Written
: 10/16/99
The Quantum Fireball KA is Quantum's first 7,200 RPM ATA/66 hard drive. Models are available from 6.4 to the 18.2 Gig unit which I reviewed. The drive features an average 8.5ms seek time and a 512K buffer. Even though it's an ATA/66 hard drive, it will work even if you don't have an ATA/66 control card (the hard drive will automatically change to ATA/33). Here are the specs:
| FORM FACTOR | 3.5 inch |
|---|---|
| INTERFACE | UltraATA/66 |
| FORMATTED CAPACITY | 9.1 GB |
| AVERAGE SEEK TIME | 8.5ms |
| DATA TRANSFER RATE |
Ultra ATA/66 Ultra ATA/33 |
| SPINDLE SPEED | 7200 RPM |
| BUFFER | 512KB |
| DATA PROTECTION SYSTEM |
Data Protection System (DPS) - In less than 90 seconds, DPS lets a user quickly and easily verify hard disk drive functionality in the event of system problems |
| SHOCK PROTECTION SYSTEM |
Shock Protection System™ (SPS) - Advanced system eliminates potential points of failure during handling and installation |
| WARRANTY | 3 year manufacturer's |
With a street price of just $180, this is one of the best IDE hard drive you can buy. It's performance, as you will see, is among the fastest 7,200 hard drive on the market today.