160GB 6400/7200 in X200 - Single platter?

Hi all,

Since I don't want to spend $500 on an SSD, I'm thinking of just getting a 7200RPM HD instead

My question is: Are all the 160GB HDs single-platter? The reason I am asking is because I understand that 7200RPM HDs can create more noise and heat than 5400RPM HDs, and reduce battery life a little. But I am thinking it might not be as big of a deal if it's just a single platter.. Am I right?

Any input/comments will be appreciated

Thanks,

Faruk

PS. Also, if there is anybody here with an X200 + 7200RPM HD, would be nice to hear some comments about noise and heat on the palmrest

 

Depends, I know of WD, Seagate and Hitachi 160GB 7200RPM drives, and they have a single platter. The Seagate 250GB 7200.3 is actually the fastest out of the 320GB/160GB drives, in synthetic benchmarks.

Single platter, slightly more power efficient. (1 platter vs 2 platters, less power consumed during seeking).

If your notebook has a thin casing, stick to a 5400RPM drive, otherwise you may notice vibrations....

Power consumption, performance and surface temps, vary from one HDD brand to another.

In the 5400RPMs

Hitachi 5K320 is a good all-rounder
Fujitsu MHZ2320BH is also good and quiet
Seagate 5400.5 is extremely power efficient - but it has high access times
WD3200BEVT is the best performer, with the highest power consumption
The Samsung HM320JI is also nice.

 

soon buddy soon... i would love to when it arrives

 

Andy: Are you sure about the vibrations? Even with the single-platter ones? I am hoping to get the X200s when it comes out, so I don't know if that's considered too thin.. Capacity isn't too important for me - anything over 100 gigs is fine really, so 160 is plenty for me. But speed is nice, which is why I was considering the 7200RPM option. But heat/battery life is also important for me, which is why I was asking about the benefits of having a single-platter drive.

AznRacerNSX: Looking forward to your comments

 

I believe the X200 might have some sort of insulation/rubber at the base of the HDD slot/caddy. The HDD won't vibrate, but you might feel some vibrations near the palm-rest if the casing is thin. It won't be much, and I have seen EEE and AspireOne users installing 7200RPM drives.

You should checkout some threads on Pg. 3/4 in the H/W section. I saw Seagate 7200.3s really cheap.
They are said to be quiet, and power efficient at Tomshardware. 7K320 vs WD3200BEKT vs ST9320421AS vs HM251JJ

 

One thing to think about: wether or not a drive is single or dual platter depends on the model. For the Hitachi 7200rpm drives, in the 7k200 series the 100GB drive is the largest single platter model. For the 7k320 series, the 160GB drive is the largest with a single platter.

For the T400 at least, Lenovo still seems to be using the 7k200 series (that's what I got a week ago).

 

Andy: Awesome, thanks for the info!

snclawson: Could you tell me how to figure out how many platters there are in a drive? It doesn't seem to be something that's listed in the specifications.

I was originally planning on configuring the laptop with the hard drive I wanted, but it seems maybe it might be a better idea to buy my own? Lenovo normally charges around $100 to upgrade from the default 80GB 5400RPM to the 160GB 7200RPM. Maybe it would be smarter to just buy my own drive instead of "gambling" and not being sure about what kind of drive I'm going to get?

 

Hi all,
I'm having some left palm rest vibrations on my X200 and I would like to know is anyone else is having same the same problem.
I don't think that they come from the 7200RPM hard drive that I have because the drive is on the right, which leaves the fan as a possible cause.

Regards

 

It does depend on the model, and you are somewhate at Lenovo's mercy.

Both my x200 (since returned) and x200 Tablet cam with 160GB 5400 RPM drives. The x200 came with a two platter Hitachi 5k250 in August, and the x200 Tablet came with a single platter Hitachi 5k320 In November (immediately replaced by a 320GB two platter Hitachi 5k320 [the 160GB is in my PS3]).

If you order a 160GB 5400 RPM drive you probably have a decent chance of getting a single platter drive (I think the 5k250 is discontinued), but the 7200RPM drives could go either way.

As always, the only way to be sure is to order the cheapest drive option and replace it yourself with your desired model. Any 160GB drive from a 320GB series should be single platter. Alternatively, you may be able to find a 250GB single platter drive from a two platter 500GB series (e.g. Seagate 7200.4); this would be the fastest, lightest, and quietest option for conventional hard drives at the moment.