# Which is faster: laptop or desktop HDD?



## sheps999 (Mar 6, 2011)

Might seem like a daft question, but read on :3

Would a SATA laptop hard drive with 8MB cache spinning at 5400rpm be slower or faster than an IDE desktop hard drive with 2MB cache spinning at 7200rpm?

Both hard drives are Western Digital Caviars.


----------



## Completely Bonkers (Mar 6, 2011)

Not enough information. We need to know the sizes (capacity) and number of platters of the drives to know what the data density is. Also, what I/O mode is the IDE operating on?


----------



## sheps999 (Mar 6, 2011)

Completely Bonkers said:


> We need to know the sizes (capacity)


Desktop HDD is 80GB, laptop is 120GB



Completely Bonkers said:


> and number of platters of the drives to know what the data density is.


Desktop is likely two platters (quite old), and the laptop one is probably two as well.



Completely Bonkers said:


> Also, what I/O mode is the IDE operating on?


Ultra DMA 5

Desktop HDD is a WD800BB, laptop is a WD1200BEVS, if that helps.


----------



## Bo$$ (Mar 6, 2011)

test them using HDtach


----------



## sheps999 (Mar 6, 2011)

Bo$$ said:


> test them using HDtach


I can't believe I didn't think of that


----------



## newtekie1 (Mar 6, 2011)

Probably the laptop drive I would guess.

Those old 7200RPM drives were slow as shit compared to a relatively modern 5400RPM drive.


----------



## Bo$$ (Mar 6, 2011)

newtekie1 said:


> Probably the laptop drive I would guess.
> 
> Those old 7200RPM drives were slow as shit compared to a relatively modern 5400RPM drive.



depends actually, seek times and sequential read/write may not be


----------



## sheps999 (Mar 6, 2011)

Results of HDTach:












Sequential read speed and random access are slower for the laptop drive, but the burst speed is higher than the desktop drive.

According to Sisoftware Sandra, the laptop drive has command queueing, whereas the desktop one doesn't. Is this likely to make a difference in real-life usage, e.g. running an OS from it?


```
SiSoftware Sandra

Benchmark Results
Drive Score : 49.64MB/s
Results Interpretation : Higher scores are better.
Random Access Time : 13.87ms
Results Interpretation : Lower scores are better.

Performance vs. Speed
Drive Score : 9.41kB/s/rpm
Random Access Time : 2.568µs/rpm
Results Interpretation : Higher scores are better.

Detailed Benchmark Results
Speed at position 0% : 56MB/s (36.51MB/s - 59.9MB/s) (113%)
Speed at position 3% : 56MB/s (43MB/s - 60.21MB/s) (113%)
Speed at position 7% : 56MB/s (32MB/s - 60.22MB/s) (113%)
Speed at position 10% : 56.1MB/s (43.55MB/s - 60.2MB/s) (113%)
Speed at position 13% : 56MB/s (32MB/s - 60.22MB/s) (113%)
Speed at position 17% : 56.12MB/s (42MB/s - 59.9MB/s) (113%)
Speed at position 20% : 56.12MB/s (41.8MB/s - 59.88MB/s) (113%)
Speed at position 23% : 55.45MB/s (36.46MB/s - 59.65MB/s) (112%)
Speed at position 27% : 55.5MB/s (40.5MB/s - 59.33MB/s) (112%)
Speed at position 30% : 54.65MB/s (33.14MB/s - 58.53MB/s) (110%)
Speed at position 33% : 54.57MB/s (33.5MB/s - 58.46MB/s) (110%)
Speed at position 37% : 54.58MB/s (33.55MB/s - 58.82MB/s) (110%)
Speed at position 40% : 53.17MB/s (34.25MB/s - 57MB/s) (107%)
Speed at position 43% : 53.17MB/s (37.26MB/s - 57MB/s) (107%)
Speed at position 47% : 52.5MB/s (35.42MB/s - 53.32MB/s) (106%)
Speed at position 50% : 52.53MB/s (32.35MB/s - 53.3MB/s) (106%)
Speed at position 53% : 51.44MB/s (33.26MB/s - 52.12MB/s) (104%)
Speed at position 57% : 50.45MB/s (35MB/s - 51.4MB/s) (102%)
Speed at position 60% : 50.49MB/s (39.8MB/s - 51.45MB/s) (102%)
Speed at position 63% : 49MB/s (29.7MB/s - 50.12MB/s) (99%)
Speed at position 67% : 47.53MB/s (30.24MB/s - 48.87MB/s) (96%)
Speed at position 70% : 47.42MB/s (31.29MB/s - 48.89MB/s) (96%)
Speed at position 73% : 46.3MB/s (37.5MB/s - 47.61MB/s) (93%)
Speed at position 77% : 44.84MB/s (31.46MB/s - 46.23MB/s) (90%)
Speed at position 80% : 43.48MB/s (32.38MB/s - 45MB/s) (88%)
Speed at position 83% : 41.87MB/s (28MB/s - 43.63MB/s) (84%)
Speed at position 87% : 40.16MB/s (27.64MB/s - 41.84MB/s) (81%)
Speed at position 90% : 38.89MB/s (29.78MB/s - 40.63MB/s) (78%)
Speed at position 93% : 37.3MB/s (25.26MB/s - 39MB/s) (75%)
Speed at position 97% : 36.38MB/s (26.36MB/s - 38.13MB/s) (73%)
Speed at position 100% : 34.8MB/s (24.7MB/s - 35.27MB/s) (70%)
Random Access Time : 13.87ms
Full Stroke Access Time : 21.33ms

Performance Test Status
Result ID : WDC WD800BB-55JKC0 80GB (ATA100, 2MB Cache)
Platform Compliance : x86
System Timer : 2.21GHz
Use Overlapped I/O : Yes
I/O Queue Depth : 8 request(s)
Block Size : 1MB

Volume Information
Capacity : 74.53GB

Physical Disk
Model : WDC WD800BB-55JKC0                      
Version : 05.01C05
Interface : ATA
Rotational Speed : 5400rpm
Removable Drive : No
Queueing On : No

Performance Enhancing Tips
Notice 5008 : To change benchmarks, click Options.
Notice 5004 : Synthetic benchmark. May not tally with 'real-life' performance.
Notice 5006 : Only compare the results with ones obtained using the same version!
Tip 2 : Double-click tip or press Enter while a tip is selected for more information about the tip.


SiSoftware Sandra

Benchmark Results
Drive Score : 41.7MB/s
Results Interpretation : Higher scores are better.
Random Access Time : 14.26ms
Results Interpretation : Lower scores are better.

Performance vs. Speed
Drive Score : 7.91kB/s/rpm
Random Access Time : 2.640µs/rpm
Results Interpretation : Higher scores are better.

Performance vs. Power
Device(s) Power : 3.00W
Drive Score : 14234.00kB/s/W
Random Access Time : 4752.67µs/W
Results Interpretation : Higher scores are better.

Capacity vs. Power
Device(s) Capacity : 40011MB/W
Results Interpretation : Higher scores are better.

Detailed Benchmark Results
Speed at position 0% : 50MB/s (18.7MB/s - 53.8MB/s) (120%)
Speed at position 3% : 51.83MB/s (30.86MB/s - 54.53MB/s) (124%)
Speed at position 7% : 51.2MB/s (36.8MB/s - 54.52MB/s) (123%)
Speed at position 10% : 50.33MB/s (33.15MB/s - 53.29MB/s) (121%)
Speed at position 13% : 50MB/s (30.25MB/s - 53.28MB/s) (120%)
Speed at position 17% : 49.38MB/s (35.16MB/s - 52MB/s) (118%)
Speed at position 20% : 48MB/s (30.23MB/s - 50.67MB/s) (115%)
Speed at position 23% : 48MB/s (30MB/s - 50.75MB/s) (115%)
Speed at position 27% : 46.26MB/s (35.85MB/s - 50.6MB/s) (111%)
Speed at position 30% : 47.66MB/s (29MB/s - 50.67MB/s) (114%)
Speed at position 33% : 46MB/s (27.13MB/s - 48.71MB/s) (110%)
Speed at position 37% : 45.3MB/s (34.74MB/s - 48.72MB/s) (109%)
Speed at position 40% : 46.15MB/s (33.66MB/s - 48.72MB/s) (111%)
Speed at position 43% : 44.35MB/s (29.64MB/s - 47.5MB/s) (106%)
Speed at position 47% : 43MB/s (31.2MB/s - 47.48MB/s) (103%)
Speed at position 50% : 42.36MB/s (27.72MB/s - 45.4MB/s) (102%)
Speed at position 53% : 42.57MB/s (28.28MB/s - 45.41MB/s) (102%)
Speed at position 57% : 41MB/s (26.67MB/s - 43.72MB/s) (98%)
Speed at position 60% : 40.55MB/s (32.7MB/s - 43.74MB/s) (97%)
Speed at position 63% : 40MB/s (24.9MB/s - 42.74MB/s) (96%)
Speed at position 67% : 38.27MB/s (30.47MB/s - 40.18MB/s) (92%)
Speed at position 70% : 38.16MB/s (28MB/s - 38.74MB/s) (92%)
Speed at position 73% : 37MB/s (24.54MB/s - 37.5MB/s) (89%)
Speed at position 77% : 35.82MB/s (22.18MB/s - 36.6MB/s) (86%)
Speed at position 80% : 34MB/s (23.1MB/s - 35.39MB/s) (81%)
Speed at position 83% : 34.54MB/s (27MB/s - 35.39MB/s) (83%)
Speed at position 87% : 32.9MB/s (21.43MB/s - 34MB/s) (79%)
Speed at position 90% : 32MB/s (20.62MB/s - 33MB/s) (77%)
Speed at position 93% : 30MB/s (19.85MB/s - 31.4MB/s) (72%)
Speed at position 97% : 29MB/s (21.88MB/s - 30.12MB/s) (70%)
Speed at position 100% : 27.12MB/s (8.68MB/s - 29.17MB/s) (65%)
Random Access Time : 14.26ms
Full Stroke Access Time : 17.24ms

Performance Test Status
Result ID : WDC WD1200BEVS-22UST0 (120GB, SATA150, 2.5", 5400rpm, 8MB Cache)
Platform Compliance : x86
System Timer : 2.21GHz
Use Overlapped I/O : Yes
I/O Queue Depth : 8 request(s)
Block Size : 1MB

Volume Information
Capacity : 111.8GB

Physical Disk
Model : WDC WD1200BEVS-22UST0                   
Version : 01.01A01
Interface : SATA
Rotational Speed : 5400rpm
Removable Drive : No
Queueing On : Yes

Performance Enhancing Tips
Notice 5008 : To change benchmarks, click Options.
Notice 5004 : Synthetic benchmark. May not tally with 'real-life' performance.
Notice 5006 : Only compare the results with ones obtained using the same version!
Tip 2 : Double-click tip or press Enter while a tip is selected for more information about the tip.
```


----------



## Bo$$ (Mar 6, 2011)

desktop drive is quicker mate, access time are better too!

very close though, i must admitt


----------



## sheps999 (Mar 6, 2011)

Bo$$ said:


> desktop drive is quicker mate, access time are better too!



It really doesn't seem like that  I think the cache might be holding it back.


----------



## toastem2004 (Mar 6, 2011)

I always though that in "modern" drives, the laptop ones would be overall faster due to having a higher data density. but thats thinking for ya... usually its wrong. 

anyone have info comparing 250gb 7200rpm sata3g 2.5" to a 3.5" ?


----------



## newtekie1 (Mar 6, 2011)

toastem2004 said:


> I always though that in "modern" drives, the laptop ones would be overall faster due to having a higher data density. but thats thinking for ya... usually its wrong.
> 
> anyone have info comparing 250gb 7200rpm sata3g 2.5" to a 3.5" ?



Yeah, actually that is true with modern drives.  However, the laptop he is using drive isn't that modern.

A modern 5400RPM laptop drive can easily break 60MB/s average reads.


----------



## francis511 (Mar 6, 2011)

You notice 7200rpm being faster but there again big cache can make a difference so...


----------



## cdawall (Mar 6, 2011)

my lappy drive does ok






A64 L110 @1.2ghz
2GB DDR2
X1270 RS690 chipset
seagate 7200.3 320GB 2.5" HDD

my wifes identical laptop with some toshiba 250GB 5400RPM






just for comparison for you it oddly has a similar spec to yours....minus burst obviously


----------



## sheps999 (Mar 6, 2011)

cdawall said:


> my lappy drive does ok
> 
> http://img.techpowerup.org/110305/Capture090.jpg
> 
> ...



Both those drives are probably SATA300, far faster than the drive I'm using.


----------



## cdawall (Mar 6, 2011)

sheps999 said:


> Both those drives are probably SATA300, far faster than the drive I'm using.



the AVG speed on the 5400RPM isn't


----------



## CBRworm (Mar 6, 2011)

With your two choices I would stick with the desktop drive until you can buy a significantly faster desktop drive.  Neither option is very good.  You can buy a fast WD Black desktop drive very inexpensively.  

Some of the laptop drives have very aggressive power management where it will park the heads after xx seconds of inactivity causing a delay when accessing, some also spin down quickly regardless of APM settings - also causing a delay.  

I tried to replace an old Hitachi 7k250 drive with a WD black 320GB 7,200 rpm laptop drive in a small server.  The laptop drive had double the throughput, but higher access times - by all accounts the laptop drive should have killed the old 7K250.  After a couple days the old Hitachi was back in place.  The (very fast) laptop drive just could not keep up.


----------

