Form PCWORLD
Rank Hard drive: 50GB or over Street price
1 Maxtor DiamondMax D540X (120GB) $230 81 120 Good FEATURES: 5400 rpm, Ultra ATA/133 interface, 2MB buffer, 12 ms average seek time, diagnostic software and installation kit, three-year warranty, 12-hour weekday toll-free support. SUMMARY: This drive delivers a winning combination of high capacity, competitive pricing, and solid performance.
2 Western Digital Special Edition Caviar $349 81 100 Outstanding FEATURES: 7200 rpm, Ultra ATA/100 interface, 8MB buffer, 8.9 ms average seek time, installation kit, three-year warranty, 10-hour weekday, 8-hour Saturday toll-free support. SUMMARY: Has a larger-than-usual cache and exceptional speed, but you pay a stiff premium for the privilege.
3 Western Digital Caviar $299 80 120 Very good FEATURES: 7200 rpm, Ultra ATA/100 interface, 2MB buffer, 8.9 ms average seek time, installation kit, three-year warranty, 10-hour weekday, 8-hour Saturday toll-free support. SUMMARY: Western Digital's largest drive is pricey, but it has the third fastest overall speed on the chart.
4 Maxtor DiamondMax Plus D740X (80GB) $190 79 80 Good FEATURES: 7200 rpm, Ultra ATA/133 interface, 2MB buffer, 8 ms average seek time, diagnostic software and installation kit, three-year warranty, 12-hour weekday toll-free support. SUMMARY: Like all of the Maxtor drives on the chart, supports ATA/133, ATA/100, and ATA/66 interfaces.
5 IBM Deskstar 120GXP $369 78 124 Very good FEATURES: 7200 rpm, Ultra ATA/100 interface, 2MB buffer, 8.5 ms average seek time, installation kit, three-year warranty, 13-hour weekday toll-free support. SUMMARY: Second-fastest and most expensive drive here, it uses IBM's "pixie dust" technology to cram more data onto its platters.
6 Maxtor DiamondMax D540X (160GB) $300 78 160 Good FEATURES: 5400 rpm, Ultra ATA/133 interface, 2MB buffer, 12 ms average seek time, diagnostic software and installation kit, three-year warranty, 12-hour weekday toll-free support. SUMMARY: Moderately priced for a drive with top-end capacity, but it's also slower than other Maxtor drives here.
7 IBM Deskstar 60GXP $189 75 60 Good FEATURES: 7200 rpm, Ultra ATA/100 interface, 2MB buffer, 8.5 ms average seek time, installation kit, three-year warranty, 13-hour weekday toll-free support. SUMMARY: The 60GB version of the Deskstar provides solid performance but costs more than other drives of comparable size.
Rank Hard drive: under 50GB Street price
1 Maxtor DiamondMax Plus D740X (40GB) $130 76 40 Very good FEATURES: 7200 rpm, Ultra ATA/133 interface, 2MB buffer, 8 ms average seek time, diagnostic software and installation kit, three-year warranty, 12-hour weekday toll-free support. SUMMARY: Impressive performance at a moderate price earns the single-platter version of the D740X its Best Buy.
2 Seagate Barracuda ATA IV $115 75 40 Good FEATURES: 7200 rpm, Ultra ATA/100 interface, 2MB buffer, 9 ms average seek time, diagnostic software and installation kit, three-year warranty, 9-hour weekday toll-free support. SUMMARY: Well priced, but slower than the Maxtor D740X, especially in our test that copies a large file.
3 Seagate U Series 6 $90 74 40 Average FEATURES: 5400 rpm, Ultra ATA/100 interface, 2MB buffer, 8.9 ms average seek time, diagnostic software and installation kit, three-year warranty, 9-hour weekday toll-free support. SUMMARY: Terrific price, but lackluster speed. It was especially slow in our Adobe Photoshop and find-file tests.
Rank Hard drive: 50GB or over Street price
1 Maxtor DiamondMax D540X (120GB) $230 81 120 Good FEATURES: 5400 rpm, Ultra ATA/133 interface, 2MB buffer, 12 ms average seek time, diagnostic software and installation kit, three-year warranty, 12-hour weekday toll-free support. SUMMARY: This drive delivers a winning combination of high capacity, competitive pricing, and solid performance.
2 Western Digital Special Edition Caviar $349 81 100 Outstanding FEATURES: 7200 rpm, Ultra ATA/100 interface, 8MB buffer, 8.9 ms average seek time, installation kit, three-year warranty, 10-hour weekday, 8-hour Saturday toll-free support. SUMMARY: Has a larger-than-usual cache and exceptional speed, but you pay a stiff premium for the privilege.
3 Western Digital Caviar $299 80 120 Very good FEATURES: 7200 rpm, Ultra ATA/100 interface, 2MB buffer, 8.9 ms average seek time, installation kit, three-year warranty, 10-hour weekday, 8-hour Saturday toll-free support. SUMMARY: Western Digital's largest drive is pricey, but it has the third fastest overall speed on the chart.
4 Maxtor DiamondMax Plus D740X (80GB) $190 79 80 Good FEATURES: 7200 rpm, Ultra ATA/133 interface, 2MB buffer, 8 ms average seek time, diagnostic software and installation kit, three-year warranty, 12-hour weekday toll-free support. SUMMARY: Like all of the Maxtor drives on the chart, supports ATA/133, ATA/100, and ATA/66 interfaces.
5 IBM Deskstar 120GXP $369 78 124 Very good FEATURES: 7200 rpm, Ultra ATA/100 interface, 2MB buffer, 8.5 ms average seek time, installation kit, three-year warranty, 13-hour weekday toll-free support. SUMMARY: Second-fastest and most expensive drive here, it uses IBM's "pixie dust" technology to cram more data onto its platters.
6 Maxtor DiamondMax D540X (160GB) $300 78 160 Good FEATURES: 5400 rpm, Ultra ATA/133 interface, 2MB buffer, 12 ms average seek time, diagnostic software and installation kit, three-year warranty, 12-hour weekday toll-free support. SUMMARY: Moderately priced for a drive with top-end capacity, but it's also slower than other Maxtor drives here.
7 IBM Deskstar 60GXP $189 75 60 Good FEATURES: 7200 rpm, Ultra ATA/100 interface, 2MB buffer, 8.5 ms average seek time, installation kit, three-year warranty, 13-hour weekday toll-free support. SUMMARY: The 60GB version of the Deskstar provides solid performance but costs more than other drives of comparable size.
Rank Hard drive: under 50GB Street price
1 Maxtor DiamondMax Plus D740X (40GB) $130 76 40 Very good FEATURES: 7200 rpm, Ultra ATA/133 interface, 2MB buffer, 8 ms average seek time, diagnostic software and installation kit, three-year warranty, 12-hour weekday toll-free support. SUMMARY: Impressive performance at a moderate price earns the single-platter version of the D740X its Best Buy.
2 Seagate Barracuda ATA IV $115 75 40 Good FEATURES: 7200 rpm, Ultra ATA/100 interface, 2MB buffer, 9 ms average seek time, diagnostic software and installation kit, three-year warranty, 9-hour weekday toll-free support. SUMMARY: Well priced, but slower than the Maxtor D740X, especially in our test that copies a large file.
3 Seagate U Series 6 $90 74 40 Average FEATURES: 5400 rpm, Ultra ATA/100 interface, 2MB buffer, 8.9 ms average seek time, diagnostic software and installation kit, three-year warranty, 9-hour weekday toll-free support. SUMMARY: Terrific price, but lackluster speed. It was especially slow in our Adobe Photoshop and find-file tests.