Now we format the drives in NTFS and run the test once again:

Quite expectedly we’ve got the same leaders, and the eSATA-connected Vantec NexStar3 NST360SU is again faster than its single worthy rival AgeStar CFB3A1 with a SATA interface. The AgeStar ICB5A1 proved superior between the two FireWire-interfaced devices, taking the third place as a result. The AgeStar ICB5A model, however, lost its ground working across its FireWire interface and turned to be slower than three enclosures that worked via USB 2.0, the best of which is the Vantec NexStar3 NST-360SU. The USB 2.0 version of the AgeStar ICB5A is again the slowest of all.

The diagram showing the read speed at the beginning and end of the disk allows to estimate the interface bandwidth. The leaders Vantec NexStar3 NST360SU and AgeStar CFB3A1, connected via eSATA and SATA interfaces, produce identical and fastest results. They are followed by AgeStar’s ICB5A and ICB5A1 enclosures, connected via FireWire. Among the USB 2.0-connected devices, the ViPowER VPA-35018 and the Vantec NexStar3 NST-360SU can be distinguished.

The last diagram shows the access time parameter. The two hard drives we use in this test session are in fact twin models and differ only in their interfaces, so the results are similar here. You can note, however, that it’s with the enclosures that work with SATA and eSATA interfaces that you can achieve the lowest access time.