What's so Special about WD SE?

Nolf-JobNolf-Job Inside each and every one of you!
edited March 2004 in Hardware
I already have an 80gb WD SE and I just picked up an apparently 'regular' 80gb WD to raid it with. I'm just wandering what the difference is between the two because they both have the same buffer, seek time, and model number. Was the one I bought just missing a sticker?

Comments

  • madmatmadmat
    edited March 2004
    The se will have a model number of WD800JB and a regular drive will say WD800BB and it won't have an 8Mb buffer, it will have a 2Mb buffer.
    The JB series also carries a 3yr warranty as opposed to a 1yr warranty.
  • Nolf-JobNolf-Job Inside each and every one of you!
    edited March 2004
    Mine has an 8mb buffer as well as WD800JB, but it only has a 1yr warranty.
  • Straight_ManStraight_Man Geeky, in my own way Naples, FL Icrontian
    edited March 2004
    As far as performance, only with big files will it be faster-- try files that average over 2 MB. For storing Open Source ISOs, movies you made, graphics captures of 3D type or 3D graphics work, or LARGE graphics scans or archiving photos from a 4 or 5 Megapixel digicam, it is worth the price diff, but for smaller things like most Windows files, programs that are not Databases or Accounting or Customer Relations data (Goldmine or a large ACT! contact and customer tracking system) that is large scale and needs large files to store lots of info, it will not perform noticably faster fof normal everyday use. It will defrag a bit faster, as the XP defragger uses a large chunk defragging strategy.

    For the average user, the better warranty is the main draw. Most folks use a BB series to install XP on, and a JB or BB larger drive for data. I use a mix of both series of WD drives here. One thing to avoid is the EB series WD drives, these are called Protege's and are not worth the cost as BB series is both faster and cheaper, unless you have a REAL old box or find someone who got a whole boatload or truckload in and have sat on them for a couple years and are discounting them heavily-- like to about 1\2 retail. That is the only way I would buy an EB series Protege versus a BB series Caviar in the WD brand.

    I tend to buy the bulks or OEM subversion packing of the Caviar, not the retail, they are basically the same mechs, not refurbed, and do not have cables, mounting screws, or a Warranty extension offer with them. But they work fine if from someone reputable (someone who knows how to pack HDs for shipment, they need special packing above what most electronics get as it is possible to damage them enroute and easier to do so when they are not in retail boxes inside big boxes). I tend to ship them in from Newegg or ZipZoomFly, myself-- whichever is cheaper when I want them.

    John D.
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