Introduction

If you ask someone to name two SCSI host adapter manufacturers, his or her answer will likely include the words "Adaptec" and "Tekram" - it's safe to say that these two manufacturers are the best known amongst the online hardware-enthusiast community. If you ask someone what the significant differences between Adaptec and Tekram host adapters are, however, you'll probably get some different answers. While it's undeniable that Tekram's host adapters cost significantly less than Adaptec's, the performance issue isn't so easily agreed upon. Some claim that Tekram's host adapters perform as well as Adaptec's; others insist that Tekram cards perform worse, hence their lower price.

With that in mind, StorageReview.com's first SCSI host adapter review focuses on two equivalent models: the Adaptec ASC-29160 and the Tekram DC-390U3W. Since both cards feature similar specifications, it should be interesting to see how they perform relative to one another. Before moving on, let's go over each card's specs.

 The Adaptec 29160...