Comparing: DDR3 SODIMM 1066MHz [Disk] vs HGST HTS545050A7E362

Specification Comparison Table

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Submission Comparison Table

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About Hardware DDR3 SODIMM 1066MHz [Disk]

DDR3 SODIMM 1066MHz is a third-generation memory module with a speed of 1066MHz that is commonly used in laptops and small devices. With the SODIMM form factor, these modules are often the standard choice for mobile computing systems, serving as the main memory for running operating systems, applications, and light to medium multitasking processes.

However, in this particular experiment, two 1066MHz DDR3 SODIMM modules from Micron and ADATA (2GB capacity each) were uniquely configured as a RAMDisk, a temporary storage space that uses RAM capacity to simulate a storage drive with much higher access speeds than SSDs or HDDs.

The 1066MHz DDR3 SODIMM-based RAMDisk test was conducted on an HP 1000 1b05au laptop device, powered by an AMD E1-1200 processor. The system is equipped with a 2x2GB DDR3 SODIMM 1600MHz RAM configuration, but due to processor architecture limitations, the memory only runs in single channel mode with an effective speed of 1066MHz. The operating system used is Windows 7, and to create and manage the RAMDisk, two popular applications, SoftPerfect RAMDisk and ImDisk Virtual Disk Driver, were used. The configured RAMDisk size was 2GB, utilizing some of the available RAM capacity.

Even though the device specifications are old and have limited memory bandwidth, the RAMDisk configured in this system was still able to show excellent performance in the read and write speed benchmarks. Based on tests using CrystalDiskMark, the read speed reached 746.24 MB/s, while the write speed touched 828.18 MB/s. In a follow-up test using ATTO Disk Benchmark with a 64MB block size, the read speed increased to 1020.00 MB/s, and the write speed reached 1080.00 MB/s. These results prove that even on older systems, RAMDisk configurations are still capable of delivering very high I/O performance, far surpassing conventional storage such as HDDs or even some SSDs.

Analysis

The results show that a 1066MHz DDR3-based RAMDisk is still capable of delivering data transfer speeds on par with entry-level NVMe SSDs, even outperforming many SATA SSDs and leaving conventional HDDs far behind. This makes RAMDisks an ideal solution for temporary use such as:

• Application caching,
• Temporary file storage,
• Fast computing with high I/O,
• Software or script testing without the risk of contaminating the main file system.

Although limited to a small capacity (2GB in this test), RAMDisk is still very useful for specific needs, especially for users with more than enough RAM or older devices that want to maximize their performance.

Test on:

Device: HP 1000 1b05au
Specs: 
CPU: AMD E1-1200
OS: Windows 7
RAM: 2x2GB Single Channel 2 DIMM 1066MHz (Does not support dual channel due to limitations of the CPU, currently running single channel mode and 1066MHz)

Wednesday, 26 December 2012 14:27:32 | Update: 1 month ago

About Hardware HGST HTS545050A7E362

The HGST HTS545050A7E362 is a 2.5-inch hard disk drive (HDD) with a storage capacity of 500GB, specifically designed to meet the data storage needs of laptops, notebooks, and other portable computing systems. This hard disk is part of the Travelstar Z5K500 product line, known for its balanced combination of performance, power efficiency, and reliability. As part of the HGST (Hitachi Global Storage Technologies) family, now part of Western Digital, this model offers proven high quality in various everyday usage scenarios.

Featuring a SATA II (3 Gb/s) interface and a rotation speed of 5400 RPM, the HTS545050A7E362 falls into the category of energy-efficient HDDs with low noise levels—ideal for laptop users seeking comfort without compromising storage capacity. Equipped with a 16 MB cache buffer, this HDD enhances data transfer efficiency for general use such as storing documents, playing multimedia files, and running lightweight applications.

Technically, this hard disk is built with 1 platter and 2 read/write heads, ensuring stability and consistent performance. With a 2.5-inch form factor, the HTS545050A7E362 is highly compatible for installation in laptops, external USB enclosures, or as backup storage in portable systems. Although not the fastest in its class, this HDD remains an economical and reliable choice for users prioritizing capacity and durability over extreme performance.

Device testing was conducted using a Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 14ITL6 laptop equipped with an Intel Core i5-1135G7 processor, 12GB DDR4 dual-channel RAM, and a USB 3.0 enclosure. In the test, the HDD tested was able to record a read performance of 97.28 MB/s and a write performance of 50.47 MB/s based on benchmark results using the CrystalDiskMark application. These results reflect fairly standard data transfer performance for HDDs connected via the USB 3.0 interface.

These figures reflect the typical performance of a 5400 RPM HDD, sufficient for light to moderate use such as storing important files, backing up photos and videos, or as additional storage media. Support for USB 3.1 Gen 1 ensures optimal transfer speeds in testing via an external enclosure.

Overall, the HGST HTS545050A7E362 500GB is an economical, reliable, and energy-efficient storage solution. With stable performance, robust build quality, and support from a major brand like HGST/Western Digital, this HDD remains relevant for laptop users or external systems requiring medium-capacity storage that is still affordable.

Device test (testbed):

Device: Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 14ITL6 (using HDD Enclosure USB 3.0)
CPU: i5 1135G7
USB: USB 3.1 Gen 1
RAM: 12GB DDR4 3200MHz Dual Channel (8+4)
OS: Windows 11 22H2

Friday, 11 April 2025 19:16:37 | Update: 1 week ago