Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Doju

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jun 16, 2008
1,510
1
I've heard rumors that the 7200 RPM will be noisier than the latter. Is this true? What about noisier/hotter?

And is it true there's no 500GB 7200 RPM MBP drive?
 
My 7200 RPM drive is no louder than any other notebook drive I've owned. It's certainly quieter than my SuperDrive, but that's another matter entirely.
 
i think that hd is not available currently: usually with estimated shipping times of 20 days to 2 months. it should be out soon. it has been delayed (or 500gb 7200 drives have) since december
 
sigh. mine has a definite hiss that can be really distracting in quiet environments. and it vibrates so heavily that sometimes it actually makes a sound like an electric razor.
 
I've tried a Seagate 320GB 7200rpm and I'm currently using a Hitachi 320GB 7200 rpm, and the both are noticeably noisier than my stock 250GB 5400rpm. It's an annoyance ONLY when I'm in very quiet environments, like my room. The Seagate was the loudest, the Hitachi is better, but it consumes more energy.

If you want performance boost, and you're sensitive to noise like me, than I would recommend you go for an SSD. Or wait a few months until they come down in price sharply. At CES SanDisk promised to some very speedy and dirt cheap SSDs to be released later this year. (I'm personally waiting for those) And if you do go with SSDs, go for trusted brands like Samsung, Intel, and probably SanDisk. There are some cheap brands out there than use slow unreliable flash chips, research reviews.
 
Mine might be a tad louder than my old 5400rpm. But it really isnt anything to worry about. The speed difference is SOOOO worth the tiny bit of noise.
 
My Hitachi 200gb 7200rpm is a lot quieter than the stock 160gb 5400 Fujitsu drive. It also doesn't make as much of a crunch when loading data.

The only drawback is more heat.
 
Models vary, but generally speaking, that's not true. My 7200 is whisper quiet, uses less power and generates less heat than a 5400.

Can anyone back this up? I heard that 7200s use more power then 5400. I am going to upgrade my HD to 500GB from my stock drive in the near future. If 7200s don't draw more power, I might just get one.
 
Can anyone back this up? I heard that 7200s use more power then 5400. I am going to upgrade my HD to 500GB from my stock drive in the near future. If 7200s don't draw more power, I might just get one.

You may loose 5-10 mins of battery. I know that my 7200 is much quieter than my old Fujitsu 5400rpm. Personally I think a 7200 drive is completely worth it.
 

Attachments

  • Picture 11.jpg
    Picture 11.jpg
    44.9 KB · Views: 121
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.