four 500GB 3.5''HDDs to choose from

charonme · Post by **charonme** » Sun Sep 09, 2007 9:42 am

Hi, I use a 200GB 2.5'' HDD as my system disk, but I would like to have some more space, so I'm considering another 500GB 3.5'' HDD. I have these options, but I don't know which one would be the quietest and possibly produce the least heat (I plan to enclose it in a nexus drive-a-way):

1.) maxtor/seagate ST3500630AS
2.) ibm/hitachi (I don't know if it's E7K500 or T7K500 yet)
3.) samsung HD501LJ
4.) western digital WD5000AAKS

ZMAJ · Post by **ZMAJ** » Sun Sep 09, 2007 9:48 am

reviews said

1.Samsung 500gb
2.WD 500gb

thejamppa · Post by **thejamppa** » Sun Sep 09, 2007 11:04 am

Seagates are noisy these days... Forget them...

qviri · Post by **qviri** » Sun Sep 09, 2007 11:59 am

Coin toss between Samsung and WD, really.

ZMAJ · Post by **ZMAJ** » Sun Sep 09, 2007 1:28 pm

I can tell you this from my experience...

WD AAKS is much quiter then samsung P120 but I think AAKS and samsung T133/T166 are almost same loudness (which you can also hear on sound recordings in reviews... almost the same)

puddnhead · Post by **puddnhead** » Sun Sep 09, 2007 1:49 pm

I've only had my 501J running a little while & it'sl running with the stock cpu cooler in the box until I get my Minja in, so I can't make any final judgments, too hard to pick out above the din

Also never got the WD AAKS, though I came very close (based upon reading it was a tossup between it and samsung). But I'm on my third gen now of samsung (120, 250gb, now 501LJ), don't know what more I can say. Guess I didn't see the point of getting away from what worked for me twice before.

Derek Baker · Post by **Derek Baker** » Sun Sep 09, 2007 5:03 pm

I've just ordered a pair of 500 gig Samsungs to replace my current pair of 200 gig drives from the same company.

Also considered the WDs, but the review here gave the Samsungs a small advantage in noise and a good advantage in idle power consumption. The higher vibration of the Samsungs isn't an issue for me as I suspend my drives.

aztec · Post by **aztec** » Sun Sep 09, 2007 7:08 pm

Derek Baker wrote:I've just ordered a pair of 500 gig Samsungs to replace my current pair of 200 gig drives from the same company.

Also considered the WDs, but the review here gave the Samsungs a small advantage in noise and a good advantage in idle power consumption. The higher vibration of the Samsungs isn't an issue for me as I suspend my drives.

++

I did notice that for some reason, my Samsung vibrated a bit more than my Seagate .10 - all that was solved once I put the drive inside a Scythe enclosore though.

Das_Saunamies · Post by **Das_Saunamies** » Sun Sep 09, 2007 11:11 pm

Judging by how much Samsungs get softmounted, and by what was said in the SPCR review, I'd say it's Samsung if seek noise is your worry and WD if vibration is your worry, although I haven't been bothered by the WD seeks at all(it's under my desk, an arm's length to my left and I can't hear the seeks). Also, if you feel like being brand-loyal, go ahead, the two are the best you can choose from right now.

I've got a WD 320 AAKS and it's a brilliant, snappy little drive that isn't noticeable even when mounted in a Sonata tray. It's certainly leagues better than the .9 Barracuda it replaced. It's cooler as well, currently in the hi-30s sandwiched between my two other drives.

nutball · Post by **nutball** » Sun Sep 09, 2007 11:40 pm

They're pretty much equal, so long as you enable AAM on the WD. Without it it's a fair bit louder than the Samsungs. My drives are suspended though so I can't speak for vibrations.

Firetech · Post by **Firetech** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 12:47 am

charonme wrote:possibly produce the least heat

Definitely NOT the Seagate then....
1st Samsung and 2nd WD would be my choice but really, whichever you can get the best deal on.

NyteOwl · Post by **NyteOwl** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 12:03 pm

I can't spek of first hand experience with Samsung but WD's are fairly quiet.

While this is perhaps a bit out of step with the spirit of SPCR, your hard drive should be selected first for reliability even before capacity and seek times let alone sound.

To Segate's defense while a bit noiser than WD, in 20+ years dealing with personal computers I have only ever had 2 Seagates fail (in fact, an 85MB Seagate SCSI-1 installed in 1987 is still in use in a dedicated control computer here). The number of failed Western Digitals in that same time period time has been in double digits and I no longer use them. Others have had the opposite experience apparently so YMMV.

nutball · Post by **nutball** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 12:23 pm

NyteOwl wrote:To Segate's defense while a bit noiser than WD, in 20+ years dealing with personal computers I have only ever had 2 Seagates fail (in fact, an 85MB Seagate SCSI-1 installed in 1987 is still in use in a dedicated control computer here). The number of failed Western Digitals in that same time period time has been in double digits and I no longer use them. Others have had the opposite experience apparently so YMMV.

20 years ago there were a dozen hard-drive manufacturers, now there are three(-ish). Times change.

Michael Sandstrom · Post by **Michael Sandstrom** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 2:25 pm

I have purchased four Samsung HD501LJ drives and they are all but inaudible suspended. A search of the Silent Storage forum will show that members who run both the Samsung and WD drives prefer the Samsungs. My Samsungs are not actively cooled. A rear 120mm Nexus at 5v provides the only airflow. Dtemp reports HD temperatures ranging from 30 to 35 degrees.

Konnetikut · Post by **Konnetikut** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 5:42 pm

I really want a samsung but they're just not available in Canada.

Michael Sandstrom · Post by **Michael Sandstrom** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 7:10 pm

I know the feeling. I want stuff that is available in Vancouver that I can't find here!

EsaT · Post by **EsaT** » Tue Sep 11, 2007 1:07 am

Michael Sandstrom wrote:A search of the Silent Storage forum will show that members who run both the Samsung and WD drives prefer the Samsungs.

Situation between some HD models can't be generalised to situation between different drives.
In one Finnish computer forum one person tried both and stated that HD501LJ was notably noisier than WD5000AAKS because of vibration.

Derek Baker wrote:Also considered the WDs, but the review here gave the Samsungs a small advantage

Again can't be generalized, because of clear physical difference between older four platter KS and three platter AAKS.
And even with drives in question compared there would be variance between samples. So considering sample variance I think the most truest statement could be it depends on sample which one is quieter but that Samsung has commonly higher vibration level.

As for heat production that depends on entirely from power consumption and unfortunately very few HD reviews include that measurement.

jaganath · Post by **jaganath** » Tue Sep 11, 2007 1:20 am

one person tried both and stated that HD501LJ was notably noisier than WD5000AAKS because of vibration.

vibration problem is relatively easy to solve: soft-mount on foam or suspension.

As for heat production that depends entirely on power consumption and unfortunately very few HD reviews include that measurement.

most HD manufacturers provide these (e.g. samsung hd501lj); it's easy to measure and I doubt there is much sample variation.

Teema · Post by **Teema** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 6:13 am

I'm formatting my new Samsung HD501LJ right now in a naked external drive enclosure (the case is completely removed).

The drive is almost completely silent! If I pay attention to the noise I can hear some very faint rotating sounds when I get to around 40cm of the drive. If this drive is in a case I'd be sure that I wouldn't hear a thing.

So far I'm very impressed with the Samsung HD501LJ.

Teema · Post by **Teema** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 6:24 am

EsaT wrote:
Michael Sandstrom wrote:A search of the Silent Storage forum will show that members who run both the Samsung and WD drives prefer the Samsungs.
Situation between some HD models can't be generalised to situation between different drives.
In one Finnish computer forum one person tried both and stated that HD501LJ was notably noisier than WD5000AAKS because of vibration.

Derek Baker wrote:Also considered the WDs, but the review here gave the Samsungs a small advantage
Again can't be generalized, because of clear physical difference between older four platter KS and three platter AAKS.
And even with drives in question compared there would be variance between samples. So considering sample variance I think the most truest statement could be it depends on sample which one is quieter but that Samsung has commonly higher vibration level.

As for heat production that depends on entirely from power consumption and unfortunately very few HD reviews include that measurement.

Basically you're saying that we can't "generalize" because of "variations". But generally we can generalize that Samsung has higher vibration.

Interesting...

alilianstrom · Post by **alilianstrom** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 5:31 am

I have two of the Samsung 500GB drives in two different enclosures. One is foam mounted below the CD in a Antec NSK2400 and it is inaudible. The other is mounted in the standard 3.5 bay of a Cooler Master Centurion 5, and while it's a bit more noticeable, it is still very quiet.

StApostol · Post by **StApostol** » Thu Oct 11, 2007 4:53 am

From personal experience, the 500GB Samsung (501LJ) is almost inaudible when soft-mounted or suspended. Seeks are pleasant and the disk stays at the cool side of warm (~40C, vs ~46C of the old WD 1600JS it replaced). Performance is excellent (5.8 Windows experience index).

Compared to a 500GB Seagate I suspended for a friend, the difference is enormous. The Seagate hums audibly and the seeks are much more intrusive. Performance is good (5.6 Windows experience index)

I don't have first-hand experience with the WD 5000KS or 5000AAKS, but it is said that both WD's has more audible idle noise than the Samsung, but vibrate less. If you plan to use suspension (which you should), the Samsung seems a better choice - it's more difficult to block idle noise than vibration.

four 500GB 3.5''HDDs to choose from

four 500GB 3.5''HDDs to choose from

...

...

Re: four 500GB 3.5''HDDs to choose from