Need a new Hdd

Thebug

Thebug

Thebug

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Right just sold my raptor and now i need another boot drive, so my question is - out of the drives that Ocuk sell what would be the quickest?

Not another raptor
No bigger than 320gb
Sata
Quiet

Thanks
 
With those limits the only real option is a 250GB Seagate 7200.10 until OCUK get either the 320Gb Samsung F1s or the single platter 320GB AAKS in stock.
 
The single platter 320s do exist but finding one is a bit of a nightmare. There's no way of distinguishing one from the original 2 platter model without reading the full model number on the drive label.
 
rpstewart said:
The single platter 320s do exist but finding one is a bit of a nightmare. There's no way of distinguishing one from the original 2 platter model without reading the full model number on the drive label.
Click to expand...

Indeed this seems to be a problem. Quoted from Anantech

Western Digital has been quiet on the performance front the past several months as they have placed an emphasis on their GreenPower family of products that we recently reviewed. However, they have been busily working on a new line-up of Caviar SE16 drives that feature their new 320GB per-platter technology. This type of areal density places WD in direct competition with Samsung's F1 lineup featuring 334GB per-platter sizes with similar thermal, acoustic, and power envelope specifications.

It does not come as a surprise that the first drive from WD to utilize the 320GB per-platter technology is the Caviar SE16 320GB WD3200AAKS. What is surprising to us is that WD is not changing the product designation on drives that feature this new technology. It's not really that surprising as a manufacturer will want to clear out inventory of previous product before introducing new product. We would like to see WD following Seagate, Hitachi, or Samsung by changing model numbers when there is a major switch in product technology.

Ordering a WD3200AAKS could land you the new drive or the older design with two 160GB platters. Since only the part number changes in this case, the one you want is WD3200AAKS-00B3A0. For all intent purposes this means you need to find a dealer that carries OEM drives and will guarantee this particular part number is available. It's either that or take your chances with a retail package. WD started shipping these drives in mass at the end of January so odds are that retail kits will contain mixed stock at best.
 
All WD3200AAKS drives manufactured after 24 January are of the newer 320gb/platter design.
They have a slower average seek time compared to the F1's and the WD640gb, but this is not really noticable in normal use. They also have a high sustained transfer :)
 
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