HD Tach
We tested HD Tach with the benchmark's full variable zone size setting.

It's hard to compete with the Raptor's 10K-RPM spindle speed, and the WD1500ADFD easily dominates HD Tach's sustained transfer rate tests. The drive is a little faster than the Raptor X, and both have a clear advantage over the Barracuda 7200.10.

Unfortunately, the WD1500ADFD's lack of support for 300 MB/s Serial ATA transfer rates caps its performance in HD Tach's read burst speed test. The Raptor's still one of the fastest 150 MB/s drives, but its burst speed is more than 100 MB/s slower than the Barracuda 7200.10.

Thanks to their 10K-RPM spindle speeds, the Raptors have always offered much quicker access times than typical desktop hard drives. The WD1500ADFD is no exception, although its predecessor, the WD740GD, is actually a little faster in this test.

CPU utilization scores are within HD Tach's +/- 2% margin for error in this test.