Comparing: DDR3 SODIMM 1066MHz [Disk] vs HGST HTS545050A7E680

Specification 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: 2 weeks ago

About Hardware HGST HTS545050A7E680

The HGST HTS545050A7E680 is a 500GB hard disk drive (HDD) designed for storage needs in laptops, external enclosures, and other mobile devices. With a 2.5-inch form factor, 5400 RPM rotation speed, and 3.0Gbps SATA II interface, this HDD offers an ideal blend of capacity, power efficiency, and stable and quiet performance for everyday computing needs.

Based on the Travelstar Z5K500 family, this HDD uses 1 platter and 2 heads, which structurally supports reasonably efficient performance without generating excess heat or noise. The 8MB buffer cache provides a speed boost in short data processing, which is especially useful for light activities such as opening document files, playing videos, and storing business application data.

In tests using a USB 3.0 HDD enclosure connected to a Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 14ITL6 laptop (with Intel Core i5-1135G7 processor and 12GB DDR4 dual-channel RAM), the drive recorded CrystalDiskMark scores of 108.05 MB/s read and 104.88 MB/s write speeds. Meanwhile, the ATTO Disk Benchmark (64M) test showed read performance of 102.40 MB/s and write performance of 101.45 MB/s - relatively good results for a 5400 RPM HDD in an external configuration.

While not an SSD, the HGST HTS545050A7E680 still offers high reliability and low power consumption, making it a suitable solution for users who need additional storage or an affordable replacement for an internal HDD while still prioritizing long-term stability. In addition, HGST's shock resistance feature provides extra protection against minor physical impacts that often occur on mobile devices.

Overall, the HGST HTS545050A7E680 is a great choice for laptop users, light content creators or business users who require medium capacity, low power consumption and reliable performance in a portable or internal drive.

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

Saturday, 04 November 2023 13:01:20 | Update: 2 weeks ago