Does 8 meg buffer really make a difference?

Rockin Ronnie wrote:
 > Just got a new IDE drive with an 8 meg buffer.

I see you've been to OfficeMax today, like most of the rest of us...<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Does 8 meg buffer really make a difference? 

WD had two versions of the 30GB drive, 2 and 8 MB cache. All other assets
were identical. I could see no visible speed increase while using the 8 MB
version. I simply copied the entire HD from the 2 to 8 MB cache versions
using PM. Defragged the 8 MB upon opening windows the first time. I
thought about doing a benchmark, but I was satisfied that for my purposes,
that either of these drives were not faster than the other.
Dave
"Rockin Ronnie" <joinernospam DeleteThis @ns.sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:QrZQb.73605$IF6.1869843@ursa-nb00s0.nbnet.nb.ca...
 > Just got a new IDE drive with an 8 meg buffer. The old drive had 2. Should
I
 > expect a difference in gaming, productivity apps etc.?
 >
 > Ron
 >
 ><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Does 8 meg buffer really make a difference? 

Rockin Ronnie <joinernospam DeleteThis @ns.sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:QrZQb.73605$IF6.1869843@ursa-nb00s0.nbnet.nb.ca...

 > Just got a new IDE drive with an 8 meg buffer. The old drive had 2.
 > Should I expect a difference in gaming, productivity apps etc.?

I bet you wouldnt be able to pick the 8MB cache drive from
and identical model with only a 2MB cache in a proper double
blind trial without being allowed to use a benchmark or diagnostic.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Does 8 meg buffer really make a difference? 

On Mon, 26 Jan 2004 00:46:40 GMT, "Rockin Ronnie"
<joinernospam RemoveThis @ns.sympatico.ca> wrote:

 >Just got a new IDE drive with an 8 meg buffer. The old drive had 2. Should I
 >expect a difference in gaming, productivity apps etc.?

Not all that much.
8MB drives are often a little faster, but not so much that you would
notice it without a benchmark.

There are a few exceptions. If use visual C++ you will notice it, and
strange enough also when you copy large ISO files and MP3s.

Xbitlabs did a nice review about it:
<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/storage/display/4-maxtor-hdds.html" target="_blank">http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/storage/display/4-maxtor-hdds.html</a>

Most important reason to buy an 8MB disks nowadays is the extra
warranty. But I understand that Samsung also has 3 years on 2MB disks,
in which case it will just be a matter of price and availability.

Marc<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Does 8 meg buffer really make a difference? 

On Tue, 27 Jan 2004 12:39:56 +0100, Marc de Vries
<marcdevries.TakeThisOut@geen.spam.zonnet.nl> wrote:

 >On Mon, 26 Jan 2004 00:46:40 GMT, "Rockin Ronnie"
 ><joinernospam.TakeThisOut@ns.sympatico.ca> wrote:
 >
  >>Just got a new IDE drive with an 8 meg buffer. The old drive had 2. Should I
  >>expect a difference in gaming, productivity apps etc.?
 >
 >Not all that much.
 >8MB drives are often a little faster, but not so much that you would
 >notice it without a benchmark.
 >
 >There are a few exceptions. If use visual C++ you will notice it, and
 >strange enough also when you copy large ISO files and MP3s.
 >
 >Xbitlabs did a nice review about it:
 >http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/storage/display/4-maxtor-hdds.html
 >
 >Most important reason to buy an 8MB disks nowadays is the extra
 >warranty. But I understand that Samsung also has 3 years on 2MB disks,
 >in which case it will just be a matter of price and availability.

I 'second' that. Hard disk drive cache-size helps, yet most speed is
gained from a better designed drive (or high platter-density).<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Does 8 meg buffer really make a difference? 

"outtapiing@vz.com" <Ping Lhough> wrote in message news:l5od10p7h8di3ptods55qm7a8gmgc8is36@4ax.com
 > On Tue, 27 Jan 2004 12:39:56 +0100, Marc de Vries <marcdevries.TakeThisOut@geen.spam.zonnet.nl> wrote:
 >
  > > On Mon, 26 Jan 2004 00:46:40 GMT, "Rockin Ronnie" <joinernospam.TakeThisOut@ns.sympatico.ca> wrote:
  > >
   > > > Just got a new IDE drive with an 8 meg buffer. The old drive had 2.
   > > > Should I expect a difference in gaming, productivity apps etc.?
  > >
  > > Not all that much.
  > > 8MB drives are often a little faster, but not so much that you would
  > > notice it without a benchmark.
  > >
  > > There are a few exceptions. If use visual C++ you will notice it, and
  > > strange enough also when you copy large ISO files and MP3s.
  > >
  > > Xbitlabs did a nice review about it:
<font color=green>  > > <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/storage/display/4-maxtor-hdds.html</font" target="_blank">http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/storage/display/4-maxtor-hdds.html</font</a>>

Which -if you read it- turns out completely flawed, confirmed by
<a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/storage/display/maxtor-dmplus9.html" target="_blank">http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/storage/display/maxtor-dmplus9.html</a>

  > >
  > > Most important reason to buy an 8MB disks nowadays is the extra
  > > warranty. But I understand that Samsung also has 3 years on 2MB disks,
  > > in which case it will just be a matter of price and availability.
 >
 > I 'second' that. Hard disk drive cache-size helps, yet most speed is
 > gained from a better designed drive (or high platter-density).<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Does 8 meg buffer really make a difference? 

"Folkert Rienstra" wrote:
   > > > Xbitlabs did a nice review about it:
<font color=brown>   > > > <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/storage/display/4-maxtor-hdds.html</font" target="_blank">http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/storage/display/4-maxtor-hdds.html</font</a>>
 >
 > Which -if you read it- turns out completely flawed, confirmed by
<font color=purple> > <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/storage/display/maxtor-dmplus9.html</font" target="_blank">http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/storage/display/maxtor-dmplus9.html</font</a>>


The 2nd article above (maxtor-dmplus9) was written on 06/25/2003 -
BEFORE the first article (4-maxtor-hdds), which was written on 12/17/2003.
What is/are your point(s)? Are you mistaking months (06 vs. 12) with
days (25 vs. 17) as a European would when reading an American date
format?

*TimDaniels*<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Does 8 meg buffer really make a difference? 

"Timothy Daniels" <TDaniels.TakeThisOut@NoSpamDot.com> wrote in message news:X-udndjmDpNH_oXdRVn-tw@comcast.com
 > "Folkert Rienstra" wrote:
   > > > > Xbitlabs did a nice review about it:
<font color=brown>   > > > > <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/storage/display/4-maxtor-hdds.html</font" target="_blank">http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/storage/display/4-maxtor-hdds.html</font</a>>
  > >
  > > Which -if you read it- turns out completely flawed, confirmed by
<font color=green>  > > <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/storage/display/maxtor-dmplus9.html</font" target="_blank">http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/storage/display/maxtor-dmplus9.html</font</a>>
 >
 >
 > The 2nd article above (maxtor-dmplus9) was written on 06/25/2003 -
 > BEFORE the first article (4-maxtor-hdds), which was written on 12/17/2003.
 > What is/are your point(s)?

If you look at page 2 <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/storage/display/4-maxtor-hdds_2.html" target="_blank">http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/storage/display/4-maxtor-hdds_2.html</a>
you'll find that the second drive in the HD Tach graph obviously
isn't a 60GB/platter drive. It must have a higher density platter
than 60GB to come that close to the 80GB per platter result.

Either they made a mistake or Maxtor is still selling drives with
false labeling (in a nutshell maxtor-dmplus9.html).

Also, the HD Tach results are too high, except for the 6Y120L0-60
results, that appear to be about right.

HD Tach measures 1MB chuncks.
With 1100 sectors/track, that only spans 2 surfaces and HD Tach
can/will measure (closer to) single track transfer rates with
only one head switch instead of two. That falsifies the result.

 > Are you mistaking months (06 vs. 12) with days (25 vs. 17)
 > as a European would when reading an American date format?

Yeah, we obviously have more than 12 months per year, here in Europe.
Get's us all the time.

 >
 > *TimDaniels*<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Does 8 meg buffer really make a difference? 

I was at a party the other night. I was makin small talk and this goregous
woman was yawing. The minute I said "so I went to office depot and got a
Maxtor with an 8MB cache and $60 manufacturer rebate" she was all over me.
Everyone at the party was staring and yelling "get a room" at her. Poor
thing was heartbroken when I told her I'm married

Art

"Wayne Youngman" <waynes.spamtrap.TakeThisOut@btopenworld.com> wrote in message
news:bv1ths$j14$1@sparta.btinternet.com...
 >
 > "Rockin Ronnie" wrote in message
  > > Just got a new IDE drive with an 8 meg buffer. The old drive had 2.
Should
 > I
  > > expect a difference in gaming, productivity apps etc.?
 >
 > Hi,
 > yes the 8MB drives seem to run *smoother* than ones with 2MB.
 > Also you will find that woman begin to throw themselves at you once they
 > learn you have an 8MB cache Hard-Disk-Drive
 > --
 > Wayne ][
 >
 ><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: Does 8 meg buffer really make a difference?