Hitachi 7k500 or WD Black

So I've been looking into these two, have read reviews and seen the specs.

Curious what real world experience is with these 2 drives. Pros, cons of the two side by side.

 

C'mon, Google doesn't hurt.

 

I thought I mentioned I've read reviews and seen test results.

Perhaps in Spanish?

 

WD is hotter, slightly faster access time but slower read time. I would go with Hitachi.

 

I just swapped the Hitachi out of my macbook pro for a WD-black 3200. Much better access/seek and write times. Read time is negligible. I also don't notice the temperature difference as much through the palm rest or the bottom (battery/HD cover). I would honestly go with whatever is in your price range and has a better warranty (WD).

 

Work overtime more and buy an SSD.

 

I wrote a detailed review comparing the real life performance of Scorpio Black and Hitachi 7K500.

Ultimate Notebook Hard Drive Performance: Western Digital Scorpio Black vs. Hitachi Travelstar 7K500 | StorageReview.com

Conclusion: For most average users the Hitachi will prove fastest because it performs most single tasks fastest. For users that need ultimate multi-tasking performance, the Western Digital can prove faster in some scenarios, especially in heavy multi-tasking. Also, users that need maximum random write performance can be better off with the WD.

It will be very hard to notice these differences without using a stopwatch or benchmark software. So whatever you choose, you can't really go wrong. If the price is right I'd go for the extra capacity of the Hitachi 7k500 500GB.

 

I just took out the WD blue from my laptop and about to return it. It's noisier than the toshiba HD in my macbook, and constantly making weird, even louder, noise. I think I am going to try hitachi and see if it is quieter than WD blue.

 

And considering that Fry's has been selling the 7K500 for $64 since Friday, and just today they put it on sale for $44 (in-store only price, however) it's an almost MUST have drive compared to all the rest, including the WD 320GB Black.

Now, I have a Fry's here in Vegas, if I just had the money...

 

I don't see any reference on Fry's site for an in-store-price of $44 for the Hitachi 7K500. Could you post a link please? In the SF Bay Area, several Fry's stores have it for the $64 price.

 

Hitachi 7K500 will be better faster , cooler , bigger and newer lol so get it

 

Doesn't really matter anyways as none of them have them in stock.
I've tried 6 stores throughout the Bay area and none of them have the 7K500, although they showed them as "available" online.

Sale ends tomorrow....

I'm sure they'll be conveniently back in stock on Friday or Saturday

 

Great review Phil! That's really impressive that it was formally published.

Do you have any plans to add the Samsung Spinpoint 7200RPM 640GB when they are available?

Thanks!

 

Thanks for all the suggestions and advice. I think the Hitachi will be the way to go for me.

 

Phil,
I think what would have been nice is if you also did this test with the 7K500 short stroked to the same 320GB size. Looking at the seeks they seem competative if not slightly faster that the WD. Rememeber the 7K500 may use slightly closer to both the inside and outside edges of the platter to obtain the higher density per platter.

I do know mine is definately faster by default shortstroked to 50% of the capacity. Since I use very little of the drive this is comfortable for me right now and I will grow the volume if the need arises. Testing at 320GB would then show too if just growing to 500GB is the extra hinderance slightly slowing some things down.

I think if WD made a 500GB black they would also look into getting more into the inside and outsie edges of the platter to increase storage capability and this may too increase average seek times.

Now I say they use more inside of the track based on % loss of data transfer rate from the outside to inside tracks. Using some rough math the plot shows 88 mbs to apr 44 mbs on the WD for 50%, the 7K500 goes from 104 to apr 45 for a 56% loss. This 6% difference could be from the tracks circumfrence difference translating to more head travel.

Again all rough math and speculative without some real hard data and specs...................

Edit; It would be awesome too if the 320GB 7K320 were a firmware shortstoked 500 GB platters, but I somehow doubt that............

 

TANWare, thanks for your suggestion.

I tested both drives with a 100GB first partition. I think that is most representative for normal usage.

No plans.

Samsung has never produces a performance leading hard drive sofar, except the HM160JC. (But that would not have been performance leading if more manufacturers had released a 160 GB single platter drive.)

I hope WD will release a 500GB, 640GB, or 750GB Scorpio Black. But sofar they've been very quiet in the 7200rpm department.

 

Yes, I would love it if WD, or even Seagate, would release a 640GB/750GB/1TB 7200RPM drive... I've been waiting for it for a while now.

As Samsung is the only one who has released a 640GB at 7200RPM, I hope it at least has decent performance. I thought it was supposed to be released a the and of April, but, I haven't seen any word of it hitting stores or read any reviews of it so far.

 

You already tested them both as just primary 100 GB partitions?

 

Yes I tested both drives with a 100GB first partition. All tests were run in the first partition.