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INTRODUCTION
As computer components get faster, smaller and more efficient the dream
of having a complete desktop replacement laptop is becoming more and more
of a reality. Laptop processor and ram speeds are at near equivalents
to high-end desktop machines and graphics chipsets seem to be about a
generation behind. One of the other major bottlenecks that have faced
laptops in the past is hard drive performance. One of the measures of
disk performance is rotational speed that in desktop systems range from
5,400pm as the low standard to 15,000rmp as a top performance SCSI drive.
With laptop drives now reaching the 5,400rpm mark power computer users
are now able to reach access speeds equivalent to the average desktop
system. The MHT2040AH is one of Fujitsu’s newest entrances to the
higher end laptop hard drive market.
Installation
Though installation depends a lot on the design of your laptop the installation
into a Dell Latitude was fairly easy. All it took was the removal of a
few screws a couple of minutes - something that most computer novices
could accomplish. After everything was plugged in and started, the drive
was detected correctly and flawlessly - you can’t ask for much more,
except for maybe the perfect operating system pre-installed for you (ha!).
The Numbers
| Capacity |
40 GB |
| Interface |
DMA/ATA-100 (Ultra) |
| Spindle Speed |
5400 rpm |
| Seek Time |
100 MBps |
| Shock Tolerance |
FDB (Fluid Dynamic Bearing) spindle motor and Head Load/Unload mechanism
enable in high shock tolerance. The drives withstand up to 900Go-p
(duration 1ms) non-operating shock and up to 225Go-p (duration 2ms)
operating shock |
| Average Rotational Waiting Time |
5.56 ms |
| Dimensions (W x D x H) |
70mm x 100mm x 9.5mm |
| Service Life |
5 years or 20,000 power on hours |
Performance
 Probably
the most important factor, next to price, in considering any computer
upgrade is performance. If the component does not perform well it would
make for a pointless purchase. The Fujitsu MHT2040AH defiantly makes a
noticeable difference when you are used to the speed of a 4,200rpm drive.
For example just a casual glance at when the benchmarks were run, there
was a very noticeable difference in the time it took for the tests to
complete.
Also load times of applications and large files have a
noticeable increase in transfer and access times. With an average access
time of around 10ms, the MHT2040AH is able to keep pace with desktop hard
drives that are in the majority of desktop computers. Odds are if you
chose the MHT2040AH you will not be sacrificing anything compared to a
desktop unless you are used to the expensive high end drives on the market.
Another thing to consider with the performance of a hard
drive is the noise and vibration that are created as the speed of drives
increase. In general the faster the drive gets the more noise and vibration
that are present. One of the interesting things about this drive is that
it has a bit higher pitched noise to it than any other drive I have heard.
Though the noise is of a high pitch than most drives it is also a bit
quieter than most drives. The Fluid Dynamic Bearing (FDB) motors that
Fujitsu uses really seems to do an awesome job at keeping the noise level
down even at high speeds and the confined spaces of a laptop. This makes
for a nicer operating experience, as you are not hearing every drive movement
with distinction.
Price
The bottom line is always the bottom line when it comes
to anything you are looking at purchasing anything. Even though laptop
the size of laptop hard drives will always come at a premium the lower
the price the better off the consumer will be. With an average price of
around $160 Fujistu has created a reasonably priced drive for the performance
it delivers.
Overall
All in all this drive performs well and this class
of drive will help to drive the desktop replacement market for laptops
forward as space and speed concerns become mute. Installation was an absolute
cinch; it is quieter than slower drives and blows older drives out of
the water with its performance. Another point worth mentioning is that
this drive weights roughly 25% more than a standard 20GB laptop drive.
If you are trying to keep a very slim laptop you may want to consider
this otherwise enjoy the newfound speed and size of this drive. The one
thing we at NextGen Electronics could have hoped for was a slightly lower
price point however when can you ever get whatever you ask for?
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9 / 10 |
OVERALL SCORE
88%
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8 / 10 |
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8 / 10 |
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10 / 10 |
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9 / 10 |
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8.8 / 10 |
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