WD Hard Drives Earn Top Score in Microsoft's Vista Performance Test

LAKE FOREST, Calif., Feb. 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- High-performance hard drives from Western Digital Corp. (NYSE: WDC) earned the highest score possible when tested with the Windows(R) Experience Index utility, a new feature in Windows Vista(TM), WD announced today. The results indicate that the new Windows Vista operating system will run optimally when installed on WD Caviar(R) SE16 500 GB and WD Raptor(R) 150 GB SATA hard drives. The Windows Experience Index measures performance capabilities of PCs and their components and calculates a score telling users how well the operating system will run using those components. WD also announced that all of WD's latest-generation hard drives now are certified to run Windows Vista.

The WD Raptor 150 GB hard drive, the world's only 10,000 RPM SATA drive, and the newest-generation WD Caviar SE16 500 GB SATA hard drive each received a perfect score -- a 5.9 -- on a scale of between 1 and 5.9. Other WD Caviar drives also scored in the highest performance level. Computer systems receiving a 5.0 score or higher are defined by Microsoft as the highest performers and supporting high-end, graphics-intensive experiences such as multiplayer and 3D gaming and recording and playback of HDTV content. WD tested the drives in its performance lab in Lake Forest, Calif.

When buying a new computer or upgrading their existing one, consumers use the Windows Experience Index tool to make informed choices of PC component brands and features. "The Windows Experience Index is a valuable resource," said Don Bennett, vice president and general manager of WD's Desktop Storage group. "Users who are upgrading or building a new system with Windows Vista and want maximum performance should put these two drives at the top of their list."

The WD Raptor and the WD Caviar SE16 drive families have won many awards from publications such as Maximum PC, Tom's Hardware Guide and PC World.

Vista's exclusive new DirectX(R) 10 suite of multimedia application programming interfaces is designed for performance enthusiasts and benefits from the fastest SATA hard drives available, such as those that achieve a 5.9 on the Windows Experience Index: WD Caviar SE16 500 GB and WD Raptor 150 GB.

About WD

WD, one of the storage industry's pioneers and long-time leaders, provides products and services for people and organizations that collect, manage and use digital information. The company produces reliable, high-performance hard drives that keep users' data close-at-hand and secure from loss. WD applies its storage expertise to consumer products for external, portable and shared storage products.

WD was founded in 1970. The company's storage products are marketed to leading systems manufacturers, selected resellers and retailers under the Western Digital and WD brand names. Visit the Investor section of the company's Web site (http://www.westerndigital.com/) to access a variety of financial and investor information.

Western Digital, WD, WD Raptor, WD Caviar and the WD logo are registered trademarks of Western Digital Technologies, Inc. Microsoft, Microsoft Office, Windows, DirectX, and Windows Vista are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks herein are property of their respective owner.