Laptop hard drive space and speed "release table"

Kwesi · #1 09-23-2010, 03:23 PM

So I'm in the market for a new hard drive for my MAcbook Pro and I want a 1TB 7200RPM HDD. Unfortunately, while the largest current laptop drive available is 1TB it's only 5400RPM and the largest 7200RPM drive is 750GB. I'm not entirely sure I'll need the extra 250GB of space but I wasn't entirely sure I would need as much space as my current 500GB drive and I'm at 100GB left and closing VERY fast (just got into computer music and I swap ipods with others often).

It seems like the size and speed of laptop drives increases at somewhat regular intervals but I have no idea what they might be. Could someone who is more familiar with them suggest when a 7200RPM 1TB 2.5" drive might come out?

Selta · #2 09-23-2010, 03:35 PM

I dunno when they'll be out, but they'll be pricey when they are. I also hope you have a solid backup/restore platform for all of that data. I wouldn't worry about 5400 rpm v 7200 rpm. As you increase in size the platter density goes up anyway, so you're naturally just reading more off of each revolution. Also, unless you need absolutely every ounce of performance out of it, you're likely to not really notice anyway. There's likely a lot of other things you can be doing to that laptop to get the same performance gain.

MIJ-VI · #3 09-24-2010, 12:51 AM

For a fast notebook like a MacBook Pro I'd go with the 750 GB 7,200 RPM hard drive and then get an external USB 2.0/FireWire 400 (or FW 800 if you can find one) box for your 'book's current 500 GB drive.

Kwesi · #4 09-24-2010, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray Salamon

I dunno when they'll be out, but they'll be pricey when they are. I also hope you have a solid backup/restore platform for all of that data. I wouldn't worry about 5400 rpm v 7200 rpm. As you increase in size the platter density goes up anyway, so you're naturally just reading more off of each revolution. Also, unless you need absolutely every ounce of performance out of it, you're likely to not really notice anyway. There's likely a lot of other things you can be doing to that laptop to get the same performance gain.

The first drive I had in this mbp was 5400rpm and when i upgraded to 7200rpm I noticed a definite performance increase so I just stuck with it. And I don't think it'll be that pricey when they do come out. the current 1tb drives are about $120 tops so Id guess at 7200rpm they wouldn't be more than $150. There's no real basis for that guess though.

Just curious what other ways could I get more out of my laptop? I haven't thought much about it beyond the memory and hardrive but I've got a bit of cash and if I could make my mbp run faster why not?

Kwesi · #5 09-24-2010, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MIJ-VI

For a fast notebook like a MacBook Pro I'd go with the 750 GB 7,200 RPM hard drive and then get an external USB 2.0/FireWire 400 (or FW 800 if you can find one) box for your 'book's current 500 GB drive.

Part of the reason I want the 1TB drive is so that I don't have to run anything off of an external drive. I had my itunes library on an external drive when my first didn't have the space to store it all and it sucked. I have a 2TB external usb 2.0 drive that I've partitioned and use for backups and general data storage.

sloasdaylight · #6 09-24-2010, 09:45 AM

What are you going to be using it for? Why not get a 7200 rpm 1TB internal drive, put it in an external enclosure and run it into a USB or firewire port?

sloasdaylight · #7 09-24-2010, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kwesi

Part of the reason I want the 1TB drive is so that I don't have to run anything off of an external drive. I had my itunes library on an external drive when my first didn't have the space to store it all and it sucked. I have a 2TB external usb 2.0 drive that I've partitioned and use for backups and general data storage.

O_o

I've had my iTunes on an external drive the entire time I've had iTunes

Kwesi · #8 09-24-2010, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sloasdaylight

What are you going to be using it for? Why not get a 7200 rpm 1TB internal drive, put it in an external enclosure and run it into a USB or firewire port?

music production and obscenely large amounts of porn. I already have an external drive and i want to leave that at my desk I want to be able to take everything everywhere without having to throw extra junk in my bag.

sloasdaylight · #9 09-24-2010, 09:52 AM

I mean how much porn are we talking?

Kwesi · #10 09-24-2010, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sloasdaylight

O_o

I've had my iTunes on an external drive the entire time I've had iTunes

Oh, I didn't mean performance-wise. In that regard it was perfectly fine, but having to go to my external drive to either listen to my music or sync my ipod is not my idea of convenience. I also tried having the external drive networked so I could access my music at anytime in my house but our wireless network at the time was kind of unreliable and it slowed things down quite a bit. In addition I couldn't take my music outside of my house with me which was lame.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sloasdaylight

I mean how much porn are we talking?

Porn of such vast amounts and genres that it would make Ron Jeremy either give me a hug or hurl. Both of which are very unwanted experiences

James Hart · #11 09-24-2010, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray Salamon

I wouldn't worry about 5400 rpm v 7200 rpm.

I completely disagree. I will not buy a 5400 rpm drive for any increase in capacity... and have felt that way for at least 4 or 5 years.

I have a real world example right now that proves it to me again. I have a personal and a work laptop, both identical spec wise other than my work laptop has a 5400 rpm drive and my personal one has a 7200 rpm. 64 bit Win7 runs great on the 7200 rpm machine and is a dog on the 5400 rpm one.