mans:
It is really a judgement call. They are both top of the line drives, or there would not even be a debate about which is better. I am pretty sure that any performance difference between the two will not be something that is noticeable to the user. I personally think that the IBM's are a better quality drive, but Maxtor's have been getting much better of late. I have not used the Maxtor, so I can't vouch for how good it is. For instance, the 8.7ms access time of the Maxtor vs. the 8.5ms access time of the IBM is something you would not notice. I do know everyone I have talked to that has the IBM is very pleased with it, and whether it matters or not, IBM has been making drives alot longer than Maxtor. There are two other things that have not been metioned here. First, the IBM uses platters made of glass, and it is the only manufacturer to do that in IDE drives, to my knowledge (most use aluminum). Also, I don't think anyone will argue that the IBM is much quieter than the Maxtor. I have two, and you can barely hear them at all.
Bottom Line: Both are good, do some research on them and do some searches through the forums and on the net. Then decide what one you want. It doesn't matter if everyone says one is better if you like the other one, it only matters what you think. After all, you are the one using it in your system, not everyone else. Good luck.