Raptor or not?

A

ATW

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jan 27, 2003
Messages
476
No search function so I can't look up others' opinions.

I'm going to be doing an upgrade in about a month (or when I can get an NF3-250 board), and I've tossed around the idea of buying a couple 36GB Raptors to run in Raid 0. I've currently got a nearly brand new Maxtor 120GB 8mb cache SATA, which I could probably easily sell. So my question is...are they worth it? My primary uses are heavy gaming, the typical net surfing/downloading, and editing large digital photos. I've heard they make no difference in gaming performance, but load times are getting longer and longer...and waiting sucks.
 
512mb right now, I'll be putting a gig of XMS PC3200LL in the new one.
 
Get more RAM.

The Raptor 36GB is very noisy, hot, and has ball-bearings.

The 74GB model is MUCH better-- it has Fluid Dynamic Bearings, making it a bit cooler and a lot quieter and more reliable.

I am hoping that WD finishes off their stock of WD360GDs and upgrades them to the same specs as the 740.
 
You will liie the speed of a Raptor. I had a 160GB Maxtor SATA in my system befroe that and it is noticably faster. Load times on apps and games is down quite a but. 36GB are noisy. Get the 74GB, it's what I got. Not very loud at all.

Very happy with it. My Maxtor is my second drive for storage now.
 
My raptor isn't that noisy, and I have two 80mm fans running over it. The 74gb is exhorbitantly expensive.
 
I guess I'm not fortunate to live where money trees grow in the backyard. The 74GB's are out of the question.
 
36's are great ..74s are nicer but 300 bucks a pop aren't cheap ( i don't buy hard drives online i am paranoid about shipping) also the differences for the most part are small and you still get a 5 year warrenty so if someone goes wrong its not like you are stuck .. go for the 36's they rock
 
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