Review: Western Digital "Caviar Green" Hard Drive

[charlie-j]

This is a review of my new hard drive. I made it on Word, and it was intended for web use so the first image is meant to be aligned right, next to the text. Also, the table would only work in HTML.

Author: Charlie Jeff

Brand: Western Digital

Price bought: £55.91

Source: ebuyer.com

Introduction

After a year of putting up with a noisy Seagate 500GB hard drive, I decided to find a new hard drive and fans. After lots of research I decided on going with the WD “Caviar Green” range, as there were many reviews telling me that it was a quiet and speedy drive.

Then I faced the big question: “WD6400AACS or WD6400AAKS”. There was hardly any difference in the specs, although I couldn’t find any documentation on the WD website about the AACS. But that’s the one I chose – and I am extremely happy with it.

Over the past few years, the size of HDD’s has increased massively. You can now buy 1.5 Terabyte hard drives, although I don’t have anything to fill that space. So, I decided on the 640GB version.

Here is a comparison table between my old and new hard drive:

<table class=MsoTableGrid border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0

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<tr style='mso-yfti-irow:0;mso-yfti-firstrow:yes'>

<td width=308 valign=top style='width:231.05pt;border:solid black 1.0pt;

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text1;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'>

<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;

text-align:center;line-height:normal'><b style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>Barracuda

ST3500320AS<o:p></o:p>[/b]</p>

</td>

<td width=308 valign=top style='width:231.05pt;border:solid black 1.0pt;

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text1;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'>

<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;

text-align:center;line-height:normal'><b style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>Western

Digital WD6400AACS<o:p></o:p>[/b]</p>

</td>

</tr>

<tr style='mso-yfti-irow:1'>

<td width=616 colspan=2 valign=top style='width:462.1pt;border:solid black 1.0pt;

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<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;

text-align:center;line-height:normal'>Capacity</p>

</td>

</tr>

<tr style='mso-yfti-irow:2'>

<td width=308 valign=top style='width:231.05pt;border:solid black 1.0pt;

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text1;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'>

<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;

text-align:center;line-height:normal'>500GB</p>

</td>

<td width=308 valign=top style='width:231.05pt;border-top:none;border-left:

none;border-bottom:solid black 1.0pt;mso-border-bottom-themecolor:text1;

border-right:solid black 1.0pt;mso-border-right-themecolor:text1;mso-border-top-alt:

solid black .5pt;mso-border-top-themecolor:text1;mso-border-left-alt:solid black .5pt;

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<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;

text-align:center;line-height:normal'>640GB</p>

</td>

</tr>

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<td width=616 colspan=2 valign=top style='width:462.1pt;border:solid black 1.0pt;

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<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;

text-align:center;line-height:normal'>Transfer rate</p>

</td>

</tr>

<tr style='mso-yfti-irow:4'>

<td width=308 valign=top style='width:231.05pt;border:solid black 1.0pt;

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<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;

text-align:center;line-height:normal'>300 <span class=SpellE>gb</span>/s</p>

</td>

<td width=308 valign=top style='width:231.05pt;border-top:none;border-left:

none;border-bottom:solid black 1.0pt;mso-border-bottom-themecolor:text1;

border-right:solid black 1.0pt;mso-border-right-themecolor:text1;mso-border-top-alt:

solid black .5pt;mso-border-top-themecolor:text1;mso-border-left-alt:solid black .5pt;

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<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;

text-align:center;line-height:normal'>300 <span class=SpellE>gb</span>/s</p>

</td>

</tr>

<tr style='mso-yfti-irow:5'>

<td width=616 colspan=2 valign=top style='width:462.1pt;border:solid black 1.0pt;

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<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;

text-align:center;line-height:normal'>Cache</p>

</td>

</tr>

<tr style='mso-yfti-irow:6'>

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<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;

text-align:center;line-height:normal'>16MB</p>

</td>

<td width=308 valign=top style='width:231.05pt;border-top:none;border-left:

none;border-bottom:solid black 1.0pt;mso-border-bottom-themecolor:text1;

border-right:solid black 1.0pt;mso-border-right-themecolor:text1;mso-border-top-alt:

solid black .5pt;mso-border-top-themecolor:text1;mso-border-left-alt:solid black .5pt;

mso-border-left-themecolor:text1;mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-themecolor:

text1;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'>

<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;

text-align:center;line-height:normal'>16MB</p>

</td>

</tr>

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<td width=616 colspan=2 valign=top style='width:462.1pt;border:solid black 1.0pt;

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text1;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'>

<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;

text-align:center;line-height:normal'>Interface</p>

</td>

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text1;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'>

<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;

text-align:center;line-height:normal'>SATA</p>

</td>

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none;border-bottom:solid black 1.0pt;mso-border-bottom-themecolor:text1;

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solid black .5pt;mso-border-top-themecolor:text1;mso-border-left-alt:solid black .5pt;

mso-border-left-themecolor:text1;mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-themecolor:

text1;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'>

<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;

text-align:center;line-height:normal'>SATA</p>

</td>

</tr>

<tr style='mso-yfti-irow:9'>

<td width=616 colspan=2 valign=top style='width:462.1pt;border:solid black 1.0pt;

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text1;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'>

<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;

text-align:center;line-height:normal'>Sectors per drive</p>

</td>

</tr>

<tr style='mso-yfti-irow:10'>

<td width=308 valign=top style='width:231.05pt;border:solid black 1.0pt;

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text1;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'>

<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;

text-align:center;line-height:normal'>976,773,168</p>

</td>

<td width=308 valign=top style='width:231.05pt;border-top:none;border-left:

none;border-bottom:solid black 1.0pt;mso-border-bottom-themecolor:text1;

border-right:solid black 1.0pt;mso-border-right-themecolor:text1;mso-border-top-alt:

solid black .5pt;mso-border-top-themecolor:text1;mso-border-left-alt:solid black .5pt;

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<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;

text-align:center;line-height:normal'>1,250,263,728</p>

</td>

</tr>

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<td width=616 colspan=2 valign=top style='width:462.1pt;border:solid black 1.0pt;

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mso-border-top-themecolor:text1;mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-themecolor:

text1;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'>

<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;

text-align:center;line-height:normal'>Spindle speed</p>

</td>

</tr>

<tr style='mso-yfti-irow:12'>

<td width=308 valign=top style='width:231.05pt;border:solid black 1.0pt;

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text1;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'>

<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;

text-align:center;line-height:normal'>7,200 rpm</p>

</td>

<td width=308 valign=top style='width:231.05pt;border-top:none;border-left:

none;border-bottom:solid black 1.0pt;mso-border-bottom-themecolor:text1;

border-right:solid black 1.0pt;mso-border-right-themecolor:text1;mso-border-top-alt:

solid black .5pt;mso-border-top-themecolor:text1;mso-border-left-alt:solid black .5pt;

mso-border-left-themecolor:text1;mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-themecolor:

text1;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'>

<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;

text-align:center;line-height:normal'>7,200 rpm</p>

</td>

</tr>

<tr style='mso-yfti-irow:13'>

<td width=616 colspan=2 valign=top style='width:462.1pt;border:solid black 1.0pt;

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mso-border-top-themecolor:text1;mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-themecolor:

text1;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'>

<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;

text-align:center;line-height:normal'>Average latency</p>

</td>

</tr>

<tr style='mso-yfti-irow:14'>

<td width=308 valign=top style='width:231.05pt;border:solid black 1.0pt;

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mso-border-top-themecolor:text1;mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-themecolor:

text1;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'>

<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;

text-align:center;line-height:normal'>4.16 milliseconds</p>

</td>

<td width=308 valign=top style='width:231.05pt;border-top:none;border-left:

none;border-bottom:solid black 1.0pt;mso-border-bottom-themecolor:text1;

border-right:solid black 1.0pt;mso-border-right-themecolor:text1;mso-border-top-alt:

solid black .5pt;mso-border-top-themecolor:text1;mso-border-left-alt:solid black .5pt;

mso-border-left-themecolor:text1;mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-themecolor:

text1;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'>

<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;

text-align:center;line-height:normal'>4.18 milliseconds</p>

</td>

</tr>

<tr style='mso-yfti-irow:15'>

<td width=616 colspan=2 valign=top style='width:462.1pt;border:solid black 1.0pt;

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mso-border-top-themecolor:text1;mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-themecolor:

text1;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'>

<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;

text-align:center;line-height:normal'>Acoustics</p>

</td>

</tr>

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text1;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'>

<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;

text-align:center;line-height:normal'>28 db (around 40 for me)</p>

</td>

<td width=308 valign=top style='width:231.05pt;border-top:none;border-left:

none;border-bottom:solid black 1.0pt;mso-border-bottom-themecolor:text1;

border-right:solid black 1.0pt;mso-border-right-themecolor:text1;mso-border-top-alt:

solid black .5pt;mso-border-top-themecolor:text1;mso-border-left-alt:solid black .5pt;

mso-border-left-themecolor:text1;mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-themecolor:

text1;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'>

<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;

text-align:center;line-height:normal'>24 db</p>

</td>

</tr>

<tr style='mso-yfti-irow:17'>

<td width=616 colspan=2 valign=top style='width:462.1pt;border:solid black 1.0pt;

mso-border-themecolor:text1;border-top:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid black .5pt;

mso-border-top-themecolor:text1;mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-themecolor:

text1;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'>

<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;

text-align:center;line-height:normal'>My thoughts</p>

</td>

</tr>

<tr style='mso-yfti-irow:18;mso-yfti-lastrow:yes'>

<td width=308 valign=top style='width:231.05pt;border:solid black 1.0pt;

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mso-border-top-themecolor:text1;mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-themecolor:

text1;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'>

<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;

text-align:center;line-height:normal'>I have read other reviews of this hard

drive, and most of them are positive. The clicking noise was unbearable so it

had to go.</p>

</td>

<td width=308 valign=top style='width:231.05pt;border-top:none;border-left:

none;border-bottom:solid black 1.0pt;mso-border-bottom-themecolor:text1;

border-right:solid black 1.0pt;mso-border-right-themecolor:text1;mso-border-top-alt:

solid black .5pt;mso-border-top-themecolor:text1;mso-border-left-alt:solid black .5pt;

mso-border-left-themecolor:text1;mso-border-alt:solid black .5pt;mso-border-themecolor:

text1;padding:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt'>

<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-bottom:0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;

text-align:center;line-height:normal'>I am extremely pleased with the silence

of this hard drive, the speed, and the price. I am unhappy that it only shows

596GB capacity.</p>

</td>

</tr>

</table>

Seagate specifications straight from their website, although WD specifications are sourced elsewhere as there isn’t any documentation on their website.

A Closer Look

When I received my package from Ebuyer in 1 day (using FREE super saver delivery), I was very pleased with the foam wrapping and general packing. You can see that the thickness has changed slightly to hold the extra platters that the newer HDD’s have.

There is nothing noticably different about the hard drive on the back, but you can see the specification of the disk on the front:

They also give instructions for using jumper pins – which I personally think is a good idea, considering you don’t get any instructions, wires or jumpers with OEM products.

About the drive

The hard drive is a SATA2 drive, which stands for Serial ATA, version or standard 2 becuase it can run at speeds of 3Gb/s. Serial opposed to parallel means that the binary code in a digital format is pre-loaded with a binary word by changing from parallel to serial format - a much easier way of transferring information.

SATA2 Drives use a simple form of transfer - a single wire which goes into the motherboard. Most times you do not have to worry about setting up master and slave using the jumper pins like IDE drives, as they are used for other things. This is becuase each SATA drive has it's own cable and slot on the motherboard.

As of 2009, SATA will be replacing IDE (otherwise known as PATA (Parrallel ATA), or IEDE). This has set new standards of PCs.

Advantages of SATA is that the drives are:

- Quieter

- Quicker

- Easier to set up

- Less fussy and messy cabling

Soon to come will be SATA III or 3.0, a new standard/version which will bring us speeds of 6gb/s. Then it will be time for new hard drives to be released, with even bigger capacity and speeds.

Final Thoughts

Good:

- Very quiet, almost silent

- Very fast

- Good value

- Easy installation and set up

- Quick and easy formatting

Bad:

- It only shows up as 596GB instead of 640, they should just list it as 600GB.

- Western Digital don't have any specific documentation for it on their website.