X61 - 100GB 7200RPM vs. 160GB 7200RPM.. Differences?

Hello everyone,

To all of you following my saga, work has decided to replace my T61 15.4' (too heavy) with a brand new X61! Thanks for all your great suggestions. I'm pretty OK with my configuration that I'm going to submit tomorrow morning, except for the hard drive.

Prices aside, would I better off going for a 100GB 7200RPM or 160GB 7200RPM drive? My concerns are mostly heat and speed. I have no idea where to find the differences between the two. I saw one forum user saying his 160GB 7200RPM was making his palm rest way too hot, while another said it was fine. For those interested, here is my config:

7675-CTO (ThinkPad X61)

• T7500 2.2Ghz
• Windows XP Professional
• 2GB PC2-5300 (2 DIMMS)
• 12.1 XGA
• 160GB 7200RPM
• Intel Wireless 4965AGN
• 8 cell high capacity battery
• Integrated Bluetooth
• Integrated Fingerprint Reader
• ThinkPad X6 Ultrabase (40Y8116)

On a side note, my Ultrabase docking station is staying at the office so I'm planning on buying it *without* a DVD drive and buying an external slim USB DVD burner to leave at the office.

 

I'm pretty sure there's no difference, other than the obvious capacity difference. I wouldn't worry about heat that much, it shouldn't be an issue.

Edit: After reading the linked thread it seems like his issue was an isolated case, and that the general consensus is that models with WWAN installed seem to heat up more, which was why Lenovo began installing an extra fan.

 

As you will also find in the thread you link to, the warm palm rest is not just based on the hard drive heat, but also WLAN, WWAN and just as importantly, ambient temperature. It depends on a lot of variables, including the human factor and opinion. Also, please note that the stated HDD temp of 41° C (in the linked thread) is nothing to worry about at all, and is well within specs.

In any case, there will not be a difference in heat between the 100GB HDD and the 160GB HDD. Hence I would definitely go for the larger capacity drive - primarily because of the extra capacity. But also because the general rule of thumb is that the less occupied (space wise) the HDD is, the faster it will be. But again, everything is relative and often you will not notice the performance difference.

As for temps, there might be a difference between a 5400RPM drive and a 7200RPM drive, but it depends on the drives.

 

160GB it is then.

Thanks again for your quick and detailed feedback.

 

Heat of the palmrest on X61 mostly comes from the WWAN/WLAN cards. But 4965AGN doesn't seem to be a huge heat generator, comparing to 3945ABG.

 

The Athernos or ThinkPad card is supposed to be the big space heater. I had it in the review unit I had in the summer. It did get kind of warm if the room was warm, but not to hot to use. The hard drive sits under the keyboard not the palm rest. It's too skinny to fit there.

 

That is true, but it seems heat from the hard drive is directed to the palm rest as well. I don't have WWAN on my X61 and even with my 3945 ABG WLAN turned off for days, the right side of the palm rest still gets warm - especially when the hard drive is very active.