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500gb drives now available!

Don't smaller numbers mean faster? In that case, wouldn't the 100GB drive be faster? Or is that number a rating and bigger is better?

I just bought and installed the 320GB version by Samsung and I have to say it's a great little drive. I came from a 100GB 7200RPM Hitachi and the new Samsung is unbelievably silent compared to my old one (the Hitachi would always make these seeking noises when loading files).

Moreover, I ran XBench before and after the install and I have to say that the new drive actually outperforms the old one in every category except one, where they are basically equal in speed.

Hitachi 100GB 7200 RPM:
Code:
Disk Test 28.79
Sequential 45.66
Uncached Write 56.63 34.77 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 65.75 37.20 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 23.83 6.97 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 78.30 39.35 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Random 21.03
Uncached Write 6.89 0.73 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 50.50 16.17 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 67.22 0.48 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 95.19 17.66 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Samsung 320GB 5400RPM:

Code:
Disk Test 41.89
Sequential 59.93
Uncached Write 80.88 49.66 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 76.61 43.35 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 30.40 8.90 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 118.55 59.58 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Random 32.20
Uncached Write 11.25 1.19 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Write 100.95 32.32 MB/sec [256K blocks]
Uncached Read 61.39 0.44 MB/sec [4K blocks]
Uncached Read 109.70 20.36 MB/sec [256K blocks]
I would think that since my Samsung uses the same platter density as the 500GB one that the performance would be pretty close.
Click to expand...
 
That number is a rating, and larger is better. The important thing to look at in those numbers are the MB/sec numbers...this is how many Megabytes per second the drive can read/write. The higher the number the better or faster the drive.
 
wow that's a lot for a mobile hdd. i'd hate for it to fail on me, 500GB down the drain.

250GB is a whole lot already for me, and 120GB is already quite enough too.

but having a 500GB drive that's reliable would be very nice :)

so when you're filling up that drive, i assume things slow down on the OS?
 
For those of you who replace your internal hard drives, where do you have it done? I just purchased a WD 320 scorpio drive (two days before I saw this thread but that's another story) and I'm trying to figure out how to get it installed without voiding the warranty on my machine.

WWMRD?
 
mb hdd replacement is as easy as they come. it takes a couple twists of a quarter some small screws, your there, right at the hdd to take it out
 
9secondadidas said:
For those of you who replace your internal hard drives, where do you have it done? I just purchased a WD 320 scorpio drive (two days before I saw this thread but that's another story) and I'm trying to figure out how to get it installed without voiding the warranty on my machine.

WWMRD?
Click to expand...

I'm assuming you're talking about the MacBook Pro? Er, as far as getting it done...I don't know. Most people do it themselves. Here's a guide: http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Mac/
 
Stridder44 said:
I'm assuming you're talking about the MacBook Pro? Er, as far as getting it done...I don't know. Most people do it themselves. Here's a guide: http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Mac/
Click to expand...

Yeah, a 2.33 Ghz. pro model. So If I do it myself and I ever have to have any part of the machine serviced, I would need to transplant the old drive back in there? It's things like this that really piss me off. In other words, this upgrade would technically void my 350$ warranty?

Does anyone know if I have an apple authorized service center do it will it still void the warranty on the whole machine? I'm really not keen on opening up a machine I paid over 3grand for (with tax and apple care over 3 grand actually) and voiding my warranty.
 
Technically, you can do it yourself. As long as you don't harm the computer, the only thing the warranty doesn't cover is the hard drive you put in.
 
9secondadidas said:
Yeah, a 2.33 Ghz. pro model. So If I do it myself and I ever have to have any part of the machine serviced, I would need to transplant the old drive back in there? It's things like this that really piss me off. In other words, this upgrade would technically void my 350$ warranty?

Does anyone know if I have an apple authorized service center do it will it still void the warranty on the whole machine? I'm really not keen on opening up a machine I paid over 3grand for (with tax and apple care over 3 grand actually) and voiding my warranty.
Click to expand...

According to Apple it does void the warranty to open up the MBP and replace the warranty. Many people however still upgrade their hard drive and have probably gotten warranty service without any problem due to the fact the person who serviced it either didn't care that they had replaced the drive or the user simply reinstalled the old drive again. And yes you can pay to have an authorized apple technician replace the hard drive for you and it will not void the warranty. I believe it costs quite a bit to do it that way though.
 
9secondadidas said:
Yeah, a 2.33 Ghz. pro model. So If I do it myself and I ever have to have any part of the machine serviced, I would need to transplant the old drive back in there? It's things like this that really piss me off. In other words, this upgrade would technically void my 350$ warranty?

Does anyone know if I have an apple authorized service center do it will it still void the warranty on the whole machine? I'm really not keen on opening up a machine I paid over 3grand for (with tax and apple care over 3 grand actually) and voiding my warranty.
Click to expand...

Except that it doesn't void your warranty...

It sounds like you have the money to throw at it, and couldn't be bothered to do it yourself (understandable, if I had the money I'd have an Apple tech replace it for me too, but I actually enjoy doing these kinds of things). I would say take it in to the Apple Store and see if they will do it.
 
these drives are taking forever to come out... i can't wait anymore. anyone seen them anywhere yet?
 
Pretty good pricing if you ask me. If I were keeping my MBP, I'd definitely swap one of those.
 
Stridder44 said:
Except that it doesn't void your warranty...

It sounds like you have the money to throw at it, and couldn't be bothered to do it yourself (understandable, if I had the money I'd have an Apple tech replace it for me too, but I actually enjoy doing these kinds of things). I would say take it in to the Apple Store and see if they will do it.
Click to expand...

No they will not do it. They even refused to put RAM in for me.

As with voiding the warranty. Yes it does. Just don't tell Apple you did it.
 
soccerjoe5 said:
wow that's a lot for a mobile hdd. i'd hate for it to fail on me, 500GB down the drain.
Click to expand...

That's what Time Machine is for.

soccerjoe5 said:
250GB is a whole lot already for me, and 120GB is already quite enough too.
Click to expand...

Yeah I'd like to keep my 200GB iTunes library on my internal drive, not my external (It'd be so much more portable)

soccerjoe5 said:
but having a 500GB drive that's reliable would be very nice :)
Click to expand...

Reliability is not affected by capacity. Only the risk increases.

soccerjoe5 said:
so when you're filling up that drive, i assume things slow down on the OS?
Click to expand...

No it will be negligible as long as you don't fill it to 100%.
 
Just put the new hd inside the mbp and if something goes wrong in the future and you need it serviced then put back the stock hd and ship it to apple, problem solved~;)
 
tersono said:
Yeah, but will it fit? The drives fitted to the current range are 9mm height - this is 9.5.

I think I'm gonna wait for someone else to try it first ;)
Click to expand...


I dunno where you got the 9mm from...
All the drives we've been putting in our Macs have been 9.5mm, this includes all the Western Digital's, Hitachi's and the current Samsung. In the 2.5" format there's only two thickness's, they are 12mm and 9.5mm.
 
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