VelociRaptor 300GB $252 AR CB

[Lurker1]

actually, with smaller files, you can retrieve 2 simultaneously from separate disks. Also, you have more platters and heads, and seek times will actually average lower on the whole, especially under load. If you are merely pulling files sequentially in synchronous fashion, it won't really help that much.

I'd actually like to see the stats on where a RAID0 array does not outperform a VR under a real load. A single small file, yes. A couple of hundred small files or a single large file, no. (Note that the qualification was to get the same gen drive but one speed step down. So the only difference would be the spindle speed.)

Edit: Let me qualify that one more step: RAID0 with a real hardware controller or fully software implemented, not some cheap shoddy hardware/software combination. The $20 "RAID" card is not going to cut it. The $100 RAID card probably won't cut it either. You get what you pay for in RAID controllers, one of the reasons I ran SCSI until recently. Real PATA/SATA RAID cards were costing around $300-500, which actually priced them above SCSI solutions. Software RAID 0/1/0+1/10 is generally a better performer that those "cheap" RAID cards mentioned earlier.

 

[Zap]

Originally posted by: Lurker1
The $100 RAID card probably won't cut it either. You get what you pay for in RAID controllers, one of the reasons I ran SCSI until recently. Real PATA/SATA RAID cards were costing around $300-500

Sorry, but you lost me there. At $500 for a RAID card plus a couple of cheap 7200RPM drives, you can get two VelociRaptors (which BTW the rebate is good for two per household )running RAID from your motherboard chipset that will be faster.

If you want capacity, nothing beats 7200RPM drives.

If you want low cost/GB, nothing beats 7200RPM drives.

If you want performance, nothing beats the VelociRaptor (for regular mechanical SATA drives).

Saying "oh but 1/4 the cost... disclaimer: you need a $500 controller" just doesn't sound right. That blows the whole "lower cost" thing out the window. If you are spending that much for a controller just to get the most performance, of course you'd want the fastest HDD to go with it. After all, VelociRaptors in RAID 0 will always outperform current 7200RPM drives in the same setup (number of drives, same controller).

As for seek times going down... Access Time I see them going up (but mostly staying the same).

It all comes down to whatever floating your boat.

 

[TripperJoe]

So according to that article, you could get a pair of wd6400aaks and have 4times the storage with better performance for less $$?

Is there any reason to get a single raptor?

 

[Tempered81]

if you don't have raid on your motherboard?

 

[Zap]

Originally posted by: TripperJoe
Is there any reason to get a single raptor?

For better access times? For having the performance with less power usage? For not having to make a driver floppy for installation? For wanting "the best, damn the cost" without going into first gen SSD or expensive SAS controllers?

Why do people buy Radeon 4870 video cards when you can just about get two 4850 cards for near the same price?

Why buy anything past the price/performance curve?

Why not?

Is there a right or wrong in this matter? I like asparagus, but know people who hate it. I hate eggplant, but know people who love it. Who is right and who is wrong?

 

[MichaelD]

Funny; I don't like asparagus, but I love eggplant. Enough about veggies, though.

Damn you, HOT DEALS FORUM and your eagle-eyed posters! I read this thread and almost pulled the trigger on this big, but older gen Velociraptor. But then I saw this newer, but smaller one for $70 less. I figured I could get into the 10K rpm game again (I miss my SCSI setup sometimes) for "cheap." I already have two, 320GB 7200rpm drives to store my tunes and vids on. Streaming audio/video from a 7K rpm drive has never been a problem.

140-ish (after formatting) GBs on the VRaptor is plenty of space for the OS and Games. Oh, to load Stalker levels 33% faster! It's gonna be just full of fragalicious goodness.

Stop posting these deals; I'm going broke.

Nice find, Zap. :beer:

ps
As a former user of both 10K and 15K SCSI setups, there is nothing like a fast disk subsystem to give your rig a massive kick in the ass. 128GB of system memory won't make things load any faster. Only disk rpm and IO can do that.