The 160GB Western Digital Caviar JD has benefited from astute parts-bin engineering. The 'D' suffix on the model code denotes that this is the Sata version of the 8MB cache JB drives that are often marketed as an SE version of the original 2MB BB drives. All that alphabet soup shows that the WD1600JD is the result of steady evolution, instead of radical new design. Inside the casing Western Digital has improved the drive in the most important areas.

Once again, this is a bridged design with both serial and legacy power connectors.

This 160GB version uses a two-platter design with four heads, to give it a competitive areal density, although Western Digital claims a slow 9.9ms seek time. Despite that, it performed well, and gave the Seagate drives a hiding.

When you factor in the low £89 price of this drive and its tiny 56p per GB cost, it is hard not to be impressed, and this makes the product worthy of a Recommended award.

Contact: Western Digital 01372 360055
www.wdc.com

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