SATA HDs for new RAID setup - which ones?

chrismox · 11 Feb 2006 at 13:12

I'm building a new PC and the only bits I'm left to decide over ar the hard drives.

I'll be looking to get 2 x 250GB SATA-II drives to run in RAID 0 and was hoping you could help me decide between these options:

Western Digital Caviar Special Edition 250GB 2500KS SATA-II 16MB Cache - OEM (HD-046-WD) - £75.49
Samsung SpinPoint P SP2504C 250GB SATA-II 8MB Cache - OEM (HD-018-SA) - £72.79
Seagate Barracuda 7200.9 NCQ 250GB ST3250824AS SATA-II 8MB Cache - OEM (HD-058-SE) - £77.49

I know the Samsungs are supposed to be relatively quiet and this is a high priority for me, although the blurb on OcUK's description of the Western Digital seems to suggest they're pretty quiet too.

Anyone got any strong views on choosing between these 3?

Many thanks.

chrismox · 11 Feb 2006 at 13:30

32mb indeed!

Interesting that you've recommended all of them except the Samsung which was previously my first choice

chrismox · 11 Feb 2006 at 13:34

http://www.tomshardware.com/2005/12...city_to_fast_and_quiet_t133_series/page8.html

Seems to suggest that the Samsung Spinpoint drives come second to pretty much nothing, and they're still reckoned to be very quiet.

chrismox · 11 Feb 2006 at 14:10

I guess "quiet" is relative but, according to Silent PC Review, they're the best you can buy these days as far as noise is concerned (only ever bettered by Barracuda IV)

I read your other thread KiNETiK - where did you get the floppy nvRAID drivers?

chrismox · 11 Feb 2006 at 19:26

I managed to get the latest drivers (the ones from nForce4 6.70) - I'm sure they make little difference but if you want them, I'll happily email them to you.

PS - they fit on a floppy, only 535kb

chrismox · 13 Feb 2006 at 11:45

Thanks ubern00b, will do some more reading...