Closer Look

I would like to say right away that the new HDD has an absolutely identical model number as the earlier models, that is why with only a price list in front of you, you will not be able to distinguish between them. However, once you take it in your hands, you will not miss the difference: the new drive is much lighter and “thinner” (there are areas where the packaging is sort of pressed into the drive by about 50% of its thickness, thus making it lighter). It is interesting that Maxtor designed different cases for models with different number of platters. The new HDD was manufactured after mid. December 2002. However, the date doesn’t guarantee that it will be based on new platters.

The new drives have a newer firmware version: YAR41BW0, while the older models had YAR41VW0. At first we thought that it indicates the use of new platters, however, reality turned out much more complicated. We came across 6Y060L0 and 6Y120 models with the new firmware version, but with the old 60GB platters! So, how on earth should we find out how many surfaces a Maxtor drive actually uses? By the drives of the previous generations the number of working surfaces was marked with the last but one digit of the model number, but now there is a “0” there. Maybe keeping in mind the upcoming changes in the platters density, Maxtor decided to give up geometry indication in the HDD model number. But, don’t give way to despair! The more I work with Maxtor drives, the more I discover about them :)

The allegedly lost number finally popped up in the serial number of the drive (the second position). For example, the serial number of the 6Y080L0 HDD looks as follows: Y2TPNN7E, where Y stands for the DiamondMax Plus 9 family and “2” – for two surfaces and two read/write heads respectively. You can find the serial number on the sticker on the upper lid of the HDD case. It is also reported by many utilities working with the hard disk drives.

Because of this confusion with the platter density, Maxtor didn’t make any manuals where they usually listed all exact specifications of the models. The manual hasn’t yet been released, and we can’t wait any longer. That is why our today’s article will have no “Specifications” section. Instead, I am going to simply introduce the today’s testing participants:

• Maxtor DiamondMax Plus 9 6Y080L0 with the new platter. We will test it with two controllers: UltraATA/100 and 133.
• The previous HDD incarnation, the same Maxtor DiamondMax Plus 9 6Y080L0 with 60GB platters. We will test it with UltraATA/133 controller.
• Maxtor DiamondMax Plus 9 6Y060L0 model with a slightly smaller storage capacity, which uses 100% of its platter surface. We will test it with UltraATA/133 controller.
  

  The measurements will undoubtedly show that the new 6Y080L0 model has higher Average Access Time than the predecessor. Since the 80GB HDD built of 60GB platters uses not all platter cylinders, the maximum actuator amplitude is 11% smaller, which automatically gives this HDD a significant advantage over the new 6Y080L0. This is exactly the reason why we also included a HDD with smaller storage capacity.

• An analogous solution from IBM/Hitachi Deskstar 180GXP family: IC35L090AVV207-0. The name may suggest that its storage capacity is 90GB, but it is not true.
• An analogous solution from Seagate Barracuda ATA V family. ST380023A model with the production (not experimental) 3.31 firmware.

All five hard disk drives feature a 2MB cache-buffer, so they will compete on equal terms with each other. Let the strongest win this battle!