Component Recommendations - Harddisks

The eternal question whether to use IDE or SCSI has not been answered yet. Here is a list of some pros and cons to help you in your process to decide what to go for:

IDE Usually cheaper than SCSI solution Usually there is an IDE interface on the Motherboard already Up to 4 devices, 2 on each of the 2 IDE channels, Master and Slave Uses up to 2 IRQs (14 and 15), but usually no PCI slot Interface transferrate up to 33 MB/s (Ultra-DMA/33), soon up to 66 MB/s (Ultra-DMA/66) No external connectors, doesn't support hot plugging Doesn't support multitasking (only one device at a time can be accessed) nor command queuing Available devices are Harddisks, CD-ROMs, CD-Rs, CD-RWs, streamers, changeable disks/floppy etc. High-end devices usually aren't available in IDE versions

SCSI Usually more expensive than IDE solution You need to buy a SCSI adapter or pay more for a motherboards with onbaord SCSI Up to 7 devices (15 for Wide SCSI) Consumes one IRQ and maybe a PCI slot bandwidth up to 80 MB/s (Ultra2 Wide SCSI), that can be used by all SCSI devices at the same time, e.g. 4 times 20 MB/s Often offers an external plug-in, allows hot plugging Supports multitasking and command queuing Available devices are Harddisks, CD-ROMs, CD-Rs, CD-RWs, streamers, changeable disks/floppy, scanners, printers etc. High-end devices are available in SCSI versions (harddisks with 10,000 rpm, high-end CD-Rs, etc.)

Please don't get deceived by the interface transferrates! The transferrate of a harddisk for example is defined mainly by its internal transferrate, not the interface speed. However, a faster interface leaves more room for other tasks or for future faster products.

Actually it is quite easy: If you only need one or maybe two harddisks later, and a CD-ROM, go for IDE. The performance is well and can achieve about the same like SCSI systems. If you have the money and need more, like a professional scanner or other external devices, like dealing with great amount of data or if you want highest performance available, even with many devices connected, go for SCSI. And this is the area where SCSI really outperforms any IDE solution: many devices, working at the same time (multitasking).

The mix use of IDE and SCSI is unproblematic mostly today. Most of the motherboard BIOSs allow to change the boot device. The only real downside of mixing IDE and SCSI might be that you get really depressive of the 'not-enough-free-IRQs syndrome'.

IDE
Today a decent hard drive should have a rotational speed of 5,400 rpm, an access time of less than 12 ms and at least 3-4 GB capacity. Of course you can buy smaller drives, but you won't save any money. Even the 6 GB models have become so cheap that I would go either for such one or a 8 GB model. Bigger hard disks (10, 12, 16 GB) are still more expensive, but fast as well. The new Western Digital 10 GB drive does not reach the same high performance as e.g. the Maxtor or IBM drives. The most recommendable IDE hard disks for Christmas 98 are: IBM DTTA series (available at 5,400 or 7,200 rpm!) Quantum Fireball EX series Diamond Max Plus series (7,200 rpm) Seagate ST39140A, ST36530A

SCSI
SCSI hard drives are more expensive (as always) than their IDE pendants. The new generation of U2W harddisks delivers best performance - but at what prices! Recommendable are: Seagate Cheetah series (10,000 rpm) almost all IBM hard drives, especially DGVS and DRVS series (10,000 rpm) Fujitsu MAC series (10,000 rpm)

These drives usually must be cooled with a fan. Due to the 10,000 rpm they are generating more heat. They are louder also. If you are concerned, you might want to go for 7,200 rpm drives like the:

Western Digital Enterprise series (7,200 rpm) .

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