gaming, DVD's, internet, etc...

what do you all think? anyone had a 2Mb cache hdd then stepped up immediately to an 8Mb cache hdd (*without adding RAID or some other factors) and care to comment??

dipstick · Mar 17, 2003, 04:52 PM

Yes, yes, yes. The difference is definitely noticable. I have a WD 80BG 8mb and a Maxtor 80GB 2mb and the difference depending on what I do is extreme. Once you use one, you can never go back. If you record movies or play around with huge files, you will find that the extra $40 was well spent.

~~Crash Override~~ · Mar 17, 2003, 05:02 PM

im running raid on mine right now

but one thing is for a while i wasnt running it with a bunch of games installed

anything where you are loading up large files or editing large files it definitely makes a difference

and combined with raid damn does it get cookin

NaumoJR · Mar 17, 2003, 05:10 PM

I have a WD 7200rpm 80gb with the 8mb Cache. They call it the caviar. I honestly don't see a huge difference between my old hd that had a 2mb cache and the one I have now. I think it copies/cuts and pastes faster.

I never really did a whole lot of research on it.

~~WyreTheWolf~~ · Mar 19, 2003, 02:26 PM

I have the Maxtor DiamondMax Plus 9 Ultra series

I will have to say that it is by far faster than the 2MB 7200 RPM drive it replaced.

shuki · Mar 19, 2003, 02:45 PM

well just gonna have to jump in there then and try the waters myself

Ordered today from newegg $137 shipped...

Necrosis · Mar 19, 2003, 04:42 PM

Hey Shuki this is off topic sorta...how long does stuff like that usually take to get to you?

Vampyromaniac · Mar 19, 2003, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by WyreTheWolf
I have the Maxtor DiamondMax Plus 9 Ultra series

I will have to say that it is by far faster than the 2MB 7200 RPM drive it replaced.

What was the old drive?

shuki · Mar 20, 2003, 01:53 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Necrosis
Hey Shuki this is off topic sorta...how long does stuff like that usually take to get to you?

well me mom's in Indy and it gets to her in like 2~3 days from newegg. But then mom usually takes her time about forwarding it on to me. And she is like super pack lady with enough padding and popcorn to safely ship fine china

But from the time she ships until getting here is right at 8 days give or take a day or so....

She mailed out my nf7-s and spare BIOS Tuesday afternoon so I hope to get it middle of next week. She had that a week before she got it in the mail..... So this time with my zalman 80 GPU cooler and WD 120G 8mb cache hdd I'm trying the mother in law in Cincy. She got the hdd yesterday and zalman slated to show up at her office today. Guess we'll see when she ships....

/me really needs some "friends" in the US that understands what it means to WAIT on new bright, shiny pc parts and to expedite the shipping process!!!

~~Crash Override~~ · Mar 20, 2003, 05:16 AM

heh you got plenty of friends in the us Shuki

shuki · Apr 2, 2003, 07:45 AM

got the new WD120 yesteday. Installed it all and gave it a whirl.... WOW! ummm, yeah... slight increase in speed in moving or copying large avi files (350mb). Before was like 60 seconds something like that now its 20 seconds!!

ran my hdd bench on it. my maxtor 60G in udma6 would do 118 whereas this one only has udma5 and can only pull 98. Initially I thought "yuck!" But then after moving the first large file no way I'm going back to 2mb cache!!!

~~Crash Override~~ · Apr 2, 2003, 07:54 AM

cant blame ya there

i love my WD's

*holds em tight and never lets em go*

~~WyreTheWolf~~ · Apr 2, 2003, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by shuki
got the new WD120 yesteday. Installed it all and gave it a whirl.... WOW! ummm, yeah... slight increase in speed in moving or copying large avi files (350mb). Before was like 60 seconds something like that now its 20 seconds!!

ran my hdd bench on it. my maxtor 60G in udma6 would do 118 whereas this one only has udma5 and can only pull 98. Initially I thought "yuck!" But then after moving the first large file no way I'm going back to 2mb cache!!!

Now imagine a UDMA Mode 6 Maxtor HDD with 8MB of cache instead of 2MB.

Dom · Apr 2, 2003, 12:43 PM

8megs are very nice. I want a Maxtor 8Mb/SATA150...that would be sweet.

~~Crash Override~~ · Apr 10, 2003, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dom
8megs are very nice. I want a Maxtor 8Mb/SATA150...that would be sweet.

What about an 8MB cache WD Raptor SATA 10kRPM drive?

Dom · Apr 10, 2003, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Crash Override
What about an 8MB cache WD Raptor SATA 10kRPM drive?

Ouch.

~~WyreTheWolf~~ · Apr 10, 2003, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Crash Override
What about an 8MB cache WD Raptor SATA 10kRPM drive?

Max of just under 40Gig ... that simply isnt enough space...

I guess you could have an array .... but, that would be just about as expensive as getting a large SCSI HDD.

~~Crash Override~~ · Apr 11, 2003, 02:24 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by WyreTheWolf
Max of just under 40Gig ... that simply isnt enough space...

I guess you could have an array .... but, that would be just about as expensive as getting a large SCSI HDD.

thats simply due to the fact that they are working out having larger IDE drives with the 10kRPM and this one is aimed at businesses more than consumers for now