Seagate Momentus XT

Seagate launches hybrid in storage on magnetic disk and flash memory

Announced efficient and cheap, the Momentus XT prevail there as the perfect alternative to existing DSS?

The Seagate Momentus XT is for the most demanding mobile in terms of performance. He promised to approach the performance of a DSS for a much lower cost, thanks to a hybrid storage systems.

While SSDs are extremely efficient, but still too expensive, and that traditional hard drives in trays are not fast, but very cheap, Seagate tries a new hybrid solution. The Momentus XT is actually a second attempt, after a first hybrid disc that depended too much on the operating system, Windows Vista at the time. The new Momentus hard XT technology exploits this time 100% hardware, software independent of any party, and thus proclaimed fully compatible with Windows, Linux and Mac, even in an external drive USB or eSATA.

For portable gaming and mobile workstations

At 2.5-inches, the Momentus XT is only for the most powerful laptops, as well as external storage devices on USB 3.0 and eSATA. It is composed of conventional magnetic platters rotating at 7,200 rpm, combined with 4GB flash memory type SLC (more durable and faster), with a traditional write cache of 32 MB A smart house uses an algorithm called “Adaptive Memory Technology”, which constantly exploring the utilization of data stored on magnetic disk for placement on the flash memory the files most used. This technology works continuously, totally transparent to the user. Seagate Announces 1.5 W power consumption in operation and 0.8W in standby.

So, if they have relatively repetitive activity on your computer, start the operating system and programs should be greatly accelerated, as the loading times in games. The gain is particularly important announcement for the treatment of small files, again if used frequently, and in the limit of 4 GB of flash memory available.

The expectations before test

While many manufacturers have already plunged into the DSS, these hard drives to flash memory so promising, Seagate guard down. The manufacturer is attempting a compromise that could emerge as the solution in terms of performance and price: SSH for Solid State Hybrid. This hard drive offers 500 GB of storage capacity of traditional magnetic platters rotating at 7,200 rpm. But the trick lies in its 4 GB of flash memory chips SLC particularly rapid and sustainable, responsible for storing the files most used by the user. The idea is very appealing, it is necessary to know what it offers in practice.

The reality

First good news: the additional flash memory chips do not change the disk, which keeps the standard dimensions of 2.5-inches. It is also SATA-II, the interest of SATA-III are limited for such a disc, which is not designed to go over the 300MB / s, even with its flash memory. In fact, one SSD now exceeds 300 MB / s, the RealSSD C300 Crucial.
The rates are standard, the first time …

The magnetic platters spin at XT Momentus 7200 rpm. They are assisted by 32 MB buffer. This architecture gives classical results in the average, at least during the first minutes of use when flash memory is not yet in. Indeed, the Momentus XT must first analyze the files most used for place in its flash memory. This analysis is ongoing. It is ensured by an internal algorithm called “Adaptive Memory Technology, which has the advantage of being completely independent of software used. The system therefore works on all computers, Windows, Mac OS and Linux.

The Momentus XT provides maximum throughput of 108 Mb / s in the ATTO test and process random access small files of 512 KB at a speed of 46 MB / s read and 57 MB / s write (test CrystalDiskMark). This is exactly the average of 2.5-inch hard drives of 500 GB running at 7200 rpm, which is not surprising since these tests are not made to exploit the hybrid disc, which makes sense only on files previously stored. The only surprise, the access time on the test HD Tach: 0.2 ms. Here we find a typical value for SSD, while the classical record stagnating around 16 ms.

Performances that explode very soon

We tested the Momentus XT actual use in testing more practical staging files previously stored on the disk. First surprise, the evolution of performance in the test drive of PC Mark Vantage: 3178 points the first time, a result that in 6300 two points in the second test, up to 6699 points in the third test and up at 6913 points after the fourth test. That is what good expose the full potential of Momentus XT over time, as it operates its flash memory. It is at once much faster than hard disk of 3.5 inches to 2 TB 7200 rpm (approximately 4800 points), but far less than a SSD hard-line, rising to 15,000 points in the same test, even more for some.

We then conducted a test more closely to practice: Starting a PC running Windows 7, accented with 17 programs placed in the start menu (all OpenOffice, games, etc..) On our laptop HP Pavilion dm3 with a hard disk of 320 GB 7200 rpm, requires 53 seconds to boot Windows without the application 7 and 1 minute and 51 seconds with 17 additional programs. We replaced the disk of the laptop by the Momentus XT. The results speak for themselves to start Windows 7 with the same 17 programs: 1 minute and 13 seconds the first time and only 46 seconds after the fourth boot !

Works great on Linux

We installed Ubuntu 4.10 distribution of Linux. The effectiveness of the disc was even more striking. He quickly put the boot files in its flash memory, so that we could not even see evolution: the system, 19 applications loaded at startup, was initialized in 46 seconds during the first test and 42 seconds in the following tests. Without the 19 applications, the drive has reduced the opening of Ubuntu to 24 seconds. Logo loading Ubuntu was even more visible, the start was too fast to dwell on this step!

Excellent for laptop

No doubt, the Momentus XT is perfect for a laptop. Firstly because it fit perfectly with the typical use of this kind of machine: some redundant applications, or multimedia desktop. On our test laptop HP Pavilion dm3, OpenOffice opened almost instantly. A feast for the worker, who saves time, but also of battery time because it loads flash drive will consume much less energy.

And also, the Momentus XT proved particularly efficient functioning: the laptop consumes 12.7 W at rest initially and 16.9 W test drive with standard disc Toshiba MK3256GSY to 7200 rpm. These values are respectively increased to 11.4 and 15.4 W with the hybrid model from Seagate.

Test and review

Innovation Seagate deserves its five stars. It is hoped that this model will be popular with OEMs, which would see the disk in many consumer notebooks. The advantage of Seagate’s idea is to exploit the advantages of flash memory storage for an additional limited. The MSRP of the 500GB version we tested is 120 euros. The actual price should be closer to very quickly the average rate for a 2.5-inch drive 500 GB traditional, or about 70 euros. And why not push the idea to the 3.5-inch models with more flash memory for desktop computers upscale. Unfortunately, according to our information, Seagate does not seem to seriously consider for the moment.

The Momentus XT is available in three models 256, 320 and 500GB respective rates of 90, 97 and 120 euros. It will be available in mid-June in Europe.

Positive points

* Performance
* Price
* Independence from software

Negative points

* Nothing

Technical specifications

Type
Internal
Hard disk capacity (in GB)
500
Format
2.5 inches