Need help deciding on a new Hard Drive

[Link2999]

As of right now, I'm still using my stock 500GB 7200RPM Hard Drive that came with my Macbook Pro (Mid 2010). I'm running out of room, so I wanted to double that to 1TB.

There are two choices that have me interested so far, but I'm unsure on which to choose (Although I do know that I'll only get SATAII speeds from each). I'm hoping I can get some answers here.




The first one is the HGST Travelstar 7k1000. The specs shown on Amazon are a bit off (It's a SATAIII, but backwards compatible) and has a 1TB with 7200RPM speeds. All of the reviews I've read on it are stellar and the price seems reasonable enough.

http://www.amazon.com/HGST-Travelstar-2-5-Inch-7200RPM-Internal/dp/B0097LG9U8/



The second is a Seagate and is considered a "Hybrid" drive. Not quite a SSD, but close enough. It is also a 1TB drive, but only uses 5400RPM speeds. I'm unsure about the actual speed difference between the Seagate and HGST, but they seem to be advertising it as having 5x the speeds of a regular 5400RPM HDD and 4x the speed of a 7200RPM. Although the Amazon reviews seem good, I did noticed that 4/5 reviews on Newegg only gave it a 3/5 for modest performance and noise.


http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Solid-Hybrid-2-5-Inch-ST1000LM014/dp/B00B99JUBQ/

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822178340

 

[MrMacMack]

I'd go with the first one for $79.

 

[cube]

Nobody can advise you if you don't tell how you will be using the computer.

 

[davemc67]

I've got a mid 2010 MBP too and I've just ordered the 750gb Momentus XT hybrid drive as I couldn't justify £280 for the 512 Gb SSD.

I also doubled the memory from 4Gb to 8Gb with some of the money I saved.

I've read the reviews some say the drive is noisy others says its just as quiet as the stock drive.

Only time will tell

 

[BlackbookGuy]

Let me offer a third choice... even if you didn't ask for one!

I was in that same dilemma last week while considering a SSHD vs. large HDD, but I decided to get an SSD and move my iTunes and iPhoto libraries to a separate disk. For now it is external, but I can move it inside the laptop with a data doubler if I wish.

If you were looking at a $80-100 HDD, I got a 250gb SSD for only about $80 more ($Canadian).

No doubt you have thought of this, but then again, I hadn't, so just thought I would give you the same advice I got.


BTW, I haven't missed iPhoto yet, but kind of miss iTunes. Have used youtube for music though, so ... Trade offs.

Living with only 250gb internal storage never seemed so possible