Disks whose
platters
spin at 10,000 RPM, resulting in lower average
access time and faster
data transfer rates.
Sure, they may be fast, but who can stand the noise? These disks belong in a machine room, not on your desk.
Case in point: A coworker has a Sun workstation with not one, not two, but FOUR 10,000 RPM Seagate Cheetahs in external enclosures on his desk. The damn things are so loud I can hear them out in the hall. What's the point of having really fast disks if you can't even think because of the continuous racket?
If you haven't experienced a 10,000 RPM drive and are planning on ordering one for an office environment, think. Think about your sanity after a full day of jet engine like whine. Think about your co-workers. Get a 5400 RPM or even a 7200 RPM drive instead. Leave the 10K RPM drives in the sealed off machine room where they belong. The world will thank you.