Comparing: WD Caviar Blue WD3200AAKX-001CA0 vs LITE-ON LST-16S9G 16GB

Specification Comparison Table

This specification comparison presents technical details of several devices or components to help you understand the key differences between each option. Use this table as a reference to determine which device best suits your needs.

Submission Comparison Table

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Submission Comparison Chart

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About Hardware WD Caviar Blue WD3200AAKX-001CA0

The WDC WD3200AAKX-001CA0 is a 3.5-inch hard disk drive (HDD) that comes with a 320GB capacity, designed specifically for storage needs on desktop computers. Part of the Western Digital Caviar Blue family, this HDD uses a SATA-III 6Gbps interface that provides better data transfer speeds than the previous generation (SATA-II).

With a rotation speed of 7200 RPM and a 16MB buffer cache, this drive offers reliable performance for a variety of daily computing activities. From storing documents, running office applications, to playing light games, the WDC WD3200AAKX is able to accommodate the needs of home and office users with maintained stability.

It uses a single disk and two head configuration, which helps to maintain data transfer efficiency and reliability. In tests using a ThinkCentre M58 system with an Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 processor, 3GB DDR3 RAM, and Windows 7 operating system, the performance of this HDD was very good for its capacity class. Testing with CrystalDiskMark showed read speeds of 107.58 MB/s and write speeds of 105.50 MB/s, proving that this HDD is still relevant for legacy systems and light computing tasks today.

As part of the WD Caviar Blue line, the WD3200AAKX is designed with a blend of performance and reliability, making it a popular choice for desktop PC users who need a 7200 RPM speed drive at an affordable price. It can be used as a primary or secondary drive for legacy operating systems, data storage, or as an upgrade solution from older, lower-speed HDDs.

Device test (tesbed):

Device: ThinkCenter M58
CPU: Core 2 Duo E7500
RAM: 3GB DDR3

Tuesday, 07 March 2023 10:02:46 | Update: 3 weeks ago

About Hardware LITE-ON LST-16S9G 16GB

The LITE-ON LST-16S9G 16GB M.2 SATA is a compact solid-state drive designed to meet the storage needs of devices with limited space, such as mini PCs, older laptops, or embedded systems. With an M.2 2242 form factor and a SATA III 6Gbps interface, this SSD delivers sufficient performance for basic needs, particularly as a boot drive or operating system medium. Despite its 16GB capacity, its internal components are of decent quality for an entry-level class.

This SSD uses the TOSHIBA TH58TEG7DDK8A4C NAND flash chip, known for its durability and stability, combined with SK hynix's DRAM cache (H5TQ1G63EFR) featuring 1GB DDR3 SDRAM specifications—a rare find in SSDs of its class. The use of the Silicon Motion SM2246EN controller adds further value, as it is widely recognized in the SSD world as a reliable and efficient controller for handling light to moderate read/write tasks. This combination makes the LITE-ON LST-16S9G sufficiently capable for tasks such as booting, running a lightweight OS, or storing system configurations.

Performance testing was conducted on a Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 14ITL6 device with 12GB DDR4 dual-channel RAM and the Windows 11 22H2 operating system. The SSD was installed via an M.2 SATA-to-SATA adapter and connected via a USB 3.0 enclosure. Test results showed sequential read speeds of 280MB/s and write speeds of 45MB/s on the CrystalDiskMark benchmark, while AS SSD recorded read speeds of 279MB/s and write speeds of approximately 41.67MB/s. This performance is stable and consistent with the characteristics of a SATA SSD in the low-capacity class, although the write speed is relatively slow for large file transfers.

Despite its limitations, such as limited storage capacity and low write speeds, the LITE-ON LST-16S9G remains an attractive option for users needing a small SSD for specific purposes. It is suitable for use in lightweight operating systems like Linux, custom devices like routers or media players, and as an upgrade solution from an HDD in older systems that only require improved boot speeds and basic application responsiveness. With its generally affordable price and high-quality internal components, this SSD can be a cost-effective yet functional alternative in the world of digital storage.

Device Test (testbed) :

Adapter: M.2 SATA to SATA -> SATA to USB 3.0 (HDD Enclosure)
Device: Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 14ITL6
CPU: i5-1135G7
RAM: 12GB DDR4 3200MHz Dual Channel (8+4)
OS: Windows 11 22H2

* I have tested this hardware in used condition, so its performance may have deteriorated.

Monday, 30 June 2025 20:45:05 | Update: 2 weeks ago