Performance in PCMark Vantage

To make this part of our test session complete, we are going to run the latest version of PCMark called Vantage. Compared with the previous versions, the benchmark has become more up-to-date and advanced in its selection of subtests as well as Windows Vista orientation. Each subtest is run ten times and the results of the ten runs are averaged.

Here is a brief description of each subtest:

• Windows Defender is when the HDD is under multithreaded load, one thread scanning files for malicious software.
• Gaming emulates the typical load on the disk subsystem when the user is playing a video game.
• Photo Gallery emulates loading of images from a photo gallery.
• Vista Start Up emulates the disk subsystem load when booting up Windows Vista.
• Movie Maker emulates video editing load.
• Media Center. This is the load on the hard disk when the user is running Windows Media Center.
• Media Player emulates the loading of files into Windows Media Player.
• Application Loading shows the drive’s speed when loading popular applications.

Basing on these subtests, the drive’s overall performance rating is calculated.

Western Digital’s products are faster than their opponents under multithreaded load in which one thread is scanning files. And the newer 500GB model is faster than the older 320GB one. The Samsung with inefficient firmware takes last place again.

Western Digital’s HDDs are the best choice for a gaming computer.

However, they are very poor when it comes to processing photographs. The Hitachi wins this test with a large lead.

The Blue Scorpios return to top places when booting Windows Vista up.

The 500GB Western Digital is better than others for video-editing applications. The Samsung is a disappointment again: its high recording density can’t do anything without effective firmware algorithms.

For the Media Center test it is recording density that is the decisive factor. As a result, the two 2-platter models take top places with similar results.

The HDDs produce similar results in the Media Player test.

This time, the Samsung is closer to the others in the Application Loading test. The 500GB Western Digital is the winner now.

So, the 500GB Western Digital wins the test but the 500GB Hitachi with its three 167GB platters is quite good under typical home PC applications. The Samsung is far worse than both leaders.