I need a new harddrive

isaak · Jan 2, 2011, 02:11 PM

I'm going to be shuffling stuff around between the five computers in my house soon, and I've decided to create a dedicated NAS type computer that can consume the least amount of power to run 24/7. So I've got the 3x1TB harddrives out of my rig (in system specs) to go in there.

Problem now is I need harddrives to replace them for MY computer.

Now that the server will have most of the stuff, I'm thinking no bigger than a 1TB for me. But I also want the fastest one possible (minus SSD).....

I had been looking at the 300gb WD Velociraptor but I'm now wondering if this will be enough.

I'd just like some input as to something that maybe I should definitely avoid or maybe some good suggestions

thanks

***Veridian3*** · Jan 2, 2011, 03:00 PM

I'd say go for the 2TB Barracuda XT, partition off the 1st part of the drive (300-400mb)for games/apps and use the rest for any storage you need. That drive is very quick on the 1st part of the drive which you will be partitioning and competes well with the 300GB Raptor.

I'm only recommending that because you are concerned about capacity btw, the Velociraptors are exellent drives (we still use 2 in our main benching PC in addition to an SSD).

isaak · Jan 2, 2011, 03:23 PM

Hmm yeah the velociraptors I think are too expensive for what I need really... That Barracuda XT is pretty pricey too... Why is it nearly double the price of the non XT Barracuda?

I'll probably just go for another Samsung F3 I guess and partition it up... I guess speed isn't everything

***Veridian3*** · Jan 2, 2011, 03:43 PM

XT is newer tech, SATA 6gb/s etc. Recommended because it was in the same price range as the WD

BlueMak · Jan 2, 2011, 03:55 PM

You find the Samsung drives trustworthy?

**temeteus82** · Jan 2, 2011, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueMak

You find the Samsung drives trustworthy?

If memory serves me right the early F1 models had high rate to be DOA. And there were cases when the HDD died quickly.

mkk · Jan 2, 2011, 04:34 PM

Consider a 2TB drive as well. The latest models from Samsung (HD204UI) and WD (WD20EARS) are pretty fast and much quieter, considering that you'll now pair a new drive with the completely silent SSD.

The HAF cases leak noise like paper.

I did a simple test of launching a Call of Duty 4 map with a Samsung HD103SJ and a HD204UI, with the difference in times proving to be less than 20% So they are okay for games other than those with the longest loading times, and wen spending serious time with a perticular game it can fit on the system SSD. Sooner or later you might get a second SSD or maybe just a bigger one, as much will happen on the SSD front during this year.

**temeteus82** · Jan 2, 2011, 05:10 PM

I got that WD20EARS in my Synology NAS box and I've been very happy with it

blibbax · Jan 2, 2011, 05:10 PM

You could get a WD black drive of lower capacity (500GB, 650GB, 750GB) and pocket the cash :P

mkk · Jan 2, 2011, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by temeteus82

I got that WD20EARS in my Synology NAS box and I've been very happy with it

The SilentPCReview test also rates those the slightly better of the two on both vibrational noise and power consumption. I'm just on a 15-disk Samsung track and sticking with them until they disappoint me some day.

isaak · Jan 2, 2011, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Veridian3

XT is newer tech, SATA 6gb/s etc. Recommended because it was in the same price range as the WD

Hmm, I thought I read the non XT one was SATA 6gb/s too.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueMak

You find the Samsung drives trustworthy?

Yeah, I got my first F3 a few years (??) back and its been great since then

Quote:

Originally Posted by mkk

Consider a 2TB drive as well. The latest models from Samsung (HD204UI) and WD (WD20EARS) are pretty fast and much quieter, considering that you'll now pair a new drive with the completely silent SSD.

The HAF cases leak noise like paper.

I did a simple test of launching a Call of Duty 4 map with a Samsung HD103SJ and a HD204UI, with the difference in times proving to be less than 20% So they are okay for games other than those with the longest loading times, and wen spending serious time with a perticular game it can fit on the system SSD. Sooner or later you might get a second SSD or maybe just a bigger one, as much will happen on the SSD front during this year.

I'll have a look and see if my supplier stocks these yet... things are slower here in Australia

Quote:

Originally Posted by blibbax

You could get a WD black drive of lower capacity (500GB, 650GB, 750GB) and pocket the cash :P

I was also thinking along these lines but I was stumped at trying to find the fastest standard drive (eg non SSD non Velociraptor) which is why I'm probably just going to go another F3...

Thanks for the replies so far all

blibbax · Jan 2, 2011, 11:58 PM

Quote:

I was also thinking along these lines but I was stumped at trying to find the fastest standard drive (eg non SSD non Velociraptor) which is why I'm probably just going to go another F3...

Thanks for the replies so far all

Any "Black" named drive is in theory their fastest non SSD 7200rpm. But another F3 will hardly hurt :P

If you're looking to compare a wide range, I think tomshardware used to have a wide range of comparison charts. I'm guessing they still do.

iPlayer · Jan 3, 2011, 12:02 AM

AFAIK the F3s are faster than the WD Blacks.

isaak · Jan 3, 2011, 12:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iPlayer

AFAIK the F3s are faster than the WD Blacks.

According to this, they mostly are. Looks like another F3 coming my way

Charts, benchmarks 2009 3.5? Desktop Hard Drive Charts, h2benchw 3.12: Avg Read Throughput[3016]=on&prod[2772]=on&prod[3017]=on

Thanks for the input all

Jan 2, 2011, 02:11 PM	#1
isaak HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Australia Posts: 2,286 Rep Power: 112 System Specs	I need a new harddrive I'm going to be shuffling stuff around between the five computers in my house soon, and I've decided to create a dedicated NAS type computer that can consume the least amount of power to run 24/7. So I've got the 3x1TB harddrives out of my rig (in system specs) to go in there. Problem now is I need harddrives to replace them for MY computer. Now that the server will have most of the stuff, I'm thinking no bigger than a 1TB for me. But I also want the fastest one possible (minus SSD)..... I had been looking at the 300gb WD Velociraptor but I'm now wondering if this will be enough. I'd just like some input as to something that maybe I should definitely avoid or maybe some good suggestions thanks __________________ The first step... shall be to lose the way. - Galway Kinnell

Jan 2, 2011, 03:00 PM	#2
*Veridian3* Administrator Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Cloaked Posts: 5,028 Rep Power: 181	Re: I need a new harddrive I'd say go for the 2TB Barracuda XT, partition off the 1st part of the drive (300-400mb)for games/apps and use the rest for any storage you need. That drive is very quick on the 1st part of the drive which you will be partitioning and competes well with the 300GB Raptor. I'm only recommending that because you are concerned about capacity btw, the Velociraptors are exellent drives (we still use 2 in our main benching PC in addition to an SSD).

Jan 2, 2011, 03:23 PM	Thread Starter #3
isaak HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Australia Posts: 2,286 Rep Power: 112 System Specs	Re: I need a new harddrive Hmm yeah the velociraptors I think are too expensive for what I need really... That Barracuda XT is pretty pricey too... Why is it nearly double the price of the non XT Barracuda? I'll probably just go for another Samsung F3 I guess and partition it up... I guess speed isn't everything __________________ The first step... shall be to lose the way. - Galway Kinnell

Jan 2, 2011, 03:43 PM	#4
*Veridian3* Administrator Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Cloaked Posts: 5,028 Rep Power: 181	Re: I need a new harddrive XT is newer tech, SATA 6gb/s etc. Recommended because it was in the same price range as the WD

Jan 2, 2011, 03:55 PM	#5
BlueMak HH's Asteroids' Dominator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Hellas->Macedonia->Thessaloniki Posts: 13,465 Rep Power: 349 System Specs	Re: I need a new harddrive You find the Samsung drives trustworthy? __________________ The people who are regarded as moral luminaries are those who forego ordinary pleasures themselves and find compensation in interfering with the pleasures of others(Bertrand Russell)"You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn't wear a veil,You know, guys like that ain't got no manhood left anyway. So it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them." - Lt. Gen. James N. Mattis This is slavery, not to speak one's thought. [Euripides-The Phoenician Women (c.411-409 B.C.)] http://www.macedonia.info/FALLACIESANDFACTS.htm *Sic semper tyrannis.*

Jan 2, 2011, 04:34 PM	#7
mkk Cthulhu/Dagon 2012 Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Gefle, Sweden Posts: 4,490 Rep Power: 132 System Specs	Re: I need a new harddrive Consider a 2TB drive as well. The latest models from Samsung (HD204UI) and WD (WD20EARS) are pretty fast and much quieter, considering that you'll now pair a new drive with the completely silent SSD. The HAF cases leak noise like paper. I did a simple test of launching a Call of Duty 4 map with a Samsung HD103SJ and a HD204UI, with the difference in times proving to be less than 20% So they are okay for games other than those with the longest loading times, and wen spending serious time with a perticular game it can fit on the system SSD. Sooner or later you might get a second SSD or maybe just a bigger one, as much will happen on the SSD front during this year. Last edited by mkk; Jan 2, 2011 at 04:40 PM.

Jan 2, 2011, 05:10 PM	#9
blibbax What does this do? Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 4,230 Rep Power: 254 System Specs	Re: I need a new harddrive You could get a WD black drive of lower capacity (500GB, 650GB, 750GB) and pocket the cash :P __________________ Donate the spare computing power of your PC to help to cure Alzheimer's, ALS, Huntington's, Parkinson's disease and cancer: Fold for HH!

Jan 3, 2011, 12:02 AM	#13
iPlayer Filled with noobsauce Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: between the buns Posts: 1,450 Rep Power: 59	Re: I need a new harddrive AFAIK the F3s are faster than the WD Blacks.