TrustedReviews Looks at the Mammoth 750GB Seagate Barracuda 7200.10

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.trustedreviews.com/article.aspx?art=3042' target='_blank'>http://www.trustedreviews.com/article.aspx?art=3042</a><br /><br /></div><i>"The major feature of Seagate’s new Barracuda 7200.10 hard drive is the use of perpendicular recording technology that boosts the capacity of the drive by an impressive percentage. Perpendicular technology stands the particles of magnetic media on their end instead of laying them on their side. The result is a significant increase in areal density so we’ve leapt from the 500GB of the Barracuda 7200.9 to an enormous 750GB from the Barracuda 7200.10 family. In other respects the 7200.10 is a conventional SATA300 hard drive, with a 7,200rpm spin speed and support for NCQ (Native Command Queuing) so we’re going to dwell on the areal density and 750GB capacity throughout this review."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/segate-750gb-trustedreviews.jpg" /><br /><br />With so many of the technology announcements I read, it takes years for them to come to market - and quite often then never make it. When perpendicular storage breakthroughs were announced, I was excited but also skeptical - what if we didn't see this until 2012? Well, my skepticism was misplaced, because the leap came, and we have a massive 750 GB hard drive to show for it.

[Jeremy Charette]

While this is exciting news, especially for folks interested in Media Center PCs, I still suggest waiting for a hybrid drive version of this technology to be released. You'll need a Hybrid drive for the more advanced versions of Windows Vista.

For those that don't know, Microsoft is specifying a new drive technology for high-end Vista versions, which incorporates 256MB of high speed RAM on the drive itself, to cache data and reduce read/write times from the hard drive.

[OSUKid7]

While this is exciting news, especially for folks interested in Media Center PCs, I still suggest waiting for a hybrid drive version of this technology to be released. You'll need a Hybrid drive for the more advanced versions of Windows Vista.

For those that don't know, Microsoft is specifying a new drive technology for high-end Vista versions, which incorporates 256MB of high speed RAM on the drive itself, to cache data and reduce read/write times from the hard drive.
Argh... I almost wish I hand't just read that. I need to buy a new drive soon, and was gonna get my first SATA drive and put my current PATA drive in an external enclosure. Also, I was considering buying the same model drive in a few months and setting up RAID 1. But now that I hear this about the new drive technology... and that definitely sounds like something that could be useful on my Media Center PC... :x Tech purchases are never as simple as they start out. :lol:

Any idea when those new HDDs will be out?

[Jeremy Charette]

Latest rumors say mid-2007, not until after Vista has already been released.

More info on hybrid hard disks:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/features/foreveryone/performance.mspx

Windows ReadyDrive
Windows ReadyDrive enables Windows Vista PCs equipped with a hybrid hard disk to boot up faster, resume from hibernate in less time, preserve battery power, and improve hard disk reliability. Hybrid hard disks are a new type of hard disk, with integrated non-volatile flash memory.

The hybrid disk is intended for mobile PCs running Windows Vista. Your data is written to the flash memory, which saves work for the mechanical hard disk—saving the battery power. The hybrid disk helps Windows Vista resume faster from Sleep because data can be restored from flash memory faster than from the mechanical hard disk. And since more data is written to the integrated flash memory than to the traditional hard disk, you have less risk of hardware problems with the hard disk when you're on the move. Windows Vista takes advantage of hybrid hard disk to save battery life, resume use faster from hibernation, and improve reliability.

[OSUKid7]

Latest rumors say mid-2007, not until after Vista has already been released.
Ah, ok. Guess that'll have to be for my next PC then. Thanks for the info.

[Jeremy Charette]

Today's news stories state that hybrid hard disks will not be required for Vista Premium, but rather there are "recommended" specifications that include hybrid hard disks.

I say spend the couple hundred bucks, get a huge drive today. When Vista finally ships and you upgrade, just get a whole new PC. No point in waiting, IMHO.