Western Digital launches world's fastest SATA disk: the 300GB VelociRaptor

Overclockers and gamers, prepare to meet your next hard drive: the 300GB VelociRaptor from Western Digital. Said to be 35% faster than previous WD Raptors, the 10,000 RPM drive features a 3Gbps SATA interface, 16MB cache, and impressive 1.4 million hour MTBF thanks in part to the IcePack Mounting Frame. The IcePack heat sink not only keeps the drive spinning extra cool, it also bumps the 2.5-inch HDD to a required 3.5-inch drive bay. Available exclusively on Alienware's ALX gaming desktop this month and then up for grabs for everybody with $300 to burn starting mid-May.

Here come the benchmarks. It's freaky fast -- even holds up well to SSDs at a far better dollar-per-byte ratio according to MaximumPC.

Read -- Tom's Hardware
Read -- MaximumPC
Read -- PCPer
Read -- HotHardware
Read -- The Tech Report