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Upgrading my MacBook hard drive.

E

EAH22

macrumors member
Original poster
Jul 12, 2006
74
0
My searches have been leading me all over the place but basically I have a couple questions.

Question 1- What is the largest compatible hard drive they make? (MacBook)

Question 2- What is the largest hard drive that is compatible that runs at 7200rpm? (MacBook)


From what I have heard its 120gb 5200rpm and 100gb 7200rpm.

I have heard good things about newegg so I will probably buy from them, any recommendations will be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
 
I believe I read somewhere that Seagate's working on 160GB SATA notebook drives, and should have them out by fall sometime. They'll probably be unrealistically expensive, but perhaps this will at least cause the prices of the 100's and 120's to drop a little bit. Also, NewEgg is a great place to buy computer parts. They're not *always* the cheapest, but they generally have good prices, and fast service too. Just be sure to buy a SATA Notebook hard drive for your MacBook; IDE/ATA drives will not work.
 
FullmetalZ26 said:
I believe I read somewhere that Seagate's working on 160GB SATA notebook drives, and should have them out by fall sometime. They'll probably be unrealistically expensive, but perhaps this will at least cause the prices of the 100's and 120's to drop a little bit. Also, NewEgg is a great place to buy computer parts. They're not *always* the cheapest, but they generally have good prices, and fast service too. Just be sure to buy a SATA Notebook hard drive for your MacBook; IDE/ATA drives will not work.
Click to expand...

Does it have to be an SATA 2.5?


:)
 
FullmetalZ26 said:
I believe I read somewhere that Seagate's working on 160GB SATA notebook drives, and should have them out by fall sometime. They'll probably be unrealistically expensive, but perhaps this will at least cause the prices of the 100's and 120's to drop a little bit. Also, NewEgg is a great place to buy computer parts. They're not *always* the cheapest, but they generally have good prices, and fast service too. Just be sure to buy a SATA Notebook hard drive for your MacBook; IDE/ATA drives will not work.
Click to expand...

160 GB SATA's are here.

This fall, we should see 200 GB.

Also, while they are 5400 RPM, the perpendicular recording is allegedly faster.
 
ncook06 said:
160 GB SATA's are here.

This fall, we should see 200 GB.

Also, while they are 5400 RPM, the perpendicular recording is allegedly faster.
Click to expand...

Wow they are good pretty good value. I have the 100GB 7200RPM HD in my MacBook this may be a future upgrade! Thanks for the post. Maybe in August they will go down a bit in price and I will upgrade!
 
ncook06 said:
160 GB SATA's are here.

This fall, we should see 200 GB.

Also, while they are 5400 RPM, the perpendicular recording is allegedly faster.
Click to expand...
Because of higher data density, the 120-160GB 5400 RPM drives are nearly as fast as the lower capacity 7200RPM drives.
 
That Toshiba looks quite interesting. However, it says maximum operating temperature = 55ºc. Isn't the MB/MBP hotter than this?
 
Killyp said:
That Toshiba looks quite interesting. However, it says maximum operating temperature = 55ºc. Isn't the MB/MBP hotter than this?
Click to expand...
I believe the operating temp is higher than that at the processor. The hard drive is far enough away in the case to stay below that 55ºC mark.
 
Guys, I'm kind of a newb when it comes to HDDs and the such. Would someonw be so kind as to piece together what I would need to get my current 60GB MB HDD into a firewall external. As I think i may just order that 100GB Hitatchi Drive for $109.
 
mattcube64 said:
Guys, I'm kind of a newb when it comes to HDDs and the such. Would someonw be so kind as to piece together what I would need to get my current 60GB MB HDD into a firewall external. As I think i may just order that 100GB Hitatchi Drive for $109.
Click to expand...

Say what? I think you meant a firewire external. Unfortunately there is only one 2.5" SATA enclosure being sold on newegg, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817362001, and its USB 2.0 only no firewire. Good luck finding a case!

I found one for ya, http://www.satagear.com/SATA-PRO-24AXC_SATA_2.5_inch_Enclosure.html, but I would look elsewhere as the cost of the enclosure is more than the value of the drive!!! You would be better off selling the drive and just buying a regular external drive, or OEM drive and case.
 
FullmetalZ26 said:
Those are both IDE/Parallel ATA hard drives, and won't work in the MacBook, just for the record. Googling found a Hitachi-brand 160GB SATA drive, but it was $280. [link]

Serial ATA Notebook hard drives above 80GB on Newegg
Click to expand...

I am so confused, the Hard Drive you linked was a Hitachi model 5k160 which is perpendicular and is the exact same model as the one linked originally? http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.asp?N=2010150380+1309721217&Submit=ENE&SubCategory=380

I am sincerely confused so please do not take my statements any other way, I would really like to buy one of the Hard Drives for my macbook but i dont want to buy it just to send it back.

EDIT I see now, oops perpendicular not Parallel. Hmm I think I might wait to upgrade.
 
EAH22 said:
I am so confused, the Hard Drive you linked was a Hitachi model 5k160 which is perpendicular and is the exact same model as the one linked originally? http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.asp?N=2010150380+1309721217&Submit=ENE&SubCategory=380

I am sincerely confused so please do not take my statements any other way, I would really like to buy one of the Hard Drives for my macbook but i dont want to buy it just to send it back.
Click to expand...

Thats the IDE one. The exact model number for the 160GB Hitachi 5k160 SATA drive is HTS541616J9SA00, http://www.hitachigst.com/hdd/support/5k160/5k160.htm. Good luck finding one for a reasonable price. Not only are they expensive but very very few places carry it.
 
To answer your questions:

First, you can only upgrade with a SATA drive, most of the links provided above are for the ATA-6 (IDE) version not sATA drives. MacSales.com is the only site that is shipping the 160GB SATA drive so far.

1 - The largest 7200 RPM SATA 2.5" drives are 100GB (this is what I have in my MacBook Pro currently)

2 - The largest drive available that is SATA is the Hitachi 5K160 (160GB 5400RPM) which should be hitting most e-tailers anytime now. You have been able to get the drive from macsales.com for a few weeks now but it is way over priced at $279. I was tired of waiting for newegg and others to get the SATA drive so I ordered one and it gets here today.
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Hitachi/0A28844/

Seagate should have its 5400.3 160GB SATA drive out soon also, I have always favored Seagate because they make the best drives out there but after reading what Hitachi did with their perpendicular recording I am now happy to get the Hitachi b/c it appears to be a better drive. Seagate was first but Hitachi refined their perp. recording process and they have actually beat Seagate shipping the SATA version first.

I noticed a few days ago that ZipZoomFly.com has the drive listed on their site now for $179 but is out of stock. I am guessing that they will have it within a week along with Newegg.com and other large e-tailers. I am a little tempted to refuse the shipment from MacSales.com today because the drive is marked up so high ($100 over ZZF's price).
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=100815

Also as noted above, yes, b/c of perpendicular recording we will see 200GB drives later this fall but I think they will only be 4200RPM at first.

You can check out more detailed discussion on the 160GB drives here:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/202117/
 
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