HD Tune Pro 4.6 Benchmark - READ Tests	Source: HD TUNE

HD Tune Pro is an extended version of HD Tune which includes many new features such as: write benchmark, secure erasing, AAM setting, folder usage view, disk monitor, command line parameters and file benchmark. The benchmark measures raw performance in a couple different ways to measure a hard drive for Read and Write tests, which are conducted separately. To read the results below consider that highest minimum/maximum/average transfer rates are better, while lower (quicker) access times are best. Lastly, highest burst rates are better.

HD Tune 4.6 - Read Tests Read Average Transfer Rate: (MB/s) Points Ranking Western Digital RE4 1TB WD1003FBYX HDD 111.8 Western Digital 1TB WD1001FALS HDD 86.1 Crucial M4 256GB SSD 371.8 SanDisk Etreme 240GB SSD 381.4 OCZ Vertex 3 240GB SSD 375.1 OCZ Vertex 2 128GB SSD 233.1 Plextor PX-128M1S SSD 100.1 Seagate 3TB Barracuda XT HDD 117.5 Seagate 2TB Barracuda XT HDD 110.2 Seagate 750GB Momentus XT SSHD 90.7 Seagate 500GB Momentus XT SSHD 84 Read Access Time: (ms) Points Ranking Western Digital RE4 1TB WD1003FBYX HDD 12 Western Digital 1TB WD1001FALS HDD 12.2 Crucial M4 256GB SSD 0.046 SanDisk Etreme 240GB SSD 0.054 OCZ Vertex 3 240GB SSD 0.132 OCZ Vertex 2 128GB SSD 0.056 Plextor PX-128M1S SSD 0.3 Seagate 3TB Barracuda XT HDD 26.8 Seagate 2TB Barracuda XT HDD 16.6 Seagate 750GB Momentus XT SSHD 0.615 Seagate 500GB Momentus XT SSHD 16.9 Read Burst Rate: (MB/s) Points Ranking Western Digital RE4 1TB WD1003FBYX HDD 176.5 Western Digital 1TB WD1001FALS HDD 134.4 Crucial M4 256GB SSD 124.8 SanDisk Etreme 240GB SSD 257.6 OCZ Vertex 3 240GB SSD 347 OCZ Vertex 2 128GB SSD 216.8 Plextor PX-128M1S SSD 101 Seagate 3TB Barracuda XT HDD 367.6 Seagate 2TB Barracuda XT HDD 312.4 Seagate 750GB Momentus XT SSHD 155.9 Seagate 500GB Momentus XT SSHD 183.5

Crucial's M4 SSD weighs in with a very good Average Read Transfer Rate of 371.8MB/s, placing it just behind the OCZ Vertex 3 SSD. Access time is a good 0.046ms. Hard drive results illustrate how SSDs stack up.

Next up, HD Tune Write results.

HD Tune Pro 4.01 Benchmark - WRITE Tests	Source: HD TUNE

HD Tune Pro is an extended version of HD Tune which includes many new features such as: write benchmark, secure erasing, AAM setting, folder usage view, disk monitor, command line parameters and file benchmark. The benchmark measures raw performance in a couple different ways to measure a hard drive for Read and Write tests, which are conducted separately. To read the results below consider that highest minimum/maximum/average transfer rates are better, while lower (quicker) access times are best. Lastly, highest burst rates are better.

HD Tune 4.6 - Write Tests Write Average Transfer Rate: (MB/s) Points Ranking Western Digital RE4 1TB WD1003FBYX HDD 108.9 Western Digital 1TB WD1001FALS HDD 85.4 Crucial M4 256GB SSD 282.6 SanDisk Etreme 240GB SSD 350.8 OCZ Vertex 3 240GB SSD 312.9 OCZ Vertex 2 128GB SSD 215.4 Plextor PX-128M1S SSD 73.4 Seagate 3TB Barracuda XT HDD 112.5 Seagate 2TB Barracuda XT HDD 105.1 Seagate 750GB Momentus XT SSHD 86.5 Seagate 500GB Momentus XT SSHD 80.9 Write Access Time: (ms) Points Ranking Western Digital RE4 1TB WD1003FBYX HDD 4.4 Crucial M4 256GB SSD 0.344 SanDisk Etreme 240GB SSD 0.109 OCZ Vertex 3 240GB SSD 0.146 Seagate 3TB Barracuda XT HDD 17.9 Seagate 2TB Barracuda XT HDD 8.03 Seagate 750GB Momentus XT SSHD 15.8 Seagate 500GB Momentus XT SSHD 9.05 Write Burst Rate: (MB/s) Points Ranking Western Digital RE4 1TB WD1003FBYX HDD 157.1 Crucial M4 256GB SSD 166.7 SanDisk Etreme 240GB SSD 318.8 OCZ Vertex 3 240GB SSD 335 Seagate 3TB Barracuda XT HDD 339.3 Seagate 2TB Barracuda XT HDD 189 Seagate 750GB Momentus XT SSHD 250 Seagate 500GB Momentus XT SSHD 177.4

In the HD Tune Write test, Crucial's M4 SSD achieves a relatively sluggish Access Time of 0.344ms and a good Average Write Transfer Rate of 282.6MB/s -- though slower than the SD Extreme and OCZ Vertex 3.

Write Burst Rate falls behind with a result of 166.7MB/s. HD Tach is up next.