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Date |
: Sept 17th, 2001 |
| Category |
: Storage |
| Manufacturer |
: Seagate |
| Author |
: Jin-Wei Tioh |
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Some readers have written in to voice their opinion that we should employ some form of tests to give a numerical value for drive heat and noise levels. While we certainly would love to, it is not an easy feat (not that we're lazy) nor does it seem feasible just yet. For starters, the sound power and sound quality (read : annoyingness) can vary by a considerable margin in drives, even those of the same model! The bearings and motors used are sometimes from different vendors, and consequently each drive sounds "unique". Furthermore, sound pressure is highly dependent on the placement of the sensing microphone, not being as absolute as sound power. Sound power is what manufacturers specify. Sound pressure is what you are measuring when you place the component in question into a soundproof box, with a single microphone. Marginally shifting the microphone would definitely impact the measured results. Moreover, there isn't a universal formula governing the correlation between sound pressure and sound power; it is a function of the drive itself. These factors make the results' consistency, reliability and reproducibility questionable.
Measuring drive heat levels would be more practical, though there is most certainly a temperature delta across the drive. The same problem exists in heatsink/fan testing, where there are significant temperature differences even on the tiny processor core.
The Barracuda ATA IV runs about as hot as the Deskstar 60GXP. While these drives are definitely not as cool as a cucumber, they should nevertheless run fine without any form of active cooling, though personally, we make it the rule of the thumb to cool any >= 7200 RPM drive in our systems. Thanks to its "SoftSonic" sound barrier technology and its 2-platter design, the Barracuda is quite possibly the quietest drive that has entered our labs. Its noise level is comparable to that of the Quantum Fireball lct20, a 4500 RPM value class drive, and we believe this speaks for itself.
With its stellar WinBench 99 scores, respectable showing under IOMeter, and capacity advantage compared to the IBM Deskstar 60GXP (80GB vs. 60GB), we have little choice but to place the Barracuda ATA IV nearly on par with the IBM. Seagate has finally got it right, landing the Barracuda ATA family back in performance enthusiasts' good graces. Coupled with its virtually noiseless operation (no exaggerating on our part), the Seagate Barracuda IV definitely warrants your attention if you're looking for a new high-capacity drive in the near future.
| Seagate Barracuda ATA IV (ST380021A) |
| Other Models : |
ST360021A (60GB), ST340021A (40GB), ST320021A (20GB) |
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