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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Notebooks > Considering upgrading the internal HD to 120G or 160G, any suggestion?

Considering upgrading the internal HD to 120G or 160G, any suggestion?
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sjkim
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Apr 5, 2007, 10:34 PM
 
Hello,

I am considering upgrading my MacBook's internal HD (80G) to 120G or 160G.
Any suggestions? I know that there are a few options I can choose from, for example, Seagate, WD, Toshiba, etc.
I want to know what others are thinking about.

I am mostly concerned about its noise issues and power consumption...
Any thoughts?

Thank you.
J.
( Last edited by sjkim; Apr 5, 2007 at 10:50 PM. )
     
brokenjago
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Apr 5, 2007, 10:57 PM
 
Seagate drives are known to be quiet and come with a 5 year warranty...
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sjkim  (op)
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Apr 5, 2007, 11:21 PM
 
Thanks for the reply, brokenjago.

I have also been thinking about seagate drives. I hear they are reliable.
I was wondering, is there any reason why seagate drives are generally more expensive than others?
Is their performance noticeably different from that of others, say, WD, Toshiba, or Hitachi?

J.
     
brokenjago
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Apr 5, 2007, 11:28 PM
 
I haven't noticed Seagate drives being particularly more expensive than their competitors' offerings, but if they are, I'd chalk it up to the 5 year warranty and general excellent quality.
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sjkim  (op)
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Apr 5, 2007, 11:42 PM
 
I just did some research on the seagate Momentus 160G. MacMall sells for $135. I think this is a good deal.
I may go for this option.

Thanks for your suggestion, brokenjago.

J.
     
brokenjago
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Apr 6, 2007, 12:15 AM
 
no problemo!

Just make sure it's 5400 or 7200 RPM. 4200 RPM drives are god-awful slow!
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bradbissell
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Apr 6, 2007, 07:04 AM
 
Also, make sure you are purchasing the SATA version of the drive.
Macbook C2D 2.0 Ghz w/ 2GB Ram, 5G 30GB iPod
     
sjkim  (op)
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Apr 10, 2007, 03:22 AM
 
Thanks for all of your advice.
My seagate 160G SATA (5400rpm) is coming. I will report its performince soon.

J.
     
brokenjago
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Apr 10, 2007, 04:17 AM
 
Coolio.
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bradbissell
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Apr 10, 2007, 09:53 AM
 
That is the same drive I have in my MacBook. It had been running quiet and cool for the past 5 months. Perpendicular recording definitely speeds up the drive compared to the stock Toshiba 5400rpm drive that was in the MacBook.
Macbook C2D 2.0 Ghz w/ 2GB Ram, 5G 30GB iPod
     
sjkim  (op)
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Apr 16, 2007, 06:58 AM
 
I have been running this new seagate 160G drive for a week or so.
It works very well so far; it is fast—though not really noticeable from the stock hard drive I had.

So far so good.

I think it was a good purchase.
     
eddiejclayton
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Apr 16, 2007, 04:23 PM
 
sjkim,

I also recently upgraded to the 160GB Seagate. It seems like my battery life is a little bit longer now, did you notice any increase in battery life?
     
guig87
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Apr 26, 2007, 06:48 AM
 
Originally Posted by sjkim View Post
I have been running this new seagate 160G drive for a week or so.
It works very well so far; it is fast—though not really noticeable from the stock hard drive I had.

So far so good.

I think it was a good purchase.
What was the model number of the drive you eventually purchased?
     
SLiMeX
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Apr 26, 2007, 08:50 AM
 
IMO, I'd wait until Seagate drops the 200GB. They're due out for the higher-capacity drives soon.
BlacBook | 2.0ghz core duo | 2x320gb | 2gb ram | mba superdrive
     
rafg
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Apr 26, 2007, 09:16 AM
 
Wow am I the only person that went WD scorpio?
     
wai-men
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Apr 28, 2007, 05:12 PM
 
@rafg

nope... WD Scorpio 160GB user here, i got it through the post yesterday. I live in UK and bought it on ebay from America, so with the pound being stronger with currency conversions and all, it seemed to be pretty cheap (£78.06).

I think it's a tad bit louder and hotter than the original toshiba drive. But im not at all dissapointed.
Macbook 1.83Ghz C2D, 2GB Ram, WD Scorpio 160GB HD, Combo Drive
     
tavin64
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Apr 28, 2007, 05:17 PM
 
Originally Posted by brokenjago View Post
no problemo!

Just make sure it's 5400 or 7200 RPM. 4200 RPM drives are god-awful slow!
That is not true for all 4200 rpm drives. Perpendicular recording drives are known to be just as fast as 5400rpm drives and use less power. One of the main things that affect speed in hard drives is size of platter. A 160gb hard drive that only has one platter will always be faster than a drive with 2 80gb platters. Hitachi has a 160gb 5200rpm hard with one platter that gives 7200rpm drives a run for their money.
     
   
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