Drives don't read from multiple platters in parallel, so it's actually num_tracks * num_platters * 2 / rpm to read in the best case. Real world is more than th

Drives don't read from multiple platters in parallel, so it's actually num_tracks * num_platters * 2 / rpm to read in the best case. Real world is more than that since it takes time for the drive firmware to shift between different platters and tracks. *edit: not entirely true: the Seagate MACH.2 drive series that has 2 separate head assemblies per drive. They're pretty expensive and hard to get ahold of.