Maxtor vs. Western Digital vs. Seagate

Silencing hard drives, optical drives and other storage devices

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ovatsus
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Oct 01, 2006 1:25 pm

Maxtor vs. Western Digital vs. Seagate

Post by ovatsus » Wed Oct 04, 2006 12:47 am

Can someone tell me, between this two drives, which would be the more silent & cool one?
Seagate 320Gb 7200 RPM SATA2 16Mb
Maxtor 320Gb 7200 RPM SATA2 16Mb
Western Digital 320Gb 7200 RPM SATA2 16Mb

Thanks

Csoszi
Posts: 20
Joined: Tue Apr 11, 2006 2:48 am
Location: Hungary

Post by Csoszi » Wed Oct 04, 2006 1:26 am

Although I dont't have any personal experience with the Maxtor and Seagate drives you mentioned, the WD3200KS is an excellent HDD, both cool and quiet. I have two of these drives and are very pleased with them.

jackylman
Posts: 784
Joined: Sun May 22, 2005 8:13 am
Location: Pennsylvania, USA

Post by jackylman » Wed Oct 04, 2006 1:56 am

The WD is the coolest one, and probably the quietest as well.

whiic
Posts: 575
Joined: Wed Sep 06, 2006 11:48 pm
Location: Finland

There's so many 320GB Maxtors with SATA2 and 16MB buffer...

Post by whiic » Wed Oct 04, 2006 3:46 am

"Maxtor 320Gb 7200 RPM SATA2 16Mb"

And which 320GB Maxtor would that be?

DiamondMax 10 series (originally up to 300GB but might have 320GB added to the available variants) (3 platters). These are "typical" Maxtors: run hot and produce a heck of a racket (in standard configuration). The best thing about these drives is that they have the most efficient AAM implementation in the industry. You wouldn't hear the seeks - you'd need just to make sure idle noise and vibration is taken care of.

DiamondMax 17 series is a new odd-ball Maxtor with load/unload technology previously seen in laptop drives and Hitachi desktop drives. Specs say the available capacities would be 160GB and 320GB. 160GB is widely available but the latter not... probably the new owner of the brand (Seagate) doesn't have interest in this newest and unique family of Maxtors.

DiamondMax 21 series 320GB is 2-platters as well, but lack load/unload. They are only Maxtors by name as they are relabeled Seagates. This is the future of Maxtor: Maxtor is D-E-D, dead. I cannot answer whether Maxtor branded Seagates lack AAM like Seagate branded Seagates, but I'd be sure to stay clear of them until someone else confirms the presense of AAM. Seagates without AAM produce annoying seek noise.

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Seagate 7200.10 series 320GB variant usually has 2 platters. But there's different data densities and maybe some other variance. AAM isn't present so seek noise will no doubt be quite noticeable if not even obtrusive (probably not as obtrusive as DM10 in default setting, but who silencing enthusiast would even consider running DM10 AAM disabled?).

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Western Digital WD3200xx is pretty quiet both when idling and seeking. Seeks are quiet even with AAM disabled. (AAM is supported though.) I have one WD3200JB (8MB, PATA). Nice and quiet, despite have 3 platters. Since your looking for 16MB cache and SATA2, the correct code replacing "xx" was probably "KS".

Western Digital WD3200AAxx isn't yet available. It's available in 160GB capacity and 8MB buffer, SATA2 (WD1600AAJS) (1 platter). 320GB variant will have 2 platters. This drive will probably show us the direction WD is going. These drives use load/unload technology (like Hitachis and Maxtor DM17).

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I wouldn't overlook Hitachi T7K500 320GB (HDT725032VLA360), as they support AAM and APM. They have 2 platters, and unlike 2-platter Maxtor and 2-platter WD, they are available now. (2-platter Seagate should already be out of the question as it lacks AAM.)


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And how about offerings from Samsung? T133 is quiet. If I remember correctly, they added 320GB variant into the mix as well. But I don't remember whether it had 2 or 3 platters. If it had 3, it'd be wiser to buy a non-short-stroked 400-gigger from Samsung. They are proven quiet despite their high capacity. Some samples vibrate much - decoupling suggested. (But decoupling would benefit all other drives mentioned.) T133 Samsungs are quite cheap for their capacity, so you could consider a 400-gigger if you end up choosing a Samsung. (Other manufacturers don't necessarily offer good 400GB options as they are usually mechanically identical to 500GB variants and not 320GB variants.)

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My suggestions?
WD3200AAxx (when it becomes available)
T7K500 320GB (if you need the capacity now)
Samsung T133 400GB (if you could use 80GB extra capacity)
WD3200xx (*)
DM17 320GB (that will probably never be available)

(*) Only if you have a phobia against "IBMtachis".
Definitions of phobia (2 first results using Google for "define: phobia"):
- an uncontrollable, irrational, and persistent fear of a specific object, situation, or activity.
- an obsessive, persistent, unrealistic fear of an external object or situation.

Avoiding Hitachis bacause of some prehistoric IBM "Deathstar" incident fit clearly under the definition of phobia. :)
Current Hitachis are no doubt much more reliable than 75GXP/60GXP were.

ovatsus
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Oct 01, 2006 1:25 pm

Post by ovatsus » Wed Oct 04, 2006 8:10 am

I can only find Samsungs and Hitachis with 8MB, so I think I'm going to buy the WD3200KS

Thanks

Csoszi
Posts: 20
Joined: Tue Apr 11, 2006 2:48 am
Location: Hungary

Post by Csoszi » Wed Oct 04, 2006 11:04 am

ovatsus: good decision!

whiic: I have two WD3200KS and a WD3200JB, but my JB (Mfg: May 2006) is not quiet at all, sounds like a vacuum cleaner when compared to the KS.

SweeJ
Posts: 7
Joined: Sun Apr 10, 2005 1:15 am

Go for the WD

Post by SweeJ » Wed Oct 04, 2006 11:55 am

I have 6 of the WD3200KS, all of them are very quiet and very cool. Can't hear them seeking at all, and i don't have a noisy system or fans.

My old Seagate 7200.7 120GB SATA actually is very audible compared to my quiet Samsung P120 and the WDs.

:)

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