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    Quietest 500GB 7200rpm laptop drive?

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by pipspeak, Aug 8, 2011.

  1. pipspeak

    pipspeak Notebook Deity

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    OK, so the Seagate Momentus 7200.4 that came with my T420 spins loud. The WD Scorpio Black I have for portable backups also spins loud (I was hoping it would be quieter). Is there any competing 500GB 7200 rpm HDD out there that does not sound like a hyperventilating Darth Vader when spinning? I tend to work in very quiet places and the sense of relief I get when the disc spins down is palpable! I am therefore willing to forgo a little bit of speed for some silence.

    For the record, the 320GB 7200rpm drive (WD) in my T400 is virtually silent compared to the two 500GB gaspers.
     
    pipspeak, Aug 8, 2011
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  2. Bill Nye

    Bill Nye Know Nothing

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    Why not just go with a 5400 drive then?

    A 750gb 5400 rpm drive would not be that much of a performance loss due to data density.
     
    Bill Nye, Aug 8, 2011
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  3. Tsunade_Hime

    Tsunade_Hime such bacon. wow

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    I have a Scorpio Black 750 GB, 500 GB, Scorpio Blue 640 GB, 500 GB, 320GB, Seagate Momentus 7200.4 500 GB, and honestly I can't tell the difference between any of them.

    Have you tried going to the latest firmware for your Seagate drive? Sometimes updating the firmware will stop excessive vibrations as well as clicking.
     
    Tsunade_Hime, Aug 8, 2011
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  4. ramgen

    ramgen -- Morgan Stanley --

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    Hitachi.

    Definitely better than Seagate and WD 500GB/7200RPMs. Tried all three.


    --
     
    ramgen, Aug 8, 2011
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  5. pipspeak

    pipspeak Notebook Deity

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    Actually I just remembered my quiet 320GB drive is a Hitachi, not a WD, so maybe a Hitachi 7K500 is my next try

    Anyone know if Hitachi still offers the BDE (encrypted) version of its 7K500? I can't seem to find anyone selling it anymore.
     
    pipspeak, Aug 8, 2011
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  6. dr.pratik

    dr.pratik Notebook Evangelist

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    i agree with this.
    my hitachi 500 gb 7200 prm drive is barely audible.
    in my clinic , i cant hear it .only if i put my hand on area of hdd,i find some spinning.
     
    dr.pratik, Aug 10, 2011
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  7. pipspeak

    pipspeak Notebook Deity

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    OK, just got the Hitachi 7K500 and it is *marginally* quieter than the Seagate, which in turn is slightly quieter than the WD. I guess I have a quiet Seagate! The Hitachi also seems to run slightly cooler.

    According to various benchmarks I've seen the Hitachi generally outperforms the Seagate, so that's a small bonus, too.

    overall, however, i seem to suffer from an echo-chamber effect in my T420, whereby the drive enclosure seems to amplify and change the tone of the drive sound. Putting all the drives in an external enclosure makes me realize how quiet they all generally are.
     
    pipspeak, Aug 16, 2011
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  8. Nemix77

    Nemix77 Notebook Deity

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    Hitachi 7K750 is suppose to even quieter than the 7K500.

    anseio ordered a 7K750 and expecting it to arrive this Wednesday, he'll let us know the results.
     
    Nemix77, Aug 16, 2011
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