8MB worth having for desktop use?

[Mark M]

Some ATA hard drives come with either a 2MB or 8MB buffer. For
example the Maxtor Plus 9.

Is there much performance difference between the 2MB and 8MB drives
when used in a desktop PC?

 

[Rod Speed]

Some ATA hard drives come with either a 2MB or 8MB buffer.
For example the Maxtor Plus 9.

In fact most decent drives now.

Some indecent ones too.

Is there much performance difference between
the 2MB and 8MB drives when used in a desktop PC?

Nope. I bet you wouldnt be able to pick which system
had the 8MB cache in a proper double blind trial with
you not being allowed to run a diagnostic or benchmark.

 

[Arno Wagner]

Some ATA hard drives come with either a 2MB or 8MB buffer. For
example the Maxtor Plus 9.

Is there much performance difference between the 2MB and 8MB drives
when used in a desktop PC?

Not much. But >=120GB the 8MB models have 3 years warranty instead
of one.

Arno

 

[Simon]

Not much. But >=120GB the 8MB models
have 3 years warranty instead of one.

The Samsungs have a 3 year warranty regardless of the cache size.

 

[Timothy Daniels]

"Arno Wagner" spake thusly:

Not much. But >=120GB the 8MB models have 3 years warranty
instead of one.

In certain situations typically found in desktop/workstation tasks
(as opposed to the random accesses found in server tasks), the
advantage of 8MB over 2MB caches can be 30% or more. See:
http://www.storagereview.com/php/tiki/tiki-index.php?page=BufferSizes


*TimDaniels*

 

[Timothy Daniels]

8MB buffer. For example the Maxtor Plus 9.

FYI, the DiamondMax Plus 9s had 2MB caches in the early
models, and they expanded the caches to 8MB later on. In model
nos. such as 6Y060L0 vs. 6Y060M0, "L" stands for 2MB cache,
"M" stands for 8MB cache, and "060" stands for 60GB hard disk
capacity.


*TimDaniels*

 

[Rod Speed]

"Arno Wagner" spake thusly:


In certain situations typically found in desktop/workstation tasks
(as opposed to the random accesses found in server tasks), the
advantage of 8MB over 2MB caches can be 30% or more. See:
http://www.storagereview.com/php/tiki/tiki-index.php?page=BufferSizes

Bet you wouldnt be able to pick which system has the
8MB cache drive in a proper double blind trial with you
not being allowed to run a benchmark or diagnostic.

 

[)-()-(]

Some ATA hard drives come with either a 2MB or 8MB buffer. For
example the Maxtor Plus 9.

Is there much performance difference between the 2MB and 8MB drives
when used in a desktop PC?

I would bet $1 the boot time will be shorter with a 8MB buffer.

 

[J.Clarke]

I would bet $1 the boot time will be shorter with a 8MB buffer.

All else being equal it will, but not by much. In any case the boot
time is a poor measure of performance.

 

[Timothy Daniels]

Bet you wouldnt be able to pick which system has the
8MB cache drive in a proper double blind trial with you
not being allowed to run a benchmark or diagnostic.

I wouldn't take that bet because I agree with your premise -
that it takes a special type of app to show the advantage of
larger HD caches. I think, though, that the HD makers see a
growth in usage of that kind of app, and I suspect that it is
graphic and video editing and maybe video games. But that
aside, aren't most advances incremental and not worth the
price initially paid by the early adopters?


*TimDaniels*

 

[Rod Speed]

Rod Speed wrote

I wouldn't take that bet because I agree with your premise - that it
takes a special type of app to show the advantage of larger HD caches.

I doubt you'd even be able to pick it in a proper
double blind trial even with one of those.

I think, though, that the HD makers see
a growth in usage of that kind of app,

Or they have noticed that some are prepared to pay more for it.

and I suspect that it is graphic and
video editing and maybe video games.

Fraid not with any of those.

But that aside, aren't most advances incremental

Yes, but some are noticable, like with 7200 and 5400 RPM drives.

and not worth the price initially paid by the early adopters?

Separate issue entirely.

 

[Folkert Rienstra]

I would bet $1 the boot time will be shorter with a 8MB buffer.

That dollar is mine.

 

[Bob Davis]

FYI, the DiamondMax Plus 9s had 2MB caches in the early
models, and they expanded the caches to 8MB later on. In model
nos. such as 6Y060L0 vs. 6Y060M0, "L" stands for 2MB cache,
"M" stands for 8MB cache, and "060" stands for 60GB hard disk
capacity.

The "L0" is a 2mb PATA, "M0" an 8mb SATA, and "P0" an 8mb PATA.

 

[Timothy Daniels]

"Bob Davis" added:

The "L0" is a 2mb PATA, "M0" an 8mb SATA, and "P0" an 8mb PATA.

You're right. See:
http://www.maxtor.com/en/documentation/data_sheets/diamondmax_plus_9_data_sheet.pdf

In the words of Maxtor's Tech Support, "L is for 2MB, M and P are for 8MB.
The early 2MB models were later replaced by 8MB models." He didn't distinguish
between Parallel ATA and Serial ATA in his reply.


*TimDaniels*