[POLL] Which manufacturer makes quieter hard drives?

[Stattlich]

Let's say you're building a workstation for an audio/video studio. Low decibels are crucial, but so is stability and performance. What's your choice? I need a quieter PC, and it starts with my storage solution.

 

[JustAnAverageGuy]

Of the choices?

Seagate.

I hear the Samsung drives are fairly nice though.

 

[Pandamonium]

Samsung's newest Spinpoint-series is very quiet.

Seagate's Barracuda V series is also pretty quiet. The Barracuda IV set the standard for quiet hard drives, but that line is no longer in production. Seagate's 7200.7 series are noticably louder than the Barracuda V's too.

I can't attest to Hitachi.

Western Digital has been pretty slow in adopting fluid bearings across all its drives. The fluid bearing drives are generally alright though.

Maxtor's fluid bearing drives are comparable to those manufactured by WD.

In short, find a Samsung. You can also go to SPCR for information about recommended hard drives. The site is dedicated to hardware that runs or can be made to run quietly.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Seagate >>>>>> *.

- M4H

 

[Dennis Travis]

Of the drives you listed Seagate is the quietest I have tried. The new Hitachi I have in my Mac is quiet too but my Seagates are so quiet it's crazy.

 

[teutonicknight]

Western Digitals have always been pretty noisy to me, Seagates the least.

 

[Dethfrumbelo]

Samsung Spinpoints are apparently very quiet.

Seagates, especially the new 7200.8s, are not as quiet as the Samsungs or the older Seagates, but they're still reasonable in terms of sound. The best combination of quality vs. features vs. sound is still Seagate.

 

[JBT]

From what I have heard Samsung are the quietest, then seagate though.

 

[smoothness]

Samsung Spinpoints, SATA or PATA, but they have to have NIDEC motors in them, not JVCs. search for nidec or spinpoints on here.

 

[RalfHutter]

Of the choices you gave, Seagate. But, as has already been noted several times previosly, Nidec-motored Samsung Spinpoint 80 series are quieter than Seagates.

 

[Gothgar]

Originally posted by: JustAnAverageGuy
Of the choices?

Seagate.

I hear the Samsung drives are fairly nice though.

 

[Blain]

No Samsung?

 

[CraigRT]

my WD800JB in my other PC is VERY quiet, contests my 7200.7 drives, but overall the Seagates rule.

 

[Stattlich]

Sorry, out of my ignorance, I forgot to add Samsung to the poll (done). I also didn't realize them to be a major player in the storage arena, but maybe things have changed. I haven't kept up with hardware in the last year.

 

[InlineFive]

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
Seagate >>>>>> *.

- M4H

 

[footbal07]

i have 3 western digitals (80, 120, 200 all pata jb i belive), 1 seagate (200 sata), and 1 samsung (160 sata). the samsung is definitely quieter then the others, but the seagate isnt far behind. the western digitals are the loudest but none of them are loud enough that it bothers me. nothing like the dieing fan on my geoforce 2.

 

[dtboos]

Seagate & Samsung

 

[Lyfer]

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire
Seagate >>>>>> *.

- M4H

 

[Texun]

I've got Samsung, Seagate, Maxtor and WD-JB and would rate them in that order. The Seagate and Samsungs are both VERY quiet but the Samsung Spinpoint nudges out the Seagate by a hair. I don't think I've ever heard it.

 

[Stattlich]

Ok cool. I think I have a pretty good idea now. I'm a die-hard WD fan, but not at these decibel levels. I may change to Seagate as it's going to be hard to beat that new 5-year warranty they're sporting now. :Q