How do I know what HD is compatible with my Macbook?

[erikpmort]

I want to buy an internal HD for my macbook. yeah that 55gig one that actually comes with 45 out of the box- sheah lasted 3 months anyway, i've been searching online but how do i know what types are compatible with my 13" macbook? I'd like something at least 100 gigs and priced right. any suggestions? i've been looking places like newegg.com please let me know of any other sites. thanks!

Erik

 

[WildCowboy]

2.5" notebook drive with SATA connector...not ATA or IDE or PATA.

NewEgg has a good selection and terrific prices. My preferred brands are Seagate (5-year warranty...best in the business) and Hitachi.

 

[erikpmort]

thanks for the info

 

[erikpmort]

so is this the right one?

* Notebook compatibility: SATA interface only
* Seagate Momentus 5400.2 ST9120821AS 120GB 5400 RPM Serial ATA150 Notebook Hard Drive - OEM


so above it it says sata only but then below it says ata 150? is this right or what? and in the filter search it has
ATA-6(7)
# IDE Ultra ATA100(2)
# Serial ATA150(5)

no sata interface filter

 

[WildCowboy]

Yes, that's a good one. SATA stands for "Serial ATA," so what you're seeing is a SATA drive with a maximum transfer speed of 150 MB/sec, which is the standard for SATA drives. (A faster standard, mistakenly marketed as SATA II, will have a max transfer speed of 300 MB/sec, but that's not an option just yet.)

In that filter search you see, ATA-6 and Ultra ATA100 are actually the exact same thing. You are interested in the "Serial ATA150" drives.

One thing to be careful of is that this drive is marked as an "OEM" version. These drives often come wrapped only in a plastic bag and lack the cables needed to attach the drive. But you should have everything you need already in your computer to just swap your current drive out and connect your new one using your existing cables. (Maybe someone who has actually done this swap can confirm that for me.)

 

[erikpmort]

ok

good clarification- i didn't think there were cables it just appears to plug in..

 

[Copland]

I don't know first hand, but I don't think that you need any cables to connect and HD to a MacBook. In the battery compartment, I think that on the side it just pops in and out with cables.

 

[T-Stex]

I don't know first hand, but I don't think that you need any cables to connect and HD to a MacBook. In the battery compartment, I think that on the side it just pops in and out with cables.

That's correct. On the MacBook, you need to remove the battery, then an "L" shaped metal piece covering the RAM and HD slots, and just pull out the hard drive. The new one will just slide in, almost like a memory card for a camera.

 

[erikpmort]

will i see a noticeable performance differance if i get the 7200 rpm over the 5400? how much more battery drain will i see just surfing the net? performance is more important to me than battery life. I use my computer for gaming the most.

 

[Veritas&Equitas]

will i see a noticeable performance differance if i get the 7200 rpm over the 5400? how much more battery drain will i see just surfing the net? performance is more important to me than battery life. I use my computer for gaming the most.

No, there really isn't much real world difference between the 7200 and the 5400 in my experience. It really depends on the size of the drive and how full it is. I mean I have a 160 gb 5400 rpm and I game on my MBP playing BF2 and other fps and it's totally fine.