understanding blackmagic disk speed test results

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Internal SSD and hard drive testing is done strictly on our Intel X299-based testbed, employing the native SATA ports or one of the M.2 PCI Express x4 slots, in the case of PCI Express M.2 SSDs.

#Understanding blackmagic disk speed test results install#

We never install system files onto the internal drive we're testing. We mount the drive in our testbed using its native interface and set it up as a secondary drive. The process for testing internal drives is slightly different. Network Attached Storage & Internal Drives If the drive supports Thunderbolt 3, we run the tests using that interface, too. For most current drives, that means we almost always perform one round of tests using USB 3.0 (either via Type-A or Type-C connectors, of the fastest kind the drive supports, say, USB 3.1 Gen 1 versus Gen 2).

We perform each of these tests using all of the interfaces that the drive supports.

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It uses the Windows Explorer or macOS Finder to copy a 1.23GB test folder full of several different file types from the testbed's internal drive to the external hard drive being tested. The final test for external drives is a drag-and-drop test.

We also use Crystal DiskMark's 4K tests to measure random reads/writes, which reflect data activity in which the drive is fetching and writing scattered files and pieces of files across the hard drive or solid-state drive. Crystal DiskMark's sequential-read tests measure read/write activity with data written in a large contiguous block on the drive, which is similar to how manufacturers themselves test drives to advertise their performance. We also use the Crystal DiskMark utility for a second opinion on throughput. These scores are useful in discovering the theoretical maximum speed that a drive can achieve. But it also returns some useful throughput measurements.īlackMagic offers both a read score and a write score, which we also compare with those of other, similar drives. This utility is typically used to discern whether a given drive has enough throughput to play back specific video formats smoothly.

#Understanding blackmagic disk speed test results software#

We use the macOS-only BlackMagic Disk Speed Test (Opens in a new window) app from professional media software firm DaVinci to perform this test. Our next test measures a drive's throughput in bits per second. The score is only meaningful relative to other scores. We mention this score in each review and compare it with the scores that other, competing drives received. The PCMark 7 Secondary Storage test results in a proprietary score that is usually in the thousands.

These simulated workloads include a Windows Defender virus scan, an image-import task, a video-editing session, and application launches. The Secondary Storage test is trace-based, which means it measures how quickly software commands are performed during everyday workloads to which you might subject your PC.

#Understanding blackmagic disk speed test results Pc#

The company's benchmarking apps are used not only by publications like PCMag, but also by drive and PC manufacturers themselves. Our most wide-ranging benchmark is the PCMark 7 Secondary Storage test. We also test on a 2016 MacBook Pro, using the Type-C/Thunderbolt 3 ports, for certain of our tests. We test external drives using an Intel X299-based testbed equipped with all the trimmings, including a USB 3.1 Gen 2 USB Type-C port. So we've designed our drive-testing procedures at PC Labs to approximate the speeds you can expect while accomplishing a comprehensive array of common tasks: reflecting both best-case scenarios, and real-world use. Buying a new internal hard drive can make apps load faster and shorten system bootup times, while springing for a new external drive could shave minutes off your next routine backup or the transfer of your large collection of photos and videos.Ī hard drive's speed can vary significantly based not only on its theoretical top transfer speeds, but also on your usage patterns. Reading and writing files to and from a hard drive is one of the most crucial choke points in a PC.

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