The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    HDD: 7200.4 or Scorpio Black, 320 or 500 gigs

    Discussion in 'Sager and Clevo' started by budtz, Jul 31, 2009.

  1. budtz

    budtz Newbie

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    9
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    Hi,

    Finalizing my NP8662 config and am down to picking a HDD. I want it to be as fast as possible but am worried about temperature (and, hence, emissions). This has led me to believe that a 320 gig HDD is better than a 500 gig one although the latter is faster. Anyone have any opinion on this? Assuming a 320 gig drive, which is the better option. The new Seagate 7200.4 or the WDC Scoprio Black? I havn't been able to find any direct comparisons.

    Casper
     
    budtz, Jul 31, 2009
    #1
  2. Kevin

    Kevin Egregious

    Reputations:
    3,289
    Messages:
    10,780
    Likes Received:
    1,782
    Trophy Points:
    581
    The coolest drive, hands down, will be the 250GB 7200.4, and it's the drive I recommend to anyone who asks.
     
    Kevin, Jul 31, 2009
    #2
  3. DaBunBun

    DaBunBun Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    3
    Messages:
    216
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    If you want speed and temp, why not a ssd?
     
    DaBunBun, Aug 1, 2009
    #3
  4. IKAS V

    IKAS V Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    1,073
    Messages:
    6,171
    Likes Received:
    535
    Trophy Points:
    281
    Becuase they cost an arm and a leg.
     
    IKAS V, Aug 1, 2009
    #4
  5. budtz

    budtz Newbie

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    9
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    Yeah, SSDs are still too expensive but I imagine I will throw one in eventually when prices drop.
     
    budtz, Aug 1, 2009
    #5
  6. LaptopNut

    LaptopNut Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    1,610
    Messages:
    3,745
    Likes Received:
    92
    Trophy Points:
    116
    I have only tested 500GG versions and in all cases I have found that the 7200.4 RPM drivers are a lot cooler idle and at max loads than the 5400 RPM drivers were. I have tested three different 5400 RPM drives and two 7200 RPM drivers and noticed this.

    I would recommend a 500GB 7200.4 Seagate unless you just don't need that much space.

    Edit:

    My 7200.4 RPM Seagate Momentus HDD idles at 46C in Windows 7 but for some reason it idles higher in Windows XP.
     
    LaptopNut, Aug 1, 2009
    #6
  7. Bill F

    Bill F Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    8
    Messages:
    107
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    +1 for the momentus 7200.4. It is like desktop speed. Here is a bench I did over Esata a while back on the 500 GB model. Need to try raiding them this weekend.
    [​IMG]
     
    Bill F, Aug 1, 2009
    #7
  8. wingman4ever

    wingman4ever Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    2
    Messages:
    172
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    31
    What about this one: Seagate Constellation 500GB 7200rpm 32MB 2.5 SATA?
    I am also planning to buy a new HDD but scared of the heat.
     
    wingman4ever, Aug 1, 2009
    #8
  9. Soviet Sunrise

    Soviet Sunrise Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    2,140
    Messages:
    6,547
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    205
    Constellation hard drives are made for servers. They are too big to put in a Clevo.
     
    Soviet Sunrise, Aug 1, 2009
    #9
  10. budtz

    budtz Newbie

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    9
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    well, i dont need that much space nor do i mind it of course.. I know the 500 gig drive is faster than the 320 one for obvious reasons... i've also read that its a lot warmer though...

    I could prob even do with a 250 gig one since I'm hoping that within a year or two SSD's will become more reasonably priced. But I'll be using it for DAW, so fast read times (for sampled instruments) is essential.
     
    budtz, Aug 1, 2009
    #10
  11. LaptopNut

    LaptopNut Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    1,610
    Messages:
    3,745
    Likes Received:
    92
    Trophy Points:
    116
    You can always use built in NTFS compression to make the best use of the space. I have tested gaming with and without compression and I experience no performance drops or differences. In fact, everything I do is just as fast.

    Compared to many other laptops, for some reason the HDD's seem to run hotter in the Sager NP8660/2 but I haven't heard of any failures or data loss due to this.
     
    LaptopNut, Aug 1, 2009
    #11
  12. sabricaze

    sabricaze Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    66
    Messages:
    666
    Likes Received:
    36
    Trophy Points:
    41
    1. Cost
    2. Capacity (for now)
    3. Speed depends on the work. Reading speed may be faster, but the writing speed as of right now, is slower.
    4. Possibility that SSD lasts shorter than an HDD now.
     
    sabricaze, Aug 1, 2009
    #12