Com-Central.net

Western Digital has introduced what it is claiming is the world’s only manufacturer-produced clear-top hard disk drive (HDD). The WD Raptor X is a 10000rpm Serial ATA (SATA) drive feature with a 150GB capacity, 16MB cache and Native Command Queuing (NCQ).

Western Digital says it is responding to widespread popularity among performance enthusiasts of the unmatched performance of the original enterprise-class WD Raptor.

The company designed the WD Raptor X to perform at the highest levels like its predecessors, as well as display a radically progressive style for PC and Mac owners who modify or enhance their computing systems, thrive on high-performance gaming or otherwise demand the most extreme components available.

’Created exclusively for performance enthusiasts, WD Raptor X delivers what they want most - maximum performance and plenty of flair, in addition to the proven quality and reliability WD’s customers worldwide have long relied on,’ said Tom McDorman, vice president and general manager of enterprise storage for WD.

‘Maintaining these high WD standards while designing the ground-breaking, one-of-a-kind clear lens design represents a technological accomplishment that we are excited about delivering to these passionate PC enthusiasts, who are continually tricking out their systems.’

As the only major component inside a PC with moving parts, all hard disk drives until now have been sealed with a solid metal top. WD Raptor X features a large clear lens embedded in the top through which the read and write action of the drive’s head and disk assembly can be viewed while the drive delivers data, audio and video content and games to PC and Mac performance enthusiasts in just milliseconds.

The new WD Raptor X hard drives feature NCQ for optimum random I/O performance. Raptor X drives also employ RAFF (Rotary Accelerometer Feed Forward) technology, which protects drive performance from rotational vibration created by fans and other hard disk drives that rob performance.

The drive (model WD1500AHFD) is expected to be shipping in volume this quarter. Estimated retail pricing for WD Raptor X is $349 (£197).