Looking at our performance test results, you'd think there could only be one winner from this group test; the Seagate drive. Its performance lead is mainly due to the faster platter speed, which is at least one-third higher than the rest.

But performance is just one of the factors determining the suitability of a hard drive to the particular task in hand. The other major considerations are price and reliability. Like processors and memory, hard drives are subject to highly volatile price fluctuations. For this reason, it's very important to check up-to-date pricing before making a commitment. It's safe to assume, though, that higher performance - particularly performance that's perceived to be higher by the market in general - will command a higher price.

One thing is for sure, and that is that these hard drives are all of exceptionally high build quality. Attention to detail such as sound-deadening shrouds, impact-absorbing plastic surrounds and IC board covers are becoming commonplace. This is likely to improve reliability, which has to be a good thing for the majority of users who, despite all the warnings, never make backups...