Samsung HD501LJ vs WD 5000KS

[kookaburra]

if I want quiet only, which one should I choice?

[korsch]

I'd love to hear opinions on these two drives as well. I've only seen one SPCR user (jedster) do a direct comparison.

[DonQ]

I'd love to hear opinions on these two drives as well. I've only seen one SPCR user (jedster) do a direct comparison.

I had a WD5000KS but it ran too hot for my liking. Just sitting in an open case, with no airflow it would get to 43C in about 20 minutes, and it was not even being used! and in winter!!

With the case (TJ08) closed and no front fan it got to 41C and with a Zalman ZM-2HC2 it went up to 38C at idle. I put a Noctua NF-S12-1200 fan with the "resistor thingy" blowing down on it and it went down to the low 30s. Yeh! The fan was inaudible so close to the HDD.

Still, the WD HDD was responsible for about 60% of my computer noise (only other source at this time was a Scythe S-flex 1200RPM fan spinning at about 800 RPM and either a S12-430 or NeoHE 430 PSU). I thought about getting an enclosure since the idle noise sometimes drove me nuts (SPCR nuts, I should say) but thought it might not be a good idea since the drive gets so hot.

I thus decided to buy a HD501LJ and compare the two.

After I was done moving my data from the WD to the Samsung, I ran one benchmark tool in Windows, HD Tune 2.53. The WD HDD had the Noctua fan blowing on it, and it still ran hotter. Note that they were in open air with my case open. I recreated my partitions almost identically and had moved all data already. I don't know how the benchmark program works so it is possible that the results were skewed toward the Samsung because the data on the WD was fragmented but the data on the Samsung was not. Also note that in other postings I quoted my WD as running cooler but that was with a fanless PSU thus a considerably faster spinning case fan thus greater airflow. Here's the results:

AAM disabled in both drives:


and AAM enabled in both drives:


Subjectively speaking, the idle sound of the Samsung is somewhat (even side by side I could barely tell the difference, but there was a difference) quieter but its seeks much louder. I would say that the seeks of the Samsung with AAM are about the same, if not louder, than the WD without AAM enabled. When I say AAM enabled I mean "all the way."

Temperature wise, the WD in open air after some time of running does feel HOT and the Samsung just warm. This should give the edge to the Samsung in terms of installation options.

Another aspect that I feel a difference is that I think my system (in Linux, Windows is only for games in my computer) is more responsive when copying large or many files with the Samsung. If I was copying large or many files with the WD, my system would become almost totally unresponsive for a few seconds. It is not as annoying withe Samsung.

I am going to surmise that had I not soft-mounted my HDD that the seek noise of the Samsung without AAM would be really, really annoying but since it's soft mounted, I can't think of a reason why I'd rather have the WD. Wanna buy it off me?

[DonQ]

Darn, triple post.

[DonQ]

Not sure how I did double post.

[nick705]

Subjectively speaking, the idle sound of the Samsung is somewhat (even side by side I could barely tell the difference, but there was a difference) quieter but its seeks much louder. I would say that the seeks of the Samsung with AAM are about the same, if not louder, than the WD without AAM enabled. When I say AAM enabled I mean "all the way."

Temperature wise, the WD in open air after some time of running does feel HOT and the Samsung just warm. This should give the edge to the Samsung in terms of installation options.

Interesting stuff.

Just to clarify though, you're talking about the "old" WD5000KS, not the newer (3-platter) WD5000AAKS, right?

[korsch]

Excellent comparison, DonQ. Thanks!

It sounds like idle whine and vibrational noise should not be problems with a suspended HD501LJ.

I am less bothered by seek noise and currently tolerate a Raptor, so I'm guessing that won't be a problem either.

[DonQ]

Subjectively speaking, the idle sound of the Samsung is somewhat (even side by side I could barely tell the difference, but there was a difference) quieter but its seeks much louder. I would say that the seeks of the Samsung with AAM are about the same, if not louder, than the WD without AAM enabled. When I say AAM enabled I mean "all the way."

Temperature wise, the WD in open air after some time of running does feel HOT and the Samsung just warm. This should give the edge to the Samsung in terms of installation options.

Interesting stuff.

Just to clarify though, you're talking about the "old" WD5000KS, not the newer (3-platter) WD5000AAKS, right?

Yes, sir. Ooooh, so if there's one with fewer platters, then shouldn't it be quieter at idle and run less hot?

[nick705]

Yes, sir. Ooooh, so if there's one with fewer platters, then shouldn't it be quieter at idle and run less hot?

Theoretically, yes, and it should be faster as well because of the higher areal density.

Having said that, I'll take an ounce of hard data over a ton of theory every time.

[Lone Ranger]

I want to ask about seek noise.

I am going to surmise that had I not soft-mounted my HDD that the seek noise of the Samsung without AAM would be really, really annoying but since it's soft mounted, I can't think of a reason why I'd rather have the WD.

Seek noise will be important to me as I don't think I will be able to soft-mount my next hard drive.
So how can I hear just how noisy those Samsung HD501LJ seeks are?

By the way, would anyone know if the 400 GB Samsung HD401LJ have quieter seeks as it has the T133 platters rather than the T166 platters of the 500GB drive?

Thanks for any info.

Lone Ranger