# Which HDD Is Better?



## kyle2020 (Jun 20, 2008)

Im looking to purchase a 500GB HDD next week, but ive come across a poser. Which of these 2 is better? i noticed me Maxtor had double the cache, but tbh im not sure what the cache does on a HDD and weather more is better 

Samsung:

http://scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=807030

Maxtor:

http://scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=774473

What do you think?


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## pagalms (Jun 20, 2008)

I would go for Samsung F1 or Seagate Barracuda 7200.11


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## kyle2020 (Jun 20, 2008)

hmm, i wonder how much it will cost + delivery, i only want to spend £50 :ahwell:

Do you understand the cache thing pag?


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## pagalms (Jun 20, 2008)

From i know, the bigger cache is, the more space where to save data before writing on disc what means better performance. Correct me if i'm wrong


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## francis511 (Jun 20, 2008)

Bigger cache = slightly better performance. I`d be very interested to hear if anyone can answer this 4 u so bump


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## kyle2020 (Jun 20, 2008)

I hope someone can haha, id like to order soon. Cheers pag!


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## Cybrnook2002 (Jun 20, 2008)

Although there are still many drives using a 2 MB buffer, 8 MB can be considered standard today for mainstream desktop hard drives, and there are more and more drives with 16 MB cache as well. Larger hard drive caches not only make sense because of low DRAM prices, but from a technical standpoint as well. Hard drives utilize algorithms to pre-cache data, or to leave data in the cache memory in case it is requested again. Serial ATA drives also require a certain amount of memory to store incoming commands, because most products are capable of reorganizing these in order to process them as efficiently as possible, requiring little physical head movement. This feature is called Native Command Queuing (NCQ), and it also requires some memory to work, although the memory requirements are minor.


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## kyle2020 (Jun 20, 2008)

does uh that mean higher ammounts of cache mean better performance?


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## Cybrnook2002 (Jun 20, 2008)

kyle2020 said:


> does uh that mean higher ammounts of cache mean better performance?


Yeah


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## kyle2020 (Jun 20, 2008)

haha cheers


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## kyle2020 (Jun 20, 2008)

So now it comes down to brand - do i go Samsung, a brand i know and trust, or try the Maxtor?


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## Cybrnook2002 (Jun 20, 2008)

Id go for samsung out of those two. I personally am never running maxtor again. However, my favorite manufacturer is Seagate. Usually you get great quality drives with 5 year warranty.


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## lemonadesoda (Jun 20, 2008)

Bigger cache (more than 8MB) typically DOES NOT help read or write performance, UNLESS

You chose the dangerous option of caching writes although Windows recommends against this due to lost data in situation of power loss.

If you have 16MB or 32MB cache, read performance will not improve, but write performance will.

Please check threads on TPU... I've commented on this before in detail, plus linked to very thorough benchmark analysis on TomsHardware. Go look for it, it's here somwehere


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## kyle2020 (Jun 20, 2008)

why not? have you had a bad experience?


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## GJSNeptune (Jun 20, 2008)

Say no to Maxtor. The Samsung HDD is a good drive, but if available to you, I would recommend a Seagate 7200.11 drive or the Western Digital 640GB (6400AAKS) drive. Both are excellent and fast.

What do you mean, you came across a _poser_? Like to pose a question? I have a feeling that word means something different than here in the States.


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## kyle2020 (Jun 20, 2008)

GJSNeptune said:


> Say no to Maxtor. The Samsung HDD is a good drive, but if available to you, I would recommend a Seagate 7200.11 drive or the Western Digital 640GB (6400AAKS) drive. Both are excellent and fast.
> 
> What do you mean, you came across a _poser_? Like to pose a question? I have a feeling that word means something different than here in the States.



ill have a surf around, alot of people are recommending a seagate drive. Im guessing a barracuda?

A poser is basically a question that you dont know the answer to, or it puzzles you haha. Its just an expression i guess


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## Nitro-Max (Jun 20, 2008)

Kyle take a look at this one its the only one ive seen that scores a 5.9 in windows vista im getting one myself due to great reviews and preformance.

Western Digital Caviar SE16 500GB SATA-II 16MB Cache - OEM (WD5000AAKS)


ebuyer has them.. and overclockers uk


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## GJSNeptune (Jun 20, 2008)

I'm partial to Western Digital, but people rave about Seagate, so I recommend them. The WD 640 AAKS drive has two platters. It's very fast and quiet. I would recommend it over the 500GB AAKS if you can spend a little more. A lot of retailers are selling them for $99 shipped. So probably €50 for you Euro jerks. 

In the States, a poser is someone trying to be what they're not. For example, someone who wants to be a "skater" so they dress like one but don't even skate. It isn't used much anymore. It peaked in the late 90s.


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## Psychoholic (Jun 20, 2008)

Check out the WD 640GB 7200 drive if you can..  its a BEAST.  320GB Platters, 95MB/S in HDtach.


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## kyle2020 (Jun 20, 2008)

Im looking through WD on ebuyer now, just looking at the 320GB one, and wondering if i really do need 500GB - Id be doing 3 partitions, a 30GB one for windows, and then 2 100GB partitions for programs and then storage. I really dont need 500GB, but if the price is a fiver more compared to a 320GB or whatever, ill get one. 

Looking for the one nitro recommended now, and psycho's suggestion. I really only want to spend about £40 - £50 mind. Ill keep you all updated.


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## Nitro-Max (Jun 20, 2008)

yes there are better WD models like The WD 640 AAKS  but for the price the WD5000AAKS is a very good fast drive compared to the others shown in its price range.


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## GJSNeptune (Jun 20, 2008)

Well, you can't go wrong with an AAKS drive. The 640GB two-platter version is best of them though.


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## kyle2020 (Jun 20, 2008)

Ok so i cant afford the 640GB one i am being recommended, but this interests me:

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/124735

and

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/115418

Any thoughts?


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## Cybrnook2002 (Jun 20, 2008)

Seagate , 5 year warranty


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## kyle2020 (Jun 20, 2008)

Cybrnook2002 said:


> Seagate , 5 year warranty



good point - i get paid on sunday so unless any deals crop up before hand, i think it might be the seagate that i order. Thanks!


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## kyle2020 (Jun 20, 2008)

the thing im considering though is the fact that the WD or the seagate 320GB drives are a fiver less than the 500GB F1, and that extra £5 granst me 180GB more storage for the future.


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## FatForester (Jun 20, 2008)

Go for the 500GB Samsung F1. I bought the 750GB model and it's the best hard drive I've ever used. The 16mb cache won't hurt you as much as you think, so don't shy away from a good deal because of it.


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## AsRock (Jun 20, 2008)

I like WD's better than both of those.  But F1 for sure out of your options.


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## kyle2020 (Jun 20, 2008)

FatForester said:


> Go for the 500GB Samsung F1. I bought the 750GB model and it's the best hard drive I've ever used. The 16mb cache won't hurt you as much as you think, so don't shy away from a good deal because of it.



thats what im thinking - good price, apparently brilliant drives, and i like samsung.


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## Nitro-Max (Jun 20, 2008)

well the one i recomended has a 5.9 in vista not many drives like it has that score so it must be fast. the WD im using atm only get 5.6 its the only thing letting my system down the rest of my hardware scores 5.9 thats why im grabbing it plus you can never have enough storage as far as im conserned as a gamer with patches coming out etc.

30gb would never be enough for me as a windows partition.

with 500gb i can go dual boot put xp and vista on there and get the best of both worlds.

can anyone offer there vista score on the drives they have recomended i think that would help things along better.


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## kyle2020 (Jun 20, 2008)

Nitro-Max said:


> well the one i recomended has a 5.9 in vista not many drives like it has that score so it must be fast. the WD im using atm only get 5.6 its the only thing letting my system down the rest of my hardware scores 5.9 thats why im grabbing it plus you can never have enough storage as far as im conserned as a gamer with patches coming out etc.
> 
> 30gb would never be enough for me as a windows partition.
> 
> ...



true - mine scores a lowly 5.3 at the moment. Wouldnt 30GB be big enough as a partition for the OS alone?


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## Nitro-Max (Jun 20, 2008)

depends on what you run really games apps etc do you download alot? 

i play alot of games and i download and i have programs for web design etc so even 80gb wouldnt be enough for me id soon fill it up.


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## mrhuggles (Jun 20, 2008)

why does the samsung 7200.10 rev 3.AAC outperform all the 7200.11's by so much?


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## GJSNeptune (Jun 20, 2008)

Those model numbers belong to Seagate.


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## mrhuggles (Jun 20, 2008)

arrg i meant seagate sorry


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## kyle2020 (Jun 20, 2008)

Well nitro i game, i download alot and i photo edit alot (photoshop CS3 Extended) so i know how space can get a little tight. This 160GB HDD soon fills up, and if im going for it doing CSS map design / weapon skinning it soon cant cut it. Plus i have noticed its not the fastest drive in the world. But give it its due, i ripped it out a media center pc about 2 years ago.


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## Anusha (Jun 21, 2008)

Samsung F1 ftw!


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## p_o_s_pc (Jun 21, 2008)

Samsung is the better out of the 2


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## FatForester (Jun 21, 2008)

Nitro-Max said:


> depends on what you run really games apps etc do you download alot?
> 
> i play alot of games and i download and i have programs for web design etc so even 80gb wouldnt be enough for me id soon fill it up.



I hope you don't have just one single partition. I couldn't imagine the headache on  having to reformat if everything is on the same part. 

I've found 20gb to be a safe minimum for Vista, with SP1 and all of the updates I have ~4gb left. If you install your apps and whatnot to another partition and access them there, 30gb is almost overkill for just the OS. That's just me though.


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## kyle2020 (Jun 21, 2008)

FatForester said:


> I hope you don't have just one single partition. I couldn't imagine the headache on  having to reformat if everything is on the same part.
> 
> I've found 20gb to be a safe minimum for Vista, with SP1 and all of the updates I have ~4gb left. If you install your apps and whatnot to another partition and access them there, 30gb is almost overkill for just the OS. That's just me though.



*shifty eyes* yes im running one partition . . . but i have burnt hirens boot cd to a disc for when the new drive arrives 

so 20GB is enough? and i can have more than 2 partitions am i correct?


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## MilkyWay (Jun 21, 2008)

Samsung SpinPoint HD501LJ 500GB is the drive i might buy see my thread if you like

http://forums.techpowerup.com showthread.php?p=848891#post848891

either way i thought the F1 was way more than £50?

Maxtor Diamondmax 22 500GB 32mb cacheis a nice drivee just a re branded seagate

32mb cache i was told on the forums is pointless random access times increase a little but its more of a gimmick than much use at the moment


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## Anusha (Jun 21, 2008)

Bought an F1  (HD250HJ) today. A small drive for the System and Games and I'm quite happy with it.


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## kyle2020 (Jun 21, 2008)

MilkyWay said:


> Samsung SpinPoint HD501LJ 500GB is the drive i might buy see my thread if you like
> 
> http://forums.techpowerup.com showthread.php?p=848891#post848891
> 
> ...



i can get an F1 (500GB) for £42 inc. VAT. About £50 once done with next day delivery.


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## MilkyWay (Jun 21, 2008)

where thats a bloody good deal man
when i looked for hard drives they where really pricey


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## kyle2020 (Jun 21, 2008)

MilkyWay said:


> where thats a bloody good deal man
> when i looked for hard drives they where really pricey



ebuyer  http://www.ebuyer.com/product/130454


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## MilkyWay (Jun 21, 2008)

i tried ebay but it only had F1 drives at 16mb cache and costing over £50 some even £60 up for a 500gb drive


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## Anusha (Jun 21, 2008)

kyle2020 said:


> i can get an F1 (500GB) for £42 inc. VAT. About £50 once done with next day delivery.


Come on man it is a not an F1. It is the old T166 family.


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