SATA HD Recommendations?

[gozulin]

I need to buy 2 SATA HDs . They need to be 250Gb minimum and I'm looking for the best
Storage/Price ratio. Next down the priority chain is the noise and finally, the speed.

What do you recommend?

 

[suicidalpigeon]

seagate 250gb 7200.8.

 

[gozulin]

Originally posted by: wafflesandsyrup
seagate 250gb 7200.8.

Mind pointing me to whatever review/comparison/benchmark/article you used to come to that conclusion? Thanks!

 

[woodchuck69]

Originally posted by: gozulin

Originally posted by: wafflesandsyrup
seagate 250gb 7200.8.

Mind pointing me to whatever review/comparison/benchmark/article you used to come to that conclusion? Thanks!

It is common knowledge amongst those hardcore in the know that 7200.8 is the best. 133gb/platter size makes it run cool and quiet while giving monsterous sustained transfer rate.

 

[gozulin]

gotcha, thanks!

 

[Icopoli]

I've had my 300gb 7200.8 since April and haven't looked back yet.

 

[orangat]

The hardcore also know that the good sustained transfer rate of 7200.8 is diminished by the poor seek times. The Hitachi drives has the best overall performance for mainstream drives.

 

[cw42]

http://www.monarchcomputer.com/Merchant...ant.mv?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=150322

 

[prochobo]

Everyone worships 7200.8s like they're gods. Let me tell you all something. Yesterday, I was standing next to a school computer and I heard a clunking noise, next thing you know, BSOD. The hard drive died. Guess what it was? A 7200.8 in a computer purchased less than a month ago.

 

[GI Ho]

Drives by Seagate are generally reliable.

I had 1 Seagate drive that failed under warranty after 1.5 year.

My recent PC includes 2 x Seagate 7200.8, 250GB.

For further reading at StorageReview

 

[xanis]

Seagate Barracuda 250GB 7200rpm.

 

[woodchuck69]

Originally posted by: orangat
The Hitachi drives has the best overall performance for mainstream drives.

Perhaps, until it lives up to its true name Deathstar and explodes.

 

[orangat]

Originally posted by: woodchuck69

Originally posted by: orangat
The Hitachi drives has the best overall performance for mainstream drives.

Perhaps, until it lives up to its true name Deathstar and explodes.

You have to be joking.
The predecessor of the 7k250 model is more reliable than 85% of other drives making it one of the most reliable drives period.

Hitachi drives are faster than seagates and the newer ones t7k250 run cooler and quieter and probably on par with reliability.
The biggest advantage of the 7200.8 is the 5yr warranty, not speed, not cooler or quieter.

 

[DavidoFoo]

Originally posted by: orangat

Originally posted by: woodchuck69

Originally posted by: orangat
The Hitachi drives has the best overall performance for mainstream drives.

Perhaps, until it lives up to its true name Deathstar and explodes.

You have to be joking.
The predecessor of the 7k250 model is more reliable than 85% of other drives making it one of the most reliable drives period.

Hitachi drives are faster than seagates and the newer ones t7k250 run cooler and quieter and probably on par with reliability.
The biggest advantage of the 7200.8 is the 5yr warranty, not speed, not cooler or quieter.

YOU have to be joking. Hitachi drives are faster and may be cooler but not quieter or on par with reliability. Most of the community ranks reliability at the top, thus everyone chooses the 7200.8

 

[gozulin]

It's done.

150322 Seagate (ST3250823AS) Barracuda 250 GB 7200 RPM SATA 2 $109.00 $218.00

Thanks you all for your advice. I've had good luck with seagates, they're pretty quiet and they have a nice warranty. Plus, they're cheap. I see no compelling reason to chose hitachi over them. Maybe if performance was more important to me but it's not...

 

[cw42]

Good choice.

/me worships the Seagate Gods

 

[raildogg]

Seagate seems to be having that band wagon effect lately. Yes, they are good and reliable, but they aren't that much better than others. Hitachi's latest drives offer as good or better features and are faster. As for reliability, its top notch. So yes, there are other hard drives to consider besides Seagates.

 

[Diasper]

The 7800.8s from what I understand are a step down from the 7800.7s as performance isn't any better while the one is noiser and hotter. Both things imply less reliability and build quality.

IMO you should look at the Samsung P120 250GB or else the Hitachi <b>T</B>7k250 250GB.

The T7K250 from Hitachi is a refined version of the 7K250 as they sport larger platters 125GB vs 100GB, and other small refinements if I remember. That means it now has faster transfer speeds due to greater density while retaining the previous excellence in low access and being even cooler than before (less platters etc) and also even slightly lower noise. Basically, the 'T' is a refinement and remembering how the Hitachis were the recommend drive on storagereview.com for a long while clearly there are worth a consideration.

For what it's worth I have the 160GB one which was competively priced but is exceptionally quiet - Idlying you hear nothing regardless of where you position yourself. Meanwhile I can even hear the seeks and reads when running anti-virus as i sit at my desk with my case under - I have to get my head down in line with the case and at about 2 feet I can hear some very faint murmouring between the general 'hushing' sound of my case. Not a noticeable or jarring sound at all and something you really have to listen out for to hear. Meanwhile, the performance is very impressive and maybe it's just my mind but it feels snappier - either way it feels a real step above my old Maxtor 9 (and its quieter of course too).

Outside of Hitachi I'd say go for Samsung P120 because they are probably the quietest - certainly quiter than the 7K250 - but of course we now need a head to head with the T7K250 to be definitive. The Samsungs should be reliable. They support the fastest sustained sequential transfer rates but their access times and significantly slower than the Hitachi making them a slightly worse overall performer.

 

[furballi]

Seagate comes out on top because of the warranty. The Hitachi will have to cost 15% cheaper with the same warranty before I will gamble again on another DEATHSTAR.

 

[biostud]

basically all drives are so close so it doesn't matter that much IMHO.

 

[hclarkjr]

go with maxtor 16 meg cache 250GB, i have 1 ATA and 1 SATA in my system right now. very quiet and fast and run cool. here is reading from everest -
Field Value
Sensor Properties
Sensor Type Abit MicroGuru (ISA E0h)
GPU Sensor Type National LM63 (ATI-I2C 4Ch)
Motherboard Name Abit AN7

Temperatures
Motherboard 31 °C (88 °F)
CPU 37 °C (99 °F)
PWM 32 °C (90 °F)
GPU 40 °C (104 °F)
GPU Ambient 41 °C (106 °F)
Maxtor 6B250S0 33 °C (91 °F)
Maxtor 6B250R0 34 °C (93 °F)

Cooling Fans
CPU 5722 RPM
North Bridge 5360 RPM
Fan #4 1807 RPM

Voltage Values
CPU Core 1.63 V
+3.3 V 3.30 V
+5 V 5.12 V
+12 V 12.09 V
+5 V Standby 5.12 V
3V Dual 3.25 V
North Bridge Core 1.62 V
DIMM 2.79 V
DIMM VTT 1.39 V
AGP VDDQ 1.62 V

 

[akugami]

Seagates are pretty reliable for me. I've had crap luck with Maxtors. Now, a hard drive from any manufactorer can go bad at any time even though it was fully tested. No manufactoring process will ensure a 100% flaw free product 100% of the time. Performance, except to the benchmark freaks, are roughly the same for the top of the line drives for each company. Next up is cost and for the most part, most HD's are very close to each other. Finally we look at warranty and Seagate gives you 5 years while most others only give you 3 years. Guess where the bandwagon jumpers (including yours truly) are going to land on? I'd trust a company willing to stand by their product for 2 years past the other guys.

 

[hclarkjr]

i think the extra 8 meg cache on the maxtors give them the edge in my book. i beleive western digital is even making one now. i had a western digital 8 meg cache in my system with a 16 meg cache maxtor and to me the maxtor was better. i have had nothing but good luck ( knocking on wood ) with maxtors and have owned 4 of them so far. on the other hand i have owned 4 WD's over the years and 2 of them failed on me.