Seagate Momentus XT 750 GB Hybrid HDD Review

Conclusions

The second-generation Momentus XT performs much better than the first-generation model, even when the caching system isn’t used. In our tests, the performance advantage of the second-generation drive was between 17% and 100% over the first-generation drive in this scenario, depending on the test.

When the drive had time to “learn” how you use the computer, its performance jumps between 80% and 152%, which is really impressive. Windows boot time can improve as much as 77%, making it very close to the boot time of a solid state drive at a fraction of the cost. An SSD, however, is still way faster than the second-generation Momentus XT in other scenarios.

We think that the second-generation Seagate Momentus XT 750 GB is a great option for laptop users who find a regular hard drive too slow and can’t afford an SSD capacious enough for all their files. While it does command a USD 80 price premium over the standard Momentus 750 GB drive, we feel this is justified considering the performance benefits. Those who want the best possible performance, however, should consider putting up the cash for an SSD like the OCZ Agility 3, as the performance will be on a completely different level.