4.5GB Ultra SCSI Drive Comparison
Article
contributed by Anand Tech Affiliate: The Storage Review
SCSI drives have always come to mind to those looking for
the ultimate in performance and expandability. The fastest hard drives available today are
10,000rpm platter drives, available only with SCSI interfaces. In addition, Wide SCSI
controllers can handle up to 15 devices per channel with multiple devices using the bus
simultaneously. ATA, on the other hand, has a limit of two devices per channel, one of
which may be in use at any given time. SCSI is a much more intelligent interface, with
queuing features that enhance performance in multithreading and multitasking operations.
SCSI drives are much more expensive, however, let alone the cost of a SCSI host interface,
which is not typically found on motherboards.
Debates rage on in newsgroups how much advantage SCSI hard
drives have over their ATA counterparts and whether or not they are worth the extra money
for the "average" user. There is no denying that the average 4.5GB SCSI hard
drive seems to cost more than twice what a 4.5GB ATA drive does. SCSI drives usually have
better specs than ATA drives such as higher rotation speeds, lower seek times, larger
buffers. It often seems that benchmarks, including Ziff Davis' Winbench 98, do not show a
large difference in performance between SCSI and ATA drives. Even the best benchmarks
often seem to miss key performance-feel issues though. Here at Storage Review, we feel
that the benchmark figures provided for SCSI and ATA drives are quite useful in comparing
drives within the respective classes. Directly comparing figures of a SCSI drive to an ATA
device is less concrete. Do so with caution.
For this test, we used an ABIT LX6 motherboard (v1.1, bios v C7Q), a 266 MHz Intel Pentium II
processor, a 64MB 10ns SDRAM DIMM, and a Matrox Millennium II PCI 4MB (bios v1.2,
PowerDesk v3.80). The SCSI controller was the Adaptec AHA-2940U2W. Read caching and write
caching were enabled on all tested drives. The boot drive (Seagate Hawk 4XL ST34555)
contained Windows 95 OSR 2.1 patched with Intel's 82371xB INF Update. The tests were run
at 1024x768 with 24 bit color at 85 Hz using small fonts. Here is a link to the test bed information.
All drives were formatted with Fat 32 to the largest possible drive size. ZDBop's Startup
Manager was used to prevent loading of background applications. ZDBop's WinBench 98 v1.0's
Disk Test Suites were run on all test drives. These test results represent the average of
five runs.
 |
IBM Ultrastar 2ES DCAS-34330 |
Average Score |
Business Disk WinMark 98 (KB/s) |
1264 |
|
SS/Database |
1100 |
|
WP |
1530 |
|
Publishing |
1196 |
|
Browsers |
1436 |
|
Task Switching |
1650 |
High-End Disk WinMark 98 (KB/s) |
3536 |
|
AVS/Express 3.1 |
2188 |
|
Frontpage 97 |
2974 |
|
MicroStation 95 |
7044 |
|
Photoshop 4.0 |
2594 |
|
Premiere 4.2 |
6812 |
|
PV-Wave 6.1 |
2584 |
|
Visual C++ 5.0 |
8094 |
Disk/Read Random Access (ms) |
16.2 |
Disk/Read Transfer Rate (KB/s) |
|
Beginning |
8160 |
|
End |
5100 |
Disk/Read CPU Utilization (Percent) |
4.4 |
|
Transfer Rate (KB/s) |
8157 |
|
The Ultrastar 2ES is IBM's entry-level 4.5 GB drive.
Entry-level does not necessarily mean low-cost, though, as the 2ES weighs in at a hefty
$500. The drive is conspicuously the only 5400 RPM drive in this roundup, with performance
to reflect its slow spindle speed. It posted the second-slowest Business WinMark 98 score
along with the third slowest High-End Winmark showing of the group. The drive's manual was
thorough and easy to follow. Even so, the Ultrastar 2ES' pokey performance combined with
its fairly high price make it a very hard recommendation. Users looking for an entry-level
SCSI drive would be better serviced by Quantum's Viking or Seagate's Hawk 4XL. |
 |
IBM Ultrastar 2XP DCHS-34550 |
Average Score |
Business Disk WinMark 98 (KB/s) |
1426 |
|
SS/Database |
1208 |
|
WP |
1788 |
|
Publishing |
1350 |
|
Browsers |
1668 |
|
Task Switching |
1616 |
High-End Disk WinMark 98 (KB/s) |
3732 |
|
AVS/Express 3.1 |
2606 |
|
Frontpage 97 |
3210 |
|
MicroStation 95 |
7396 |
|
Photoshop 4.0 |
2254 |
|
Premiere 4.2 |
7662 |
|
PV-Wave 6.1 |
2998 |
|
Visual C++ 5.0 |
7346 |
Disk/Read Random Access (ms) |
12.6 |
Disk/Read Transfer Rate (KB/s) |
|
Beginning |
9570 |
|
End |
6540 |
Disk/Read CPU Utilization (Percent) |
6.9 |
|
Transfer Rate (KB/s) |
9101 |
|
IBM's Ultrastar 2XP weighs in as the most expensive drive
in this roundup, an astonishing $800 in price. IBM provides a thorough multi-lingual
manual. One would infer top performance from this drive, especially in the light of IBM's
showing in the UltraATA drive roundup. The 2XP does indeed provide decent performance, but
nevertheless disappointed given the price. Seagate's Cheetah and Barracuda both bested the
Ultrastar 2XP in performance and both cost significantly less. This drive cannot be
recommended due to its lofty price. |
 |
Quantum Atlas II QM34550AL-SW |
Average Score |
Business Disk WinMark 98 (KB/s) |
1240 |
|
SS/Database |
1122 |
|
WP |
1442 |
|
Publishing |
1186 |
|
Browsers |
1310 |
|
Task Switching |
1912 |
High-End Disk WinMark 98 (KB/s) |
3504 |
|
AVS/Express 3.1 |
1966 |
|
Frontpage 97 |
3242 |
|
MicroStation 95 |
6658 |
|
Photoshop 4.0 |
3240 |
|
Premiere 4.2 |
5912 |
|
PV-Wave 6.1 |
2260 |
|
Visual C++ 5.0 |
9132 |
Disk/Read Random Access (ms) |
13.3 |
Disk/Read Transfer Rate (KB/s) |
|
Beginning |
9860 |
|
End |
5874 |
Disk/Read CPU Utilization (Percent) |
5.3 |
|
Transfer Rate (KB/s) |
9839 |
|
Quantum's Atlas II was something of a puzzle. Priced at
about $100 more than the Viking, the Atlas II is offered as the high-performance drive of
Quantum's lineup. Even so, the Atlas II posted disappointing scores, bringing up the rear
in the Business Disk Winmark and scoring second-to-last in the High-End Disk Winmark. It
trailed its own lower priced cousin, the Viking, by 10%. Drive documentation was minimal,
consisting of a leaflet describing how to set the SCSI ID of the device along with
termination procedures. Given the lower cost and higher performance of both the Viking and
the Seagate Hawk 4XL, The Quantum Atlas II cannot be recommended. |
 |
Quantum Viking QM34550VK-SW |
Average Score |
Business Disk WinMark 98 (KB/s) |
1372 |
|
SS/Database |
1216 |
|
WP |
1680 |
|
Publishing |
1278 |
|
Browsers |
1502 |
|
Task Switching |
1894 |
High-End Disk WinMark 98 (KB/s) |
3884 |
|
AVS/Express 3.1 |
2410 |
|
Frontpage 97 |
3156 |
|
MicroStation 95 |
7152 |
|
Photoshop 4.0 |
3016 |
|
Premiere 4.2 |
7316 |
|
PV-Wave 6.1 |
2868 |
|
Visual C++ 5.0 |
8782 |
Disk/Read Random Access (ms) |
13.7 |
Disk/Read Transfer Rate (KB/s) |
|
Beginning |
10700 |
|
End |
6258 |
Disk/Read CPU Utilization (%) |
5.8 |
|
Transfer Rate (KB/s) |
10745 |
|
Positioned between the Atlas and Fireball families,
Quantum's Viking is marketed as the companies middle-of-the-line drive. In this roundup of
drives, the Viking proves to be the bargain of the group. Priced at a relatively skimpy
$381, it resides at the bottom of the price hierarchy yet provides performance that
approaches Seagate's much more expensive Barracuda XL. Although Seagate's Hawk 4XL
provides virtually the same performance, Quantum back's the Viking with a 5 year warranty
rather than the Hawk's 3 year protection. The drive operated cool, easily handled after
extended use. The only drawback was a tiny bit of noise. During operation, the Viking
seemed to create a low-pitched hum. Though noticeable, the noise was nevertheless much
easier to tune out than the Cheetah's whine. Curiously, the drive came with no
documentation whatsoever; SCSI ID and termination settings had to be retrieved from
Quantum's web page. Caveats aside, a low price combined with good performance and solid
warranty merit the selection of the Viking as Storage Review's low-priced UltraSCSI drive
recommendation. |
 |
Seagate Barracuda 4XL ST34572W |
Average Score |
Business Disk WinMark 98 (KB/s) |
1454 |
|
SS/Database |
1270 |
|
WP |
1796 |
|
Publishing |
1354 |
|
Browsers |
1638 |
|
Task Switching |
1922 |
High-End Disk WinMark 98 (KB/s) |
4184 |
|
AVS/Express 3.1 |
2720 |
|
Frontpage 97 |
3304 |
|
MicroStation 95 |
7758 |
|
Photoshop 4.0 |
3238 |
|
Premiere 4.2 |
7722 |
|
PV-Wave 6.1 |
3070 |
|
Visual C++ 5.0 |
9136 |
Disk/Read Random Access (ms) |
14.0 |
Disk/Read Transfer Rate (KB/s) |
|
Beginning |
10700 |
|
End |
6720 |
Disk/Read CPU Utilization (%) |
5.8 |
|
Transfer Rate (KB/s) |
10716 |
|
The Seagate Barracuda 4XL is a high-performance drive,
posting solid benchmark results second only to its sibling, the Cheetah 4LP. Although it
took second place honors in both the Business and High-End Winmark tests, the Barracuda XL
is hard to recommend given its price. A prospective buyer can save about $200 with
relatively little performance loss by going with Seagate's own Hawk 4XL or Quantum's
Viking drive. Or, if one is seeking the ultimate in performance, the Cheetah 4LP offers
substantial improvements in performance for about $50 more. The Barracuda, however,
remains the high-performance choice if the Cheetah's noise and/or heat prove unacceptable.
The drive came with a manual typical of the Seagate drives, a small yet thorough
installation and configuration handbook. Unlike Seagate's lower-priced Hawk, the Barracuda
4XL is backed by a 5 year warranty, reflecting the drive's enterprise positioning. |
 |
Seagate Cheetah 4LP ST34501W |
Average Score |
Business Disk WinMark 98 (KB/s) |
1916 |
|
SS/Database |
1724 |
|
WP |
2344 |
|
Publishing |
1738 |
|
Browsers |
2210 |
|
Task Switching |
2502 |
High-End Disk WinMark 98 (KB/s) |
5354 |
|
AVS/Express 3.1 |
3566 |
|
Frontpage 97 |
3950 |
|
MicroStation 95 |
9450 |
|
Photoshop 4.0 |
4356 |
|
Premiere 4.2 |
10320 |
|
PV-Wave 6.1 |
3958 |
|
Visual C++ 5.0 |
11300 |
Disk/Read Random Access (ms) |
11.8 |
Disk/Read Transfer Rate (KB/s) |
|
Beginning |
14700 |
|
End |
9840 |
Disk/Read CPU Utilization (%) |
7.7 |
|
Transfer Rate (KB/s) |
14654 |
|
Seagate's Cheetah was the first 10,000 RPM drive to be
released. The Cheetah 4LP greatly outdistances the second fastest drive in this roundup,
Seagate's own Barracuda XL. A low random access time plus an impressive 14.7 MB/sec
sequential sector transfer rate powered the Cheetah to the number one position. This large
increase in speed is accompanied by a relatively small increase in price, thus making the
Cheetah 4LP an easy high-end recommendation. Two caveats: The high spindle speed of the
drive creates a very high-pitched whine above and beyond the normal hard drive
"whirr" noise. This constant squeal can grate on the nerves of individuals
sensitive to noise. Secondly, the fast rotation of the spindle generates a large amount of
heat, making ventilation of the system very important. In a minitower's 3.5" drive
bay, the drive was too hot to touch after being powered on for an hour. The Cheetah's
manual cautions against poor ventilation and outlines procedures for active cooling. In
most cases users will want to use a hard drive fan to cool the drive. |
 |
Seagate Hawk 4XL ST34555W |
Average Score |
Business Disk WinMark 98 (KB/s) |
1344 |
|
SS/Database |
1170 |
|
WP |
1682 |
|
Publishing |
1248 |
|
Browsers |
1546 |
|
Task Switching |
1808 |
High-End Disk WinMark 98 (KB/s) |
3922 |
|
AVS/Express 3.1 |
2464 |
|
Frontpage 97 |
3192 |
|
MicroStation 95 |
7442 |
|
Photoshop 4.0 |
2988 |
|
Premiere 4.2 |
7288 |
|
PV-Wave 6.1 |
2898 |
|
Visual C++ 5.0 |
8824 |
Disk/Read Random Access (ms) |
14.4 |
Disk/Read Transfer Rate (KB/s) |
|
Beginning |
9710 |
|
End |
6090 |
Disk/Read CPU Utilization (%) |
5.2 |
|
Transfer Rate (KB/s) |
9708 |
|
The Hawk 4XL is positioned as Seagate's entry-level
drive, providing decent performance at wallet-friendly prices. The Hawk's Disk WinBench98
scores trail the Seagate Barracuda 4XL by a relatively small amount (by 8% in Business,
only 1% in High-End) while costing substantially less. The Hawk proved to be a little
quieter than Quantum's similarly priced and similarly performing Viking, but is backed
with a more consumer-oriented 3 year warranty rather than the Viking's 5 years. The Hawk,
unlike the Viking, came with a manual detailing installation and configuration. Even so,
the Hawk 4XL warrants a solid recommendation for those looking for an inexpensive SCSI
drive. Storage Review uses the Hawk 4XL as the boot drive for our SCSI test bed. |
 |
Western Digital Enterprise WDE4360-0007B2 |
Average Score |
Business Disk WinMark 98 (KB/s) |
1328 |
|
SS/Database |
1136 |
|
WP |
1646 |
|
Publishing |
1258 |
|
Browsers |
1538 |
|
Task Switching |
1596 |
High-End Disk WinMark 98 (KB/s) |
3410 |
|
AVS/Express 3.1 |
2254 |
|
Frontpage 97 |
3052 |
|
MicroStation 95 |
7016 |
|
Photoshop 4.0 |
2116 |
|
Premiere 4.2 |
6696 |
|
PV-Wave 6.1 |
2658 |
|
Visual C++ 5.0 |
7098 |
Disk/Read Random Access (ms) |
13.1 |
Disk/Read Transfer Rate (KB/s) |
|
Beginning |
6860 |
|
End |
6016 |
Disk/Read CPU Utilization (Percent) |
6.1 |
|
Transfer Rate (KB/s) |
7731 |
|
Western Digital's Caviar series ATA drives enjoy a solid
reputation of performance and reliability. The company is not one that first comes to mind
when one thinks of SCSI drives. Nevertheless, the company offers its
"Enterprise" series of drives. The Enterprise is a typical high-end offering,
backed by a 5 year warranty and claiming 1,000,000 MTBF hours. Despite its rather high
price, the Enterprise's performance is unexceptional, posting average Business Winmark
scores and the lowest High-End Winmark of the roundup. Like Quantum's Viking, the
Enterprise did not come with any documentation in the box, forcing us to go to the WD's
web page to find the correct ID and termination settings. Users will find much better
performance at the same price in Seagate's Cheetah and Barracuda, or better performance at
a much lower price with Quantum's Viking and Seagate's Hawk. |
Ziff Davis Winbench 98 |
|
WinMark (higher is better) |
Disk/Read (lower is better) |
|
Business
(KB/s) |
High
End
(KB/s) |
Random
Access
(ms) |
CPU
Utilization
(%) |
| IBM Ultrastar
DCAS-34330 |
1264 |
3536 |
16.2 |
4.4 |
| IBM Ultrastar
DCHS-34550 |
1426 |
3732 |
12.6 |
6.9 |
| Quantum Atlas II
QM34550AL-SW |
1240 |
3504 |
13.3 |
5.3 |
| Quantum Viking
QM34550VK-SW |
1372 |
3884 |
13.7 |
5.8 |
| Seagate Barracuda
4XL ST34572W |
1454 |
4184 |
14.0 |
5.8 |
| Seagate Cheetah 4LP
ST34501W |
1916 |
5354 |
11.8 |
7.7 |
| Seagate Hawk 4XL
ST34555W |
1344 |
3922 |
14.4 |
5.2 |
| Western Digital
Enterprise WDE4360 |
1328 |
3410 |
13.1 |
6.1 |
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