Need Help On HD Choice Please

F

Frontrunner

n00b
Joined
Feb 4, 2008
Messages
23
Guys,

I wanted to pick your brains on what you think the best Hard Drive for a Gaming/Media Computer would be without going to SSD? I am running a fresh build with a Intel MB and a Core i7 3.06 Processor with Windows 7 Pro 64 bit on 12G of ram. The video is a single EVGA Super Clocked GeForce GTX 580 and I dont have any plans for Raid.

I am looking for the fastest drive I can get for the money with Extreme Dependability. I tried a Seagate and 3 months after purchase, I get a boot failure and clicking when it tries to boot up. I am going to do an RMA, but I dont trust to use it as my main again. It was a (Barracuda 7200.12 ST31000528AS 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA) I will just use it for storage.

I have had pretty good luck with Western Digital Drives in the past and have been looking at the black and blue drives.They look to get a pretty good DOA rating for feedback at Newegg. I just wanted to know what everyone here uses these days?

Here are a few I was looking at:
1. Caviar Black WD5002AALX 500GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s $59
2. Caviar Black WD7501AALS 750GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s $69
3. Caviar Black WD1001FALS 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s $89

I dont mind spending up to $130 for a great drive, so any help on this would be great and thanks in advance guys........ Frontrunner
 
DJ Big T said:
Why not a SATA drive with 64mb cache? This is also good: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136793

I have been very happy with my Seagate drive. This drive is about $141 shipped after taxes: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148506 up until midnight. I would highly recommend this drive.

Also I really like this drive. If you can pay a little closer to $200, then two of these bad boys would really have you set.
Click to expand...

Thanks Big-T for the response........ I do like the Western Digital Caviar Black WD1502FAEX 1.5TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache. (The Link You Posted) The other two though I wouldn't touch, but at this point its just my opinion with them based off being burned so bad with my recent purchase. I know they all have a bad apple here and there. Its just when I did research on Seagate customer feedback, it seems like the recent stuff is coming in at 30 to 45% problems or dead after a few months. The one I purchased This looked to be a solid deal, but if you read through the feedback there are a ton of doa and dead after 3 months.

Have you or anyone else ever tried any of the Samsung? I have only used WD, Seagate and Maxtor. Its weird I have some 15 year old WD and Maxtor's laying around that still work great. The ones they put out in the last 5 years just seem to have lost the quality and durability or something. I have not had one live past 5 to 8 years in recent purchases.

Thanks for your help!
 
Out of those WD drives, I wouldn't go with any of them as they're all slower than this drive:
$65 - Samsung Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive

The closest WD drive that's even comparable to the above Samsung costs significantly more:
$90 - Western Digital Caviar Black WD1002FAEX 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s Hard Drive
 
Danny Bui said:
Out of those WD drives, I wouldn't go with any of them as they're all slower than this drive:
$65 - Samsung Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive

The closest WD drive that's even comparable to the above Samsung costs significantly more:
$90 - Western Digital Caviar Black WD1002FAEX 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s Hard Drive
Click to expand...

Thanks Danny...... That is a sweet looking drive. I read alot of the feedback and it seems like alot of people love it! I figured by now others would be getting good drives out there. I think the giants have gotten to the point of quantity and quality has gotten left behind. I did a search for a 64mb F3 and didn't come back with anything. Is the 32mg the only one they offer right now? Thanks again for your input...... Frontrunner
 
Is the 32mg the only one they offer right now?
Click to expand...

I believe so and this will likely not change since the F3 is one generation behind. F4s exist but most of these are 5400 RPM and still have a 32MB buffer. Although the cache size does not matter that much nor does SATA III support.
 
drescherjm said:
I believe so and this will likely not change since the F3 is one generation behind. F4s exist but most of these are 5400 RPM and still have a 32MB buffer. Although the cache size does not matter that much nor does SATA III support.
Click to expand...

Drescherjm.....Thanks and it looks like the Samsung F3 has a ton of fans!

I was not going to move over to the SSD Drives because I was waiting on the price to come down some more. I did see this one.......... Intel 320 Series and I dont think $239 is to awful bad for enough space to Install Windows 7, a few apps, a few games and still have some space left over. What do you guys think about this one?

Also does anyone have any experience with the Intel SSD 320 Series or the version before it?
 
Frontrunner said:
I was not going to move over to the SSD Drives because I was waiting on the price to come down some more. I did see this one.......... Intel 320 Series and I dont think $239 is to awful bad for enough space to Install Windows 7, a few apps, a few games and still have some space left over. What do you guys think about this one?
Click to expand...

It's a good SSD but the SATA 3.0Gb/s interface means that it is a little behind in speed than other SSDs out there. However it's very reliable and 120GB is more than enough for the OS, a few apps, a few games (like 1-3 depending on the game, and still have some space leftover
 
Hitachi drives aren't bad. I would honestly get a Hitachi before I would even get a Samsung drive. Intel SSDs are good.
 
Danny Bui said:
It's a good SSD but the SATA 3.0Gb/s interface means that it is a little behind in speed than other SSDs out there. However it's very reliable and 120GB is more than enough for the OS, a few apps, a few games (like 1-3 depending on the game, and still have some space leftover
Click to expand...

Thanks for the response Danny..........So would the Intel SSD with the 3.0Gb/s Interface be faster than the Samsung Spinpoint F3 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive that you mentioned earlier? If so what do you think about me running the OS on the Intel and purchase the Samsung for storage?
 
Frontrunner said:
So would the Intel SSD with the 3.0Gb/s Interface be faster than the Samsung Spinpoint F3 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive that you mentioned earlier? If so what do you think about me running the OS on the Intel and purchase the Samsung for storage?
Click to expand...

Yes and that's a very common setup actually, so again, yes, good idea
 
So would the Intel SSD with the 3.0Gb/s Interface be faster than the Samsung Spinpoint F3 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive that you mentioned earlier?
Click to expand...

Significantly faster.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top