Best 320 GB Hard Drive?

[BlueBirdTS]

What do you think is the overall "best" 320 GB hard drive? I'm looking for a high-performing yet affordable 320 GB hard drive that is relatively quiet. Thanks!

 

[Blain]

One question...
Why are you locked in on the specific 320GB size?

 

[BlueBirdTS]

I suppose I could step up to a 500GB if necessary. However, I honestly don't need that much storage. I try and keep my PC clean of files that I don't regularly use, and my family has a 500GB external hard drive, so storage isn't an issue for me. However, 250GB and under seems a bit confining these days.

 

[Sheninat0r]

If you can wait, get the Samsung Spinpoint F1 320GB drive when it comes out. It will be a single short-stroked 334GB platter, excellent for speed, heat, and quietness.

 

[MegaVovaN]

Originally posted by: Sheninat0r
If you can wait, get the Samsung Spinpoint F1 320GB drive when it comes out. It will be a single short-stroked 334GB platter, excellent for speed, heat, and quietness.

This sounds good!

If you want to buy today I like Seagate 7200.10 series.
There is a newer 7200.11 series, haven't tried that myself.

 

[RebateMonger]

Originally posted by: BlueBirdTS
I suppose I could step up to a 500GB if necessary. However, I honestly don't need that much storage.

You can NEVER buy a "too big" hard drive. If 500 GB and 320 GB drives are fairly close in price, get the 500 GB model. Drives become "too small" (read: useless) long before they become "too old".

 

[Zap]

That Samsung looks like one to keep an eye out for...

Originally posted by: MegaVovaN
There is a newer 7200.11 series, haven't tried that myself.

The "official" ones are available in 500/750/1000GB sizes only, with 32MB cache. There is a semi-castrated 250GB model with less cache.

 

[JackMDS]

"The Best" is kind of none sense Social term.

Best for a specific person depends on numerous amount of variables and what is best for you might not necessarily would be best for me, or every one else/

As an Example, if the best HD cost $10.000 most people would not buy it.

In any case a good balance of size price and perfromence would be this,

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16822148288

 

[Blain]

Jack, you linked him to a Seagate drive.
I guess you got the Seagate and WD drives mixed up.

 

[BlueBirdTS]

I realize that there is no "best" hard drive (which is why I put quotation marks around the term in the original post). I meant overall best for the average user in terms of balance between pricing, performance, speed, noise and heat output, etc.

The Seagate that you linked me too seems like a good offer, but I found a good 7200.10 320GB drive for $65 on Fry's. I may just go for the 500GB model even though it's more expensive, however. Thanks for the advice!

 

[RebateMonger]

Hmmm...a quick search of Fry's and Newegg (my usual source for drives) reveals that 500 GB drives have gone UP in price a little since I last bought several.

 

[0roo0roo]

you aren't relying on that single external backup right?
drives fail with alarming regularity. best to keep double copies

 

[BlueBirdTS]

Honestly, I really don't have anything that is all that important to store. I suppose I might lose some essays that I've written if my hard drive failed, but I've got those backed up on some CDs. Anyways, should I go for the 500GB or the 320GB hard drive? Performance is more of a factor for me than storage space, and I don't want to spend money needlessly.

 

[JackMDS]

For general use the 320GB for $65 is a good deal.

I got one of then for $59 at a privious sale and it working very well.

On a simple computer produces about 75MB/sec. read/write.

 

[skyking]

Originally posted by: JackMDS
"The Best" is kind of none sense Social term.

Best for a specific person depends on numerous amount of variables and what is best for you might not necessarily would be best for me, or every one else/

As an Example, if the best HD cost $10.000 most people would not buy it.

In any case a good balance of size price and perfromence would be this,

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16822148288

I purchased a couple of those for a zoneminder DVR system.last month. So far, so good. They are plenty fast and quiet.