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Seagate Momentus 500GB vs. WD Scorpio 500GB

waywardsage

waywardsage

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Dec 22, 2006
282
0
CA
So my finger is hovered over the buy now button on Newegg for the Seagate Momentus 500GB 7200RPM hard drive. I've read the reviews and criticisms but it seems like they might have fixed the problems with it over the last few months, (lets hope!).

But, i see the Western Digital Scorpio 5400 RPM 500GB drive for sale for $99. I hear that its similar in performance.

I need it for video editing to install in my 17" penryn MBP. Would i really otice a perceivable difference if i had the Western Digtal 5400RPM over the Seagate 7200RPM drive?

As a possibly related piece of information; I called my local mac resaler who said that they don't even carry Seagate hard drives anymore! I asked why and the clerk didn't know. Is Segate going down the tubes? Are they a bad manufacturer?

Any suggestions?
 
I put in the WD5000BEVT (WD 500 gig) a month ago and am very happy with it. Maybe a little less battery life than my stock 200 gig but nothing really notable. From the reviews I read beforehand they say the speed difference between those 2 are almost negligable. I algo got mine from amazon for $96 and HP was just selling these for $50.
 
I would actually tell you to consider Samsung drives. Their 500GB notebook drive is $99, just like the WD you seem to like.

Link:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152168

I just got the 320GB version for my brother's MacBook, and that thing not only flies, it's so quiet that I can't hear it even with my ear against the case. And Samsung drives are known for being very cool, which is a plus if you're doing temperature-intensive stuff like video. :)
 
I really cant speak for the Seagate, but I do have the WD. It is whisper quiet, way faster than the stock, and I have not noticed any decrease in battery life.
 
I too have the WD5000BEVT in my MacBook. The speed is good, the size is great, no change in battery life, and louder than the stock drive. It is not loud, but in a quiet room, it sounds about the same as the fan going at 4K (maybe 6K) rpm. Covering the right palmrest with my palm helps muffle it, but I do wish it was as quiet as the stock drive.
 
moiety said:
I would actually tell you to consider Samsung drives. Their 500GB notebook drive is $99, just like the WD you seem to like.

Link:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152168

I just got the 320GB version for my brother's MacBook, and that thing not only flies, it's so quiet that I can't hear it even with my ear against the case. And Samsung drives are known for being very cool, which is a plus if you're doing temperature-intensive stuff like video. :)
Click to expand...


For me, how much sound the hard drive makes inside the case isn't a concern. I mean, I can't even hear my 72K 250GB hard drive.

I think i'll prob still go with the 500GB 72K seagate. Unless anyone can convince me otherwise.
 
I'm in two minds myself with the same two drives, but I 'm thinking the seagate drive would be better cause its 7200 rpm. I've heard mixed reviews myself but still thing the seagate one is worth trying. I can't get one here in the UK they are completely out of stock for 3 months. I think I 'll end up buying on ebay from the US.
 
Once you get down to 2.5" drives, spindle speed isn't everything. Other factors like how many platters the drive has can affect speed more. It's not surprising to see 5400 replacement drives that outperform 7200 stock drives.

If you're going with the Seagate only because it's 7200, at least do some research on benchmarks comparing its speed to the other drives you were considering.
 
ebika said:
I too have the WD5000BEVT in my MacBook. The speed is good, the size is great, no change in battery life, and louder than the stock drive. It is not loud, but in a quiet room, it sounds about the same as the fan going at 4K (maybe 6K) rpm. Covering the right palmrest with my palm helps muffle it, but I do wish it was as quiet as the stock drive.
Click to expand...

Im really getting the feeling WD drives are very hit or miss on how loud they are. I had the Scorpio Black 320 before I got this on and returned it because it was too loud. I have heard many people say that they have no extra noise or vibration with the Black. Now you are saying that your drive is as loud as your fans at 4k. I can say that mine is nowhere near that loud, it really is silent basically. I guess if you get a WD drive that isn't quiet enough for you that you should just RMA it and try another!
 
Wait A Couple Of Days Before Buying From Newegg

Newegg changes their prices pretty regularly. This site:

www.discompare.com

tracks them for you. I would recommend you check out the seagate momentus 500gb 5400rpm drive. it's 99 today but a couple of days ago it was $89. I am waiting for the price to drop to $79 before I pull the trigger and get it for my MBP. you can use the site to check all your potential hard drives, btw....
 
I went with the seagate 500 and so far (fingers crossed while knocking on wood), its a solid drive. I've never been a fan of WD so I'd not even consider them. - just my $.02
 
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