Image processing

Adobe Photoshop

ACDSee PowerPack

Performance is pretty consistent in Photoshop, but ACDSee spreads the field a little, with the Deskstar finishing in the middle of the pack.

Multitasking and office applications

Microsoft Office

Mozilla

Mozilla and Windows Media Encoder

WorldBench's office and multitasking apps don't seem to prefer one drive over the others, but explore some more intensive multitasking tests in a moment.

Other applications

Winzip

Nero

Winzip and Nero both provide opportunities for the drives to strut their stuff, and the 7K500 turns in a second-place performance in both tests. Not bad for the biggest drive of the bunch.