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 | Hybrid Hard Disk

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by Macpod, Oct 8, 2007.

  1. Macpod

    Macpod Connoisseur

    Reputations:
    204
    Messages:
    2,154
    Likes Received:
    15
    Trophy Points:
    56
    Seagate just launched one. Is that the first? anyone know the performance details? the premise is good, Lower power consumption, faster performance, less chance of damage because the plates spin less.

    hopefully they get software and bio sorted out so these can become standard in a few months.

    Good interim solution to SSD future
     
  2. Greg

    Greg Notebook Nobel Laureate

    Reputations:
    7,857
    Messages:
    16,212
    Likes Received:
    58
    Trophy Points:
    466
  3. John Ratsey

    John Ratsey Moderately inquisitive Super Moderator

    Reputations:
    7,197
    Messages:
    28,841
    Likes Received:
    2,166
    Trophy Points:
    581
    Samsung released a hybrid HDD some months ago.

    John
     
  4. Amol

    Amol APH! NBR Reviewer

    Reputations:
    1,832
    Messages:
    1,850
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    Apparently Seagate's blaming Vista for poor flash management and hence not-as-good performance. I wonder if Vista is really bad at flash management - Robson technology comes to mind ;)
     
  5. kickace

    kickace Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    71
    Messages:
    1,054
    Likes Received:
    8
    Trophy Points:
    56
    dont think its the first because im pretty sure the Sony SZ models have them (atleast the SZ6 does i believe - 160gb with 256mb)

    would be sure of that if it wasn't damn columbus day and usps doesnt deliver that day....
     
  6. Macpod

    Macpod Connoisseur

    Reputations:
    204
    Messages:
    2,154
    Likes Received:
    15
    Trophy Points:
    56
    seems like driver problems.

    Im guessing they are priced between HD and SSD? Couldnt find any pricing
     
  7. KnightUnit

    KnightUnit Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    42
    Messages:
    500
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Id rather just go full SSD
     
  8. CalebSchmerge

    CalebSchmerge Woof NBR Reviewer

    Reputations:
    1,126
    Messages:
    2,395
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    55
    I the end full SSD would be better, however right now when prices are so ridiculously high for SSD, I would rather a good HDD than SSD.
     
  9. KnightUnit

    KnightUnit Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    42
    Messages:
    500
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    I see your point, Id rather have a good HDD and wait for the prices to fall on SSD. Would feel a bit short changed with hybrid drive.
     
  10. ToxicBanana

    ToxicBanana Notebook Consultant NBR Reviewer

    Reputations:
    19
    Messages:
    170
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Finally some Hybrid competition.
    My HDD is the loudest, hottest, and slowest component in my notebook - hopefully these hybrids will be the cure to all my problems.
     
  11. surfasb

    surfasb Titles Shmm-itles

    Reputations:
    2,637
    Messages:
    6,370
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    205
    Hybrid drives are more prone to driver issues than regular harddrives IMO. A hybrid drives has to convert the information into something the flash memory can read and vice versa for every operation. This could be a pain in the rear everyday use that does alot of small I/O operations rather than one big I/O operation.

    Flash memory only has a performance boost in read operations. When it comes to write operations, it's not necessarily faster than regular harddrives. Flash memory write operations first start with a complete wipe of the cluster they are writing to. Then they rewrite the WHOLE cluster. That's why their performance gains are sometimes lower than regular harddrives. While they may read faster than regular harddrives, alot of write operations can take just as long.
     
  12. descendency

    descendency Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    23
    Messages:
    230
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Alienware has been offering them in their laptops for a while.