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tsugaru

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Feb 9, 2003
301
5
Edmonton
Please list the hard drive that you received with your machine.

I've seen a couple of people in here with WD 1TB Caviar Black drives. (yes!!!)

Anyone getting different drives (Seagate, Hitachi, etc.)
 

Zen0Jin

macrumors member
Feb 1, 2011
45
0
I have a 1TB WD Caviar Black drive as an external and I'm glad they put in the Seagate in mine.

My Caviar Black is fast, but it's a lot of clicking and seeking.

I also have a Caviar Green and a Caviar Blue, the green being my favorite as it's pretty silent.

I can't hear my Seagate drive at all even when transferring documents at full tilt.

I have to say, I'm used to SSDs but I think I'll be OK with this drive until Lion is released and hopeful the Intel SSD 320s drop in price and I get the nerve up to open this baby up and do some surgery... :rolleyes:
 

DeusInvictus7

macrumors 68020
Aug 13, 2008
2,377
28
Kitchener, Ontario
Caviar Black here in my i7 27".

EDIT: Ordered a BTO i7 with the 2GB Graphics to replace the normal i7 and now it has a Seagate Barracuda. Just as quiet though so can't really complain.
 
Last edited:

ChargedPC

macrumors member
May 3, 2011
39
1
Seagate Barracuda 1TB in our 2.7GHz 27" i5.


Anyone successfully swapped out their stock hard drive for an upgraded size, or does anyone have info on the 2TB sized models?

Also can people post the firmware version if possible. Thanks!
 

mac.rumors

macrumors regular
May 9, 2008
160
46
London, UK
A 2TB Seagate ST32000541AS on my 3.4GHz i7 with 2GB 6970M. I have not been able to get any details of this drive on Seagate's website.

Any pointers to more details will be helpful.

Thanks.
 

kevin2223

macrumors member
Jul 31, 2010
84
0
A 2TB Seagate ST32000541AS on my 3.4GHz i7 with 2GB 6970M. I have not been able to get any details of this drive on Seagate's website.

Any pointers to more details will be helpful.

Thanks.

Based on Seagate's Model Formats, it has 32MB of cache.

There is a Seagate Barracuda LP ST32000542AS available (2TB, 5900RPM) similar to that model number. But Apple wouldn't put a slower drive in when they advertise it as being 7200RPM.

On the other hand, there is also a ST32000641AS (the 6 likely indicating 64MB of cache) available as a 6Gb/s drive.

Perhaps the single number difference means there is 32MB cache? I couldn't find any exact specifications based on the "541" part.
 

tsugaru

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Feb 9, 2003
301
5
Edmonton
What's the difference anyway (besides of the brand)?

Is one faster? more silent? more durable?

Seagate has gone down in the last couple of years in terms of build quality and reliability. I have had nothing but good things to say about Western Digital drives.

The current iMac 27" I have (the 3rd one I've received from Apple,) was fitted with a Seagate drive. I regret not keeping the first iMac I received with the cracked glass, as that had a Western Digital drive in it. The WD drive was much quieter. Performance is probably a wash, but I'll take the silence anyday, short of putting a Green/5x00rpm drive inside.

I know the 2TB WD Caviar Blacks are fairly loud, but my new one is staying with a 1TB drive. Hope I get the WD.
 

Chris5488

macrumors regular
Feb 26, 2011
223
37
Belgium
Well I hope I get a WD one too :)
I always had WD drives (good experience results in staying with the brand:D) but I never had a Seagate so I didn't know which of the two were better.
 

Mikey86uk

macrumors 6502a
Jul 3, 2010
648
151
England
WD Caviar Black in my Base 27"

going by posts on here, im guessing thats the best drive for the iMac?
 
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maxinc

macrumors regular
Jun 15, 2010
182
0
Caviar Black 1TB in my 27" 2.7G i3 purchased in the UK.

@Spyriadon: Apple > About this mac > More Info ... > Serial ATA > make a note of the model number.
 

Chris5488

macrumors regular
Feb 26, 2011
223
37
Belgium
I wanted WD, and I got WD :D

Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB,7200RPM, 32Mb cache (WD1001FALS)

It is really silent, I thought my previous HDD, a Samsung F1 was quite, but actually it was pretty noisy compared to this!
 

Badger^2

macrumors 68000
Oct 29, 2009
1,962
2
Sacramento
All drives fail. The sooner everyone realizes that, the sooner you will get over this.

For every XXX drive sucks and died for me you should get a YYY, you will get a YYY drive sucks and died on me, you should get an XXX.

Apple buys whatever they can get a deal on.

My WD Black died after 2 months late last year. So meh.
 

kfscoll

macrumors 65816
Nov 3, 2009
1,147
139
I'd be really interested if someone could confirm that the 2TB Seagate drives are 7200 RPM. I'd almost positive that the 2TB Hitachi drives are 7200 RPM, but I have a sneaking suspicion that the Seagate drives are 5900 RPM. If that's the case, that's a really sneaky move on Apple's part, particularly since they advertise the iMac drives as being fast 7200 RPM models.
 

Badger^2

macrumors 68000
Oct 29, 2009
1,962
2
Sacramento
I'd be really interested if someone could confirm that the 2TB Seagate drives are 7200 RPM. I'd almost positive that the 2TB Hitachi drives are 7200 RPM, but I have a sneaking suspicion that the Seagate drives are 5900 RPM. If that's the case, that's a really sneaky move on Apple's part, particularly since they advertise the iMac drives as being fast 7200 RPM models.

Its 7200 RPM, no idea why you would think otherwise.
 

kfscoll

macrumors 65816
Nov 3, 2009
1,147
139
Its 7200 RPM, no idea why you would think otherwise.
The model number of the 2TB Seagate drive in the new iMacs has been reported to be ST32000541AS (I can't verify that because I don't have my new iMac yet, but it's easy for someone with a new iMac to look in System Profiler to find their HD's model number). If you Google that model number, you'll learn that the drive is a 5900 RPM drive.

Other than the fact that Apple has said so, I'm not sure what makes you think that the 2TB Seagate is undoubtedly a 7200 RPM drive. What I've seen certainly raises a doubt...
 
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