So, in addition to having a faster drive, I also have a faster Windows installation. It's a win-win. Most of today's programs run just fine on any flavor of Pentium-compatible CPU and the incremental advantage you get with a faster CPU often isn't noticeable. On the other hand, there are gains to be made by being able to read from the disk more rapidly, especially when you're loading large programs. Most hard drives use what is called the EIDE interface that doesn't require any extra hardware because virtually all desktop PCs are already equipped with an EIDE controller.
Manufacturers offer numerous specifications when it comes to speed.
The faster the drive spins, the faster it can access your data. Midrange drives are typically rated at 5,400RPM while higher-end drives are typically 7,200. Here, lower is better. He also has written for Fortune, Upside, PC World, Information Week and Computer Currents , among other publications. How, one of the nation's first computer training companies.