Velovciraptor vs other performance upgrades..

Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version

   There is a lot of advice for people to get overclocking as 'cheap performance' of course 'cheap performance' is usually followed by $250 liquid cooling advice..

the cost to liquid cool CPU is $250 
the cost (here at DS) to go from a 260 to 280 GTX video card is $267
the cost to go from a basic 320GB hard drive to a 300GB Velociraptor is $302 

I do realize you use the CPU all the time and maybe the HDD speed is only used when loading or copying data but still it seems the HDD should be considered in the overall performance of a system.

The 300GB Velociraptor is 2x as fast as a normal hard drive. 

here are some review qoutes: -- http://www.desktopreview.com/default.asp?newsID=334

.. the performance of the VelociRaptor is nothing short of exceptional in virtually every category. The overall speed of the VelociRaptor is roughly twice as fast as a standard 7200rpm HDD. The average read and write speeds are the best we've seen from any HDD and seek times were surprisingly low. In fact, the VelociRaptor is so impressively fast that it even rivals (or surpases) the performance of the latest solid state drives (SSDs) on the market. SSDs are becoming popular because of their blazing fast speeds, but the VelociRaptor gives SSDs a run for their money ... at a fraction of the cost.

So what does all this speed mean in real-world applications? Business professionals can sort through file folders loaded with massive documents at blazingly fast speeds as documents and icons are instantly populated inside Windows Explorer. Digital photographers and graphic artists don't have to wait for giant, high-resolution image files to load, and using the VelociRaptor as a "scratch disk" makes Photoshop CS3 fly at warp speed. You can watch 1080p HD movie files stored on the VelociRaptor without waiting for the video to load or losing frames (assuming you have a good video card).

Of course, let's not forget about the benefits for gamers. If you enjoy playing the latest 3D first-person shooter, RPG or MMORPG, the VelociRaptor is a must have. For example, when playing the newly released PC version of the game Mass Effect on a standard 7200rpm drive, the game pauses at level transitions while the drive loads new maps or cutscenes for the next level. The WD VelociRaptor freezes for only a fraction of a second and then the game continues. This is something you simply cannot appreciate until you experience it. 
Pros

Fast, Faster, FASTEST … oh, my god it’s FAST!!! 
Cheaper than an SSD but rivals or exceeds SSD speeds 
Higher capacity than more expensive SSDs 
Heat sink keeps the drive cooler than expected 
This drive pwns. (If you have to ask then you’re not a gamer)

Edited by rai-zero - 15 Sep 2008 at 8:53pm

Author	Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version
rai-zero Members Profile Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 13 Aug 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 98	Quote Reply Topic: Velovciraptor vs other performance upgrades.. Posted: 15 Sep 2008 at 5:45pm
	There is a lot of advice for people to get overclocking as 'cheap performance' of course 'cheap performance' is usually followed by $250 liquid cooling advice.. the cost to liquid cool CPU is $250 the cost (here at DS) to go from a 260 to 280 GTX video card is $267 the cost to go from a basic 320GB hard drive to a 300GB Velociraptor is $302 I do realize you use the CPU all the time and maybe the HDD speed is only used when loading or copying data but still it seems the HDD should be considered in the overall performance of a system. The 300GB Velociraptor is 2x as fast as a normal hard drive. here are some review qoutes: -- http://www.desktopreview.com/default.asp?newsID=334 .. the performance of the VelociRaptor is nothing short of exceptional in virtually every category. The overall speed of the VelociRaptor is roughly twice as fast as a standard 7200rpm HDD. The average read and write speeds are the best we've seen from any HDD and seek times were surprisingly low. In fact, the VelociRaptor is so impressively fast that it even rivals (or surpases) the performance of the latest solid state drives (SSDs) on the market. SSDs are becoming popular because of their blazing fast speeds, but the VelociRaptor gives SSDs a run for their money ... at a fraction of the cost. So what does all this speed mean in real-world applications? Business professionals can sort through file folders loaded with massive documents at blazingly fast speeds as documents and icons are instantly populated inside Windows Explorer. Digital photographers and graphic artists don't have to wait for giant, high-resolution image files to load, and using the VelociRaptor as a "scratch disk" makes Photoshop CS3 fly at warp speed. You can watch 1080p HD movie files stored on the VelociRaptor without waiting for the video to load or losing frames (assuming you have a good video card). Of course, let's not forget about the benefits for gamers. If you enjoy playing the latest 3D first-person shooter, RPG or MMORPG, the VelociRaptor is a must have. For example, when playing the newly released PC version of the game Mass Effect on a standard 7200rpm drive, the game pauses at level transitions while the drive loads new maps or cutscenes for the next level. The WD VelociRaptor freezes for only a fraction of a second and then the game continues. This is something you simply cannot appreciate until you experience it. Pros Fast, Faster, FASTEST … oh, my god it’s FAST!!! Cheaper than an SSD but rivals or exceeds SSD speeds Higher capacity than more expensive SSDs Heat sink keeps the drive cooler than expected This drive pwns. (If you have to ask then you’re not a gamer) Edited by rai-zero - 15 Sep 2008 at 8:53pm

DST4ME Members Profile Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List DS ELITE Joined: 14 Apr 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 36758	Quote Reply Posted: 15 Sep 2008 at 6:24pm
	This is true and as you know I too am a very big fan of velociraptor. however CPU makes your PC calculate faster, thus making your PC faster then a lower speed CPU. the velociraptor, as much as I want it to, can't help the CPU calculate any faster, well in a way it can but when compared to the difference CPU makes, its very minimal. so because of that, on tight budgets, money is better spent on CPU then HDD. (BTW, just so the new people don't develop a bad habit, lets use the correct letters, HDD (Hard disk drive, vs HD High Definition, just FYI ) anytime the PC is around $3500, you will see my recommendation is either velociraptor or digital Raptor, my first choice is velociraptor
	Nvidia Drivers----AMD Drivers

rai-zero Members Profile Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 13 Aug 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 98	Quote Reply Posted: 15 Sep 2008 at 8:51pm
	good point especially when getting in the $3K+ range a $300 HDD would be just 10% of the cost or less. I understand if trying to build a $2K PC that it would be hard to justify. Edited by rai-zero - 15 Sep 2008 at 8:55pm

DST4ME Members Profile Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List DS ELITE Joined: 14 Apr 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 36758	Quote Reply Posted: 15 Sep 2008 at 9:10pm
	Its a great drive tho no doubt there, hopefully the price will drop some so everybody can take advantage of it
	Nvidia Drivers----AMD Drivers

Tyler Lowe Members Profile Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 14 May 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Quote Reply Posted: 15 Sep 2008 at 11:42pm
	I agree with everything DST said about the VR HDD. It starts making sense once you get over $3500 or so, and is basically a default selection at $4000 and up. One thing I want to point out about the "cheap" liquid cooling... cheap is relative. Pricing Based on "Best Bang for the Buck Configuration" Q9550: +$173 Liquid Chilled Frostbite CPU Only: +$250 ------------ +$423 QX9770: +$1443 Placed in that context, it does look rather inexpensive.

DST4ME Members Profile Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List DS ELITE Joined: 14 Apr 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 36758	Quote Reply Posted: 15 Sep 2008 at 11:55pm
	Well put TL , not to mention you can OC with air, we suggest liquid, cause it has the best results for OC.
	Nvidia Drivers----AMD Drivers

parallox Members Profile Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 14 Sep 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 48	Quote Reply Posted: 16 Sep 2008 at 1:34am
	Honestly, my current system has a pair of old WD Raptor 80 GB drives in Raid 0. When it first came out (and my system was stable, voodoo sucks), I had a huge speed advantage over other players. How? Because when I would play Battlefield 2, my load times were so low, that I could spawn, run and fire up the helo before anyone else on either side spawned. It pissed off some players, but it was worth it Edited by parallox - 16 Sep 2008 at 1:35am

Velovciraptor vs other performance upgrades..

About Us

Community

Support

Company

Contact Us

Follow Us