WinBench 99 2.0 (FAT32)

We will try to estimate the performance of WD360GD in WinBench99. This benchmark has been serving for test in “desktop” applications for years already. Of course, the applications as well as their files have changed a lot since the times this benchmark was introduced, but unfortunately, we do not have any alternative benchmark at our disposal.

Here are two linear read graphs for your reference:

• WD400JB linear read graph (here);
• WD360GD linear read graph (here).

As usual, let’s compare the HDDs in two integral tests: Business Disk WinMark and High-End Disk WinMark:

Wow, this is impressive! The performance growth is astonishing! If we compare the results shown by WD360GD and WD400JB (keeping in mind similar cache-buffer and close firmware), we will see that a shift to faster rotating spindle resulted into a 7% performance growth in Business Disk WinMark and in over 21% performance growth in High-End Disk WinMark. And since WD drives with 8MB cache buffer have always been very fast in these tests, we can conclude that WD made impressive progress.

Depending on the SATA controller used and the driver working mode, WD360GD results change, but they anyway remain very high. The maximum result in Business Disk WinMark is achieved with Promise (WB) controller and in High-End Disk WinMark – with Promise controller (disabled caching).

By the way, we can notice the performance difference between WD360GD with Promise (No) and Promise (WT) only in this test. In all other benchmarks the performance difference lies within the measuring error.

WinBench99 2.0 (NTFS)

In NTFS the indisputable leadership belongs to Promise (WB). WD360GD proved the fastest with this particular controller in both: Business Disk WinMark and High-End Disk WinMark.

Well, no doubt that WD Raptor (WD360GD) hard disk drive looks like a very nice desktop solution.