Western Digital is flogging a so-called special edition of its 120GB 7,200 RPM EIDE hard drive - special because it has an 8MB buffer, compared with the 2MB supplied on standard versions.

Bigger buffer means fewer calls to access the disk and faster performance. WD has not supplied us with any data sheets on how much faster the drive, the clumsily named WD Caviar 120 GB Special Edition 8 MB buffer, is than its less well-endowed 2MB buffer brother. Here is a review of the beast from Tom's Hardware.

The drive carries a recommended retail price of $389 - £270 approx. and can be purchased direct or through the channel.

WD abandoned the enterprise storage market last year, but this latest WD Caviar hard drive does represent an attempt to move up the server food chain into entry-level enterprise space. ®