OEM Apple laptop drives Fujistu vs Hitachi = 2mb cache vs 8mb cache

[California]

Well as you might know about me on MR, i love my new ibooks and old Tibooks.

(Also love old imac g3s, but currently don't have any at my own house.)

I have had a bad relationship with Fujistu OEM apple laptop harddrives. The original one on my first TIbook failed and was then replaced in Spring of last year, only used for 4 months and replaced and now I take it out to use it and it fails.

So I have been really weirded out as to whether or not I get an Hitachi or Fujistu OEM drive in my new iBooks. Also Apple just replaced the hd in my 1ghz Titanium pb -- and it is the same crappy OEM Fujistu 4200 RPM 60 gig drive that is my current 1.33ghz ibook.

AND BOTH Fujistus only have a 2mb cache.

While the OEM Hitachi 60gig 4200 rpm drives have an 8mb cache.

I had an Hitachi in my 1.2ghz ibook (that I swapped when the topcase was being replaced with an Hitachi 5400rpm 60gig). I am completely bummed. These Fujistu drives are not only crap, but it seems entirely random if you will get one of them or an Hitachi and get the larger cache size.

How picky am I? Wish there was some way to know when we are buying the machines which drive is in them...

Just thought that was fascinating information that I had to share with other MR members.

 

[livingfortoday]

I had a Fujitsu drive back in the day in my.... Fujitsu Lifebook. And it crapped out in under a year. I sympathize with you, man. Best strategy - buy a HD you can trust, and sell the old one as a genuine Powerbook drive on eBay. Should make up for the cost...

 

[texlaw04]

While the OEM Hitachi 60gig 4200 rpm drives have an 8mb cache.

I had an Hitachi in my 1.2ghz ibook (that I swapped when the topcase was being replaced with an Hitachi 5400rpm 60gig). I am completely bummed. These Fujistu drives are not only crap, but it seems entirely random if you will get one of them or an Hitachi and get the larger cache size.

How picky am I? Wish there was some way to know when we are buying the machines which drive is in them...

I put the E7K60 7200rpm Hitachi Travelstar with 8mb cache in my old Toshiba laptop. Now they give you a 100gb option. The E7K60 is designed for always-on operation in servers, so it should stand up to anything you though at it, although some of the native mobile power management features are disabled with the E. If I were you, I would just pick up the non-blade-server version, the 7K100, and be done with it. Oh, but the Seagate Momentus is supposed to be faster...decisions, decisions.

 

[California]

I put the E7K60 7200rpm Hitachi Travelstar with 8mb cache in my old Toshiba laptop. Now they give you a 100gb option. The E7K60 is designed for always-on operation in servers, so it should stand up to anything you though at it, although some of the native mobile power management features are disabled with the E. If I were you, I would just pick up the non-blade-server version, the 7K100, and be done with it. Oh, but the Seagate Momentus is supposed to be faster...decisions, decisions.

Yikes, I heard that the e7k60 hitachi ran hot and ate up more battery life than the regular 7k60. think I read this on xcler8rmac (accellerate your mac) website.

Anyway, the problem is that when your pb or ibook is under warranty, you are not "supposed" to switch hard drives. so it bugs me that even now, my newest ibook has a crappy 2mb cache. This is ancient technology! Once Hitachi follows Toshiba and makes 16mb cache hds, I will be very very very happy, btw.

 

[caveman_uk]

I would never buy Fujitsu hard drives. In my experience they're a piece of unreliable junk. WD and Maxtors have their flakey moments too. At work here we have a pile of dead harddrives. Fujitsu's FAR outnumber any of the other brands in the pile.

I'd buy a drive made by Seagate or Toshiba. Maybe Hitachi at a push.

Dell use a lot of Fujitsu's....figures.

 

[longwood]

Yikes, I heard that the e7k60 hitachi ran hot and ate up more battery life than the regular 7k60. think I read this on xcler8rmac (accellerate your mac) website.

Anyway, the problem is that when your pb or ibook is under warranty, you are not "supposed" to switch hard drives. so it bugs me that even now, my newest ibook has a crappy 2mb cache. This is ancient technology! Once Hitachi follows Toshiba and makes 16mb cache hds, I will be very very very happy, btw.

you can switch hard drives, as long as it is done by a licensed apple technician.

 

[livingfortoday]

Yikes, I heard that the e7k60 hitachi ran hot and ate up more battery life than the regular 7k60. think I read this on xcler8rmac (accellerate your mac) website.

I have an e7k60 in my PowerBook, and I'm very happy with it. It feels cooler to the touch than my old OEM Powerbook drive (also a Hitachi, I believe), but I can't give you exact numbers because it doesn't have built-in sensors. The old one would run between 45 - 48 degrees when under high stress, this one doesn't feel that hot, honestly. I also get really good battery life still, but I think that's also partially due to the NuPower battery I have now. Either way, i think the hard drive's great, quiet, and fast. I recommend it.