Velociraptor

[Windows i7 920]

I have a few programs that could REALLY benefit from a faster drive, but I don't want to go with an SSD for several reasons. Currently I have a WD drive with 7200 RPM 16 MB cache. How much faster would this drive be?

Newegg.com - Western Digital VelociRaptor WD1500HLFS 150GB 10000 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive

 

[pparks1]

I would say in real life usage, probably about 10-15% improvement. It will be noticeable, but not night and day.

 

[DeaconFrost]

You might want to consider one of the WD Black drives instead. I've read some reviews that place them on par with the Raptors, yet they offer more capacity for a lower cost.

 

[sygnus21]

You might want to consider one of the WD Black drives instead. I've read some reviews that place them on par with the Raptors, yet they offer more capacity for a lower cost.

Actually the Rapter is faster, but I don't think it's that much ahead to consider giving up space in place of speed.

One thing I would say is to stay away from the Caviar Black SATA 6 drives (64mb cache) though they are slightly faster than their 32mb cousins, they are considerably louder. See my thread here - http://www.sevenforums.com/hardware-devices/90141-sata-6-wd-caviar-black-1tb.html#post1020017

On the other hand I can't imagine the Rapter being any quieter since it runs at 10,000 RPMS!

 

[dsperber]

On the other hand I can't imagine the Rapter being any quieter since it runs at 10,000 RPMS!

I've got two of these as my boot drive in two different machines. They're great. I have much larger 7200RPM SATA drives for data, but I wanted the 10KRPM speed and MUCH faster access times for the OS.

I can say that they are almost silent. It's amazing.

Also, I would recommend getting it from Amazon rather than Newegg... only $89 plus free shipping and no sales tax (Newegg charges tax if you live in CA).

 

[Sardonicus]

I have a few programs that could REALLY benefit from a faster drive, but I don't want to go with an SSD for several reasons. Currently I have a WD drive with 7200 RPM 16 MB cache. How much faster would this drive be?

Newegg.com - Western Digital VelociRaptor WD1500HLFS 150GB 10000 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive

It will be faster, compared to older WD 7200 RPM 16 MB cache drives.
Compared to drives out now like the WD Black series and the Samsung HD103SJ,
not that much faster.

 

[sygnus21]

Also, I would recommend getting it from Amazon rather than Newegg... only $89 plus free shipping and no sales tax (Newegg charges tax if you live in CA).

Yeah I thought that 120 dollar price range was a bit high.

Newegg.com - Western Digital VelociRaptor WD1500HLFS 150GB 10000 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive

 

[thefabe]

Well it sounds as if this thread is handled, nice work guys.
Fabe

 

[sygnus21]

Well it sounds as if this thread is handled, nice work guys.
Fabe

Thanks

 

[GeneO]

You might want to consider one of the WD Black drives instead. I've read some reviews that place them on par with the Raptors, yet they offer more capacity for a lower cost.

Actually the Rapter is faster, but I don't think it's that much ahead to consider giving up space in place of speed.

One thing I would say is to stay away from the Caviar Black SATA 6 drives (64mb cache) though they are slightly faster than their 32mb cousins, they are considerably louder. See my thread here - http://www.sevenforums.com/hardware-devices/90141-sata-6-wd-caviar-black-1tb.html#post1020017

On the other hand I can't imagine the Rapter being any quieter since it runs at 10,000 RPMS!

yikes! The 3 gb/s Blacks are loud enough when seeking that I took a hit in performance enabling the Auto Acoustics mode in the two I use for data!

 

[sygnus21]

yikes! The 3 gb/s Blacks are loud enough when seeking that I took a hit in performance enabling the Auto Acoustics mode in the two I use for data!

Hehe I took a performance hit by replacing it with my older (32meg) drive. Peace of mind that move

 

[Dixon Butz]

7,200-RPM terabytes from Hitachi, Samsung, Seagate, and WD face off - The Tech Report - Page 1

Read that great in depth article ^

 

[pparks1]

yikes! The 3 gb/s Blacks are loud enough when seeking that I took a hit in performance enabling the Auto Acoustics mode in the two I use for data!

Huh, my storage drive is a 1TB Caviar Black 3.0Gbps model and it's not loud at all. I was concerned a bit about noise when I was replacing my 1TB Seagate 7200.12 (moved to another machine), but was pleasantly surprised to discover the Caviar Black wasn't really much louder. My drives are isolated with rubber standoffs from my case, so that might help cut down the vibration noise.

 

[metalmania31]

I've got the 1st gen raptor and the 2nd gen raptor. Both are quiet. Although I wouldn't hear them anyway since my case fans are louder than those HDD's will ever be. They are definitely worth it for the speed.

 

[seekermeister]

You might want to consider one of the WD Black drives instead. I've read some reviews that place them on par with the Raptors, yet they offer more capacity for a lower cost.

Actually the Rapter is faster, but I don't think it's that much ahead to consider giving up space in place of speed.

One thing I would say is to stay away from the Caviar Black SATA 6 drives (64mb cache) though they are slightly faster than their 32mb cousins, they are considerably louder. See my thread here - http://www.sevenforums.com/hardware-devices/90141-sata-6-wd-caviar-black-1tb.html#post1020017

On the other hand I can't imagine the Rapter being any quieter since it runs at 10,000 RPMS!

I wish that I had seen that thread sooner, because I bought another hard drive just to have a place to store data that is on one of my FAEX drives. I had posted a thread about the noise that they make, and the responses that I got made me think that they were defective and needed to be RMAed. I even spoke to one WDC rep before that, asking whether they are naturally noisy, and he said that they weren't. I would have been quite disturbed had I got a replacement that acted the same way. I guess now that I will just let them clatter away.

 

[GeneO]

yikes! The 3 gb/s Blacks are loud enough when seeking that I took a hit in performance enabling the Auto Acoustics mode in the two I use for data!

Huh, my storage drive is a 1TB Caviar Black 3.0Gbps model and it's not loud at all. I was concerned a bit about noise when I was replacing my 1TB Seagate 7200.12 (moved to another machine), but was pleasantly surprised to discover the Caviar Black wasn't really much louder. My drives are isolated with rubber standoffs from my case, so that might help cut down the vibration noise.

Both of mine are isolated with rubber grommets as well and are loud. It isn't drive vibration, but head seek clatter that is loud. Perhaps your noise tolerance is lower than mine I even have soundproofing material in my case. My system drive is a WD 6Gb/s blue single platter 320 GB drive and it is silent, though not as performant as the black. Seeking on my crappy old Seagate 750 GB 7200.11 is also quiet compared to the blacks. I got the blacks mainly for the 5yr warranty.

 

[sygnus21]

I wish that I had seen that thread sooner, because I bought another hard drive just to have a place to store data that is on one of my FAEX drives. I had posted a thread about the noise that they make, and the responses that I got made me think that they were defective and needed to be RMAed. I even spoke to one WDC rep before that, asking whether they are naturally noisy, and he said that they weren't. I would have been quite disturbed had I got a replacement that acted the same way. I guess now that I will just let them clatter away.

Yeah I actually called WD's tech supprt and was told that If I wanted an quieter drive I should have gotten a "Blue" :huh:

Anyways I love the blacks but I the the SATA 6gig ones are too loud.

Man where were you guys when I was asking this question here - http://www.sevenforums.com/hardware-devices/90141-sata-6-wd-caviar-black-1tb.html#post776931

 

[Maguscreed]

I had some of the first gen raptors (4 of them in fact)
I never really noticed a huge difference if they weren't raided on a dedicated talon raid card made specially for them. Even then it was maybe... maybe 20% increase.

 

[seekermeister]

Yeah I actually called WD's tech supprt and was told that If I wanted an quieter drive I should have gotten a "Blue" :huh:

Anyways I love the blacks but I the the SATA 6gig ones are too loud.

Man where were you guys when I was asking this question here - http://www.sevenforums.com/hardware-devices/90141-sata-6-wd-caviar-black-1tb.html#post776931

The drive that I just bought for RMAing the FAEXs is a WD20EARS, which is a green..not too clear on the difference between green and blue. But it is quiet and twice the size of the FAEX. While one of the FAEXs is internally mounted in my HTPC, the other two are in an external case, which sits directly ~ 2' from my ear, and is very disturbing, whether it is normal or not. Since these 2 drives are only being used to store video in, the EARS drive is quite adequate, so I will leave it in the external case. I haven't decided where to put the FAEX though.

 

[sygnus21]

I absolutely hate mines. Thankfully I've relegated it to a hot-swap drive when I went SSD. I love WD drives but knowing what I know now, I'm running the other way when I see one of those. Give me the old Caviar Blacks and I'm a happy camper.

Incidentally I don't see the FEAX's around too often - perhaps WD heard the complaints and dropped/limited them? They are loud... despite what WD says.