Revised WD740GD Raptor Review at StorageReview

[EnderW]

http://www.storagereview.com/articles/200512/WD740GD-00FLC0_1.html

In the end, the 00FLC0 revision of the Raptor WD740GD appears to have sacrificed a small amount of its multi-user prowess to effect some slightly larger single-user performance gains. The most significant advances occur in the Office and High-End DriveMarks, where the newer version's 12-14% improvement yields a tangible and pleasing "snap" to operations. These gains allow the Raptor to close the gap that was starting to appear between WD's venerable 10K RPM unit and today's state-of-the-art 7200 RPM offerings.


I'm gonna call ZZF tomorrow and see if they can tell me the firmware version on their drives. If they have the 00FLC0, I'll pick one up.

[DougLite]

Still can't catch the 7K500 :p

[EnderW]

Still can't catch the 7K500 :p
I bet the real new Raptor will.

[aug1516]

I bet the real new Raptor will.

I should hope so, otherwise it would not be a very impressive new product. I'm actually hoping the new Raptor comes close to Fujitsu MAU performance.

[defakto]

I should hope so, otherwise it would not be a very impressive new product. I'm actually hoping the new Raptor comes close to Fujitsu MAU performance.

I doubt the new raptor will come close to the performance of the MAU unless they up it's rpm's to 15k.

[aug1516]

I doubt the new raptor will come close to the performance of the MAU unless they up it's rpm's to 15k.

Why do you say that? The current Raptor is very close and even better than some 15k SCSI drives so spindle speed is not the only factor when it comes to performance.

[DougLite]

Clicky (http://www.storagereview.com/php/benchmark/suite_v4.php?typeID=10&testbedID=4&osID=6&raidconfigID=1&numDrives=1&devID_0=277&devID_1=306&devCnt=2) - the current one is pretty close, at least in the productivity DriveMarks. Double density and a 16MB buffer should tighten up the Gaming scores and put the Raptor over the top in the productivty benches.

[defakto]

I think if you takes IO/s into account the new raptor will probably be better than the mau. I'm not going to bet on it though. I also don't think the new raptor will be able to touch a 15k drive in the area of straight performance unless they put some denser platters on it.

[aug1516]

I think if you takes IO/s into account the new raptor will probably be better than the mau. I'm not going to bet on it though. I also don't think the new raptor will be able to touch a 15k drive in the area of straight performance unless they put some denser platters on it.

What do you mean by "straight performance"?

[defakto]

Sorry. What I meant was linear transfer rates over the platter and for some reason it came out as straight performance.

[DougLite]

Defakto is right there, there's no way WD is going to get within smelling distance of 100MB/sec in the outer zones like the MAU and Atlas 15K II are, presuming they stay with the 10K spindle speed. Also, I don't see them eclipsing the seek performance of MAT and 10K V, let alone MAU and 15K II. SCSI drives will always be better on paper, ATA drives have always made up that deficit with buffer size and strategy.

[M.D.K.]

The drive I just got from newegg (10 minutes ago) is indeed an FLC0.

[magnetik]

I have a 00FLA2 rev. dated June 2005

[Volkum]

Just got my raptor the other day and it's definitely this new revision. Sweet!

[EnderW]

Just got my raptor the other day and it's definitely this new revision. Sweet!
where did you order from?

[dee-vee]

I got a raptor from newegg last week and its the newest one also.

[Volkum]

where did you order from?

Newegg. My buddy also ordered 2 more Raptors a week or 2 ago to make his RAID10 and they're both the new revision.

[chrisf6969]

can you update the firmware, like you can on a DVD drive?

and how long have the latest version "00FLC0" been shipping?

[magnetik]

I might be missing something but didn't that review say the older revisions are better for single user performance?

[chrisf6969]

I might be missing something but didn't that review say the older revisions are better for single user performance?

Nope said the older versions are better for server / multi-user apps.

And the office benchmark, as well as a few other single user apps, showed a noticeable improvement with the newer version.

They should produce 2 SKU's.

WD 74GB "S" - for Server(multi user) clients
WD 74GB "E" - for Enthusiast (single user) clients

[EnderW]

anyone get a 00FLC0 from ZZF?

[magnetik]

All these #'s get's kinda confusing.. Are these the only reported revisions?

00FLA0
00FLA1
00FLA2
00FLC0

I wonder what a 00FLA2 is set too as far as performance or server mode.

[sparky1_2007]

ummm, supposedly i have a raptor, but the model is a WDC WD740GD-50FLC0 is that a western digital raptor?... im confused with all the numbers also....

[Megalomaniac]

storage drives are only good up until they crash and you loose everything.

WD has proved time and time again that their drives stand up to the test better than anyone elses. (dont get me stated on Maxtors which fail 50% of the time during burn in testing, vs WDs 10% - these are numbers from a company that makes DVRs for heavy commercial use)

With that in mind, the raptop is still the top dog for OS drives.

[unhappy_mage]

WD has proved time and time again that their drives stand up to the test better than anyone elses. (dont get me stated on Maxtors which fail 50% of the time during burn in testing, vs WDs 10% - these are numbers from a company that makes DVRs for heavy commercial use)
Link?

http://www.hardfolding.com/ftag1.php/mem/150072.png (http://www.hardfolding.com?go=38&tm=33&id=150072)

[IdiotInCharge]

Second the link request- personally I'll never use a Maxtor, WD or Hitachi before a Seagate when a Seagate is close in performance per dollar as well as quieter and has a longer warranty...

But it is nice to see WD improving this toy of theirs- when they figure out how to mute the hideous (my opinion) noise it produces, it might make the list :)

[EnderW]

But it is nice to see WD improving this toy of theirs- when they figure out how to mute the hideous (my opinion) noise it produces, it might make the list :)
lol, toy?
the Raptor has ruled the ATA roost for over 2 years now

mine is about 12 inches away from me and I can barely even hear it when defragging
it's not much louder than other ATA drives
http://www.silentpcreview.com/article246-page3.html
http://www.storagereview.com/articles/200512/WD740GD-00FLC0_6.html
http://www.storagereview.com/articles/200401/20040126WD740GD_6.html

[DougLite]

Some people (myself included) actually find the deeper rumble of a WD740GD easier to handle than higher pitched noise from other ATA drives.

People that think this way do so for two reasons:
1) They're like me, and get some macabre satisfaction out of the deep SCSI like rumble of the Raptor's seeks.
2) They're like a lot of silent computing freaks, and they can handle low frequency noise of fiarly high volume, but the faintest hint of high pitch is intolerable.

[Volkum]

Second the link request- personally I'll never use a Maxtor, WD or Hitachi before a Seagate when a Seagate is close in performance per dollar as well as quieter and has a longer warranty...

But it is nice to see WD improving this toy of theirs- when they figure out how to mute the hideous (my opinion) noise it produces, it might make the list :)

Over my video card and CPU fan, I have never heard my hard drives make a single noise...

[Megalomaniac]

Link?

http://www.hardfolding.com/ftag1.php/mem/150072.png (http://www.hardfolding.com?go=38&tm=33&id=150072)


Sorry guys, no link, this came straight from the horses mouth, from the people who manufacture DVRs.

They have switched from being pure maxtor to becoming pure WD in the past 6 months or so.
When we were talking to their reps they said that during their burn in tests maxtor fails half the time. as opposed to WD 1 in 10.
(these guys are owned by Tyco)

they use a lot of WD1600SB drives ( i forgot the maxtors model, but i will get it sometime soon)

[sparky1_2007]

thnx for answering my question above, i really appreciate it /sarcasm

[EnderW]

ummm, supposedly i have a raptor, but the model is a WDC WD740GD-50FLC0 is that a western digital raptor?... im confused with all the numbers also....
thnx for answering my question above, i really appreciate it /sarcasm
of course it's a Raptor
what else would it be?

[EnderW]

anyone get a 00FLC0 from ZZF?
....