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quietest hdd

L

lockmac

Senior member
Hi guys
Basically, im building a HTPC and am wondering what the quietest Hard Drive around is. Im not too worried about performance, im just wanting a Quiet Hard Drive. I was thinking of something around the 200gb mark, and it was a toss between the Western Digital and the Seagate. Could someone please recommend what they believe is to be a very quiet HDD.

Many thanks
 
Seagate Barracuda is exceptionally quiet. I've heard there's some Western Digital drive that just came out that's pretty quiet too, called "Caviar" or something. (wasn't fish-related names Seagate's domain? 😛)

-fs
 
Samsung P80 w/ a Nidec FDB stamp motor, hands down. I cannot hear it over the central AC. But you could wind up with a Nidec and no stamp, and get a high pitched piercing whine,a JVC that whines (I think the FDB stickered ones), or a JVC that whines and vibrates terribly bad.

...getting a Seagate will be easier, and consistent, though. Note that the PATA will be quieter.
 
Originally posted by: h3nG
simple...seagate
Click to expand...

Actually, it's not that simple. I have the ST3200822A Barracuda 7200.7 Plus. I use it in an ext. enclosure. I can hear the accessing clearly.

The pair of Western Digital 120GBSE HDs inside the computer case is still louder though.

Originally posted by: blazer
Warranty ?

seagate = 2 years

western digital = 5 years

cant hear mine run!
Click to expand...

Don't know whose crack you pulled those numbers from, but Seagate has 5 year warranty, while WD has 1.
 
Originally posted by: blazer
states 5 year warranty here http://www.wdc.com/en/products/Products.asp?DriveID=65

also has FDB
Click to expand...

http://support.wdc.com/warranty/policy.asp

Warranty Policy

Western Digital has adopted a new warranty policy effective October 1, 2003.
Western Digital Hard Drives (not purchased as part of a retail hard drive kit)
WD Caviar® and WD Protégé® EIDE hard drives carry a Standard Warranty Period of one (1) year. WD Scorpio?, WD Caviar® SE EIDE, and WD Caviar® SE SATA hard drives carry a Standard Warranty Period of three (3) years. WD Raptor? Enterprise SATA hard drives carry a Standard Warranty Period of five (5) years. Western Digital external hard drives carry a Standard Warranty Period of one (1) year.

Western Digital-branded Retail Hard Drive Kits
All Western Digital-branded retail hard drive kits, with the exception of WD Raptor drives, carry a Standard Warranty Period of one (1) year unless indicated otherwise on the package. Western Digital-branded WD Raptor retail hard drive kits carry a Standard Warranty Period of five (5) years.
Click to expand...

Soon as you see a 200GB Raptor, you let me know. :roll:

Seagate > WD

- M4H
 
I've got Seagate and Samsung. Both are very quiet but Samsung is what I buy now. You have a 3 yr warranty as opposed to Seagate's 5 yr offer. I probably won't keep it long enough to see the end of the warranty so the extra 2 years isn't a problem for me.
 
ockmac, another "vote" for Samsung. I've had a number of Seagates and Samsungs and both are extremely quiet. I curently have two Samsung SpinPoint 160GB drives and they are stone quiet.
 
Seagate, although anyone who reads my HDD posts by now should know I love Seagate, and am confused as to why anyone would purchase any other drive brand.
 
Samsung is my current drive right now. I had a Seagate previously. The old Seagate Barracudas were the quietest, but as disk sizes and platters increased, drives got louder in general and their newer drives aren't as quiet. Samsung has done a better job lately, IMO.
 
Originally posted by: h3nG
simple...seagate
Click to expand...

Yes, Seagates are quiet. I had a Maxtor and a Western Digital in my PC - I could hear those things spinning up. Now, two Seagates - all I hear are the fans. Their seek noise is the only thing I can hear, but even that's very quiet.


And I've got 5 Seagates in my other PC - it used to have Hitachi's, but after a recent problem with a customer's Hitachi drive, I've given up on them. Thus far, I've had the following problems:
120GXP - head crash
180GXP RMA replacement for the 120GXP - see sig link.
I've had it with Hitachi; I went all-Seagate. They were good enough to step up and say "5 year warranties" when everyone else was dropping down to 1 year.
 
I've heard a lot of good about the Samsungs, but from my experience with the "big 3" hard drive brands, Seagate is it.
 
I have a Samsung 120gb SATA drive, and i can only hear it if my head is 3" away when i'm trying to pick it out while it's seeking. Very quiet.
 
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