Do I need a 7200 RPM HDD?

MauriceMoss

MauriceMoss

macrumors member
Hello everyone,

I am buying a 17" i7 MBP AG screen and I am planning to upgrade to 8Gigs of RAM. Since I am upgrading most of the components, should I just go ahead and upgrade the HDD too? Is there really THAT much of a difference in the speed?

This is going to be used for CS5, Final Cut Express, Aperture 3 or LightRoom 3, iWork, internet, music, blah blah blah....

Last question. I hate buying things on the internet, I like instant gratification. I want to buy this at an Apple Store. Can they upgrade the drive there in the store for the extra $45 bucks or do you have to BTO online to get the 7200 RPM drive?

I know, I know, I could do it myself, but I have never attempted a HDD swap.

Thanks.
 
I'm awaiting my first Mac but I think I can help you answer some of your questions.

Yes, the 7200 rpm HDD is worth it. Considering that you are upgrading many of the parts, I can't believe you would even hesitate on something that is important as the HDD. Matter of fact, you should even consider SSD, if not from Apple, at least as a future upgrade you can do yourself. The 7200 rpm is worth it, especially with the programs you will be using.

As for buying it in the Apple Store, well that get's a little tricky. Correct me if I'm wrong, but buying in store, they only have certain "stock" units available. So any custom options, or combinations of, they will not carry it and will ask you to order online. I'm new here, but I'm a fast learner.
 
For the Pro Apps you list, yes, I suggest a faster hard drive. I don't think Apple does it in store though.

I installed a Seagate Momentus (SSD/7200rpm hybrid) 500GB in my new 15" MBP and it FLIES. I use Aperture and Final Cut Express extensively. Rendering in FCE is greatly improved on the faster drive.

Installing on my 15" was not difficult, so imagine the same on a 17".
 
I am sure this is all explained somewhere, but how do you get everything off your HDD in the computer onto the new HDD?

I was afraid that they might not do it in the store. In that case I will probably buy it with the stock 5400 HDD and buy an upgraded HDD somewhere else and either do the swap myself or take it somewhere to be done.

Its not that I am hesitating to upgrade the drive, its just that I don't want to order it online if I don't have to. I was really looking to pick this up tomorrow or Friday at the latest.
 
hrmmm

i7...
8 GB of ram...
enjoys instant gratification...
pro apps...
flush with cash...
.....:confused:

Why aren't you getting an SSD again?
 
Well, I wouldn't say that I'm flush with cash. I have about 3-3.5k to spend and that includes getting CS5 design premium. (student and teacher pricing.)

I keep hearing things about how SSDs slow down over time and the drives or programs need to use TRIM or something. I literally know NOTHING about SSDs or HDDs. I also have need for more than 128 gigs of space, and would have to trade RAM for SSD cost wise, to make it work financially.

I guess there are some third party drives that might be more affordable than apples drives and with larger capacities, but finding them, installing them, seems rather daunting to me right now. (based on my current knowledge of them.)
 
Yeah, personally, I'd buy your own 7200 RPM drive (I assume you want 500GB). You can get one for about $75 online at newegg.com. There are instructions for how to swap them all over the place online. I'd also highly recommend getting your own RAM from newegg as well. You can buy 8GB for about half of what apple charges you to upgrade, and it doesn't void your warranty to do it yourself. Might as well if you want to do the hard drive upgrade yourself too, it's actually even easier than the hard drive.
 
If you are as serious about editing as you seem, the size of the hard drive probably shouldn't matter that much because you should have huge external drives storing all your work. That being said, a 7200rpm HDD or an SSD should speed up your editing noticeably. I would opt for a medium sized (~250GB) 7200rpm HDD and spending some money on backup drives.
 
See, everyone always says that, but I can't find decent RAM that fits that description. There is about a $100 mark-up for Apple installed RAM over the crucial RAM. I don't really care. When I think about the hassle of ordering it online, paying for shipping, waiting for it to come, having to buy a #00 screw driver, and installing it, I would rather just pay them to do it on the spot.

Would you guys do an SSD over the RAM upgrade?


EDIT:

As far as editing goes, this is all for a school program. I guess using larger external HDs could be an option, but I would still need to store projects locally when going to school. I still haven't figured out how to create/store/transport/back-up all the things I'll be doing on it.
 
MauriceMoss said:
See, everyone always says that, but I can't find decent RAM that fits that description. There is about a $100 mark-up for Apple installed RAM over the crucial RAM. I don't really care. When I think about the hassle of ordering it online, paying for shipping, waiting for it to come, having to buy a #00 screw driver, and installing it, I would rather just pay them to do it on the spot.
Click to expand...

Well, anyone who says the Apple ram is a waste is being disingenuous, as they both have their disadvantages.
For me:
OEM/Apple Ram:
+Guaranteed to work out of the box.
+One less thing to worry about if troubleshooting.
+Modules serviced by Apple and can be swapped on the spot, worldwide
-Price
-Warranty ends after one or three years, depending on if you purchase Applecare for the machine.

Aftermarket:
+Price
+Most modules i've seen carry lifetime warranty.
+Lets you keep original sticks as backups or sell to lower the cost of new modules (may be a minus see below).
±Some assembly required (I don't particularly mind).
-Lengthy RMA process, if required.
-If one or both sticks are faulty, diagnosing the issue may be difficult unless you have an additional stick of ram laying around.
-Apple will sometimes blame user replaced components which sometimes get sold (see above).

Would you guys do an SSD over the RAM upgrade?
Click to expand...
The answer: It Depends.
Does the user have performance issues and the system is constantly paging to disk? Get more ram.
Is ram maxed out or you are accessing large files from a disk (on the go)? Get the ssd.

8GB of Ram is as high as you can go (reportedly), so an SSD is the next logical step.
 
Ok checked with the apple store, they do NOT do HDD swaps in the store. So now I am looking at going with either the Seagate Momentus XT or an SSD that I install myself.

Now, SSDs are they all the same in terms of speed? Are there better brands than others? Best place to buy from? Links or resources that I should be reading to understand these things better?
 
MauriceMoss said:
Hello everyone,

I am buying a 17" i7 MBP AG screen and I am planning to upgrade to 8Gigs of RAM. Since I am upgrading most of the components, should I just go ahead and upgrade the HDD too? Is there really THAT much of a difference in the speed?

This is going to be used for CS5, Final Cut Express, Aperture 3 or LightRoom 3, iWork, internet, music, blah blah blah....

Last question. I hate buying things on the internet, I like instant gratification. I want to buy this at an Apple Store. Can they upgrade the drive there in the store for the extra $45 bucks or do you have to BTO online to get the 7200 RPM drive?

I know, I know, I could do it myself, but I have never attempted a HDD swap.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

I would suggest you get the standard ram and upgrade yourself as apple is charging alot more for the same kind of ram you can get much cheaper somewhere else.

About the hard drive, get it. I WAS going to go for a solid state drive but they are WAY too expensive. My 7200rpm hdd suits my needs anyways. To answer your question, the speed is noticeable.
 
Yeah....

I am REALLY confused on the RAM issue. Crucial memory is only 100 cheaper, and for that price, I would just rather get it then and there...

Is all RAM created equal? Newegg/OWC/Crucial... If there were a HUGE savings in the price of DIY RAM I would go that route, but I want to keep a comparable quality in the RAM I am putting in... Not bargain basement stuff.

I think I am just going to get the Seagate Momentus XT 500G 7200RPM and pop that in myself. I did some reading about SSDs all day, and I think I will wait until there is a better understanding of the tech before I spend that kind of money.

I am still debating whether or not I should get the 17" or the 15" version. I have no need for the express card slot or the extra port. The only reason I would get the 17 is for the extra screen.

The portability is a slight concern. Not the weight, but the extra length (or width, however you look at it...)

Im trying to stay around 3k (Could go up a couple of hundred if I needed too..) and I need the computer, CS5 design premium (349 w/edu discount), and I wanted to pick up an airport extreme, I have the UFO version from 2004... its showing its age. Plus all my new macs are 802.11n. (Wish I could sneak an iPad in there too, but the wife doesn't like that idea...)
 
pscraig said:
For the Pro Apps you list, yes, I suggest a faster hard drive. I don't think Apple does it in store though.

I installed a Seagate Momentus (SSD/7200rpm hybrid) 500GB in my new 15" MBP and it FLIES. I use Aperture and Final Cut Express extensively. Rendering in FCE is greatly improved on the faster drive.

Installing on my 15" was not difficult, so imagine the same on a 17".
Click to expand...

+1

Get the hybrid drive. its the most perfect combination of price/performance/storage space of any drive out there right now. I can attest to its performance, and a quick google search of "Seagate Momentus XT Hybrid" will yield a number of positive reviews.
 
MauriceMoss said:
Yeah....

I am REALLY confused on the RAM issue. Crucial memory is only 100 cheaper, and for that price, I would just rather get it then and there...

Is all RAM created equal? Newegg/OWC/Crucial... If there were a HUGE savings in the price of DIY RAM I would go that route, but I want to keep a comparable quality in the RAM I am putting in... Not bargain basement stuff.

I think I am just going to get the Seagate Momentus XT 500G 7200RPM and pop that in myself. I did some reading about SSDs all day, and I think I will wait until there is a better understanding of the tech before I spend that kind of money.

I am still debating whether or not I should get the 17" or the 15" version. I have no need for the express card slot or the extra port. The only reason I would get the 17 is for the extra screen.

The portability is a slight concern. Not the weight, but the extra length (or width, however you look at it...)

Im trying to stay around 3k (Could go up a couple of hundred if I needed too..) and I need the computer, CS5 design premium (349 w/edu discount), and I wanted to pick up an airport extreme, I have the UFO version from 2004... its showing its age. Plus all my new macs are 802.11n. (Wish I could sneak an iPad in there too, but the wife doesn't like that idea...)
Click to expand...

I'd stick with the 15" hi-res if you are worried about the size. Personally, I just think the 17 is too big. Plus it will save you a little cash too. I think if you are going to be cracking open your 'Book to add the drive, might as well save yourself the hundred bucks and get some of your own RAM. It's a piece of cake install, and most of the RAM you get online is equal to if not better than the apple stuff. Crucial is known to be some of the better stuff out there, as well as OWC.
 
MauriceMoss said:
Yeah....

I am REALLY confused on the RAM issue. Crucial memory is only 100 cheaper, and for that price, I would just rather get it then and there...

Is all RAM created equal? Newegg/OWC/Crucial... If there were a HUGE savings in the price of DIY RAM I would go that route, but I want to keep a comparable quality in the RAM I am putting in... Not bargain basement stuff.

I think I am just going to get the Seagate Momentus XT 500G 7200RPM and pop that in myself. I did some reading about SSDs all day, and I think I will wait until there is a better understanding of the tech before I spend that kind of money.

I am still debating whether or not I should get the 17" or the 15" version. I have no need for the express card slot or the extra port. The only reason I would get the 17 is for the extra screen.

The portability is a slight concern. Not the weight, but the extra length (or width, however you look at it...)

Im trying to stay around 3k (Could go up a couple of hundred if I needed too..) and I need the computer, CS5 design premium (349 w/edu discount), and I wanted to pick up an airport extreme, I have the UFO version from 2004... its showing its age. Plus all my new macs are 802.11n. (Wish I could sneak an iPad in there too, but the wife doesn't like that idea...)
Click to expand...

Most Ram is created equal, although there is some bad ram out there. The cheapest 8 GB ram kit for our machines I think is from G.Skill from www.newegg.com. Many, many Macbook Pro users have reported success and reliability with these particular units. Here it is here:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231294

I'd go with the 15". I have had both, and although I fell in love with the 17" quickly, I soon missed the 15" greatly... so much I started using one again. The 17" was just to bulky to me.
 
I hear ya, Its just that...

I think I would regret it later if I didn't get the larger screen...

I feel like I am trying to talk myself out of the 17 and into the 15.
Im more concerned with the size of the computer from the stand point of trying to find a bag, case, and all that for it...

ARRRGGGHHHH!!!!

I am driving myself crazy over all the choices and options and configurations and accessories!

Part of me wants to get the 17 just to say I have it. Most people opt for the 15, therefore, I feel the need to go against the grain and get something else.

I am going to do the Seagate XT for sure
Considering RAM
I'm just screwed up on the size of the machine now! GREAT!!! Lol.
 
""Most Ram is created equal, although there is some bad ram out there. The cheapest 8 GB ram kit for our machines I think is from G.Skill from www.newegg.com. Many, many Macbook Pro users have reported success and reliability with these particular units. Here it is here: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231294 ""

OK, so that is 180 bucks for all 8Gigs... Why is that so cheap? Why is the crucial RAM 269? ( http://www.crucial.com/store/mpartspecs.aspx?mtbpoid=DFA12F1EA5CA7304 )

There has to be some sort of a difference, right? Or is it just for suckers like me who think that higher price= higher quality?
 
MauriceMoss said:
""Most Ram is created equal, although there is some bad ram out there. The cheapest 8 GB ram kit for our machines I think is from G.Skill from www.newegg.com. Many, many Macbook Pro users have reported success and reliability with these particular units. Here it is here: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231294 ""

OK, so that is 180 bucks for all 8Gigs... Why is that so cheap? Why is the crucial RAM 269? ( http://www.crucial.com/store/mpartspecs.aspx?mtbpoid=DFA12F1EA5CA7304 )

There has to be some sort of a difference, right? Or is it just for suckers like me who think that higher price= higher quality?
Click to expand...

Just for suckers like you.
 
Great guide for changing HDD on a macbook here:

http://www.macinstruct.com/node/130

I would say NEVER buy Apple memory and HDD, as they are just the same as REPUTABLE makes bougth from people like Newegg and Crucual memory
(my Apple drive is made by Hitachi..so why would that be better than a Seagate drive from Dabs ?)

Equally NEVER buy the cheap stuff from Hong Kong - it's fine for cables but not anything sophisticated, even if it's a branded make ..as they are often cheap fake copies.

On drive speeds - you can now get 1,000rpm drives - tho' I've heard they eat batteries so may not be good for laptops on the move.

P
 
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