kaled - 6:13 pm on Feb 20, 2007 (gmt 0)

The SCSI drives spin at 15k compared to 7.2k for almost all IDE drives

Given that I have clearly stated that hard disk performance is limited primarily by mechanical design, it is hardly surprising that a SCSI drive that spins twice as fast as an IDE drive achieves faster transfer rates. However, can the SCSI drive sustain a transfer rate that is beyond the limits of the ATA interface?

If the answer to this question is no, then my point is proven (that manufacturers use SCSI interfaces on their newest/fastest/largest disks to achieve premium prices rather because the ATA interface isn't quick enough).

Just to be clear, I don't doubt the experiences of people that say their SCSI drives are faster than their ATA drives, but that extra speed is more likely to be due to mechanical design than the SCSI interface.

Kaled.