Seeing clearly with the Raptor X HDD

[BoomAM]

It's not false advertising, it's just PR. They call it that because it sounds cool.

Or it could be that the SATA2 spec isnt actually a 'solid' spec, and a manufacturer can actually call their drive SATA2 if it has any of the features ive listed. Although, most manufactuers, class 3.0gbps & NCQ drives SATA2, because they basically are SATA2. Faster & more efficiant=newer version=warrents new 'number'.

[TheAnimus]

Am i the only one who dosen't want a window in their HDD? 10k RPM drives have a habbit of needing a bit of metal around em to reduce heat, and then i like to stick it in a silent drive enclusure.

at £250, i'd rather by a 300gig 10k rpm scsi for £375!

[BoomAM]

Good point that.
It'd be good if they did a version without the window really. For people who dont care about seeing the platters spin and the heads working.

[Kef9]

The drive has now arrived at scan for £208 for the non windowed version.

Hell that is alot of money for a hard drive.

Gonna wait me thinks till the price comes down to around £150 hopefully!

[Steve]

Good point that.
It'd be good if they did a version without the window really. For people who dont care about seeing the platters spin and the heads working.

Kef9 says in his post that the non-window version is $300 in the states, although I cannot find it on WD's site after a quick look...

[Kef9]

Kef9 says in his post that the non-window version is $300 in the states, although I cannot find it on WD's site after a quick look...

Yep the one scan is selling is the non windowed version. Interestingly the windowed version has only half the desgin life of the non windowed one. ummmm.

Here is an extract from storagereview.com

'Western Digital's solution to the conundrum is two separate SKUs. The "Raptor 150" (WD1500ADFD) continues the line's tradition as a low-cost alternative to the SCSI drives that dominate the server world. The "Raptor X" (WD1500AHFD) caters to the enthusiasts and gamers that have carried the family since its debut.

What's the difference? Cosmetically speaking, the Raptor X pays homage to the DIY crowd that enjoys things such as clear PC cases with... well, a transparent cover. Though the actual top plate remains a jet-black aluminum compound, the portion that actually sits atop the spindle assembly, constructed from polycarbonate, permits a clear view of the drive's interior. To further the product's unique appearance, WD investigated incorporating an LED into the device but ruled it out due to engineering constraints. The Raptor 150, on the other hand, features the more staid, standard look that debuted with WD's latest 7200 RPM units.

The Raptor X is officially specified with a 600,000 hour MTBF while the 150 features a 1.2 million hour claim. Both units receive 24 hours of factory burn-in are backed by 5-year warranties. As attractive as the concept may sound to enthusiasts, the two different versions do not feature significantly differing firmware. Creating and maintaining two code bases would increase overhead and product prices that would not proportionally translate into better performance. Here at least, differences really do extend only skin deep. Thus, given that the drives are mechanically and electronically identical, it should come as no surprise that the unit featuring the more complexly-engineered cover commands a price premium: WD pegs the Raptor X's street price at $350 while the standard unit will run about $300.'