A 500GB 2,5" drive for "portable" storage

[ficod]

Can you give me some advice about the most silent among these drives?

- Samsung: HM500JI
- Hitachi 5k500: HTS545050B9A300
- Western Digital Scorpio Blue: WD5000BPVT
- Western Digital Scorpio Blue: WD5000BEVT
- Western Digital AV: WD5000BUDT
- Toshiba: MK-5065 GSX
- Seagate 7200.4: ST9500420AS

other desired qualities
-- reliability
-- shock resistance

I will use it for storing mp3s, put on a esata box and maybe on day to replace my OS drive on a laptop.

I've thrown the 7200.4 just because the price is quite the same as the 5400 drives... obviously if it's not that much noisy, I'd pick this one..

thx!

[Mats]

- Western Digital Scorpio Blue: WD5000BEVT

I'm using this one in a laptop since April 2010, and I really like it.

I must admit that I don't have much to compare with, it replaced a 250 GB WD (WD2500BEVS, 2007), and before that I had a 80 GB Hitachi (5K100 HTS541080G9SA00, 2006).

Both WD's have been really low noise, very difficult to hear any seek noises, and the idle noise is quite good, nothing that gets me irritated even after many hours of use.

The Hitachi was definitely noisier, without being extreme. But still, it was a bit annoying in my laptop.

http://www.silentpcreview.com/500gb_laptop_drives

[quest_for_silence]

Can you give me some advice about the most silent among these drives?

- Hitachi 5k500: HTS545050B9A300

I guess you should have a look to SPCR site before.

However, the quoted disk is probably the quietest ever tested on SPCR for internal use, but even your favourite Seagate compare with it quite favourably: both should be noticeably quieter than any comparable size WD.

But maybe, if you need an external disk, and you care about its quietness, you have to look at these other ones, even if they aren't eSATA.

[ficod]

Ciao Luca (I'm italian too)

Thanks a lotfor your reply... I usually read the articles here, just being lazy and never heard about the samsung.
My choice is going towards the momentus 7200.4...

Any issues about reliability in favour of the Hitachi 5k500?
Never had any Seagate or Hitachi lately, just Samsung...

[quest_for_silence]

never heard about the samsung.
My choice is going towards the momentus 7200.4

Well, MikeC and SPCR have their own bias towards some brands, so in the last years they have not tested any Samsung mobile disks, iirc.
I own currently both the previous M6 and the 7200.4, and I can't say anything against my Samsungs: however, choosing a reviewed disk is just a safer bet, not necessarily a better one.

Any issues about reliability in favour of the Hitachi 5k500?
Never had any Seagate or Hitachi lately, just Samsung...

Well, if you look at here you may have a more broad picture.
AFAIK there are no known issue about both 7200.4 and 5K500.B, so personally I'd go for the former, as the latter is considerably slower.
Both show very similar higher worrisome ratings (failures, DOAs, and so on) on NewEgg than the only Samsung M7 listed there (but they sell more Seagate and Hitachi drives than Samsung ones).

The Momentus XT (apart it's far more expensive) could be also a good choice, maybe the best one (it's about on par with the noisy Scorpio Black on storagereviews), with a percentage of negative reviews on NewEgg more similar to the Samsung one, than to the other two drives. The 250GB should be single platter, so probably even quieter, if it's enough for you.

If it's intended for desktop use, think also about some 5400-5900rpm 3.5" drives (mostly WD GP and F2/F4), or to some SSDs: up to two-three years ago the notebook drives are the best bet by far for advised silencers, today the choice is no more so definite.