5400RPM/16Mb Vs 7200RPM/8Mb

SBMongoosSBMongoos
edited May 2005 in Hardware
Been looking into upgrading the hard drive on my laptop. Currently the drive is a 30G with 2Mb cache and 4200 RPM. I'm looking at a Toshiba 60G that's 5400RPM with 16Mb cache as well as a Hitachi that's 60G and 7200RPM with 8Mb cache.

Would the cache on the Toshiba give it close performance to the Hitachi that has higher RPMs? I' m guessing not but wonder if someone really knows this stuff. The price on the Toshiba is noticeabley better.

Thanks!

Comments

  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited November 2004
    Get the toshiba you won't notice the speed difference on the laptop becasue there are other things running slow on the laptop. Also the hdd is much smaller then a normal drive so even at lower speeds on average the seek times are about the same as 10, 15k normal drives. The 16mb cache will help especially if you are doing standard office type things on it like spread sheets, word docs or graphics.

    Where the Toshiba will be nicer is that it has less RPM's so it takes less juice giving you longer battery life (though you may not notice it) and it will generate less heat which is always a plus.
  • TexTex Dallas/Ft. Worth
    edited November 2004
    kryyst wrote:
    . Also the hdd is much smaller then a normal drive so even at lower speeds on average the seek times are about the same as 10, 15k normal drives. .

    What a crock of crap. The seek times are much MUCH slower then any modern 10k or 15k drive. You might get close to a 5 or 6 year old scsi 10k drive if that was what you meant though?

    Tex
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited November 2004
    Tex wrote:
    What a crock of crap. The seek times are much MUCH slower then any modern 10k or 15k drive. You might get close to a 5 or 6 year old scsi 10k drive if that was what you meant though?

    Tex

    Whatever. On a laptop you aren't going to notice a difference. I know the drive is slower then a 10 to 15k modern drive. But on a laptop you won't notice a difference if it's 5k 7k 10k or 15k because the whole thing is running slower. It's a laptop not a gaming rig. That's what I'm getting at. Perception, you won't notice a difference. But the 5.4k drive runs slower generates less heat uses less power and with the larger cache has to search less reads though it reads more at every pass. Not to mention probably quieter.
  • lordbeanlordbean Ontario, Canada
    edited November 2004
    Actually, you WILL notice a difference. The HD is the most limiting factor, even in a laptop, in any kind of data load. A 7200RPM laptop drive will be able to crank out data a lot faster than a 5400 will. In my opinion, the 7200 8MB drive would easily be faster than the 5400 16MB drive.
  • TexTex Dallas/Ft. Worth
    edited November 2004
    KRYST: Yes you notice a differance. The hard drive is the slowest part of the system. And speeding it up would be a serious advantage. Even in a laptop. (long sigh...)

    You need to get your facts straight before posting nonsense like this. And your posts in this thread are just that. Nonsense. You need to get real experiance and quit guessing because you don't guess real good.

    I agree 100 percent with lordbean. get the 7200 rpm drive for gawds sake.

    tex
  • kryystkryyst Ontario, Canada
    edited November 2004
    It's a laptop it's not a server loading office docs, surfing the net typical shit like that you aren't going to notice a difference at all. But if you get an extra 15mins battery life from the 5400 drive it's worth it. I don't care about clock speeds benchmark tests they are only usefully if you are pushing the computer to it's fullest. Even if it's 4 seconds instead of 3 to open a document who cares. But if I get 15mins extra out of a laptop thats way more usefull.

    Just depends on what you want to do with it.
  • TexTex Dallas/Ft. Worth
    edited November 2004
    B.S. again. Your full of it. Go use a old 5400 rpm drive for a while. You can tell doing anything at all. Its much slower.

    Tex
  • SBMongoosSBMongoos
    edited November 2004
    So...does anyone know of any tests or comparative reviews on the web somewhere?
  • TexTex Dallas/Ft. Worth
    edited November 2004
    You can google and try. Never seen laptop drives in particular compared.

    I've built thousands of PC's and used hundreds of laptops personally. Been in the buisness over 24 years. I write software and bulld PC's and networks. I've managed IT and IS departments. I tune disk subsystems for a living.

    Tex
  • SBMongoosSBMongoos
    edited November 2004
    I found a couple of places on Pricewatch that have $147 including shipping. Anyone seen a better price? Newegg is about $10 more.
  • youvegotjermzyouvegotjermz Baton Rouge, La
    edited November 2004
    i would just go with newegg, you always get what you pay for, fast shipping, and if you need to return something it's quick and easy.
  • ScoutScout
    edited January 2005
    Ok, so I've finally found some guys who know their a*@ from a whole in the ground. Thank you God. Maybe you can help me. I'm setting up a home recording studio using my powerbook g4. Not a lot of sampling - me singing into a mic and playing my digital piano as backup will be most of it. (Also, intend to do some live recording with a quartet in the future) So far, I've been getting great deals on higher level equipment so this is not a shlock setup to date - good monitors, good recording interface etc. But from the forums I've been reading, I should not be recording music to my hard drive - hence my doing the research on an external drive. In my research fw800 is the way to go and everybody seems to be getting large drives like 250 - 300 gig- but most people are doing sampling music with lots of loops. Here's my question. I can get a LaCie triple interface fw800 7200 rpm, 8 mb cache for the same price that I can get a Wiebetech fw800 tough tech triple interface enclosure with a Maxtor 250 gig 7200 rpm 16 mb cache internal drive - about $270. Can you guys help me with the deciding factors? Also, am I going way too high end for my purposes? I've read that without the Oxford 922 chip there have been issues and that with cheaper enclosures there have also been issues. Thoughts?
  • ScoutScout
    edited January 2005
    Scout wrote:
    I can get a LaCie triple interface fw800 7200 rpm, 8 mb cache for the same price that I can get a Wiebetech fw800 tough tech triple interface enclosure with a Maxtor 250 gig 7200 rpm 16 mb cache internal drive - about $270. Can you guys help me with the deciding factors? Also, am I going way too high end for my purposes? I've read that without the Oxford 922 chip there have been issues and that with cheaper enclosures there have also been issues. Thoughts?

    Sorry - the LaCie has 250 Gb also. Thanks.
  • maggie99635maggie99635 Alaska
    edited January 2005
    I just put a 7200rpm 60 gig Hitachi in my laptop. I just love it. It is even a little cooler running than my old 4200 rpm. It was worth the upgrade. This is where I got it.
    http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=22-146-020&depa=0
  • imported_oldtimerimported_oldtimer Mississauga,ON
    edited January 2005
    Tex wrote:
    B.S. again. Your full of it. Go use a old 5400 rpm drive for a while. You can tell doing anything at all. Its much slower.

    Tex
    Get a 7200 for an OS Hard drive,but you'll be lucky to find anything under 40 gig if you find that.But the numbers you list are " History."
    Remember 7200 revelutions per minute must be faster than 5400 :p
    Something like a 1000 mile drive at 54 mph or 72 mph.
    :rockon:
  • ChemicalChildChemicalChild Canada
    edited January 2005
    seriously that subject has come and gone he got owned and now they are done chatting about that.
  • crjacksoncrjackson
    edited May 2005
    kryyst wrote:
    It's a laptop it's not a server loading office docs, surfing the net typical shit like that you aren't going to notice a difference at all. But if you get an extra 15mins battery life from the 5400 drive it's worth it. I don't care about clock speeds benchmark tests they are only usefully if you are pushing the computer to it's fullest. Even if it's 4 seconds instead of 3 to open a document who cares. But if I get 15mins extra out of a laptop thats way more usefull.

    Just depends on what you want to do with it.

    Having UPgraded my laptops from 5400rpm drives to 7200rpm drives, I can tell you there is a BIG difference.

    Not trying to bash you up or anything, but you just are simply VERY wrong.
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