This is the most recent version (2013 FZEX) of Western Digital's best performing consumer storage drive, its predecessor was the WD1002FAEX which is now four years old. With average sequential read/write speeds of 150 MB/s this version outperforms its predecessor by a whopping 50%. Small file random 4K speeds have remained broadly unchanged with average read/write rates of 0.9/2.19 MB/s. Overall the 2013 WD Black has a very good performance profile and it also represents reasonable value for money, at least in the 1TB category. There are some good alternatives to the 2013 Black including the 2012 Blue. Looking at the 2013 Black vs 2012 Blue shows that both drives have similar performance. Power consumption (6.8/6.1 Watts active/idle) and noise levels (29.5 dBA) are also identical making it a tough call between the two. There is however, as always, better value amongst the larger capacities. [Feb '14HDrivePro]
The ST1000DX001 is a Solid State Hard Drive (SSHD). There is 8GB of MLC NAND flash built into this model which helps facilitate better performance than a purely mechanical drive. The peak sequential read /write speeds of 190 MB/s are around 10% higher than average for a mechanical drive, but no where near typical SSD speeds. We have seen peak 4k write speeds as high as 5.72 MB/s, which is very impressive and to date the highest 4k read speed is 1.24 MB/s which is less impressive but still above average for a top end mechanical drive. The performance increases attributable to the NAND flash are primarily noticeable in the area of small file performance and the Seagate offers only marginally better sequential performance than other mechanical 1TB hard drives. Overall the ST1000DX001 is a very solid performer and bests the group average by 30%. The larger 2TB version (ST2000DX001) has similar performance but represents even better value for money. [Feb '14HDrivePro]
We calculate effective speed which measures performance for typical consumers. Effective speed is adjusted by current cost per GB to yield value for money. Our calculated values are checked against thousands of individual user ratings. The customizable table below combines these factors to bring you the definitive list of top HDDs. [HDrivePro]
Welcome to our PC speed test tool. UserBenchmark will test your PC and compare the results to other users with the same components. You can quickly size up your PC, identify hardware problems and explore the best value for money upgrades.